Details
STATUTES OF VOLTERRA, in Latin. MANUSCRIPT ON PAPER.
Volterra, 1478-1491
Chancery 2° (277 x 210mm). 97 leaves; modern pencilled foliation (followed here), traces of earlier ink foliation (showing the loss of original ff. 13, 16-28, 32, 52, 71-74, 90, 92, 101-104, 114); single columns of 20-27 lines, unruled, justification 200 x 120mm; written in gray or brown ink in Italian chancery cursive script by Michele Gherarducci; rubrics in red, simple red initials, paragraph marks and capital strokes (contemporary and later marginalia, sometimes defective at fore-edge; thumbed and frayed; some offsetting of red ink; modern tissue repairs to many folds and tears; lacking at least 27 leaves of text and half of the blank leaf following f.96; ff.6-7 and ff.94-96bis detached from sewing and laid in; at least two leaves, original f.54 and f.53, now bound out of order as ff. 8-9). Original limp vellum (resewn on modern leather strips, remains of two twisted vellum thong closures, worn and frayed, faded contemporary and later scribbles on front cover, stained with traces of red and blue pigment); modern brown calf box.
PROVENANCE
The manuscript was copied by Michele Gherarducci, notary of Volterra, who signed and dated it on 13 March 1478 when he completed the statutes of Volterra (f.84v): 'Michaelis gherarducci notarii Volaterrani res Dominice Incarnationis Anno 1478 Die uero xiij Martij finita'. He continued to work on the manuscript until at least 1491, as it also contains the text of the 'Capitoli delle Riformagione fiorentine' promulgated in that year. The codex was undoubtedly intended for Gherarducci's personal use as a notary, since he would have needed to have the text of these statutes at hand for ready consultation. The manuscript also reflects his wider interests and activities, both in the verses written on f.1 and in the copy of a letter of Cicero concerning Volterra (f. 86v-87r). A note in Gherarducci's hand on the turn-in of the front wrapper prays God for deliverance from traitors, false witnesses, the anger of the people, and the prejudiced mind: 'Iddio me guardi da traditori, da falso testimoni, da furia di populo et da animo deliberato'.
CONTENTS
The principal contents of the codex, as indicated by the contemporary title faintly visible on the upper wrapper, are the statutes of Volterra copied in 1478. These begin with a Repertorium, or list of 151 chapter titles (ff.2r-7r), which give a complete overview of the content of this civil code. The text (ff. 15r-84v) is now defective, lacking all or part of chapters 3-20, 24-26, 61, 88-93, 122-123, 125-126, 137-143, and the greater part of ch.1 has been supplied by a later hand (f.15r-v). Although these statutes are undated, their frequent references to the laws and customs of Florence suggest that they were compiled after June 1472 when Florence definitively suppressed the independence of Volterra and the city made its submission to Lorenzo the Magnificent.
The submission of Volterra to Florence is also reflected in the presence in this codex of the 'Capitoli delle Reformagioni fiorentine', promulgated, according to its heading here, on 30 June 1491 (f.85v). The table of rubrics for this text, comprising 16 chapters, is found on f. 7v, and the text, as now bound, on ff. 10r-13v, 85v-86r, and 88r-89r.
The codex also includes the 'Capitula comunis castri monits gemoli' (ff.13v-15r). Montegemoli, in the valley of the Cecina, was subject to the bishops of Volterra until the 12th century. The two cities remained closely linked, and in 1251 citizenship of Volterra was granted to inhabitants of Montegemoli. The statutes of Montegemoli promulgated on 25 July 1480 make reference to the rights of Florence, reflecting the submission of both Montegemoli and Volterra to Florentine hegemony. The copy included in this codex is of particular interest because, after the heading in Latin, the text of the statutues is given in Italian.
Other legal contents of the codex include summaries of legislation from 1444 to 1480, partly in Italian (ff.89v-96r). Latin verses and notes on ff.1r, 87v, and 97v are in the hand of Gherarducci and were probably of his composition, and on f.1v he copied three heroic couplets in praise of himself by the humanist Marco Janarino of Arezzo. The inclusion of Cicero's letter in praise of Volterra (Ad familiares, XIII,4) undoubtedly reflects both Gherarducci's humanist interests and his local patriotism. A slightly later hand has added notes and verses in Latin and Italian on f.86r, f.96r, and f.97v.
