Leaf from an early manuscript of Guido de Columnis' History of the Destruction of Troy, and a collection of other manuscript leaves, in Latin, on vellum [c.1100 to fifteenth century]

10 leaves (including 3 bifolia), comprising: (a) Guido de Columnis, History of the Destruction of Troy, single leaf, 282mm. by 208mm., with the end of book IV (on the destruction of the city by Jason and Hercules) and the opening of Book V (on its refoundation by King Priam), double column, 55 lines in brown ink in a rounded Italian bookhand, rubric in red, one large initial in variegated red with 7 lines of ornamental capitals touched in red, catchword on recto, Italy, last years of the thirteenth century; (b) a bifolium from a Missal, each leaf 323mm. by 220mm., 23 lines in black ink, rubrics and small initials in red, 7 larger red initials and one very large late Ottonian initial 'C', 55mm. by 50mm., formed of intertwining bands of silver (now oxidised to black) in white-vine style, terminating in red acanthus-leaves, with a single line of capitals in red or black, outer side somewhat discoloured, Germany, c.1100; (c) bifolium from a treatise on the Passion of Christ, each leaf 310mm. by 210mm., double column, 35 lines, capitals touched in red, probably Italy, mid twelfth century; 2 fragments of leaves from Lectionaries, 290mm. by 190mm. and 288mm. by 183mm., probably Italy, c.1200; fragment of a bifolium from a fifteenth-century German Missal, and a leaf from a German Canon Law manuscript of similar date; all recovered from bindings and somewhat defective

Item (a) is an early witness to the History of the Destruction of Troy by Guido de Columnis (or Guido de Colonna), dating either to the lifetime of the author or only a decade or so later. The author was a Sicilian, who completed this work in 1287. The work was immensely popular and 136 manuscripts were traced by N.E. Griffin (Guido de Columnis, Historia Destructionis Troiae, 1936), as well as references to many others. His edition was based on 5 manuscripts (British Library, Addit.36671, dated 1338, and Harley 4123, dated 1349; Harvard, Latin 35, dated 1353; BnF. latin 5694, dated 1334, and latin 5695, dated 1350) none earlier than the mid-fourteenth century.