Description of Italy, its principal towns and most interesting sights and the ways of travelling there, written by Richard Lassels, an English Roman Catholic priest who lived much of his life as a tutor and guide to young men of noble birth travelling on the continent.
Scope and Contents
It is clear, from various indications in the text, that this work was written between 1650 and 1655 and was dedicated to a Scottish peer, who has been identified as David Murray, 2nd Lord Balvaird. His title is given on page 1, but, like several of the more controversial references in the text to Scottish events, it has been obscured and made almost unintelligible by the addition of unnecessary loops and lines, presumably in the hand of a later owner. Murray, who later succeeded as 4th Viscount Stormont, arrived in Rome in the autumn of 1654, when this manuscript, which is apparently in Lassels`s autograph, was written.
Dates
- Creation: 1650-1655.
Extent
0.00 Linear metres (iii folios + 377 pages. Octavo.)
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.
Existence and Location of Copies
Microfilm available: Mf.Sec.MSS.360.
Separated Materials
Fragments from the original binding are now Adv.MSS.84.1.15 and 84.2.6.
Bibliography
The text of this manuscript is printed in ‘The Grand Tour and the Great Rebellion’ by Edward Chaney (Geneva, 1985), Biblioteca del Viaggio in Italia 19, pages 147-231.
Genre / Form
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland
- Date
- 21 01 2015
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk