The first leaf of this volume is adorned with a very beautiful miniature painting, finished with great delicacy and in a higher style of art than is generally seen in MSS. even of Italian execution. See the frontispiece to this catalogue.

We should have thought the portrait it contains to be that of Semitecolo or of the Doge Molini, but for the arms of the great PRIULI family which are underneath, paly of siz, or and az. a chief gu. The portrait, therefore, would seem to be of one of that family, possibly of Antonio Priuli, Doge a few years before, and who may have been a patron of Semitecolo. This is only conjectural: it refers probably to some connection between the families of which no trace now remains, at least, that we can find. In vol. v. the Donato arms are given with those of Manolesso, though no connection is apparent.

The arms of Venice have been on one side of the binding, and the arms of Semitecolo himself are still on the other, bendy of six, or and az. a chief of the second, charged with a lion passant of the first. 194 Trattato della Guerra mossa da Selino, Imperator de' Turchi, alla Signoria di Venetia; la Perdita di Cipro, la Lega tra il Papa, il Re di Spagna et la Republica: et la grande Vittoria Navale havuta da' Christiani contra Turchi l'anno MDLXXI. da Niccolo Longo. MANUSCRIPT, very neatly written, folio, containing upwards of 320 pages, 37. 13s. 6d.

This MS. contains a long history of the War in which the great battle of Lepanto was fought, wherein the Christian allies were commanded by Don John of Austria, then a mere youth. It was the greatest naval battle since that of Actium which decided the empire of the world, but its effects were different: it certainly saved the Venetians from the Turks, but it brought them no advantages in the peace which followed, and Voltaire has truly remarked, that it might be thought the Turks were

conquerors.

The learned Author of "Mahometanism unveiled" (Rev. C. Forster, B. D.) has drawn from this fact a strong proof in corroboration of his argument. "It is an instructive fact, in illustration of the great providential plan, that the intervention of Providence appeared no less conspicuously, in the preservation of the Turkish power, at an earlier period, for the correction of Europe, than in its repression, by the arms of Sobieski, for its deliverance. After the battle of Lepanto, Greece, to a man, was ready to rise in arms against its oppressors; the Turks were preparing to abandon Constantinople; and, but for the fatal inaction of the victors, the Ottoman empire in Europe, so tenacious of life even in its present decline, might have fallen in the zenith of its power." 8vo. vol. ij. pa. 483, and see his quotation from Uberto Foglieta.

It is just before the loss of Cyprus, of which an account is here given, that Shakspeare has laid the plot of his Othello, and it is remarkable, when we consider the scenes to be altogether in the Venetian dominions, how little illustration is attempted to be drawn by his many commentators from Italian History.

195 Lettere di Anton Maria Graziani, AD. 1596-97. MANUSCRIPTS, very neatly and closely written, 2 vol. 4to. in Italian Vellum binding, 31. 13s. 6d.

A. M. Graziani, Bishop of Amelia, was born in 1537. He was one of the best writers of his time, and was highly patronized by Cardinal Commendone, whom he accompanied in his travels through Germany and Poland: in which last country Henry of Anjou, who in 1573 was king for five months, wished to retain him, but in vain, though he held out great inducements.

On the Cardinal's death in 1584, Graziani was made Secretary to P. Sixtus V. and he afterwards took part in most of the intrigues at the Roman Court. The Election of P. Clement viii. was chiefly owing to his influence, and that Pontiff, in return, consecrated him Bishop of Amelia, deputed him as Nuntio to the various Courts of Italy to negociate a general League against the Turks, and, in 1596, to the Venetian Republic. This high employ he filled till 1598, when he retired to his See. He died in 1611.

These letters, several hundred in number, were written during his stay at Venice, and relate to every event in that important time. They have not been printed. Filippo Buonamici (quoted by Tiraboschi) says he saw in the Library of Cardinal Portocarrero the Letters of Graziani to the Pope during the above time, "le quali ben fanno conoscere la prudenza e l'eloquenza di cui era fornito." Some few letters have been printed in the Epistolografia of F. Parisi, Roma, 1787. These letters are addressed chiefly to Card. Aldobrandini (Clement viij's nephew) Luigi Alamanni and other eminent men. The MSS. are from the Library of the late Earl of Guilford.

196 Trattato Istoric-politico delle Controversie passate per Paolo V. e Venezia. MANUSCRIPT, neatly written, 10s. 6d.

A large collection of extracts from various Historians who have treated on the subject of this famous Interdict, with a catalogue of all the writers on the Controversy.

197 Opere Varie di Fra Paolo Sarpi Servita, " il tutto unito da me Antonio Mar. Vinarelli, li 3 Gen. 1746." MANUSCRIPT, neatly written, folio, in vellum,

12s.

Containing Father Paul's several pieces relative to the Interdict laid upon Venice by P. Paul V.

