Archivio
Segreto Vaticano
Arciconfraternita
del Gonfalone 36 (formerly Mazzo XII)
Description
Paper,
sixteenth-century, various hands.
Bound volume
measuring 29 x 24 cm; 144 folios of various sizes, with old numberings, some
original and some by more recent readers attempting to make sense of the texts,
and modern mechanical numbering, dating from the preparation of the 1990
catalog.
The volume was first described in a
summary fashion by Pasquale Adinolfi,[1] and subsequently in more detail by a very youthful Vincenzo
De Bartholomaeis, who
distinguished only seven parts.[2] For
Adinolfi, the volume contained un dramma intero di sette atti;[3] for De
Bartholomaeis it constituted evidence of a pre-existing text in sesta rima which was necessary
to his hypothesis of an Abruzzese prototype for the Gonfalone plays.
Contents
End-paper and f.
1: modern endpaper.
Fragment A, hand a (ff. 2r–13v): Fragment of Passion
in sesta rima containing:
1.
Title: Passione
di X
2.
Nunzios
prologue in Limbo in terza rima (f. 3r–v)
3.
St. Josephs
announcement to souls in Limbo; Te Deum Laudamus (f. 4r)
4.
Lucifer and
Satan in Hell (f. 4r–v)
5.
Temptations
in the desert (ff. 4v–5r)
6.
Double
chorus (f. 5v)
7.
Christ
raises the son of the widow of Naim (ff. 5v–6r)
8.
Supper in
the house of Simon the Leper; Mary Magdalene washes Christs feet; Judass
jealousy (ff. 6r–8r)
9.
The man
possessed by devils (f. 8r–v)
10. Jesus and the Pharisees: Render unto
Caesar (f. 8v)
11. Christ goes to his Mother at Bethany (f.
9r)
12. The Disciples prepare for Passover (f.
9r–v)
13. Double chorus (f. 9v)
14. Judass jealousy (ff. 9v–10v)
15. Great Council of Jews, Judass offer (ff.
10v–12r)
16. Double chorus (f. 12r)
17. Christ takes leave from his Mother (f.
12v–13r)
18. Last Supper, up to prophecy of betrayal (f. 13v).
The narrative of Fragment A links directly to Fragment
C, f. 29r; see below.
Fragment B, hand a (ff. 14r–28v, of which f. 24 is
added in later; ff. 25 and 26 are single sheets stitched in; ff. 27v–28v
are blank): Fragment of Passion in sesta rima
with rubricated stage directions (a more advanced state than Fragment A?) and marginal indications where music is required.
It contains:
1.
The end of
Christs trial before Pilate (f. 14r–v)
2.
Judass
Despair, and suicide; carried off by a swarm of devils to Hell (ff.
15r–16r)
3.
Sentence of
Pilate, all crossed out (ff. 16v–17r)
4.
Via
Crucis; Simon of Cyrene;
Veronica; Christ nailed to the cross (ff. 17v–19r)
5.
Double
chorus of Prophets and Sibyls (f. 19r–v)
6.
John goes to
bring Mary from Bethany; the Maries lament; the Virgins lament (ff.
19v–21r)
7.
The cross is
raised to cries of Misericordia; Mary arrives; Malchus and Geta throw dice
for Christs cloak; placing the titulus; Mary covers Christs nakedness (ff. 21r–23v)
8.
Longinus
pierces Christs side and is healed of blindness; the centurion sees the
earthquake (f. 24r–v; fragment pasted onto f. 23r)
9.
Christ and
his Mother; Seven Last Words; Christ dies; Angels appear, people rise from the
dead with earthquakes; Hell falls in ruins (ff. 23v, 25r–26v)
10. Ecce agnus dei (f. 26v)
11. Two stanzas for Longinus, to be followed
by a capitolo, probably
in terza rima which
does not survive (f. 24r–v)
12. List of names, bound into the margin and legible only in
part: Victorio horefice,[4] Mazagatone, Mercurius, Thomasso cartaro
chՏ missere, Pierro cartaro, Thomasso libraro, Mario Antonio de Caravagio,
Michelagniolo linaiolo, El nostro factor, ..angniolo, ...iotto ad San
Pantaleo, Bernardino straordinario, ... per Herode. (f. 27r; ff.
