Beinecke MS 463               Perugia, 1477
Diploma (in Lat.)

Diploma for a doctoral degree in arts and medicine from the University of
Perugia, dated 5 December 1477; awarded to "Magister Firmanus lodouici de
Baronibus de monte lupono prouincie marchie anchonitane diocesis firmane."

     Parchment (thick), f. 1, 255 x 576 (152 x 478) mm.  Single vertical (lead)
and horizontal (pen) bounding lines.  Neat round gothic script, with ascenders
extending far into the upper margin.  Remains of guide-notes along lower edge.
Illuminated initial, 12-line, on rectangular gold ground; initial infilled with
pink flowers on blue ground, and surrounded by modest red, green, blue and
orange acanthus; ground surrounded by thick black penwork decoration and three
groups of three gold discs.  Staining and wear along creases where diploma was
folded into eighths.

Written presumably in Perugia in 1477 or shortly thereafter; filing notes, s.
xviii, on dorse.  Above, in a later hand "34"; in pencil:  "1059".  Paper
wrapper in which document was formerly preserved contains notes "F. U. 203" on
white and blue rectangular label; "FU 711" in pencil.  Clipping, in German,
from unidentified sale catalogue, item 1081.  Acquired from Goldschmidt's
(unidentified catalogue, item 101) in 1933 by the Rev. Anson Phelps Stokes,
from whom it was purchased by Yale in 1956 with the Penniman Fund.

Barbara A. Shailor