Add MS 8486

FELICE CONTELORIO: De Praefecto Urbis Liber.... Rome. S.n. 1631. 2^o. [10], 96 p. [missing pp. 32-34]; [5] leaves of plates. Latin. Printed, with many MS. amendments. A history of the origin and development of the ‘praefectura’ in Rome with a list of prefects to 1631. The book contains a prefatory letter to Taddeo Barberini, praefectus urbis, and the imprimatur of Fr. Nicolaus Riccardius, Magister Sacrii Palatii Apostolici. It is divided into six chapters, preceded by a list of manuscripts quoted in the text. Chapters concern: 1. origin, 2. garments, 3. duties, 4. jurisdiction, 5. prerogatives of the prefect, 6. gives a list of all prefects from Romulus to 1631 with biographical notes. Illustrated. Decorated letters and the coat of arms of the Barberini's family throughout the text. A note on the front pastedown identifies Pietro Francesco Foggini (1713-1783), Prefect of the Vatican Library, and the P. F. F. credited on the title page with many corrections and additions to the printed work. Stamp of the Colonna library 'Libraria Colonna' in red on ff. 2, 3, and 91 (for the Colonna library stamp see Bragaglia, vol. iii, T 32: c. 1750). Shelfmark of the Colonna Library ‘R. Scans. picc^a Ord. V. numº 4’ (front pastedown). Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. ‘84’ in pencil in upper left corner of inside upper cover. Purchased, together with 8364, from R. H. Evans, 8 December. 1830, lot 84 (part).

Paper; ff. 92+ii, plus one unfoliated interleaved blanks after ff. 87, 88, and 90, and a loose fragment. 110 x 70mm. 17th-cent. binding of full vellum.