Add MS 8447

DIARY OF GIOVANNI FRANCESCO FIRMANI; 1529-1565. Latin. Copy, 17th cent. This diary relates to events in the papal curia between the reigns of Pope Clement VII and Pope Pius IV. The text for 1529-1565 is copied in several hands on ff. 2-221v; the text for 1529-1547 is repeated in another hand on ff. 222-416v. Inc. 'Die 24 Augusti 1529 Reverendissimi Cardinales de Farnesio, de Santa Cruce', expl. (f. 221v) 'et omnes milites Religionis, ac omnes alios ibidem repertos', breaking off in the middle of the diary's final sentence, expl. (f. 416v) 'et Jodoco haec fildet decreti doctorum Proposito'. The present MS. is listed in Palma di Cesnola, no. 1554, p. 122. Add. 8435, ff. 8-198 is another copy of the text. A note (f. i) records that Girolamo Mattei sent this manuscript to a Monsignor Monti, at the request of the latter. This Girolamo Mattei may be the Archbishop of Fermo (d. 1740), or Girolamo II, Duke of Giove (d. 1753). Bookplate of Giacinto del Bufalo, late 18th or early 19th cent. (f. ii). 'Tomo ii' in black ink in upper left corner of f. 1. '24' in black ink in lower left corner of front pastedown and '343' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Acquired from Thomas Thorpe who purchased it from R. H. Evans, 8 December 1830, lot 343 (part), together with Add. 8364

Paper; ff. ii + 416. 258 x 185mm. Copied in several Italian hands. Watermarks: star, similar to Haewood, Watermarks, 3885 (A.D. 1555, Rome); bird similar to Haewood 162 (A.D. 1685, Rome), but with bird facing right and letters 'A' and 'B' on either side of bird; and anchor, similar to Haewood 3 (A.D. 1637-1639, Rome), but with star above. Full vellum binding over pasteboards, late 17th or early 18th cent.