Add MS 42125

MARIEGOLA, or Register of Statutes, of a confraternity ('scola') of boatmen at Mestre, province of Venice, from its foundation, 1507, until 1780. Latin and Italian. Included (ff. 11b-34 b passim) are licences granted to the confraternity by the Bishop of Treviso and the Podestà of Mestre, mostly originals with seals en placard, but a few (e.g. f. 17) being copies. At f. 28 b is a list of thirty-three names, apparently of foundation members. The signature of the Podestà of Mestre, with seal en placard, appears beneath numerous entries throughout. Vellum; ff. ii + 65. 11½ in. x 8 in. A.D. 1507-1780. Red velvet binding on wooden boards; holes indicate that the binding once had metal centrepieces, corner-pieces and clasps. Decoration, in colour, consists of: (a) Initials and rubrics to original statutes. ff- 3-10b; (b) Decorated border with medallion showing a boat. f. 4; (c) Representations of the Crucifixion and St Nicholas, patron saint of the Confraternity, with St Andrew, ff. 17b-18; all in a style reminiscent of the mid 15th cent. The MS. is probably that mentioned by E. Cheney, 'Remarks on the Illuminated Official Manuscripts of the Venetian Republic', Philobiblon Society Miscellanies, xi, 1867-1868, p. 23. On f. 65 is an 18th(?) cent. library press-mark(?), 'P24 Ci4', and on f. 2 a 19th(?) cent. circular book-stamp with motto 'Fato prudentia major' and device (or monogram.) Belonged to John Ruskin (bookplate, f. i, and pencil note,' . . Venice, Feb. 1843', f. 1). Sotheby's sale-cat., 24 July 1930, lot 106.