Add MS 8471

GIROLAMO LUNADORO: Relazione of Rome; circa 1611. Italian. Copy. Relazione of the Papal Court written by the nobleman Girolamo Lunadoro of Siena, allegedly for a Cardinal de' Medici, possibly Carlo (elected cardinal in 1615). The MS. also includes (ff. 63v-122) a later addition attributed here to Giacomo Pinnarolo of Milan. The relazione was very successful and had a wide MS. circulation: other 17th-cent. copies, with some textual differences, in Add. 8356 (dated 1623: art. 3, ff. 9-49v), 8472, 18660 (ff. 85-136), Arundel 21 (dated 11 Jan. 1611), Egerton 2210 (ff. 112-163), and Royal 14.A.xx (art. 6, ff. 546-622v); a shorter version in Harley 754 (ff. 2-38v); a short excerpt in Add. 4458, art. 13, ff. 95-96. The text was sometimes attributed to Gregorio Leti (1630-1701) as the author's name was believed to be Leti's pseudonym. In truth Leti was only five year old in 1635 when the text was first published by Romulo Lunadoro, a nephew of Girolamo, as Relatione della Corte di Roma e de' Riti da osservarsi in essa, e de' suoi Magistrati e Offitii, con la loro distinta giurisdittione. Dettata e fatta dal Signor Cavalier Girolamo Lunadoro dell'Ordine di Santo Stefano, nobile senese ... l'anno 1611 di Gennaro ... al Serenissimo ... Principe il Signor Cardinale de' Medici [Padua?] (Paulo Frambotto, 1635; B.L. copies at 8006.cc.48.(2) and C.76.c.15); for the attribution to Gregorio Leti cf. F. Barcia, Bibliografia delle opere di Gregorio Leti (Milan, 1981), nos. xxviii, n. 1, and lxvii; N. H. Krivatsy, Bibliography of the Works of Gregorio Leti (New Castle, Delaware, 1982), p. [97]. Many other printed editions followed; among them an English translation as part of The Court of Rome ... Translated out of Italian by H.C. Gent [The preface signed: Henry Copan] (London: printed for Henry Herringman, 1654; B.L. copy E.1456.(2).); also translated into German as Der gegenwärtige Staat des Päbstlichen Hofes, vormahls von ... Lunadoro ... herausgegeben (Halle, 1771; B.L. copy 1250.b.17). The text of the relazione in the present MS. (ff. 1-63v) is slightly different from the printed text. Part of Pinnarolo's addition (ff. 63-77) is published with specific reference to the death of Urban VIII in 1644 in the edition of Lunarolo's relazione printed in 1650 as Relatione della Corte di Roma e de riti ... dal Signor Cavaliere Girolamo Lunarolo già data in luce. E di nuovo accresciuta et ampliato l'Indice ... dedicata al ... Signore Ercole Ronconi (Bracciano: Andrea Fei Stampatore Ducale, ad istanza di Giovanni Francesco Delfini, 1650), pp. 296-348. The present MS. is entitled (f. 1) 'Relazione della Corte di Roma e de riti che si osservano in essa e suoi offizi, dignità e magistrati del Cavalier Lunadoro, descritti e accusati da Giacomo Pinnarolo milanese antiquario, con la spiegazione dell'Anno Santo'. Inc. 'Il Sommo Pontefice ha per suoi collaterali settanta Cardinali', expl. (f. 63v) 'nelle spedizioni delle Bolle d'essa Chiesa'; additional text inc. (f. 63v) 'Della Sede vacante e Elezione del Sommo Pontefice / Al compimento di una intera Relazione', expl. (f. 122) 'tutti si partono, ringratiando la Divina Maestà di tanto benefitio'. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '84' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8374, 8409, 8432, 8485, 8486, 8488, 8524, 8666, and 8690, from R. H. Evans, 8 December. 1830, lot 84 (part).

Paper; ff. 123+ii. Modern pencil foliation '1-122' (followed here), repeating no. 35. Old pagination in ink '1-243' (ff. 1-122), omitting ff. 81v-82. 274 x 200mm. Quire signatures in arabic numerals '2-14' in upper margin of first leaves. Horizontal catchwords on each page. Two main Italian hands: - (a) ff. 1-73v; - (b) ff. 74-122. Late 17th-cent. Italian binding of full vellum.