198 Racordi dati da Fra Paolo Servita in qual modo debba governarsi la Rep. internamente, e avere perpetuo dominio, con li quali si ponderanno gl'interessi di tutti i Principi da suoi dichiarati exc. Pubca. Commissne. l'anno 1615. MANUSCRIPT, folio, sewed,

199

hand, folio,

7s. 6d.

another transcript of this work in a later

12s.

This manuscript has the autograph of Count Bossi, the Historian of Italy and America. It is right to state that this work is falsely attributed to Father Paul.

200 Descrizione della Città e della Republica di Venezia. MANUSCRIPT, neatly written, about 1650, 4to.

16s.

A valuable MS. from the Library of the Colonna family, whose arms are very neatly tinted on a large scale at the beginning of the volume.

201 Costituito fatto al santo Officio da Ceccilia figlia del quondam Aloise Ferraci, detta la Beata Ceccilia; et la sentenza contro di essa seguita l'anno 1665. 1.a Sept." in Venetia. MANUSCRIPT, neatly written, folio, 7s. 6d.

A curious account of the Inquisitorial proceedings in the case of a noted female Impostor: the sentence is adjudged by the Pope's Nuntio, the Patriarch of Venice and the Inquisitor-General.

202 Cronica di Novitatibus Paduæ et Lombardiæ facta per D. Gulielmum de Cortosiis. MANUSCRIPT, neatly written, folio,

15s.

A very copious history of Padua between the years 1266 and 1358. It is from Lord Guilford's collection.

ROME, AND THE ROMAN STATES.

203 Chronica delle Cose di Roma nel Secolo XIV. MANUSCRIPT, folio, pp. 207,

21. 12s. 6d.

This is a neat transcript of an old chronicle of the fourteenth century, containing a history of events, 1320-1350, narrated at considerable length. There should be twenty chapters, but one or two and some fragments appear to have been wanting in the old MS. from which this copy was made. The history of the famous Rienzi is given in great detail, and the author seems to have been his contemporary.

204 Tractatus de Reprobatione False Monarchiæ,-Tractatus de potestate summi Pontificis,-Excerpta quædam ex scriptoribus antiquis et modernis. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, of the fourteenth century, 4to. in the original oak boards,

31. 13s. 6d.

A very curious MS. The first two parts relate to the controversy between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, which then divided Italy. The authors' names are carefully erased from the rubric, but they seem to have been staunch Guelphs. The first, perhaps by Bartolommeo di Urbino, is addressed to Graziolo di Bambaioli, Chancellor of Bologna, who flourished about 1331, and appears directed against Dante's Book de Monarchia, which he wrote in favour of Henry VII. The last seems to be the common-place book of some monk at that time.

205 Nicolaus Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei Cariss. in Christo filio Costantino Romeorum Imperatori Illustri, 1451,--Pii Secundi Convocatio ad Mantuanam Dietam,-Oratio Pii secundi habita in Mantuana Dieta, qua cunctos Italiæ Pricipes contra perfidū Turcum mirum in modum exhortatur,Franscisci Philelphi de Tolentino Poetæ Laureati Oratio ad Beatiss. Ecclesiæ Ro. Pont. Pium Secundum Duce Mediolani tunc presete,-Oratio Bisarion. (Bessarionis) Episcopi Tusculani Cardinalis Niceni habita Mantuæ in concione publica pro Expeditione contra Turcos,-Timotei Veronensis Canonici Regularis Epistola ad exhortandum omnes Italiæ Principes quod suis copiis in Turcum mutuè contendant, 1453. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, of the latter part of the fifteenth century, EXECUTED FOR POPE JULIUS II. 8vo. bound in rich silk, with silk linings, 5l. 15s. 6d.

This beautiful MS. is written on very delicate vellum, in a fine Italic cursive character, with richly illuminated initials. We have assigned it to JULIUS II. on the authority of the DELLA ROVERE arms which are very richly emblazoned on the first page (azure, an oak tree, (Rovere) erased, the root tripartite, the boughs interlaced saltirewise and fructed or.)

It is true there are not the Papal Insignia, but Julius II. collected MSS. before his elevation to the Popedom, and afterwards designed to form a separate library for the use of the Roman Pontiffs, "which was not to owe its importance to the number, so much as to the value of the books and manuscripts of which it was to be composed. It was also intended that the splendour of this collection should be enhanced by works in painting and sculpture by the most distinguished artists of the time; but the death of the Pope prevented, in all probability, the completion of the plan; and as no such distinct collection has been adverted to in later times, it may justly be conjectured that it has been united with that of the Vatican." Roscoe, Leo. x. ch. ix. This is uncertain, but, at any rate we may conceive this to be a stray volume from the collection; and from the "incentives to war" which it contains, it could scarcely fail of being read by the martial Pontiff if it were not indeed compiled expressly for his use: the Turcophobia had not wholly subsided in his time.

