Add MS 39844

PSEUDO-ARISTOTLE, Secretum Secretorum, and Le Livre du Trésor of Brunetto Latini, in Italian translations. For previous descriptions see Twenty MSS., Collection of H. Y. Thompson, Third Series, 1907, pp. 119-126 (plates in Illustrations, ii, 1908, pl. xxxiv-xxxvii), and New Palaeographical Soc., ii, pl. 110-111.

1. " Questo e lo libro d'Aristotile . lo quale e detto Sagreto Sacretorum del reggimento de principi et de re o de signori . lo quale mando al grande re Alexandro " : the pseudo-Aristotelian work, in an anonymous Italian version. Beg. (in the prologue of Philip of Tripoli) " Al suo signore excellentissimo . nella religione cristiana perfectissimo Messere Guido di Ualenza glorioso ueschouo della citta di Tripoli. Filippo il piu menimo de suoi cherici." This is followed by the usual preliminary matter, including the list of chapters (f. 2), which do not agree with the chapter arrangement of the text and, as in some of the Latin MSS. (cf. Steele, Secretum Secretorum, Opera hactenus inedita Rogeri Bacon, Fasc. V, pp. xxii, xxiii), are in a different order, e.g., Physiognomy being placed before Justice. The text agrees nearly with that of Add. MS. 11899 (15th cent.), for a collation of which with the sections of the original see Steele, op. cit., P. xxxv (the section given there as sect. p is really composed of the first five lines of that section and part of sect. q, viz., p. 97, lines 8-30). The text breaks off in an hiatus at a point corresponding to Add. 11899, f. 25, col. 2, six lines from the bottom, " di non fidele. Et." The work does not appear to have been printed. f. 1.

2. Translation of Brunetto Latini's Livre du Trésor by his contemporary, Bono Giamboni. The beginning is lost in an hiatus, and the text begins here at a point corresponding to the edition of L. Gaiter, 1878, i, p. 15, 1.3, in Bk. 1, cap. iv : " essere in tre maniere." Only Bks I, II, VI, IX are represented here. In Bks. I, II the text is in general agreement with the printed edition, reading usually with the early prints as cited in the critical notes, but in Bks. VI, IX it diverges more, particularly in the distribution of the matter into chapters, and sonietimes has passages found in the French, but not represented in Gaiter's edition. The historical interpolation relating to Frederick II and Manfred does not appear here, but occurs in Add. MS. 26105 (14th cent.), which in this as in other respects agrees with the Visiani MS. described by Gaiter, i, p. lxvii. There are gaps in the text at the beginning and after ff. 48, 51, 52, 61, 85. Ends (f. 130) "con buona uentura. Deo gratias. Qui finisce la politicha d'Aristotile [i.e. Bk. IX]." f. 42.

3. " Queste sono regole de costumi della mens": rules of table manners (19 leonine Latin lines), most of which are found in the collection printed from Harley MS. 3362, f. 6, by F. J. Furnivall, The Babees Book, E.E.T.S., xxxii, pt. ii, p. 26. Beg. " Quisquis es in mensa primo de paupere pensa." f. 130 b.

4. Note on the annual course of the sun, moon and planets, beg. " Lo sole cerc in uno anno xii segni " (6 lines). ib.

5. Paragraphs on the planets, headed " Le pianete et l' altre stelle sono di grande uirtu," beg. " In prima le vii planete fanno stare a modo et nascere tucte le cose." ib.

6. Translation of the section on physiognomy from the Secretum Secretorum, agreeing apparently with the form of that section in the Italian version in the Magliabecchi MS. XII, 4 (14th cent.) in the Biblioteca Nazionale at Florence as described by G. Cecioni, " Il Secretum Secretorum e le sue redazioni volgari," Il Propugnatore, N. Ser., ii, Parte ii, p. 99. Heading " Qui comincia il libro della filosomia d'Aristotile lo quale c'insegna cognoscere per le figure la natura degli uomini." Beg. " Hora ti uoglio mostrare et amaestrare della scientia di fisolomia." f. 131 b.

7. Brief tract on the Holy Roman Empire, the electors, the method of election and the officers. Heading, " della dignitade dello imperio et come de essere electo et confermato et come Otto di Sansognia uenne della Magna a Roma." Beg. " Avendo in Roma tre papa." f. 135 b.

8. Translation of Ecclesiastes, headed " Queste sono opere et dimostrationi di uerita [sic, (?) leg. uanita] delle mondane cose dette et dimostrate et diffinite per lo Ecclesiastice di Salamone." Beg. "Disse Salamone o uero tencionatore." The version does not appear to agree with any of the three noted as occurring in Bible versions by S. Berger, Romania, xxiii, p. 372. f. 138.

