Manuscript on paper (watermarks in gutter) of 1) Petrarch, Boccacii Griseldis historia. 2) Pope Pius II, Epistola. 3) Petrarch, Famil. rerum., 12, 2. 4) Pope Pius II, Bulla retractationum. 5) Pope Pius II, Epistola de fortuna
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by three scribes in similar styles of informal gothic scripts (batarde influence). Scribe 1) ff. 1r-7r; 2) ff. 7v-14v; 3) ff. 15r-26v., One calligraphic initial, f. 1r, 4-line, blue with white floral motifs; infilled with red penwork floral designs tinted with green; penwork trails into inner margin, with plain green dots. Four initials, ff. 1v, 7v, 10v, 21v, red ink, 6- to 2-line. Paragraph marks in red. Numerous capitals stroked in red; rubrics throughout; explicits underlined in red., and Binding: Twentieth century. Vellum spine (verso of an unidentified manuscript) with "Petrarcae et Aeneae Silvii Epistoles" inscribed; grey-blue paper sides.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Petrarca, Francesco, 1304-1374.
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin literature, Medieval and modern, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Papal documents
Manuscript on parchment (goatskin) of Gaspare Zacchi, Bononiensium res publica. Most probably the dedication copy, sent by the author from Tivoli to the Signoria of Bologna on or soon after 29 Nov. 1471
Description:
The author (d. 1474) in 1450-1455, being protonotary of Volterra, was a member of Cardinal Bessarion's legation to Bologna. In 1460 he became bishop of Osimo. At the time he wrote the present treatise he was prefect of Tivoli ("Arx Tiburtina")., In Latin., Script: Copied by a single scribe writing Humanistica Cursiva Formata very close in aspect to Humanistica Textualis, with relatively numerous and unusual abbreviations. A second hand, probably the author, has corrected the scribe's errors., The headings and "Finis" on f. 9r are written in Capitalis in pale red ink. The nine chapters open with a plain initial alternately blue and pale red. Between two chapters one line is left free. The Prologus (f. 2r-v) opens with a 3-line gold initial on a blue-red-green rectangular background decorated with white and gold penwork. The body of text opens on f. 3r with a 5-line white vinestem initial with full-length marginal extension. F. 1v contains the coat of arms of the city of Bologna, f. 10r the coat of arms of the author, both in full colour., and Binding: Early nineteenth century by Rene Simier (d. 1826). Citron morocco over pasteboard, both covers with delicate gold-tooled frame, the spine gold-tooled, with gold-tooled title "GASP. / RESP." and binder's signature at the foot "REL. P(ar) SI.". Gilt edges. Grey marbled endpapers.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Bologna (Italy)
Subject (Name):
Zacchi, Gaspare.
Subject (Topic):
Didactic literature, Latin (Medieval and modern), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Politics and government
Manuscript on paper of a common-place book. The main texts of the manuscript, which are primarily devotional in nature, were written in East Anglia by an unidentified scribe toward the end of the 15th century; a second individual, identified as Robert Melton of Stuston in Suffolk, added numerous accounts and notes at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century
Description:
Robert Melton was the co-executor of the estate of John Cornwallis (d. 1506), Lord of the Manors of Brome, Stuston, Okley, and Thranston, whose family possessed Brome Hall from early in the 15th to the 19th century., In Middle English., Watermarks: similar to Briquet Armoiries 1038 for part of quire I and all of II; similar to Briquet Main 11399 for remainder of quire I, all of quires III and IV, part of V; similar to Briquet Navire 11971 on ff. 68, 79 only; similar to Briquet Lettre P 8586 on ff. 72, 75; similar to Briquet Main 11152 on ff. 73, 74; unidentified watermark on f. 81., Script: Written primarily by two persons: Scribe 1) ff. 1r-26v, 28r-44r, 68r-77r, 79v, 80v-81r. Written in small, well formed Anglicana script with first line of each text in formal bookhand. Scribe 2: ff. 27r-v, 45r-60r, 62v-67v, 77v-78v, 80r, 81v. Written in a large sprawling script; no ornamentation. A third person added art. 17 at a later time., Only scribe 1 included decoration. Initials in red, 4- to 2-line, with penwork flourishes in brown; initial strokes in red. Portions of text underlined in red; rhyming verses often bracketed, in red, at end of lines. On f. 14v, a fine half-page drawing in red and brown of the monogram IHS which incorporates both a heart pierced by a lance and vine patterns and tendrils. Art. 4 is illustrated with drawings of dice, in red, in outer margins., First leaves heavily stained; lower right corner waterstained ff. 1-43., and Binding: Between 1490 and 1500. Original sewing with long stitches through a thick rectangular piece of leather on the outside of a vellum wrapper. Contemporary scroll design added to upper cover with unidentified inscription, in red, mostly illegible.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Melton, Robert.
