Beinecke MS 167                                                        Italy, s. XV^^2
Pseudo-Phalaris, Epistolae, Lat. tr. Francesco Griffolini of Arezzo

     1. ff. 1r-3v    [Dedicatory epistle to Malatesta Novella of Cesena]
     Francisci aretini in phalaridis tyranni agrigentini epistolas ad
     illustrem principem Malatestam novellum de malatestis. proemium
     incipit. Vellem malatesta novelle princeps illustris tantam mihi
     dicendi facultatem dari...exemplar dabitur particulis illis correctis
     ad praestantiam tuam mittam. Sed iam phalarim audiamus.

     2. ff. 3v-43r    [Letters, numbered 1-138] Phalaris Alciboo. Polycletus
     Messenius quem proditionis apud ciues tuos insimulas morbo me
     incredibili liberauit...quae talem uirum tulerit ciuitatem quam qui
     miserit laudem consecuturam.

     3. f. 43r-v    [Dedicatory epistle to King Alfonso I of Naples]
     Franciscus aretinus Diuo Alfonso Regi. Quattuor phalaridis epistolas
     quas nuper in alio libro inuentas in latinum traduxi...libens
     felicissimo nomini tuo dedicabo.

     4. ff. 43v-44v    [Letters, numbered 139-142] Phalaris Ariphanti et
     Thrabulo. Quas uobis pecunias dedimus Teucro...sed summae bonitatis
     praemium accepissent. Vale. [Greek].

          There is no modern edition of these letters. An early printed text
     (Treviso, 1471) contains another dedicatory epistle to Francesco
     Pellato.

          Paper (watermarks: similar in design to Briquet Tete de boeuf
     14579-80), ff. i (paper) + 44 (modern foliation in lower margin 91-133,
     with 126 bis) + i (paper), 209 x 146 (158 x 95) mm. Written in 27 long
     lines; single vertical bounding lines, upper horizontal full across.
     Ruled in ink; remains of prickings along upper edge.
          I-II^^10, III-IV^^12. Catchwords under written space near gutter.
          Written in humanistic script by a single scribe who also numbered
     the letters of Phalaris in red.
          Plain red initial, 4-line, on f. 1r; headings and initials at
     beginning of each epistle, in red.
          Binding: s. xix. Half brown calf, gold- and blind-tooled. Paste
     paper sides.

          Written in Italy in the second half of the 15th century as part of
     a larger volume; early provenance unknown. Probably from the collection
     of Abate Matteo Luigi Canonici that was sold in 1835 to the Rev. Walter
     Sneyd (booklabel; T. Phillipps, Catalogus manuscriptorum Magnae
     Britanniae [Middle Hill, 1850] p. 14, no. 102); Sneyd sale (London, 18
     Dec. 1903, no. 614) to Greene; Leighton, Cat. II, 9 [ca. 1925] no. 712.
     Belonged to J. T. Adams; his sale (Sotheby's, 8 Dec. 1931, no. 194) to
     Dobell (The Ingatherer, 22 Feb. 1932, no. 14). Acquired by David
     Wagstaff; gift of Mrs. David Wagstaff in 1944.

     secundo folio: adnotat. Eius

     Bibliography: De Ricci, v. 2, p. 1904, no. 14; Faye and Bond, p. 36,
     no. 167.

     Barbara A. Shailor