The volume relates entirely to the fears entertained of the Turks by his predecessors in the see, and to the proposed crusade against them. The letter of Nicolas V. to the Greek Emperor, in answer to one from him, conveyed by Andronicus Briennius Leodarius is very curious. Nicolas V. died of grief for the fall of Constantinople.

P. Pius II. (the famed Eneo Silvio Piccolomini) after having attempted in vain to rouse the Princes of Christendom at the above council, which he assembled at Mantua in 1459, levied an army which he purposed to conduct in person against the Turks, but he died at Ancona, when on the point of embarkation. The death of the learned Greek, Cardinal Bessarion, is known to have been hastened, though at a later period, by the continued misfortunes of his countrymen. See the latter part of Gibbon's lxviijth chap. where an account of these transactions is given, and Hallam's Middle Ages, vol. ij. pp. 194-5. 206 Joannis Burchardi Diarium Pontificatus Alexander vj. volumne primum. MANUSCRIPT, very neatly written, folio, in vellum,

21. 2s.

This is a very valuable work for the history of the Borgia family, one of the vilest even in Italian history. Extracts are given from this work by Gordon, in his life of Alexander vj. which are transferred by Roscoe to the App. to his life of Leo X. It is avowedly from one of these extracts that Lord Byron has taken the incident of Sir Ezzelin's mysterious disappearance in "Lara." See his note in which he has copied the account of the Duke of Candia's death, the eldest son of Alexander, as translated by Roscoe from the Latin of Burchard. 207 BULLARIUM, sive Mare Magnum Bullarum quinque ordinibus concessarum : viz. Fratribus Heremitis S. Augustini, Minoribus, Predicatoribus, Carmelitis ac Servis Beatæ Mariæ, cum Indice Alphabetico materiarum et nominum summorum Pontificum qui antecedentes Bullas concesserunt, approbarunt vel innovarunt. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, 8vo. a thick volume, in the original stamped binding, with clasps, and with the silken cord passed through the volume, to which the bulla or leaden seal of the Popes was appended, 61. 16s. 6d.

This curious and valuable Manuscript is an officially attested copy of these Bulls, with the autographs of the Papal notaries, dated 1506. At the end of the Index is added the scribe's name, "finitur Rome in S. Maria de Populo 1508, 14 Januarii. Frater Nicolaus Besler Augustinianus Commissarius Alemanice Unionis." The volume contains every Bull relating to those orders, with many of their rules and regulations. It is beautifully written upon very delicate Italian vellum, and is in the highest preservation.

208 BULLARIUM ET COLLECTANEA EX DECRETA LIBUS de statu Monachorum et Canonicorum Regularium. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, of the latter part of the fifteenth century, 4to. in the original binding, . 31. 13s. 6d.

A copious collection to the year 1482, principally relating to the Benedictine order, and in particular to the Monastery of St. Justina, at Pavia, and some in Germany. The MS. is written on very fine Italian vellum.

209 Capitula Pacis conclusa Bononiæ die 23 decembris, 1529. MANUSCRIPT, of the sixteenth century, folio, sewed, 10s. 6d.

These are the Articles of Peace concluded between Charles V. and Clement VII. at their memorable interview two years after the sacking of Rome by the Imperialists, under Bourbon. These treaties, which restored tranquillity to Italy after a tedious war, the calamities of which had chiefly affected that country, were published at Bologna with great solemnity, on the first day of the year 1530, amidst the universal acclamations of the people, applauding the Emperor, to whose moderation and generosity they ascribe the blessings of peace which they had so long desired. See Robertson's Charles V. book 5.

210 Trattato delle Elettione de'Romani Pontefici. very neatly written, 4to.

MANUSCRIPT, 17. 4s.

A Methodical Treatise on the Constitution and Powers of the Conclave. At the end are histories of the several elections of Innocent viij, Alexander vj, Pius iij, Julius ij, Leo x, Adrian vj, and Clement vij, with a character of each of those Pontiffs.

211 Sorte tratte dal Breviario di Maistro Paschino la notte di la Epiphania del MDXXXV. MANUSCRIPT, folio, neatly written. 10s. 6d,

A very clever specimen of this witty rogue's satire. The sortes are very numerous, and supposed to be drawn from the Breviary by all the States, Princes, and most eminent persons of the time. Those drawn by Paul III., the French King, the Roman People, Pasquin himself, &c. &c. are particularly appropriate and severe. That of Henry VIII. is "apprehenderunt vii mulieres virum unum in die illa,"—of Card. Campegio, "sicut novelle olivarum, filii tui in circuitu mensæ tuæ," (see his character in Burnet.) It is not probable that these have been printed, and it is well known what effect the Pasquinades had on the opinions of the times.

212 STORIA DI PAOLO PAPA iv.

i. Conclave fatto per la Sede Vacante di Papa Marcello secondo, nel quale fu creato Pontefice il Card. Gio. Pietro Caraffa, Napolitano, detto Paolo iv.

Instruttioni e Lettere di Monsre della Casa a nome del