27v–28v: blank).
Fragment B, like Fragment C, links directly to Fragment F; see f. 54r.
Fragment C, hand a (ff. 29r–43v): Fragment of Passion in sesta rima, that follows without interruption from
f. 13v, containing:
1.
At the Last
Supper, Judas asks if it is he who will betray; the Lavanda, institution of the Mass (ff. 29r–30r)
2.
Christ and
the Disciples go to pray in the garden; the Angels appear to comfort him (ff.
30r–31v)
3.
Judas goes
to the Pharisees (ff. 31v–32r)
4.
The arrest
in the garden; Peter severs Malchuss ear (ff. 32r–33r)
5.
Double
chorus, Ecco Iuda che con duol, (f. 33r)
6.
Christ led
away; Peters first denial (f. 33r)
7.
Christ
before Annas; Peters second and third denial (ff. 33v–34r)
8.
Christ led
before Caiaphas (f. 34r–v)
9.
Christ
before Pilate (ff. 34v–35r)
10. Double chorus (not specified) (f. 35v)
11. Christ before Herod (f. 35v)
12. Christ before Pilate; Barabbas freed;
Christ scourged, mocked, crowned in thorns, brought back to Pilate (ff.
36r–38r)
13. The Despair of Judas (ff. 38r–39v)
14. Pilates sentence; Via Crucis; Veronica; Christ nailed to the cross (ff.
39r–40v)
15. Double chorus (not specified) (f. 41r)
16. John goes to bring Mary from Bethany; the
Maries lament (first lines only)
(f. 41r–v)
17. With Christ nailed to the cross, it is
raised; Mary arrives; Malchus and Geta throw dice for Christs cloak; placing
the titulus; Mary
covers Christs nakedness; Last Words; Longinus (all first lines only; ff.
42r–43v)
18. Final stage direction indicates that it
continues with the Deposition, the music of Joseph and Nicodemus, and music of
the Maries; see Fragment F (f. 43v; f. 44r–v: blank).
Fragment D, hand a (ff. 45r–46v): Fragment of the Passion containing barest outline of:
1.
Man
possessed by devils (f. 45r)
2.
Pharisees
and tribute (f. 45r–v)
3.
Preparation
for the Passover (f. 45v)
4.
Christ takes
leave of his Mother (f. 45v)
5.
Last Supper;
Lavanda (f. 45v)
6.
Christ prays
in the Garden (f. 45v)
7.
Judas goes
to the Jews (f. 45v)
8.
The Arrest;
Christ before Annas, Caiaphas and Pilate (f. 45v)
9.
Flagellation
and sentence (f. 45v)
10.
Veronica (f.
45v; ff. 46r–v blank).
Fragments E and F constitute a single fascicule (ff. 47r–64v). Fragment E, hand a (ff. 47r–53v) of the Passion in sesta rima, in which each stage direction is partly
boxed by looping red line; the original foliation, 29-41, is on the top-right
hand corner, but the codex does not contain any section that would link up with
it. The text contains:
1.
The Via
Crucis, beginning
Non pi parole! S, prendi il viagio: Simon of Cyrene; Veronica; Christ
arrives at Calvary; Christ nailed to the cross (ff. 47r–v)
2.
Double
chorus of Shepherds and Kings (f. 48r)
3.
John goes to
bring Mary from Bethany; the Maries lament (ff. 48r–49v)
4.
The cross is
raised; placing of the titulus; Mary arrives; Mary covers Christs nakedness (ff. 49v–50v)
5.
Seven Last
Words; Christ and his Mother (ff. 50v–53r)
6.
Heavens open
and Angels descend to the cross (f. 53r)
7.
Longinus
pierces Christs side with a lance; darkness falls (f. 53r–v)
8.
