Rare Book BX1876 .M37 1550
This piece of waste parchment is a limp binding around the Le ingeniose sorti held at the Rauner Special Collections Library. This book, written in Italian and published in July 1550 by Francesco Marcolino da Forli, is a guide to tarot card fortune-telling. It features verse text by Lodovico Dolce and woodcut illustrations by Giuseppe Porta, designed by Francesco Salviati. The book’s format includes initial questions (13 for men, 13 for women, and 24 for either), followed by drawing cards that lead the reader through 50 pages of virtues and vices, and then to responses by various philosophers. Each philosopher's response is presented in a three-line verse by Dolce. This second edition, a revised version of the first edition from 1540, retains the dedication to Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. The woodcut title page shows a gathering of classical figures and a deck of cards, while the verso features a portrait of Marcolini, sometimes attributed to Titian. The book is printed in italic type, with pages laid out in compartments depicting card combinations. The Rauner Rare Book copy includes this contemporary limp vellum binding with notated music and Latin text from the 15th century. This book, Le Sorti Di Francesco Marcolino Da Forli Intitolate Giardino Di Pensieri, is described as having 157 (which is actually 207) pages, plus one additional page. It contains illustrations (woodcuts) and is 30 centimeters in height, classified as a folio. This means the book is approximately 30 cm tall and likely has a substantial size given the folio format, making it larger than typical books of the period.
Pictures with Transcriptions of Rare Book BX1876 .M37 1550
This is the inside of the limp binding and likely the verso (or back side) of the folio. The transcription of this page is as follows:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| Sancti mei qui in isto seculo certame(n) habuistis mer (-) cede(m) labor(um) ego reddam uob(is). V(ersus) Venite benedicti patris mei percipite regnu(m). R(esponsus) Certame(n) magnu(m) habu (-) erunt sancti transieru(n)t per igne(m) et aquam et salui fac(-) | rose in ihericho florebu(n)t ante dominu(m) V(ersus) Iusti fulgebu(n)t sicut sol in regno patris eoru(m). Res(ponsus) Isti su(n)t sancti qui pro testamento dei sua cor(-) pora tradideru(n)t et in sa(n)g(-) uine agni laueru(n)t stolas su(-) |
After looking at this page of text it becomes clear that the script used in this limp binding is a Northern Gothic Textualis Formata Rotunda. The curved strokes at the bottom of the minims give it a more flowing look compared to the separately applied feet of a Gothic Textualis Formata Quadrata.
Additionally, the text on this binding is in Matins, one of the canonical hours, specific times set aside for prayer throughout the day as part of the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours in Christian liturgical traditions. Matins is typically a nighttime or early morning prayer service that includes readings, psalms, hymns, and other prayers. In monastic and some ecclesiastical contexts, Matins is a significant service, often involving extensive readings from scripture and other sacred texts. It can be a time of reflection, meditation, and preparation for the day's spiritual and liturgical activities.
In our specific section of the text it follows the pattern of "Response --> Responsary Verse --> Repetendum", and this service is for the "Common of Several Martyrs." Additionally, after further examination this limp binding belongs to the 3rd nocturn of Matins.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| a domino xp(ist)o. V(ersus) Imma (-) nia enim pro xp(ist)o in suis corporib(u)s sustinueru(n)t torme(n)ta ti sicut lilium et sicut | sua propter deu(m) ad supplicia dei et merueru(n)t habere coro(-) nas perpetuas. V(ersus) Isti su(n)t qui ueneru(n)t ex mag(-) na tribulatione. Et in laud |
In between the two sections of text the spine of the book has made it so some of the text has been lost and is unable to be read. Using the online Cantus Index and studying different manuscripts, I took my best guess at the transcription of what is not able to be seen.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| [[ti sunt et coronas acceperunt a domino deo]] | [[as tradiderunt corpora]] |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| [[*****]]rra apparuit R(esponsus) Verbera carnificu(m) no(n) ti(-) mueru(n)t sancti dei mo(-) rientes pro xp(ist)o nomine [[ut her]]edes fierent in domo [[do]]mini V(ersus) qui p(ro) testame(n)to dei sua cor(-) | runt ad regina c[[**]]lesta V(ersus) iu[[cu]]ndu(m) habitare fratres in vnu(m). R(esponsus) Deus uita mentu(m) domini et leges pa(-) ternas sancti dei astiterunt in amore fraternitatis quia unus fuit semper spiritus in eis et una fides |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| [[pora tradiderunt et in sanguine agni laverunt stolas suas haec est uera R(esponsus) frater]] | [[***************]] |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| nitas que nu(m)qua(m) potuit uiolari certamine qui ef(-) fuso sa(n)guine secuti su(n)t do(-) minum contemnentes au lam regiam peruene | quam h[[**]]u Psa(lmus) Sup(ern)a(m)* Uestri capilli capitis om numerati su(n)t nolite timere multis passerib(us) multa(s) esti(s) uos. Evovee |
Music of the Manuscript
Using Cantus and Volpiano script I coded the sections of musical notes that were for the most part legible. I am not musically knowledgable so they are subject to many rounds of review and as I improve them I will continue to re-upload them to this page.
