15th-century manuscript of the 'Filostrato' of Giovanni Boccaccio.
Scope and Contents
Manuscript produced in Italy containing the 'Filostrato' of Giovanni Boccaccio, a poem on the loves of Troilus and Criseida in 713 stanzas of ottava rima.
The manuscript is the work of one scribe, written in an Italian round hand by a Florentine scribe.
The work itself is preceded by a paragaph explaining the meaning of the name 'Filostrato', followed by an introductory epistle to 'Phylomena'.
The text is written with 4 stanzas to a page.
The fascicles of the manuscript are numbered 1-10 in Arabic numbers, which appear at the top of folio 1 recto, folio 11 recto, folio 21 recto, and every 10 folios thereafter until folio 81 recto, and finally on folio 89 recto.
The contents are as follows:
Giovanni Boccaccio, 'Filostrato e il nome di questo libro...'. Folio 1r.
Giovanni Boccaccio, 'Molte fiate gia nobilissima donna...'. Folio 1r-5r.
Giovanni Boccaccio, 'Filostrato'. Folios 5v-94v.
There is a scribal colophon on folio 94v which possibly reads: 'Finito e libro chiamato il filostrato chonpilato p[er] messer Giovanni de Bocchaccio da Certaldo e scrito p[er] me [.....] di lanine ciacchi Cittadino fiorentino pereghoni checchi[?] lachato ame lorendi Se vurle Signor mis amicho'.
The manuscript is decorated with initials in blue on folios 1r and 5v. The first letter of each stanza is in plain ink, enlarged and placed in the margin.
Each folio has been lined recto and verso.
On the paste-down of the front board are Library inscriptions and a sticker which reads: '4589*'.
Dates
- Creation: 2nd half of 15th century.
Creator
- Boccaccio, Giovanni (Writer and Poet) (Author, Person)
- Louis César de La Baume Le Blanc, Duc de La Vallière (Former owner, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
1 Volumes ; 23.5cm x 17.5cm x 2.8cm
Language of Materials
Italian
Arrangement
i-ii + 94 + iii-iv folios.
Custodial History
There is an ownership inscription on the recto of folio i. This hand is possibly of the early 16th century and uses a humanistic cursive script, probably Italian. The inscription itself is largely illegible, having been worn away.
This volume formed part of the collection of Louis César de La Baume Le Blanc, duc de la Vallière and is listed in the 1783 catalogue of his library with number 3615. The manuscript was probably bought at this sale by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates and was listed in the Library catalogue of circa 1796.
There are Library stamps throughout the volume, a Library paper label pasted onto the inner front board, and ownership inscriptions on the rectos of folios ii and 1.
The previous shelfmark assigned to the manuscript by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates is present on the recto of folio ii, 'Jac.5.7.6', since superseded.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.
Bibliography
Briquet, C. M. 'Les Filigranes. Dictionnaire historique des marques de papier des leur apparition vers 1282 jusqu'en 1600', 4 Volumes (Leipzig, 1923).
Bure, G. de (ed.) 'Catalogue des livres de la bibliothèque de feu M. le duc de La Vallière, Tome II' (Paris, 1783), page 507.
'Folio Catalogue of Manuscripts: Poetry' (Unpublished manuscript, Edinburgh [18??]), folio 22. NLS Reference: FR.190.
Kristeller, P. O. 'Iter Italicum Accedunt Alia Itinera: A Finding List of Uncatalogued or Incompletely Catalogued Humanistic Manuscripts of the Renaissance in Italian and Other Libraries' (London, 1989), page 15.
'Notes of John Purves on "Il ninfale" and "Il philostrato" by Boccaccio, and on 16th century poets and 18th century Italian studies'. NLS Reference: MS.15723.
Pernicone, V. 'Giovanni Boccaccio. Il Filostrato e Il Ninfale Fiesolano' (Bari, 1937).
'Summary Catalogue of the Advocates' Manuscripts' (Edinburgh, 1971), page 86, number 1071; page 105, number 1350.
Ward, H. L. D. 'Catalogue of Romances in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum, Volume I' (London, 1883), pages 67-69.
Physical Description
Paper.
Folios ii and iii are contemporary vellum flyleaves.
The binding is probably from the late 18th century and is of brown marbled paper covering cardboard with a quarter back of calf. There is a brown buckram dust flap over the head end. The manuscript was rebacked in 1938 by Oliver and Boyd. The new back has raised bands and gold tooling for the library stamp, shelfmark, and title which reads: 'IL PHILOSTRATO BOCCACIO'.
The paper of the manuscript is watermarked with a design of crossed arrows, similar to Briquet number 6269 (Venice, 1454).
Genre / Form
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division
- Description rules
- International Standard for Archival Description - General
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk