[PICCOLOMINI, Alessandro]L'Hortensio, comedia. Venice: heirs of B. Rubini, 1586 ff. 82[2(blank)]. [Bound with]: COSMIO (Filotero). Clarice comedia . . . novamente stampata, e posta in luce. Venice: Domenico Imberti, 1600 ff. 75 [=96], erratic foliation [With]: GROTO ((Luigi). Il thesoro comedia nova . . . nuovamente stampata. Venice: F. & A. Zoppini, 1586, ff. 81 [3 (last 2 leaves blank)] [With]: GROTO (Luigi). La Emilia comedia nova. Venice, F. & A. Zoppini, 1586 ff. 77[1 (blank)], [With]:PARABOSCO (Girolamo). Il Marinaio. Venice, heirs of B. Rubini, 1586, ff.41, [1(blank, here cancelled)] [With]:DOLCE (Lodovico). Il marito. Venice, heirs of B. Rubini, 1586, ff. 24. [And]: DOLCE (Lodovico). Il ruffiano . . . tratta dal Rudente di Plauto. Venice, heirs of B. Rubini, 1587, ff. 48

7 works in one volume. 12mo (134 x 71 mm). Contemporary limp vellum, book label of the Counts of Schönborn pasted on front cover, with ms. number 2894, lacking ties

A fine collection of reprints of sixteenth century Italian plays, gathered together in one volume, and possibly sold as a group.The authors mostly have a Sienese connection.

I. HORTENSIO. In prose, with a prologue cast as a dialogue. A lengthy play printed in a tiny pearl italic. This is the second edition of a work first published in Siena in 1571, where the first performance had taken place in the presence of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Clubb 31. CNCE 29789. BL has various editions, including this.II. CLARICE. In prose. This play, whose author is surely pseudonymous, has 15 characters of which most are male. The lades are Cassandra,a gentlewoman of Siena, Clarice, who is in fact Ridolfo Cosmio disguised as a serving woman, Corimba, the young daughter of Cassandra and Dania Ruffiana. The work (in prose) makes use of both Tuscan Italian and dialect, the latter particularly in humorous contexts (as Shakespeare). No edition in Clubb. CNCE 14022 (12 copies)III. IL THESORO. A comedy in verse, printed in tiny pearl italic. There is a large cast, of which about half are female roles. The work was dedicated to Don Alfonso da Este, 19 Nov. 1580. Clubb 507. Allaci 761 (1583 edition) CNCE 21897 (many copies)IV.LA EMILIA. A comedy in verse, printed in tiny pearl italic. This is the third edition of a play first published in 1579, and set in Constantinople.It has the original dedication to Giovanni da Legge Cavalliere who was responsible for the building of the permanent theatre in which this comedy was the first play performed. Clubb 501. CNCE 21893 (many copies).Groto (1541 -1585) was a blind writer from Hadria.V. IL MARINAIO. In prose, printed in tiny pearl italic. First published in 1550; this edition has the original dedication to Jean de Morvillier, Bishop of Orleans, French minister in Venice. Parabosco (1524-77) is primarily known as a musician, composer of madrigals and other works, but he also wrote poetry. Clubb 659. CNCE 52158 (8 copies). VI. IL MARITO. A comedy in verse. First published in 1560 in the Comedie, Clubb 383. CNCE 17423 (many copies)VII. IL RUFFIANO [The Creep]. A comedy in prose. A relatively short play with a small cast based on the Rudens or Rope of Plautus. Clubb 386. CNCE 17426 (many copies).

Stock Code: 44808