9. The articles, etc., viz., twelve articles of faith, twelve commandments, seven sacraments, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, seven theological and cardinal virtues, seven works of mercy and seven deadly sins with the vices born of them "secondo che Pagolo [i.e. Paul] scripse." The articles are headed " Questi sono i dodici articoli della fede i quali furono trouati per li xii apostoli di dio." f. 142 b. Vellum ; ff. ii + 144. 9 5/8 in. x 6 3/4 in. [1425]. Gatherings of ten leaves ( v⁸, vi⁷ , vii⁹, x⁹, last ¹¹), usually with catchwords. Leaves are missing after ff. 41, 48 (two leaves), 51, 52, 61, 85, 144 (a blank leaf). Single column, 34 lines to the page. ce. fol. " se ne renda." Colophon (f. 143 b) : " Questo libro e scripto di mano di sere Bartolomeo di Lorenzo da Fighine compiuto a di xvi di Marzo MCCCCXXV " (New Pal. Soc., ii, pl. 110.) Fighine may be Figline Val d'Arno between Florence and Arezzo. Initials in gold and colours on ff. 1, 114 (f. 1 reproduced, New Pal. Soc., ii, pl. 110). Chapter initials alternately in blue and red, flourished with red and purple. Rubricated chapter headings, paragraph marks in red and blue. The historical portion of the Tesoro is illustrated with fifty-three pictures spiritedly executed in the Italian style. They are of varying sizes, let into the text from the right, one (no. 11 below) occupying the whole width of the page, and, with the exception of nos. 1-4, 6, are framed within a single penline. The figures are depicted in bright colours with occasional use of unburnished gold on backgrounds either plain or lightly washed with yellow. The following is a list of the subjects (H. Y. Thompson, Illustrations, vol. ii is referred to as Ill., the New Palaeographical Soc., ser. ii as N.P.S.).

(1-4) Second to fifth days of creation. " Dio padre quando fece la terra," "Quando fece el mare et gli arbori," "Quando fece el sole et la luna ... .. Quando fece i pesci et gli altri animali." f. 43 b;-

(5) Creation of Adam. f. 44;-

(6) Expulsion of Lucifer. f. 46 ;-

(7) God the Father between two angels. f. 47;-

(8) "Come Lamec uccise Cain per uendetta d'Abel." f. 49 ; - (9) Noah (?) reading a book. f. 49 b ; -

(10) Four figures before an idol, the beginning of idolatry. Ill., pl. xxxiv. f. 50 b ;-

(11) Building of the tower of Babel. Ill., pl. xxxiv. f. 51 ;-

(12) " Figura di Canoaster trouatore della arte magicha." Zoroaster with two devils. Ill., pl. xxxiv. ib. ; - (13) Aeneas wedding Lavinia. f. 53; -

(14) " Figura di Mulua madre di Romolo et di Remolo." Emilia with her babies. f 53 b ; - (15) Romulus directing the building of Rome. f. 54 ;-

(16) " Iulio Cesare re uinse Roma et chaccionne fuori i suoi nimici." Caesar riding into Rome. N.P.S.. pl. 111. f. 55 ;-

(17) " Vinegia Priamo et Antenore." Building of Venice. f. 55 b ;-

-(18) Moses (bearded) in boat and Pharaoh's daughter. Ill., pl. xxxv. f. 56 b ;-

(19) Moses gives scroll to Israelites. Ill., pl. xxxv. ib. ; (20) Nebuchadnezzar commands blinding of Zedekiah. Ill., pl. xxxv. f. 57 ; -(21) Three prophets. Ill., pl. XXXV. ib. ; -

(22) Baptism of Christ. f. 57 b ;-

(23) David and Goliath. f. 58;-

(24) Death of Solomon. N.P.S., pl. 111. f. 58 b ; -(25) The prophet Elijah. f. 59 b ;-

-(26) Elisha overturning an idol. ib. ;-

(27) Elisha dividing Jordan. ib. ;-

(28) Isaiah sawn asunder f. 60 ;-

(29) Jeremiah stoned and bitten by dog. Ill., pl. xxxvi. f. 60 b ;-

(30) Iaddo (the prophet of 1 Kings xiii) devoured by lion. N.P.S., pl. 111 ; Ill., pl. xxxvi. f. 61 ;-

-(31) Tobit burying the dead. N.P.S., pl. 111 ; Ill., pl. xxxvi. ib. ;-

(32) Nebuchadnezzar ordering the three children to be put in the furnace. N.P.S., pl. III ; Ill., pl. xxxvi. ib.

(33) Zerubbabel rebuilding the temple. f. 61 b ;-

(34) " Sancto Iohanni habitaua nel diserto." St. John Baptist in desert. f. 63 ;-

(35) St. John Baptist preaching. Ill., p. xxxvii. f. 63 b ; -(36) Vespasian (or Titus) attacking Jews. Ill., pl. xxxvii. ib. ;-

(37) St. John Evangelist and the Seven Churches. Ill., pl. xxxvii. f. 64 ;-

(38) St. Peter as fisherman. f. 64 b ;-

(39) Martyrdom of St. Peter. f. 65 ;-

(40) St. Paul beheaded in the presence of Nero. ib. ;-

(41) " Sancto Andrea fu lo secondo apostolo." St. Andrew with St. Peter (?). f. 65 b ;-

(42) Martyrdom of St. Andrew. ib. ;-

(43) Stoning of St. Philip. f. 66 ; - (44) " Sancto Tomaso discre - dente." The Virgin gives her girdle to St. Thomas. ib. ;-

(45) Flaying of St. Bartholomew. ib.; -(46) Martyrdom of St. James the Less (?). f. 66 b ;-

(47) St. Luke. ib. ;-

(48) The Magi, star in margin. f. 68 ;-

(49) Baptism of Constantine. f. 68 b ;-

(50) A Pope with two clerics and two monks with cross. f. 69 ;-

(51) Two kings (of Lombardy and France) fighting. f. 69 b ;-

(52) " Come Carlo magno uenne in Italia." Charlemagne approaching a city. f. 70 ;-

(53) Charlemagne fighting with a Saracen (?). ib.

Binding by Gruel, dark red morocco, blind-tooled. Bookplate of H. Y. Thompson, " lxxix," bought of J. Rosenthal of Munich, June 1906, formerly in the hands of Marino of Florence. Lot 16 in Yates Thompson sale, Sotheby's, 3 June 1919.