YALE UNIVERSITY
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND
MANUSCRIPTS
PRE-1600 MANUSCRIPTS
Marston MS 77 Tyrol [?], s. XV/XVI
Pietro della Vigna, Epistolae
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1. f. 1r [Title page, damaged:] Epistole Magistri Petri de Vineis. quas
Fridericus primus Imperator in controuersia sua cum L[?]edis et sede
apostolica ad diuersos mundi [?]s et principes misit. de exemplo
[?]ctuoso et multum in correcto depicte p[?]is quam scripte. [second
paragraph added by same hand that wrote art. 2:] De illo petro de Vineis
facit mentioniem Antoninus Archiepiscopus Florentinus in Cronica sua parte
in Titulo xix...ac ibi mortuus. f. 1v blank
2. ff. 1r-5r Querimonia friderici Imperatoris super deposicione sua
contra Papam et Cardinales fo. 1./ Fridericus item Regibus et principibus
mundi...Capitulum Capuanum regraciatur magistro pietro de Vineis Et
recomendat se sibi. fo. 131. f. 5v blank
Table of Contents for art. 3.
3. ff. 6r-136v Incipit dictamina magistri Petri de Vineis de gestis
federici Imperatoris Et primo querimonia ipsius super deposicione sua
Contra Papam et Cardinales. Collegerunt pontifices et pharisei consilium
et in vnum aduersus principem et christum deum conuenerunt. Quid facimus
inquiunt: quia hic homo de hostibus...vos in sacramentis ecclesiasticis
vbera lactauerunt [Bk. III.43]. ff. 131r-134v and 137r-154v blank
Collection of ca. 110 items, with no book divisions and with rubrics
entered sporadically by the original scribe and a second hand. The text
here follows the normal cycle of published editions for Bk. 1 (cf. Basel, 1566)
up to f. 38v where it deviates after letter 20. The manuscript seems to be
incomplete at end since there are a large number of blank leaves. Only the
beginning of the manuscript has many marginal annotations. For
the life and works of the author see A. Huillard-Breholles, Vie et
correspondance de Pierre de la Vigne...(Paris, 1865) and E. J. Polak,
Medieval and Renaissance Letter Treatises and Form Letters: A Census of
Manuscripts found in Eastern Europe and the U.S.S.R. in Davis Medieval Texts
and Studies 8 (1990) pp. 28-29.
On ff. 120v-130v, mixed in with the letters of Pietro della Vigna, is an
incomplete text of Thomas of Capua, Summa dictaminis, composed of a few models
without the Ars dictandi which sometimes precedes the collection ("Miranda
tuis sensibus nostra venit epistola [I.1]...venia non haberet [VII.88]").
For bibliography on Thomas of Capua see Polak, op. cit., pp. 19-20.
Paper (watermarks: similar to Piccard Anker VII.181-83, Briquet Monts
11813, and Briquet Indetermines 16061-63; unidentified letter P with
forked descender), ff. 154 (contemporary foliation in Arabic numerals for
art. 3 only, 1-131), 203 x 155 (152 x 75) mm. 24 long lines. Leaves
folded lengthwise to delineate text space. Prickings at corners of
written space.
I 10 (1 = front pastedown; -3, 8 through 10), II 10 (-1), III-XVI 10.
Written in humanistic cursive script with gothic features.
Headings and some marginalia in red (often faded), by two hands, the
second of which ruled two parallel lines in lead for each line of headings
that were added in a more upright gothic text hand.
Binding: Northern Italy, s. xv/xvi. Original sewing on three tawed
skin, slit straps reinforced with fragments of a parchment manuscript
(Lectionary?) set in channels on the outside of beech boards. The spine
is lined with pieces of parchment manuscript, extending inside
the boards between supports.
Quarter bound in reddish brown leather with a blind-tooled floral roll
along the edges [later but early?]. Spine: multiple fillets at head,
tail and outlining supports on the spine. Panels tooled with X's with
fleurons around them and floral tools in squares on their points in the outer
panels. Traces of two fastenings, the catches on the upper board.
The lower board is cut in for straps. Title in ink near the head
of the upper board ("Epistole Petr. de Vineis de gestis Friderici Romanorum
Imperatoris II **") which is cracked and has been repaired.
Written at the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century, probably
in the Tyrol given the distinctive design of watermarks. Inscription on
front pastedown: "Waldaufficae fundationis Anno 1596." Unidentified
stamp of French [?] library, blue elongated oval with pointed ends, washed
and illegible, in outer margin of f. 1r. Remains of square label with
title in upper register of spine. Purchased from B. M. Rosenthal in 1954
by Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).
secundo folio: [table:] De armata
[text:] [furo]re refugis
Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 73, no. 77.
The Medieval Book, p. 17, no. 16.
Barbara A. Shailor