Add MS 8822

SONNETS IN SALENTINO DIALECT; 18th cent. Italian. Copy. Collection of anonymous satirical sonnets in the Salentino dialect from Lecce (Apulia), relating to political and religious issues. In particular: one sonnet (f. 1) relating to Pompeo Petrelli, lawyer from Ostuni, witness to the expulsion of the Jesuits from Lecce in 1767; four sonnets (ff. 1v-3) relating to Fabrizio Pignatelli, Bishop of Lecce (1696-1734), who launched an interdict against the people of Lecce (1710-1719); three sonnets (ff. 3v-4, 5v) relating to unidentified Sindaci (i.e. mayors) of Lecce, the first of whom was a well known drunkard; two sonnets (ff. 4v-5) relating to Francesco (Chicco) Durante, medical doctor in Lecce, and father of Giovanni Donato Durante, bishop of Ugento (1768-1781); one sonnet (f. 6) relating to Oronzo Panzera, who died in 1770 while he was Sindaco in Lecce; one sonnet (f. 6v) relating to the famine of 1764 during the reign of Ferdinand I (1759-1806); one sonnet (f. 7) relating to Aristotle's philosophy; two sonnets (ff. 7v-8) relating to the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 Dec.), which was made a holy day of obligation by Clement XI in 1708; one sonnet (f. 8v) relating to an unidentified Don Vito, nicknamed 'Fila Fila'. All sonnets are transcribed from the present MS., translated into Italian and published with bibliography in Letteratura dialettale Salentina, ed. M. Marti - D. Valli, Il Settecento (Galatina, 1994), pp. 313-332 passim, with explicatory notes on pp. 421-426 passim. The MS. is listed in Palma di Cesnola, no. 613, p. 50. Armorial bookplate of the 5th Earl of Guilford, with shelfmark 'L/20/D' (front pastedown). '5' in pencil in top left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8815, 8818, 8819, 8820, 8821, and 8823, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 5 (part).

Initial lines as follows:

(f. 1) 'Scusa de D. Pumpeu Petrelli avucatu della Cità de Lecce à Napuli / Sunettu', inc. 'Zelanti su de Stuni cumpatiti', Marti-Valli, no. 17, pp. 323, 424 n.; (f. 1v) 'A Gesu Cristu Bambinu / Sunettu', inc. 'De notte, e Viernu Cupu a na Casedda', Marti-Valli, no. 1, pp. 313, 421 n.; (f. 2) 'Bone feste a Bonsignore / Sunettu', inc. 'Buenu Natale fattu à tutti quanti', Marti-Valli, no. 2, pp. 313-314, 421 n.; (f. 2v) 'Pe la dunatia ci fice Monsignor Don Fabriziu Pignatelli alla Chiesia / Sunettu', inc. 'Passaa nu giurnu de lu Pescupatu', Marti-Valli, no. 3, pp. 314, 421 n.; (f. 3) 'A Don Fabriziu Pignatelli pe la franchizze alli Preiti, letecata culla Cità / Sunettu', inc. 'Le Pecuredde senza lu Vardianu', Marti-Valli, no. 4, pp. 315, 421 n.; (f. 3v) 'Allu Sindecu briacu / Sunettu', inc. 'Scivi susu allu seggiu pe paare', Marti-Valli, no. 27, pp. 329, 426 n.; (f. 4) 'Allu Sindecu mbriacu / Sunettu', inc. 'Cosa noa lu Sindecu à ncarrozza!', Marti-Valli, no. 28, pp. 329-330, 426 n.; (f. 4v) 'Cerca cunsurta à nu Miedecu Durante / Sunettu', inc. 'Enci pe mie Sio Chiccu 'nu cunsighiu', Marti-Valli, no. 13, pp. 320, 423 n.; (f. 5) 'Allu miedecu Durante ca disse a no mbole medeca cehivi / Sunettu', inc. 'Chianganu li Spetali, e li malati', Marti-Valli, no. 14, pp. 321, 423 n.; (f. 5v) 'Alla Lupa, pe lu Sindecu Neu / Sunettu', inc. 'Lupa sù vecchiu, e de quand'era striu', Marti-Valli, no. 29, pp. 330, 426 n.; (f. 6) 'Pe la morte de lu Sindacu Ronzu Panzera / Sunettu', inc. 'La Morte ha fattu le prudezze soi', Marti-Valli, no. 19, pp. 324, 424 n.; (f. 6v) 'Allu Rè nesciu pe la carestia de lu 64 / Sunettu', inc. 'Quandu pe gne Casale, e gne Cetate', Marti-Valli, no. 16, pp. 322, 423 n.; (f. 7) 'Alla Materia prima de Restotele / Sunettu', inc. 'Restotele (parlandu cu crianza)', Marti-Valli, no. 30, pp. 331, 426 n.; (f. 7v) 'Alla Immaculata Concezione nata senza peccatu originale / Sunettu', inc. 'Sassinu Baseliscu, cumu è quista', Marti-Valli, no. 5, pp. 315-316, 421-422 n.; (f. 8) 'Alla Cuncezione / Sunettu', inc. 'Cchiasti bruttu scursune Craunaru', Marti-Valli, no. 6, pp. 316, 422 n.; (f. 8v) 'A Donnu Vitu Fila Fila, ci fice nu Sermone de Natale, e sempre disse Merce / Sunettu', inc. 'Vitu no mboi propriu te nde lassi', Marti-Valli, no. 31, pp. 331-332, 426 n..

Paper; ff. 8+vi, plus four unfoliated blanks after f. 5. 205 x 145mm. One Italian hand. Guilford binding of quarter vellum with covers of marbled paper over pasteboards.