Language(s): Latin
1. (fols. 1r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... creatio habita in synodo Florentina ... que inscribitur dogmatica vel de unione quam ipse idem e Greca Latin [sic] fecit
(ed. E. Candal, Concilium Florentinum. Doc. et script., series B, VII.i (Rome, 1958)).
2. (fols. 30v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis eiusdem declaratio aliquorum que in dicta oratione dogmatica continentur ...
(ed. ibid., pp. 74–6).
3. (fols. 32r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... de successu synodi Florentine et de processione spiritus sancti primum Grece editus liber. deinde ab eodem Latinis litteris donatus incipit
(ed. Candal, op. cit., VII.ii).
4. (fols. 66v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... defensionis recti catholicique dogmatis latinorum viz. de processione s. spiritus contra hereticum illus impugnantum
' (pr. PG, CLXI, 287–310 ).
5. (fols. 86r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis eiusdem ad Grecos epistola exhortans eos ad obedientiam sacrosance Romane ecclesie ...
(PG, CLXI, 450–90 ).
6. (fols. 94v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... de sacramento eucharistie et quibus cibis Christi corpus conficiatur
' (ed. L. Mohler, Kardinal Bessarion als Theologe, Humanist und Staatsman (Paderborn, 1923–42), III, 1–69 ).
7. (fols. 124v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... de ea parte evangelii Ioannis ubi dicitur: Si cum volo manere donec veriam quid ad te
' (pr. PG, CLXI, 623–40 ).
8. (fols. 139v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... oratio habita in conventu Mantuano Pii II pontificis maximi iussu congregato ...
Incipit: Quo dominus noster sanctissimus pontifex maximus Christi salvatoris nostri vicarius ...
(for other MSS. and two pr. texts see Mohler, op. cit., I, 289 ). 10. (fols. 147r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... oratio habita in conventu Nurumbergensi [sic] cum ipse apostolice sedis legatus soluto Mantuano conventu Pii II pontificis maximi iussu illuc accessisset
' (ed. Mohler, III, 377–383 ).
11. (fols. 153v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... tunc in Germania apostolice sedis legati replicatio ad responsionem legatorum omnium Germanie principium et fraterna monitio atque exhortatio Viene
(ed. Mohler, III, 384–398 ). 12. (fols. 167r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis eiusdem eorum que post proximam eius replicationem secuta sunt brevis et succincta narratio
(ed. Mohler, III, 399). 13. (fols. 267v–)
Rubric: Bessarionis eiusdem oratio habita pro fine et solutione conventus Vienensis
(ed. Mohler, III, 399–401) 14. (fols. 169r–)
Rubric: Epistola legatorum omnium Germanie principium ad Bessarionem ... soluto conventu
(ed. Mohler, III, 401–2). 15. (fols. 170r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis eiusdem responsio ad eosdem legatos
(ed. Mohler, III, 403). 16. (fols. 171r–)
Rubric: Bessarionis ... tunc in civitate Bononiensi apostolice sedis legati oratio habita cum Ludovicum Bentivolum equestris ordinis virum vexillo donaret quem Nicolaus V pontifex maximus natali Salvatoris nocte ense donaverat
Incipit: Leto iucundoque anime ...
(pr. in Ludovici Bentivoli virtutis et nobilitatis insignia (Bologna, 1690) , 18–27). 17. (fols. 172v–)
Eugenius IV,
Bull 'Letentur celi' Rubric: Decretum synodi Florentine
(ed. G. Hofmann, Epistolae pontificiae ad concilium Floreentinum spectantes (Conc. Flor. Dec. et Script., Series A; pars II), 68–73. Secundo Folio: presul pontifex
Form: codex
Support: Paper. Watermarks: mermaid, cf. Briquet, no. 13888, eagle in circle, cf. Briquet, no. 202, cross-bow, cf. Briquet, no. 746.
iii (modern paper) + 175 + iii (modern paper) leaves.
Dimensions (leaf): 215 × 165 mm.
Dimensions (ruled): 150 × 100–5 mm.
Foliation: The main text with 18th-century (?) ink foliation: 1–175; the endleaves foliated in modern pencil: i-iii and 176–178.
Collation
1(10)-17(10), 18(6)catchwords
Layout
Frame ruling (?) not visible. 24 lines of text per page.
Hand(s)
Written in Humanistic italic script, by three hands: (i) fols. 1r-33r; (ii) 33r-39v; (iii) fols. 40r-175r.
Decoration
Plain red initials
Binding
Brown polished and diced leather over pasteboards; the upper cover stamped in gilt with the Coke crest; the spine lettered in gilt 'BESSARIONIS | CARD. | OPUSCULA || M.S.'
Provenance and Acquisition
Written in Rome in 1467, with a colophon: 'Rome pridie nonas Quintiles anno salutis MºCCCCºLXVIIº pontificis vero maximi Pauli secundi Veneti tercio' (fol. 175r); and inscribed in a more formal hand 'Cardinalis Nicenus de Spiritus Sancti gratia opuscula' (fol. 175v).
Bookplate of ' THOMAS WILLIAM COKE ' (1754–1842), and signed 'Ths. Wilm. Coke' (fol. 1r); formerly Norfolk, Holkham Hall, MS. 117.