Mary
Magdalene falls to her knees, embraces the cross, and recites a capitolo in praise of the Passion, beginning Ecco
del tuo Signior la diva effigie (f. 53v; related to Fragment Y1, f. 135r–v).
Fragment F, hand a (ff. 54r–59r) of the Deposition in sesta rima, bearing the date 1531 on f. 59r,
constituting a continuation of any of Fragments B,
C, and E. The stage directions are in red; the choruses of
Prophets and Sibyls have been renamed choruses of Shepherds and Kings. The
fragment contains:
1.
After cries
of Misericordia, Mary continues her address to the Cross (f. 54r)
2.
Joseph of
Arimathea seeks permission from Pilate to take Christ down from cross; Nicodemus
goes with Joseph to lift Christ down; Magdalene at foot of the cross; lament of
the Maries (ff. 54r–57r)
3.
Double
chorus of Prophets and Sibyls (changed to Shepherds and Kings) (f. 57r–v)
4.
Christ
placed in the tomb; the Maries thank Joseph and Nicodemus (ff. 57v–59r)
5.
Explicit: Finita la passione di Iesu Xo
retractata e de novo / Composta per la venerabile Compagnia del Confalone /
Recitata per li fratelli de dicta compagnia nel loco dicto coliseo nelli anni
del Signore MDxxxj / Finis (f.
59r; ff. 59v–66v: blank).
Fragment G, hand b (ff. 67r–70r): Fragment of the Passion, in hand b, a humanist cursive, and in ottava
rima, containing:
1.
Continuation
of the healing of the Centurions son (f. 67r–v)
2.
The healing of
the Samaritan woman; her return to Samaria (ff. 68r–70r).
Fragment H, hand g (f. 70v): First three ottave of a Judas role in hand g, a very fine chancery cursive; follows on directly to
f. 73r (Fragment K).
Fragment J, hand a: part for the Samaritan woman, with cues
(final half line of the preceding speech) and the stanzas she speaks (f.
71r–v; f. 72r–v: blank).
Fragment K, hand g with some marginal annotations in hand
a:
Fragment of the Passion,
in ottava rima (ff.
73r–80v). It contains:
1.
Council of
Jews, discussing what to do about Jesus (ff. 73r–75r)
2.
Judas
arrives and makes his promise to the Council (ff. 75r–v; ff.
76r–78v: blank)
3.
Judas is
paid, the Council ends; double chorus (headings only) (f. 79r; ff.
79v–80r: blank)
4.
Title,
upside-down Rolo della passione (twice) (f. 80v).
Fragment L, hand a (ff. 81r–112v): extended fragment of Passion, in ottava rima systematically changed to sesta rima. The original numbering, starting from 1r,
is in the lower right hand corner of each recto. This version marks the point
at which the Dati text, in which the ottava is the preferred meter, was definitively revised to the less literary sesta
rima. It contains:
1.
Angels
prologue (f. 81r)
2.
Double
chorus in musica (f. 81v)
3.
Short
prologue by St. Joseph (f. 82r)
4.
St. Josephs
announcement to Saints in Limbo (f. 82v)
5.
Te deum
laudamus, in musica (f.
82v)
6.
Lucifer
sends Satan to tempt Christ; temptations in the desert, on the pinnacle, and on
the mountain; Satan disappears in stench and smoke (ff. 82v–83v)
7.
Angels in
musica appear to comfort
Christ (f. 83v)
8.
Double
chorus in musica (f. 84r)
9.
Pater
noster, in musica (f.
84r)
10. The Pharisees in musica and Christ: Christ drives the
money-changers from the Temple; the lame man healed; the woman taken in
adultery, and her relatives in musica; the man blind from birth; the woman of Canaan and
her daughter possessed by spirits; Christ charged with being in league with the
devil; Christ stoned (ff. 84r–88r)
11. Double chorus of Prophets and Sibyls in
musica (f. 88v)
12. Christ raises the son of the Centurion
(cancelled) (ff. 89r–v)
13. Council of High Priests, and Pharisees in
musica, speak for and
against Christ (ff.
90r–92r); cf. Fragment K.
