Add MS 8632

ASCANIO SAVORGNAN, Relazione of Cyprus; 1572. Italian. Copy, probably the presentation copy of the relazione sent to Baron Sfondrati by Francesco Marcaldi on 30 July 1572. The text is a full report of the military situation and the state of affairs of the island, inc. (f. 5) 'In altre è stato esposto in quai termini', expl. (f. 57v) 'si potria entrar'à imprese di gran' merito, et gloriose'. The report is preceded by a long title (f. 2) 'Discrittione delle cose di Cipro con le ragioni in favore, ò contra diverse opinioni, et delle provisioni, che erano necessarie per quel Regno. Fatta per lo Signor Ascanio Savorgnano, che fu eletto dall'Illustrissima Signoria di Venetia come huomo sufficientissimo e mandato nel Regno di Cipro per haver la sottoscritta informatione innanti la guerra di esso Regno'. Followed by the presentation letter of Francesco Marcaldi, inc. (f. 3) 'Al Molto Illustre Signore il Signor Baron' Sfondrati... / Non sono ancora molti giorni', expl. (f. 4) 'et prosperi in quella felicità, che lei stessa desidera. Di Venetia Adi xxx Luglio M.D.Lxxii. Di vostra Signoria illustre Humil servo Francesco Marcaldi'. Other presentation MSS of the text copied by the same hand, and containing a similar letter to different recipients are Eg. 2859 and Oxford, Bodleian Lib., MS. Ital.e.11. Other copies of the text and letter by different hands in Add. 8591, 8633, and 48148 (Yelverton MS. 160), art. 7. The present MS. is described by Foligno, anno 6, t. xi (1906), pt. ii, no. xcvii, pp. 185-186. The relazione was first published in J. P. Reinhard, Geschichte des Königreichs Cypern (Leipzig, 1768), ii Teil, p. 33. M. Foscarini, Della letteratura veneziana ed altri scritti intorno ad essa (Venice, 1854), p. 307, n. 1, notes three other copies then in Venetian collections. Translated into English by H. C. Luke in Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, Malta, no. 5 (1932), with notes on other MSS in Venice, Paris and Malta. Some marginal corrections by the scribe. Two ex-libris on f. 2: 'Bardi / Ex Bibliotheca Principis D. Federici' and 'Ex Bibliografie Venetie'. A note and an ex-libris (ff. 1, 2) assigning the MS. to the National Archive of Venice with shelfmark 'No. 1687' and two wax seals (ff. 2, 57v). Two armorial bookplates of 5th Earl of Guilford (front and back pastedown); his shelfmark 'L/19/C' in pencil in the upper part of front pastedown. '175' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8624, 8626, 8628, 8634, 8639, and 8640, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 175 (part).

Paper; ff. 57+5. 177 x 132mm. Horizontal catchwords on each page. 18th-cent. binding making use of original gilt-tooled red morocco covers on pasteboards with traces of red silk fastening ties.