Add MS 8633

RELAZIONI AND PAPERS RELATING TO CYPRUS, VENICE, AND SPAIN; late 16th-early 17th cent. Italian. Copies. Imperfect. The MS. is described by Foligno, anno 6, t. xi (1906), pt. ii, no. xcviii, p. 186. Armorial bookplate of 5th Earl of Guilford with shelfmark 'L/19/B' (front pastedown). '361' in ink in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8629, 8630, 8331, and 8635, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 361 (part).

1. ff. 1-32v. 'Relatione della copiosa discretione delle cose di Cipro con le ragioni in favore, ò contra diverse oppinioni, et delle provisioni necessarie per quel Regno fatte per / Il Signor Ascanio Savorgnani', relazione of Cyprus by the Venetian Ambassador Ascanio Savorgnan; circa 1570. Inc. (f. 2) 'In oltre m'è à bastanza è stato esposto in quei termini', expl. (f. 32v) 'si potria penetrare à imprese di gran' merito, et gloriose'. Preceded by a letter of Francesco Marcaldi presenting the relation to Francesco Maria de' Medici, Gran Duke of Tuscany, inc. (f. 1) 'Non sono ancora molti giorni', expl. (f. 1v) 'et prosperi in quella felicità che lei desidera'. Another copy of the relazione as sent to Francesco de' Medici by Marcaldi in Add. 8591, art. 2. Other MSS of the text with similar letters from Marcaldi addressed to different recipients are Add. 8632 and 48148 (Yelverton MS 160), art. 7, Eg. 2859, and Oxford, Bodleian Lib., MS. Ital. e. 11. 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. A capital letter 'F' in ink marks the beginning of the text in the upper right corner of f. 1.

2. ff. 33-55. 'Particulare Informatione Alla Regia Sacra, et Cattolica Maestà', relazione of Venice, addressed to the King of Spain, with information on its political structure, navy and strategies; after 1555 (see f. 38v). Inc. 'Del nobil Magistrato di Venetia', expl. 'Dio sia sempre propitio alli desiderij suoi'. Another copy of the text in Add. 8591, art. 3. A capital letter 'G' in ink marks the beginning of the text in the upper right corner of f. 33.

3. ff. 55-61v. 'Memoria di quello che fruttano al Re di Spagna un'anno per l'altro le bolle della Cruciata et altre Bolle di Chiese, et Monasterij particolari, et Jubilei che chiamano di Cassa, et subsidio ecclesiastico', account of revenues of the Spanish crown; circa 1560. Followed by (ff. 61-61v) a copy of a Latin petition by Sebastian von Heussenstamm, archbishop of Mainz, to the emperor Charles V concerning the continuation of the Council of Trent, dated 1548. Inc. 'La Bolla della Cruciata', expl. 'Datum Auguste XV. Aprilis anno Domini Mdxlxviii (sic)'. Other copies of the text in Add. 8591, art. 4, and Eg. 1087, pp. 132-145. A capital letter 'L' in ink marks the beginning of the text in the right margin of f. 55.

4. ff. 61v-81v. Account of the state of affairs in the Kingdom of Naples by Giulio Cesare Caracciolo for his brother Ascanio; 1554. Inc. 'Le molte invasioni che ha sofferto il Regno di Napoli', expl. 'è una espressa ruina de populi'. The text is incomplete: a later hand added the last five missing lines. Other copies of the same text, also known as the 'Ragionamento sulle condizioni del Regno di Napoli', in Add. 8591, art. 5 (ff. 129v-146), 8667, art. 1 (ff. 2-20v), and 48133 (Yelverton MS. 148), art. 14 (ff. 317-353v); Venice, Bibl. Marciana, MS. Ital. VI, 310 (6150), ff. 3-35; Vat. MS. Urb.lat. 824. A capital letter 'N' in ink marks the beginning of the text in the right margin of f. 61v.

Paper; ff. 81. Leaves missing at beginning and end. Original foliation in ink 87-167. 331 x 223mm. Horizontal catchwords on each page. The capital letters marking each text appear to by in the same hand as the capital letters marking Add. 8589, arts. 3 and 4. 18th-cent. quarter binding of red morocco with marbled paper covers.