14. Satan sends Farfarello, a demon to Judas; Judas comes to the
Council of Pharisees in musica, and makes his pact; Caiaphas orders Christs arrest (ff. 92v–94v)
15. Double chorus of Prophets and Sibyls in
musica (f. 95v)
16. Christ goes to Bethany for his Mothers
blessing (f. 96r)
17. Preparations for Passover Supper (f. 96v)
18. Christ takes leave of his Mother; the
Virgin is comforted by the Maries in musica (f. 97r–98v)
19. Last Supper (ff. 98v–100v)
20. Lavanda (ff. 100v–101r)
21. Judas leaves for the betrayal; Christ goes
to the garden (f. 101r–v)
22. Christ prays in the garden; the Disciples
wait in musica; Angels
descend to comfort Christ (ff. 101v–102v)
23. Judas and the Pharisees in musica arrive in the garden and arrest Jesus;
Peter and Malchus (ff. 103r–104v)
24. Double chorus in musica as Christ is led to Annas (f. 104v)
25. Peters first denial (ff. 104v–105r)
26. Christ before Annas (f. 105r–v)
27. Peters second and third denials (ff.
105v–106r)
28. The Pharisees in musica take Christ to Caiaphas (ff.
106v–107r)
29. The False Witnesses in musica (f. 107v)
30. The Pharisees in musica take Christ before Pilate (ff.
108r–109r)
31. Double chorus in musica, as Christ is led to Herod (f. 109v)
32. The Pharisees in musica before Herod (f. 110r)
33. The Pharisees in musica before Pilate; Barabbas freed (f.
110v–111v)
34. Christ sent to the column, scourged and
buffeted and crowned with thorns (ff. 111v–112v)
35. The Pharisees in musica tell Pilate to crucify him at once (f.
112v).
A penciled note at
the bottom of f. 112v directs the reader to f. 14r. Fragment B, in the same hand, continues directly from this point.
Fragment M, hand e (f. 113r): similar to g, is a single octave on an amorous theme. It is tipped
in and numbered f. 113; f. 113 v: blank.
Fragment N, hand h (f. 114r–115v): the rotulus of Caiaphas; f. 114 is a long strip, folded up at the bottom, and was
probably a single strip with 115 also a long page; f. 115v: blank.
Fragment O, hand g (ff. 116r–117v): a part for Judas on a single
folded sheet.
Fragment P, hand a (ff. 118r–119v): a pro-memoria of a part for Judas, which follows in Fragment
Q, with just stage
directions and the first words of his speeches.
Fragment Q, hand a (ff. 120r–121v): another part for Judas.
Originally two sheets, folded lengthwise to make up a booklet in bastardello format, beginning with the right hand
column of f. 120r, and ending with the left hand column of the same folio. Four
columns (that is, a whole sheet) appear to be missing between f. 121v, column
1, and f. 121v, column 2.
Fragment R, similar to hand h (f. 122r): Errori. A list of twenty-two corrections to be made to a text
of at least 17 pages; f. 122v: blank.
Fragment S, hand i (f. 123r): four Latin inscriptions: f. 123v blank.
Fragment T1, hand a (f. 124r–v): single sheet, copied in two columns,
originally folded lengthwise in bastardello format, containing:
1.
Mary
Magdalenes capitolo
in praise of the Passion, in terza rima (see Fragment E, f. 53v), related to Fragment Y1 (f. 124v)
2.
A stanza for
Joseph of Arimathea (f. 124r)
3.
Four Latin
inscriptions, related to Fragment T4 (f. 124r)
4.
A stanza for
the Virgin (f. 124r)
5.
And a
contents list (f. 124v)
6.
A stanza for
St. John (f. 124v)
7.
A final
stanza for Mary Magdalene (f. 124v).
This folio appears to be related to ff.
127–131, 136–139, 141, and 143, called here Fragment T2, T3,
T4 and T5.
Fragment U1, hand g (f. 125r–v): a rotulus for Pilate; see also f. 142r, which seems to belong
to the same rotulus.
Fragment V, hand a (f. 126r):
sonnet, inc. S como soccoresti al grande errore; f. 126v: blank.
