Add MS 8565

STATUTES OF CORVARA: a collection of the statutes of Corvara, near La Spezia, with related confirmations and judgements by the commune of Genoa; after 1501. Latin. Statutes passed by the councillors of Corvara and presented to Johannes Lemengre [Jean Le Meingre], called Buciquant [Boucicaut], marshall of France and governor of Genoa (d. 1421), inc. (f. 3) '[I]nfrascripta Sunt Capitula Comunis Terre et Castri Corvarie', with an an extract (ff. 3-20) from the public acts of the chancery of Genoa ratifying and approving them, 23 Sept. 1407. The volume also includes (ff. 1-2v, 21-37v) copies of agreements, rulings and confirmations, together with earlier related documents, principally relating to the franchises of the men of Corvara and their immunities from the exactions of the commune of Genoa, 13th cent. to 1526. The latest item in the main hand (f. 36) is dated 4 June 1501. There is an addition in a sixteenth-century hand on f. 37-37v. Ownership inscription (f. 1) of Domenico Grimaldi (d. 1592), as bishop of Savona (1581-1584), with annotations in his hand (ff. 20v, 27v and 29). Armorial bookplate of 5th Earl of Guilford (f. i) and shelfmark L/18/C (f. 1). '568' in pencil in upper left corner of f. 1. Purchased, together with Add. 8627, from R. H. Evans, 8 December 1830, lot 568 (part).

Vellum; ff. i+38. Ink foliation (1-37, 23 omitted), probably by Domenico Grimaldi. 184 x 130mm. 1² (ff. 1-2), 2¹⁰(ff. 3-12), 3-4⁸(ff. 13-28), 5¹⁰(ff. 29-38), 6⁴(blank, unfoliated gathering); f. 1 is paste-down. Horizontal catchwords towards the right of the lower margin on f. 12v and in the centre of the lower margin on f. 28v. Ruled in ink in a single column circa 130 x circa 90mm, with 29 lines except ff. 21-28v (28 lines), ff. 29, 38-38v (23 lines) and f. 29v (24 lines). Early 16th cent. blind-tooled and stamped leather binding (rebacked) over bevelled wooden boards, on three bands, with metal corner-pieces and central bosses, and with two plates for clasps (now missing) on the lower cover.