Harley MS 3517

Origin: Italy, perhaps Rome or Florence.

Provenance: Defaced arms of the original owner, late 15th century (f. 2r).Omitted verse added vertically in a fine 15th-century humanistic hand (f. 26v).Added verses in Italian, 15th century 'Neltempo cherinova emie sospiri...' (f. 1r), 'Amor mipuo tenere...' (f. 41r).Added inscriptions in Latin, 15th century (f. 41r-v).Stamped arms (trimmed) in lower border, ?16th century (f. 2r).Effaced inscription 'questo libero...', ?16th century (f. [ii] verso).Inscribed 16th century 'Albertino Dgetari' (f. 41r).John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer; sold to Edward Harley on 13th February 1723/4 (Diary (1966); Wright, Fontes (1972)).The Harley Collection, formed by Robert Harley (b. 1661, d. 1724), 1st earl of Oxford and Mortimer, politician, and Edward Harley (b. 1689, d. 1741), 2nd earl of Oxford and Mortimer, book collector and patron of the arts, inscribed as usual by their librarian, Humfrey Wanley ‘13 die Februarij A.D. 1723/4’ (f. 1r). Edward Harley bequeathed the library to his widow, Henrietta Cavendish, née Holles (b. 1694, d. 1755) during her lifetime and thereafter to their daughter, Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (b. 1715, d. 1785), duchess of Portland; the manuscripts were sold by the Countess and the Duchess in 1753 to the nation for £10,000 (a fraction of their contemporary value) under the Act of Parliament that also established the British Museum; the Harley manuscripts form one of the foundation collections of the British Library.