Add MS 8575

MARIN SANUDO THE YOUNGER: Chronicle of Venice and Lives of the Doges from the origins to 1428; 18th cent. Italian. Imperfect. Sanudo compiled his chronicle around 1522-1523 and continued to insert additional notes up to 1530. After a brief introductory account of the origins of the town in 421, the chronicle describes the history of the Venetian republic through the lives of the doges, often supplying documentary evidence in form of dogal letters, diplomatic acts, papal bullae, peace and alliance treaties. Only two volumes of Sanudo's autograph text survive: Venice, Bibl. Marciana, MS it. vii 800 (=7151), covering the years 421-1423, and Venice, Bibl. Marciana, MS it. vii 801 (=7152), for the years 1474-1494. The present MS. supplies the text for the years 1423-1428 in the lost second autograph volume, which covered the years 1423-1474 and can only be reconstructed through later copies: two 17th-century manuscripts (Venice, Bibl. Marc., MS it vii 125 (=7460) and Modena, Bibl. Estense, MS α , H, 5, 12. It. 453), the present MS. and Add. 8576; see Marin Sanudo il Giovane, Le vite dei Dogi (1474-1494), ed. by A. Caracciolo Aricò (Padua, 1989) pp. xix-xxiv. In the present MS. the chronicle starts with the life of doge Paolo Lucio Anafesto, inc. (f. 11) 'Paulutio Anafesto Primo Doge fo elletto nell'anno di Christo 697', and breaks off with the first years of the doge Francesco Foscari and the treaty of peace between Florence and the duke Filippo Sforza of Milan in 1427, expl. (f. 524v) 'xi chel detto Duca debba haver assignado le ditte fortezze'. Its introduction (ff. 1-10v) is largely defective having lost many leaves after f. 10v and breaks with the results of the Council election in 1516, title: 'Marini Sanuti Leonardi Filii Patr[icii] veneti De origine urbis Venete, et Vita omnium Ducum Incipit Feliciter', inc. 'La Cita di Veniexia al presente', expl. '1383 Zuan Piero Stella soprad. 631'. A later note on lower right corner of f. 10v comments 'qui manca il resto'. The MS. is described by Foligno, anno 5, t. x (1905), pt. i, no. ii, p. 96. The chronicle was first published by L. A. Muratori in Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, t. xxii, pt. iv (Milan, 1733), cols. 405-1284. The edition by G. Monticoli in Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, n.s., t. xxii, pt. iv, i (Citta' di Castello, 1900-1911), publishes part of the first autograph MS., Marc. it. vii 800 (ff. 1-93v, covering the years 421-1178). Astrological diagram for the year 421 (f. 4). Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '46' in pencil in upper left corner of f. 1. Purchased, together with Add. 8573, 8574 and 8578, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 46 (part).

Paper; ff. 524. Many leaves missing after f. 10. Contemporary foliation in ink 1-526 (followed here), omitting no. 382 after f. 381 and no. 515 after f. 514. Present arrangement misplaces ff. 59-64 after f. 68. 345 x 235mm. Horizontal catchwords on each leaf. Quarter binding of vellum with marbled paper covers.