Current Location: In storage
Titles
Two Patents of Nobility
Entities
Categories
Description
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Parchment
A: 62 fols. (fol. 1 pasted to upper cover, foliation 1-61 starts on second leaf), 310 x 215 mm (265 x 145 mm), 34 long lines, ruled in dark pink ink
B: 46 fols. (foliated 62-107, fol. 107 pasted to lower cover), 310 x 215 mm (240 x 140 mm), 34 long lines, ruled in purple ink
BINDING: Seventeenth century, brown calf over pasteboards, gold-tooled design with lions and eagles, edges gilt and gauffered, remains of multicoloured silk cords to which the seal (no longer extant) was once attached, red silk guards on fols. 5v, 6v, 64r, 102r.
CONTENTS:
A: fols. 5r-60v Patent of Nobility granted by Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) to Francisco Sanchez Hidalgo of Valverde de Merida on 2 April 1558
fol. 60v Notarial certificate of publication at Merida, dated 12 April 1558
B: fols. 62v-103v Supplementary patent (sobrecarta) granted by Philip III (1598-1621) to Francisco Hidalgo y Marina Alonso de Valverde de Merida on 6 February 1600; fols. 104r-105v Additional notes dated 1600 onwards.
DECORATION:
A: Full-page miniature of the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John at the foot of the Cross against a mountainous background, within a blue and gold frame (fol. 5v).
Two miniatures accompanied by panel borders of floral and foliate motifs on gold grounds: fol. 6v The Virgin and Child in the upper left-hand quarter of the page, in the lower half a shield of arms, quarterly (1 and 2) argent a white dove on a mount vert, (3) gules two clubs in saltire vert, (4) azure a tower with lion rampant supporter, the opening words DON PHILIPPE written in capitals formed of architectural motifs on a blue ground with panel of gold foliate motifs on red; fol. 7r St James the Moor-Slayer at the Battle of Clavijo in the lower half of the page.
B: Full-page frontispiece with strewn-flower side panels showing the Hidalgo family kneeling in prayer before an altar with a priest and an altarpiece of the Virgin and Child, with the opening words DON PHELIPPE written in gold on a rectangular tablet beneath (fol. 64r).
Historiated initial [P, 10 ll.] with portrait of Philip III, beardless and wearing the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece (fol. 102r).
ORNAMENATION:
A: Gold initials [2-5 ll.] formed of architectural motifs on square red grounds with gold highlighting; cadels.
B: Gold initials [10-12 ll.] on grounds of two colours with white highlighting, for major divisions; gold initials [4-5 ll.] on dark purple grounds with gold highlighting for lesser divisions; extensive use of display capitals; line-fillers; cadels.
Notes
History note: The Valverde de Merida family, 1558 (A) and 1600 (B); Charles Brinsley Marlay (1831–1912); his bequest, 1912.
