Add MS 8599

Chronicles of Padua; 15th-17th cent. Italian. Described by C. Foligno, ‘Codici di materia veneta nelle biblioteche inglesi’, in Nuovo Archivio Veneto, n.s., 6, xi (1906), pt. i, no. lvii, pp. 184-186. Armorial bookplate of 5^th Earl of Guilford, with shelfmark L/19/D (f. i). Purchased, together with Add. 8583, 8598, 8600 and 8601, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 321 (part).

Paper; ff. I+88. Composite volume. Original order partly indicated by old foliation at centre of lower edge of ff. 24-88.

1. ff. 1-20v. Extract from an Italian translation of the Latin chronicle of Padua by Giovanni da Naone (or Nono, fl. 14th cent.), 2nd half of 15th cent. Inc. (f. 2) 'Conciosia cossa che si die', expl. 'fu appelata padoa bella'. G. Vedova describes the chronicle as 'lavoro incolto, favoloso e maligno' (Biografia degli Scrittori Padovani di Giuseppe Vedova, i (1832), p. 643); an incomplete copy of the same text in Add. 15112, ff. 563-589. Preceded by (f. 1v) five lines of Latin verse, in the same hand, dedicated to the first mythical king of Padua, Antenor, inc. 'Cum super assumes quam primum'. Rubricated headings. Alternating blue and red initials with contrasting penwork decoration.

Sec. fol. 'che te daro uno zoveneto vestito'. 210 x 142mm. Two gatherings of ten leaves now mounted on guards. Ruled in ink in a single column, circa 158 x circa 85mm, with 40 lines.

2. ff. 21-23. Description of the town of Padua with information on religious institutions, population and trade in the year 1561; information apparently taken from Agostino Petroldis (note at bottom of f. 23)

Old ink foliation '116-123' at centre of lower edge. 211 x 158mm. One gathering of eight leaves (five unfoliated blanks) now mounted on guard.

3. ff. 24-30. Account of the slaughter of Francesco da Carrara and his sons Francesco and Giacomo in the Venetian prisons in 1406; 17th cent.

Old ink foliation '181-189' at centre of lower edge. 211 x 154mm. One gathering of nine leaves (of ten, one blank cancelled; two unfoliated blanks) now mounted on guard.

4. ff. 31-35. Extract from a different Italian translation of the Latin chronicle of Padua by Giovanni da Naone, inc. 'Mentre che Trogia non jache roinata', expl. 'Conti de Monttorio overo Verona'; 23 August 1580. Followed by (ff. 36-48v) an historical account of ancient families in Padua mainly in the 12th-14th cent., written by a different hand in the 17th cent.

Two old ink foliation, the first '129-146' at upper right corner, the second '84-101' at centre of lower edge. 218 x 160mm. One gathering of sixteen leaves and one bifolium now mounted on guards.

5. ff. 49-84. Paduan chronicles consisting of: (a) ff. 49-78v, an extract from a third Italian translation of the Latin chronicle of Padua by Giovanni da Naone attributed here to a priest Hieronymo Atestino, inc. 'Mentre che Troia non iaque ruinata', expl. 'la isola di candia'; - (b) ff. 79-80v, a short life of Ezzelino da Romano, inc. ' Eccelino balbo de bononia', expl. 'la qual fo in la patria de venecia'; - (c) ff. 81-84, chapters on military history of Padua and the da Carrara family, inc. 'De lo anno del nostro segnor del 1293', expl. 'questa fo la fin de gli segnor da carara'; 1st half of 16th cent. With ownership note by Giovanni Francesco Buzzacarini on f. 84v.

Two old ink foliation, the first '1-36' at upper right corner, the second '105-146' at centre of lower edge. 213 x 156mm. Two gatherings of respectively five and thirty-seven leaves (six unfoliated blanks) now mounted on guards. Watermark trimontium similar to Briquet 11912 (Padua, 1515, with variant 1527-1546).

6. ff. 85-88. A medical recipe, a recipe on how to make an anis spirit, and the explanation of an astrological diagram (dated 6 June 1671); 17th cent.

Two old ink foliations, the first '1-4' at upper right corner, the second '147-155' at centre of lower edge. 210 x 150mm. One gathering of ten leaves (six unfoliated blanks) now mounted on guard.