Add MS 8475

COLLECTION relating mostly to the Papal Court; late 18th cent. Italian and Latin. Copies. A collection of papers, relating mostly to the relationship between the Court of Rome and its prelates. Including: - (a) ff. 2-9, 11-44, Instructions to a bishop or archbishop, in Italian, two copies, inc. 'Instruttione per un vescovo o arcivescovo ... / Consistendo la particolar cura', marked 'A-B'; - (b) ff. 44v-53v, 54-57v. Instructions to a prelate, in Italian, two copies, inc. 'Instruttione per un nuovo prelato che viene alla Corte di Roma... / Per assumere l'abito prelatizio s'interviene la Mattina', marked 'C-D'; - (c) ff. 58-88v, correspondence between a prelate and a bishop relating to the bishop's controversy with the prince of his diocese, in Italian, inc. 'Signor mio / Perche nella vostra lettera sete concorso nell'opinione di un altro religioso amico mio', marked 'E'; - (d) ff. 89-104, notes by Giacomo Altoviti, Latin Patriarch of Antioch (1667-1693), and Antonio Altoviti, Referendario, relating to the precedence granted to the four Latin Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria at the Papal Court, in Italian and Latin, inc. 'Che i quattro Patriarchi debbono precedere in Roma, e fuori ad ogni e qualunque prelato', marked 'F'; - (e) ff. 105-106, accounts of fees paid by prelates when assuming their office, in Italian, marked 'G'; - (f) ff. 107-123, notes and letters relating to the controversy against Enrico Noris accused of heresy, in Latin and Italian, marked 'H-K'; - (g) ff. 124-149, anonymous sermon on the Temptation of Christ, in Italian, inc. 'Sermo Dominicae tertiae Quadragesimae erat Jesus eiiciens Demonium / Un miserando et infelicissimo spettacolo di alta et infinita pietà', marked 'L'; - (h) ff. 150-150v, relazione of the relics of St. Nicholas of Tolentino by Carlo Scipione Benadducci, in Italian, dated 4 Sept. 1671, inc. 'Relazione / Le sacre reliquie del glorioso S. Nicola da Tolentino', marked 'M'; - (i) ff. 151-154, notes relating to a missionary father, in Italian, marked 'N'-'O'; - (j) ff. 155-157, rules of the French card game of Piquet or Cent, known as Picchetto in Italy, in Italian, inc. 'Discorso sopra il gioco di Picchetto / S'ha da osservare prima che questo gioco fra gli altri di carte stimato il più nobile', marked 'P'. Table of contents (f. 1), added later; occasional marginal notations. Armorial bookplate of the Hon. Frederick North, later 5th Earl of Guilford, with shelfmark 'L/18/B' (front pastedown). '392' in top left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8340, 8356, 8376, 8406, 8481, 8535, 8675, 8702, 8732, 8763, and 8777, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 392 (part).

Paper; ff. 157, plus two unfoliated blanks after f. 57, and one unfoliated paper slip inserted after f. 119. Composite volume: single items marked 'A-P' in black ink in upper right corner of first leaves. Old foliations from different MSS. '90-132' (ff. 11-53), and '173-198' (ff. 124-149). 278 x 267mm. Several Italian hands: same hand for papers marked 'C' and 'D' (ff. 11-53v). Frederick North's binding of quarter blue leather with decorated paper covers over pasteboards.