Beschreibung:

STATUTES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VENETIAN LAGOON of 1580, with instructions for its Rettore , in Italian, manuscript on vellum, Venice, 24 June 1580 A fascinating insight into the workings of 16th-century local Venetian administration; a statute-book for a newly-appointed 'Rettore' of the Venetian Lagoon. 220 x 146mm. i (paper) + 98 + i (paper) leaves (final 6 leaves blank but ruled), contemporary foliation 1-92 followed here, 21 lines of text, ruled space: 147 x 90mm (lacking title-page, some marginal thumbing and staining). Contemporary Venetian red morocco gilt, gilt edges (rebacked in early gilt calf, worn and scuffed at extremities). Provenance : The manuscript is notarised by Camillus Ziliolus and dated 23 June 1580 — old paper label 'Venetian M.S. 1580' on spine — late nineteenth century label 'V. Arrigoni Collection d'antiquités [...] Milan' on front pastedown — Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre at New Hall, near Chelmsford in Essex: bookplate on front paper flyleaf — catalogue description from the Gibson Craig library, sold at auction in 1888, lot 767, on front pastedown — Edward Lyndoe (1901-1982), astrologer, and author: his ink monogram 'EL' 1951 on front paper flyleaf. Content : The Republic of Venice was divided into reggimenti and districts, each of which was administered by a rettore , or a podestà , usually a wealthy Venetian aristocrat. The present manuscript lacks its title-page, but it contains statutes for the administration of the dogado , or the Venetian lagoon, which included Murano. Addressing the newly appointed rettore in the second person, instructions are given on taxes to be paid to Venice, on the administration of glass-makers in Murano (ff.3v-4); the ban on salted meats (ff.10v-12); on how to deal with bandits, blasphemers and alchemists (ff.25-37v); on bearing weapons (ff.38v-39); on the ban on Jews owning property (f.58v-59); and, among other things, on possible conflicts of interest while in office.