Marston MS 217          Florence, s. XV 3/4
Matteo Palmieri, De temporibus

ff. 1r-100v  Matthei Palmerii Florentini de Temporibus incipit.  Et primo
proemium ad Petrum Cosme filium Medicem.  Animis nostris innatum esse constat
ut prestantes ingenio uiri non solum sue etatis uerum etiam preteriti
quoque temporis res gestas scire desiderent...[f. 1v:] Finit proemium.
Praefatio libri incipit.  Querenti mihi sepenumero quibus temporibus
per quos et apud quas gentes res memoratu...Finit prefatio.  Liber de
temporibus feliciter incipit.  [text, f. 3r:]  A Principio mundi siue ab adam
primo hominum usque ad diluuium quod factum est sub Noe computantur 
anni...menstrua illi stipendia pollicentur.  Mediolanenses laudem
receperunt.  Mathei Palmerii Florentini ad Petrum Medicem Liber de temporibus
finit feliciter.

Matteo Palmieri, De temporibus, preceded by his preface to Piero de' Medici;
the manuscript corresponds to the text published in the series Rerum
Italicarum scriptores, v. 26:  Matthei Palmerii Liber de
temporibus,
ed. G. Scaramella (Citta di Castello, 1906-15) pp. 3-127.  The text of the 
manuscript is arranged in tabular format with two columns to the left of the 
written space headed Anni salutis and Pontificum (starting on f. 7v) and 
two columns to the right headed Imperatorum and Anni mundi (starting on f.
3v).  The manuscript is in such unblemished condition that it looks as if it
was never used. 

Parchment, ff. ii (modern parchment bifolium; i = front pastedown) + 100 +
ii (modern parchment bifolium; ii = back pastedown), 360 x 265 (235 x 140) mm.
for ff. 1r-2v; (235 x 102) for ff. 3r-100v.  Three widely spaced vertical 
rulings delineate each side of central text space to form two tabular columns,
ruled in hard point or crayon.  Horizontal rulings for text all extend full 
width of conjugate leaves, ruled in hard point on hair side. Remains of 
prickings in outer margins.
I-X 10.  Quire and leaf signatures (e.g., A 1, A 2, A 3, etc., with red
horizontal line added above) in lower right corner, recto.
Written in a round humanistic script, above top line.
Two illuminated initials of fine quality (ff. 1r, 1v), 6- and 5-line, gold
on brilliant blue, green and pink grounds with white vine-stem ornament and
white and reddish dots.  Headings and roman numerals in red.  Paragraph
marks alternate red and blue.
Binding:  France, s. xix.  Red goatskin, blind- and gold-tooled with
unidentified arms on the sides.

Written in Florence in the third quarter of the 15th century by Dominicus
Cassii de Narnia; for a list of manuscripts copied by this scribe see 
de la Mare, New Research, Appendix I, pp. 491-92.  Belonged to
an unidentified owner whose arms appear on the binding.  Purchased from Bernard
Rosenthal in 1958 by Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  [f. 2:]  longe perdifficile
[f. 4:]  Anni salutis. cognouisset

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 89, no. 217.

Barbara A. Shailor