Add MS 8463

PROJECT for the Recovery of the Treasury of the Roman See; circa 1768 (date on f. 87v). Italian. Anonymous Progetto to save the Treasury of the Apostolic Chamber from collapse after the disastrous mandate of General Treasurer Cardinal Saverio Canale (or Canali) (1760-1766). The project was possibly prepared for Canale's successor, Monsignor Gianangelo Braschi, the future Pope Pius VI, who was General Treasurer between 1766-1773. Title (f. 1) 'Progetto', inc. 'Le angustie estreme, nelle quali trovasi l'Erario Camerale', expl. (f. 58) 'per metter mano all'esecuzione del Progetto'. Followed by (ff. 59-87v) various reports (individually numbered 'I-VIII'), including the budget for the year 1766, accounts of debits and credits, prices of the salt, and taxes inside and outside the States of the Church. Old shelfmark in ink '94' in lower spine: identifiable with Marini MS. 94 in Guilford's catalogue Add. 8220, f. 29, entitled 'Progetto per evitare la totale rovina dell'Erario Comunale, con bilanci ristretti, 1766'. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '62' in pencil in top left corner of f. 1. Purchased, together with Add. 8359, 8372, 8510, 8552, 8563, 8568, 8572, 8625, 8672, and 8807, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 62 (part).

Paper; ff. 87+ii, plus two unfoliated blanks after ff. 58, 81, and one after ff. 73, 82, 85, 86. Current foliation making use of old foliation in ink '1-58', and then continuing in pencil from f. 59. Old pagination in ink '1-24' (ff. 61v-72). 267 x 197mm. Horizontal catchwords on each leaf. One Italian hand. Late 18th-cent. Italian binding of paper with decorated papers covers of red dye and gilt 'Indian' pattern over pasteboards; xylographic decorated paper pastedowns.