Marston MS 79           Lombardy, s. XV med
Poggio Bracciolini, Facetiae

ff. 1r-36v  Multos futuros esse arbitror qui has nostras confabulationes
tum ut res leues et uiro graui indignas reprendant...Misera eorum condicio
quibus non ratio sed fortuna opitulatur.  finis.  [added by a later hand,
s. xvii:]  Virtus beatos efficit.  Diuitiae nec enim nec multa peritia
rerum, Sed nos felices mens sine labe facit.  f. 37r-v blank

E. Garin and M. Ciccuto, eds., Poggio Bracciolini, Facezie (Milan, 1983);
the text of Marston MS 79 appears in the following order, with
numbers corresponding to the chapters in the printed text:  Introduction,
1-5; text missing after f. 3 ("...et haud multum prudens // non 
diuertit episcopus. at ille..."); 7-41; text missing after f. 11 
("...cum non amplius quam unicum sextarium possis emere // Interim primo inter
florentinos ducemque..."); 81; 50-62; text missing after f. 14 ("...Erat
in oppido nostro terre Noue uir nomine Guilielmus // commotus. Bisbinam
[sic] quoque perusinum..."); 74-80, 82-95, 100-108, 111; text missing after
f. 22 ("...sepius ob rei nouitatem quid agis mi uir // incidit. ut
pluribus diebus..."); 114-131, 133-35, 137-41; text missing after f. 28
("...ille incantatione que inducet multas uariasque // quidnam ageret 
relinquentes dormitum iere..."); 144-46, 148, 204, 149; text missing after
f. 29 ("...nullo factionis discrimine bona omnium direpta. //
hortabatur sepius. ut acriter inueheret..."); 158-59, 161-65, 170;
text missing after f. 31 ("...quendam domi fieri presentiret abeundi 
cupidus et // nocitura.  Mediolanensis quidam siue stultus..."); 
175-77, 180, 179, 178, 183, 185, 191-96, 200-02, 205-06, 198, 203.

	Paper (watermarks:  similar to Briquet Lettre S 9050; watermark on 
back pastedown similar to Briquet Fleur 6596-97, 99 and 6602), ff. ii 
(contemporary paper) + 37, 226 x 157 (147 x 95) mm.  28 long lines.  
Double vertical bounding lines (Derolez 13.31), ruled in lead; rulings for 
text in ink.
	I 10 (1 = second flyleaf).  Collation of the rest is difficult due to
extensive repairs.  Catchwords (ff. 9v, 15v, 24v) accompanied by four
symmetrical flourishes, perpendicular to text between inner bounding
lines (Derolez 12.5).
	Written in a round humanistic bookhand by a single scribe, below top 
line.
	One illuminated initial on f. 1r, 6-line, gold against deep red,
green, and blue cusped ground with white filigree and white dots.  From
left corners penwork sprays issuing forth into inner margin, with blue and
red blossoms and green leaves.  Plain initials, placed between vertical
rulings, alternate blue and red, some omitted.
	Binding:  Italy, s. xvi.  Backs of quires cut in V's. Brown goatskin 
case faintly blind-tooled with concentric frames and spiralling dragon 
motifs that incorporate flowers and long beaked birds.  Rebacked.

Written in Lombardy in the middle of the 15th century; early provenance
unknown.  Belonged to the Benedictine house of St. Laumer [Launomar],
Blois, of the Congregation of St. Maur, after 1627; inscription, s. 
xvii-xviii, in upper margin of f. 1r:  "Ex lib. Monasterii S. Laun. bles.
cong. S. Mauri."  Various modern notes of booksellers and/or owners
include 142-5467, 217, 1k,, 79, all on front pastedown; 21647 on back
pastedown.  Belonged to James P. R. Lyell (bookplate); Lyell's note on front
pastedown: "D o O [?] 30/12/42 D. V. V. + Repairs E V./ D. E. V." indicates
that he purchased the manuscript from Davis and Orioli on 30 Dec. 1942.
Bought from the Lyell estate by Bernard Quaritch in 1951 (see Lyell
Cat., 
p. xxix).  Purchased in 1952 from C. A. Stonehill (inv. no. 1625) by Thomas 
E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  affuisse

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 73, no. 79.

Barbara A. Shailor