Beinecke MS 334               Italy, 1459
Nicolaus Cusanus, De Beryllo

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ff. 1r-22r Qui legerit ea que in varijs scripsi libellis uidebit me in
oppositorium coincidencia crebrius...[incipit:]  Reuerendissimi in christo
patris dominj Nicolaj de Cusa tituli Sancti Petri ad Vincula Cardinalis
presbyterj Berilus feliciter incipit.  Berillus lapis est lucidus albus et
transparens cui datur forma concaua...Qui facit mirabilia solus et est in eum
[sic] benedictus.  Finis 1459.  8^^ua Januarij Deo laus.  ff. 22v-24v ruled,
but blank

     According to K. Borman, "Eine bisher verschollene Handschrift von De
Beryllo," Mitteilungen und Forschungsbeitraege der Cusanus-Gesellschaft
10 (1973) pp. 104-05, the Beinecke manuscript is the oldest witness to this
text.  For the text see L. Baur, ed., Nicolai de Cusa De Beryllo (Leipzig,
1940) pp. 3-53; MS 334 is not used.

     Paper (watermarks:  similar to Briquet Fleur 6651 [a. 1452, not 1552 as
printed]), ff. ii (contemporary parchment, i = front pastedown) + 24 + ii
(contemporary parchment, ii = back pastedown), 214 x 144 (143 x 80) mm.  33 long
lines of text; double vertical bounding lines full length.
     I-II^^12.  Leaf signatures, in red, in center along lower edge (e.g., al, a2,
etc.); catchwords near gutter along lower edge.
     Written in fere-humanistic script by one scribe.
     Two illuminated initials, one on f. 1v, 11-line, with the arms of Nicolaus
Cusanus (see Provenance), mauve, green, blue, and gold acanthus with yellow and
white highlights, against a square gold ground, edged with brown pen; foliate
serifs with extensive penwork and gold dots fill outer margin.  The second
initial, f. 1r, 7-line, as above, with short penwork extensions and silver
dots; body of the initial incorporates the lens (beryllus).  Diagrams to
complement text in margins.
     Binding:  s. xvi-xvii [?].  Sewn on three small, tawed skin, slit strap
supports laced into made boards.  The head edge is spattered green.  Covered in
light brown goatskin with corner tongues.  Four fastenings of suede-like
ribbons.  Blind-tooled with concentric frames, the center filled in with
a floral design, dotted with ring punches.  All but one of the fastenings
wanting.

Written probably in Rome, according to A. C. de la Mare, in 1459, for Nicholas
of Cusa (see C. Bianca, "La Biblioteca romana di Niccolo Cusano," Littera
Antiqua 3 [1983] pp. 675-76); his arms appears on f. 1v (or, a
crayfish gules; crest:  a cardinal's hat proper).  For additional manuscripts
containing his arms see G. Heinz-Mohr and N. Eckert, Das Werk des Nicolaus
Cusanus (Cologne, 1963) pp. 101-02, 136-37 with photographic reproductions.
Inscription on back pastedown:  "Anno domini millezimo quigentezimo vingezimo
ottauo die vingezima quarta mensis septenbris."  Unidentified notations
include "8484" (in pencil on front
pastedown); "7847" (in pencil on back pastedown).  From the collection of
Ricardo Heredia y Livermore (label with monogram inside front cover; see
Catalogue de la Bibliotheque de M. Ricardo Heredia comte de Benahavis
[Paris, 1891] part I, pp. 72-73, no. 224); inscription in his hand on front
flyleaf:
"Biblioteca del Duque de Sessa/  V. Astirga (2^^a parte) Mayo 1870/ Paris C.
Lefeb. (110 fr.)."  Bought from the English dealer Ernst Weil in 1963 by
H. P. Kraus (Cat. 111, pp. 4-5) from whom it was purchased in 1965 by Edwin
J. Beinecke for the Beinecke Library.

secundo folio:  esse et in

Barbara A. Shailor