T. LIVIUS FRULOVISIENSIS, ETC.
Vellum, 9.5 x 6.125, ff. 154 + 3, 29 lines to a page. Fifteenth cent. in Italian (Roman) hand, probably not written in Italy: with fine ornaments.
Given by Hilkiah Croke. On flyleaf:
Helkiah Crocus in Med: Doctor quondam alumnus Coll: Sti Johannis has Titi Liuii
Comoedias (quae nullibi impressae extant) in pignus obseruantiae suae hic deposuit
[Aprilis 120 1631].
Very probably belonged to Gunthorp. Compare the next MS.
Collation: 2 flyleaves, 18 - 48 52 610 78 - 98 (wants 1, 3) 108 118 (3 canc.) 128
(3 canc.) 138 | 1410 1510 (wants 10) | 168 - 208 (wants 8): 1 flyleaf.
Little seems to be known of Titus Livius Frulovisius Ferrariensis. His life of Henry V was printed by Hearne in 1716. Tiraboschi (VI 712) professes almost complete ignorance.
Contents:
1. Corallaria T. Liuii frulouisii inc. Titulus . . . . . . f. 1
Acta uenetiis ludis romanis francisco foscari duce, etc.
Argumentum. Claudipotim anum senex amabat heuclio.
Prologus. loquitur hieronymus de ponte.
Ne cui uestrum mirum sit cui sim.
2. Inc. Claudi duo. Acta uentriis sine mimis francisco foscari
duce, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . 17b
Arg. Multiplici plusipenus religioni.
Prol. loquitur recitator.
Si studium foret bonorum.
3. Inc. Emporia. Acta uenetiis (ut supra) . . . . . . . 34b
Arg. Cui deesset aurum liron.
Prol. Duos si claudos mimis ornassemus.
4. Inc. Symmachus. Acta uenetiis (ut supra) . . . . . . 53b
Arg. Exul Symmachus riualem.
Prol. Symmachus est huic nomen.
Two leaves seem to be wanting in this play.
5. Inc. Oratoria. Acta uenetiis ludis pergamenis francisco foscari
duce, etc. . . . . . . . . . . 77b
Arg. Hagnam Exochus quam uidisset.
Prol. Hanc uobis ideo Poeta dat.
6. Change of hand. Peregrinatio. (No title) . . . . . . 97
Arg. Rhistes creticus ad britones cum measset.
Prol. Si uestri quis quintam.
7. Eugenius . . . . . . . . . . 116
Arg. Duxit Eugenius coniugium que uitasset.
Prol. Si quibus hoc mirum forte uideatur.
Ends 154b: plaudite spectatores optimi.
finis Eugenii septime T. Liuii frulouisii de feraria.
to telos ths eugeniou tou poihtou kwmikou titou libiou apo ths fe /.
There are various marginal notes in red which explain the names of the characters, giving their derivation from Greek.
The illuminated decoration of the book is very beautiful. It is not Italian: perhaps it may be Flemish. It consists of initials to the plays and scenes. The initials are in gold, and from them an irregularly-shaped field of decoration spreads upwards and downwards. The grounds of these are commonly blue with white dots, and they are filled with gold dragons, or other grotesques, and with fine conventional foliage, in colour. The whole effect is extremely good, and unusual. Compare an Athanasius at King's College, no. 27, and a Cicero at C. C. C., 158.
Negative microfilm in St John's College Library.
W. Ludgwig, 'Titus Livius de' Frulovisi: ein humanistischer Dramatiker der Renaissance', Humanistica Lovaniensia: Journal of neo-Latin Studies 22 (1973), 1-76.
D. Rundle, 'Tito Livio Frulovisi and the place of comedies in the formation of a humanist's career', Studi Umanistici Piceni, xxiv (2004), 193 - 202.
A. Sammut, Unfredo duca di Gloucester e gli umanisti italiani (Padua, 1980), p.100.
A. Staüble, 'Le sette commedie dell' umanista Tito Livio de' Frulovisi', Rinascimento 3 (1963), 23-51.
C.W. Previté-Orton (ed.), Opera hactenus inedita T. Livii de Frulovisiis de Ferraria (Cambridge, 1932).
R. Weiss, Humanism in England during the Fifteenth century 3rd ed. (Oxford, 1957), p.188 quotes Prof. Francis Wormald's opinion that this MS 'was written and decorated in England', and gives on p.41 an account of Frulovisi and his activities in England.
Loaned to the Bodleian Library for the exhibition 'Duke Humphrey and English Humanism' in 1970. The descriptions in the catalogue to this exhibition mention that C.10, MSS Corpus 285/1, and London College of Arms 12, are all in the same hand.
The initials in this MS are identical in character with the first initial of the MS of Frulovisi's Life of Henry V, in Corpus Christi College Library (cf. James's catalogue no. 285, vol. II. p.51).
This MS contains one continuous series of quire signatures written in an English hand.
At fol. ii there is an erased inverted inscription recording 'Rychard horthma[n]' as owner (16th cent.).
At the foot of fol. 154v is an erased inscription reading 'Cest livre est A moy homfrey duc de gloucestre de don tite lyre'.