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, English (Middle)., English poetry, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript fragment on parchment of a book of hours (litanies) including a litany that includes the following saints: Gereon and companions, Cosmas, Damian, Fabian, Sebastian, Gervase, Protase, Crispin, Crispinian, Chrysogonus, Leodegarus, Lambert, Christopher, Thomas, Demetrius, Blaise, Livinus, Firminus, Silvester, Gregory, Leo, Hilary, Martin, Nicholas, Augustine, and Ambrose
Description:
In Latin., Script: written in gothic script (littera fere bastarda)., and Decoration: each line begins with a 1-line initial "S" in gold on alternating grounds of red and blue; the names of the saints are written on the same line as "Or[a pros nobis]" but are separated from it by line fillers or alternating bands of red and blue decoraed with gold penwork; there is no punctuation.
Manuscript fragment on parchment of a book of hours (Office of the Dead).
Description:
In Latin., Script: written in two sizes of gothic script (littera textualis formata), with a larger script for the canticle and Psalm and a smaller script for the chants., and Decoration: the 2-line initial at the beginning of the Psalm and the 1-line initials at the beginning of Psalm verses are in gold on a ground that alternates between red with blue penwork and blue with white penwork; the interior of letters on the red ground are filled with blue and white penwork, and the interiors of those on blue ground are filled with red and blue penwork; 1-line initials at the beginning of chants are in brown; rubrics written in red in the same script as the text; punctuated rarely with the punctus; hyphenation is in the same ink as the text.
Manuscript leaf, on parchment, containing prayers from before Matins. From the "Hungerford Hours."
Description:
In Anglo-Norman French., Layout: single-column; 17 lines., Script: Gothic., Decoration: 5 illuminated initials with decorative extensions and decorative line fillers, with gilt., and Byname: Hungerford Hours.
Manuscript fragment on parchment of a Book of Hours containing: the Hours of the Virgin; full-page miniature of mediocre quality depicting the Adoration of the Magi; full-page miniature of mediocre quality depicting the Office of the Dead; the Office of the Dead; and Suffrages
Description:
In Latin., Script: written in a hybrid gothic script mixing elements of littera bastarda and littera cursiva formata., and Decoration: rubrics written in red in the same script as the text; punctuated with the punctus; hyphenation is in the same ink as the text.
Manuscript fragment on parchment from a Book of Hours including the Suffrage for St. Paul
Description:
In Latin., Script: written in gothic script (littera textualis)., and Decoration: Historiated 7-line initial "O" on the recto in blue with white highlights filled by a depiction of the apostle Paul standing on a green field with a gold ground; Paul holds a book in his left hand and a sword in his right; the 2-line initial at the beginning of the antiphon is in red, surrounded by brown penwork; 1-line initials are in black; rubrics are written in red in the same script as the text; punctuated with the punctus; hyphenation is in the same ink as the text.
Manuscript fragment on parchment of a Book of Hours (in Latin with rubrics partially in French), containing: an unidentified office; St. Laurence (10 August); St. Nicholas (6 November); and St. Catharine of Alexandria (25 November).
Description:
In Latin and French., Script: written in two sizes of gothic script (littera textualis formata)., and Decoration: 2-line initials in gold on a blue ground decorated with white filigree; initials filled with red and decorated with white filigree; 1-line initials are in black highlighted with yellow; rubrics written in red in the same script as the text; punctuated with the punctus; hyphenation is in the same ink as the text; the outer margin is modestly decorated with vine tendrils in black with green and gold leaves and blue, red, and pink flowers and berries.