A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Add. A. 18

Summary Catalogue no.: 24772

Contents

Michele da Figline (?), Viaggio in Terrasanta

An account, in Italian, of a pilgrimage from Genoa (see fol. iv, John the Baptist, patron of the city) or possibly Florence, by Venice to Jerusalem. The traveller left Florence on 16 May 16 1489

Although the text is in Italian, the text is interspersed with the Latin text of the prayers and short offices used on the journey

At the end of the introduction, the writer presents a riddle as to their identify, saying that it can be uncovered by tracing the initial letters: '& dipoi tu lectore che leggemi non sapendo apertamente el nome di questo misero pechatore ma comincerai a questo primo lettero che trouarrai & finendo trouarrai el nome mio'.

Agrees in general with Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana 1923 (see below) as far as p. 165 ('in secula seculorum') of the printed text (fol. 104v); fols. 105-109r contain additional Latin offices and prayers.

Printed by Marina Montesacno, Da Figline a Gerusalemme ... (2010), from Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana 1923, which gives the author's name (apparently added in a different hand). The editor was not aware of the present copy. Another copy was recorded as being in the Bibliotheca Magliabechiana in Florence in 1785 (Giovanni Mariti, Illustrazioni in un anonimo viaggiatore del secolo XV, 1785).
Language(s): Italian and Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper
Extent: i + 111 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 8.5 × 6.125 in.

History

Origin: 16th century ; Italy

Provenance and Acquisition

Purchased by the Bodleian at Sotheby's on 5 April 1859 from the collection of Guillaume Libri. No. 1044 in the sale catalogue

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2025) by Stewart J. Brookes and Matthew Holford from the Summary Catalogue (1905) with additional reference to published literature as cited.

Bibliography

    MSS. Add., handwritten catalogue by F. Madan [Weston Library, shelved at R. 6. 58]

Last Substantive Revision

2025-05-29: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1905) and other printed sources