Fragment T2, hand a (ff. 127r–131v): originally two sheets, folded
lengthwise to make up a booklet in bastardello format; fragments in octaves, sesta rima, and terza rima include:
1.
Prologue of
Joseph (f. 131v, col. 2)
2.
The Despair
of Judas (f. 130v, col. 2)
3.
Veronica (f.
130v, col. 2)
4.
Jesus at the
cross; John the Evangelist and Mary; Marys swoon; (ff. 130r, col. 1; 129v, col.
2; 129r, col. 1; 128v, col. 2)
5.
Soldiers
cast lots for his cloak (f. 128v, col. 2)
6.
Christ and
the Thieves (f. 128r, col. 1)
7.
Last Words, Eloi,
Eloi, and Pharisees
response (f. 127r, col. 1–2)
8.
Saints in
Limbo, Harrowing of Hell, Christs soul departs with the Old Testament
Righteous (f. 127r, col. 2–127v col. 1; 128r, col. 2–128v, col. 1;
129r, col. 2)
9.
Longinus
recognizes Christ (f. 129r, col. 2–129v, col. 1)
10. Heaven opens to receive the Righteous (f.
129v, col. 1)
11. Mary embraces the cross. Finis. (f. 130r).
12. Extra lines for the Maries in musica (f. 130r)
13. Joseph of Arimathea to Pilate (f. 130v; f.
131r: blank)
14. Title page on back cover of fascicule:
Passio Dni Nri Yhu Xpi. Xo Ali farisei (f. 131v, col. 1).
Fragment W, hand l (ff. 132r–133v): part for Judas, neat cursive.
Fragment X, hand a (f. 134r): Pilates Sententia; f. 134v: blank.
Fragment Y1, hand a (f. 135r–v): Mary Magdalenes capitolo in praise of the Passion, in terza
rima (see the shorter Fragment T1, f. 124r–v), to be recited at the end of the Passion (see Fragment E, f. 53v).
Fragment T3, hand a (ff. 136r–139v): first part of Passion, from the Last Supper to Peters denial and Christ
before Pilate, in two columns, to be folded lengthwise.
Many stanzas are
schematic; Lucifers summons of devils when Judas leaves the Supper is
cancelled; no trace of the Despair of Judas. The fragment contains:
1.
The
Disciples ask about Passover (f. 139v, col. 2)
2.
Christ takes
leave of his Mother (f. 139r, col. 1–f. 138v, col. 2–f. 138r, col.
1)
3.
[Cancelled:]
Lucifer, senza rime calls his devils; dumb show of tempting the Disciples
until Judas succumbs and throws away his halo (f. 138r, col. 1)
4.
Last Supper
(f. 137v, col. 2)
5.
Lavanda;
(f. 137r, col. 1)
6.
Judas departs;
Christ goes to the Garden (f. 136v, col. 2)
7.
The Council
of Jews; Judas receives his money (f. 136v, col. 2–f. 136r, cols.
1–2, f. 136v, col. 1)
8.
Christ in
the Garden; the arrest (f. 136v, col. 1–f. 137r, col. 2–f. 138r,
col. 2)
9.
Christ
before Annas; Peters denial; Christ before Caiaphas; Peters second and third
denials; Christ before Pilate (f. 138r, col. 2–f. 139v, col. 1).
Fragment Y2, hand a (f. 140r–v): Capitolo of the Nuncio. Most of this prologue
appears as the prologue to the Gigliotti edition of the Passion.
Fragment T4, hand a (f. 141r–v): eighteen Latin inscriptions.
Fragment U2, hand g (f. 142r): continuation of the part for Pilate
contained in Fragment U1 (f. 125r–v); f. 142v: blank.
Fragment T5, hand a (f. 143r): Joseph of Arimatheas hymn to Christ on the
cross; sestina for
Mary Magdalene, sestina
for the Maries; f. 143v: blank. These three speeches belong with Fragment T2 (ff. 127r–131v).
Folio 144 and
modern end-paper: blank.