GB 0096 MS 487 - Banchieri's The Nobleness of the Ass

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0096 MS 487

Title

Banchieri's The Nobleness of the Ass

Date(s)

  • 19th century (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

100 leaves

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Adriano (Tomaso) Banchieri was an Italian composer, organist, and writer on music. In 1587 he joined the order of the Olivetans, and he subsequently lived and worked at its monasteries in Lucca, Siena, Bosco, Imola, Gubbo, Venice, and Verona. In 1609 he settled at San Michele in Bosco, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was named professor in 1613 and abbot in 1618. In 1615 in Bologna he founded the Accademia dei Floridi. He was an associate of Monteverdi, and his writings are important works in early Baroque music theory. He composed Masses, Psalm settings, motets, music for Offices, madrigals, and theatre works. These last were actually books of madrigals on related texts, using stock comic characters. They were often performed together as madrigal comedies, written to his own texts for the entertainment of Bologna's brilliant social circles. His writings in these fields were often issued under the pseudonym of Camillo Scaliggeri dalla Fratta, or, in the case of his popular La nobilità dell'asino (`The Nobility of the Ass') the improbable Attabalippa dal Peru. John Payne Collier (1789-1883) was an English critic, editor, and forger. The marginal notes and signatures supposedly discovered by him on original documents, especially those concerned with Shakespeare, were later exposed as having been forged by him while in the service of the Duke of Devonshire. His authentic work included A Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books in the English Language (1865) and the reprinting of early English tracts.

Archival history

GB 0096 MS 487 19th century Collection (fonds) 100 leaves Unknown
Adriano (Tomaso) Banchieri was an Italian composer, organist, and writer on music. In 1587 he joined the order of the Olivetans, and he subsequently lived and worked at its monasteries in Lucca, Siena, Bosco, Imola, Gubbo, Venice, and Verona. In 1609 he settled at San Michele in Bosco, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was named professor in 1613 and abbot in 1618. In 1615 in Bologna he founded the Accademia dei Floridi. He was an associate of Monteverdi, and his writings are important works in early Baroque music theory. He composed Masses, Psalm settings, motets, music for Offices, madrigals, and theatre works. These last were actually books of madrigals on related texts, using stock comic characters. They were often performed together as madrigal comedies, written to his own texts for the entertainment of Bologna's brilliant social circles. His writings in these fields were often issued under the pseudonym of Camillo Scaliggeri dalla Fratta, or, in the case of his popular La nobilità dell'asino (`The Nobility of the Ass') the improbable Attabalippa dal Peru. John Payne Collier (1789-1883) was an English critic, editor, and forger. The marginal notes and signatures supposedly discovered by him on original documents, especially those concerned with Shakespeare, were later exposed as having been forged by him while in the service of the Duke of Devonshire. His authentic work included A Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books in the English Language (1865) and the reprinting of early English tracts.

Bought from the Abbots Bookshop Ltd. in 1958.

Manuscript copy of The Noblenesse of the Asse. A worke rare, learned, and excellent, written by Adriano Banchieri and originally printed in London in 1595 by Thomas Creede and sold by William Barley. Under the signature of 'J[ohn] Payne Collier' on the front page is a note in his hand, 'For an intended reprint which was never made: not yet collated'. The manuscript copy is written in a nineteenth-century copper-plate hand and contains passim instructions for the printers. The title-page carries the picture of a garlanded ass copied from the woodcut of the original edition. This copy was not made by Collier.

Single item.

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to archive collections may be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
English
9" x 7½". Written in a nineteenth century copper-plate hand. Illustrated.

Collection level description.

Adriano Banchieri, The Noblenesse of the Asse. A work rare, learned and excellent (Thomas Creede, London, 1595).

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Aug 2001 Banchieri , Adriano Tomaso , 1568-1634 , Italian composer, organist, and writer on music Collier , John Payne , 1789-1883 , critic, editor and forger Literature Musical comedy Music publishing Opera Publishing Publishing industry Theatre Performing arts

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Bought from the Abbots Bookshop Ltd. in 1958.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Manuscript copy of The Noblenesse of the Asse. A worke rare, learned, and excellent, written by Adriano Banchieri and originally printed in London in 1595 by Thomas Creede and sold by William Barley. Under the signature of 'J[ohn] Payne Collier' on the front page is a note in his hand, 'For an intended reprint which was never made: not yet collated'. The manuscript copy is written in a nineteenth-century copper-plate hand and contains passim instructions for the printers. The title-page carries the picture of a garlanded ass copied from the woodcut of the original edition. This copy was not made by Collier.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Single item.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to archive collections may be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Collection level description.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Senate House Library, University of London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area