Volterra, 1478-1491
Chancery 2° (277 x 210mm). 97 leaves; modern pencilled foliation (followed here), traces of earlier ink foliation (showing the loss of original ff. 13, 16-28, 32, 52, 71-74, 90, 92, 101-104, 114); single columns of 20-27 lines, unruled, justification 200 x 120mm; written in gray or brown ink in Italian chancery cursive script by Michele Gherarducci; rubrics in red, simple red initials, paragraph marks and capital strokes (contemporary and later marginalia, sometimes defective at fore-edge; thumbed and frayed; some offsetting of red ink; modern tissue repairs to many folds and tears; lacking at least 27 leaves of text and half of the blank leaf following f.96; ff.6-7 and ff.94-96bis detached from sewing and laid in; at least two leaves, original f.54 and f.53, now bound out of order as ff. 8-9). Original limp vellum (resewn on modern leather strips, remains of two twisted vellum thong closures, worn and frayed, faded contemporary and later scribbles on front cover, stained with traces of red and blue pigment); modern brown calf box.
PROVENANCE
The manuscript was copied by Michele Gherarducci, notary of Volterra, who signed and dated it on 13 March 1478 when he completed the statutes of Volterra (f.84v): 'Michaelis gherarducci notarii Volaterrani res Dominice Incarnationis Anno 1478 Die uero xiij Martij finita'. He continued to work on the manuscript until at least 1491, as it also contains the text of the 'Capitoli delle Riformagione fiorentine' promulgated in that year. The codex was undoubtedly intended for Gherarducci's personal use as a notary, since he would have needed to have the text of these statutes at hand for ready consultation. The manuscript also reflects his wider interests and activities, both in the verses written on f.1 and in the copy of a letter of Cicero concerning Volterra (f. 86v-87r). A note in Gherarducci's hand on the turn-in of the front wrapper prays God for deliverance from traitors, false witnesses, the anger of the people, and the prejudiced mind: 'Iddio me guardi da traditori, da falso testimoni, da furia di populo et da animo deliberato'.
CONTENTS
The principal contents of the codex, as indicated by the contemporary title faintly visible on the upper wrapper, are the statutes of Volterra copied in 1478. These begin with a Repertorium, or list of 151 chapter titles (ff.2r-7r), which give a complete overview of the content of this civil code. The text (ff. 15r-84v) is now defective, lacking all or part of chapters 3-20, 24-26, 61, 88-93, 122-123, 125-126, 137-143, and the greater part of ch.1 has been supplied by a later hand (f.15r-v). Although these statutes are undated, their frequent references to the laws and customs of Florence suggest that they were compiled after June 1472 when Florence definitively suppressed the independence of Volterra and the city made its submission to Lorenzo the Magnificent.
The submission of Volterra to Florence is also reflected in the presence in this codex of the 'Capitoli delle Reformagioni fiorentine', promulgated, according to its heading here, on 30 June 1491 (f.85v). The table of rubrics for this text, comprising 16 chapters, is found on f. 7v, and the text, as now bound, on ff. 10r-13v, 85v-86r, and 88r-89r.
The codex also includes the 'Capitula comunis castri monits gemoli' (ff.13v-15r). Montegemoli, in the valley of the Cecina, was subject to the bishops of Volterra until the 12th century. The two cities remained closely linked, and in 1251 citizenship of Volterra was granted to inhabitants of Montegemoli. The statutes of Montegemoli promulgated on 25 July 1480 make reference to the rights of Florence, reflecting the submission of both Montegemoli and Volterra to Florentine hegemony. The copy included in this codex is of particular interest because, after the heading in Latin, the text of the statutues is given in Italian.
Other legal contents of the codex include summaries of legislation from 1444 to 1480, partly in Italian (ff.89v-96r). Latin verses and notes on ff.1r, 87v, and 97v are in the hand of Gherarducci and were probably of his composition, and on f.1v he copied three heroic couplets in praise of himself by the humanist Marco Janarino of Arezzo. The inclusion of Cicero's letter in praise of Volterra (Ad familiares, XIII,4) undoubtedly reflects both Gherarducci's humanist interests and his local patriotism. A slightly later hand has added notes and verses in Latin and Italian on f.86r, f.96r, and f.97v.