YALE UNIVERSITY
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND
MANUSCRIPTS
MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPTS
Beinecke MS 583
Byzantine empire. Laws, statutes, etc. Golden Bulls of the emperors
Theodosius II, Michael III, and Romanus III. Greek manuscripts. Greece, said
to be of the 5th, 9th, and 11th centuries, but actually written in the 19th
century. Vellum. 3 scrolls (460 x 181; 580 x 186; 685 x 286 mm.). The first
two are mounted on cloth; the third has fring of red yarn on top. Written
partly in gold. Each has a religious painting at the top. All very badly
rubbed and in places illegible.
All three documents were sold as genuine to Sir Thomas Phillipps in 1854 by
Constantine Simonides who claimed that the first two came from the island of
Syme and the third from Mt. Athos. All three are forgeries.
Constantine Simonides, Sir Thomas Phillipps (MSS. 13883, 13884, 13885). Gift
of H.P. Kraus, 1976.
Bibliography: J.A. Ferrar, Literary Forgeries (N.Y. 1907) p. 42.