Beschreibung:

LIST OF THE GRAND TAX OF FERRARA, in Latin, manuscript on vellum [Italy (Ferrara), mid- to late 15th century] An insight into the economics of Renaissance Italy: a working list of taxes imposed on luxury goods – especially textiles – imported into Ferrara in the 15th century. 280 x 200mm. 6 leaves, complete, 34-35 lines, ruled space: 220 x 130mm, one-line initials in brown ink at the beginning of each paragraph, small number of near-contemporary additions (first leaf rubbed and faded, some stains and folds, small area torn away from margin of f.1). Content : 'Hec sunt provisiones none magne gabelle': a list of taxable luxury goods imported into Ferrara, the Magna , or Grossa Gabella : 129 entries specifying the items covered by the tax, including wine, metals, salted meats, fruits and various types of cloth (including Stamford cloth tapestries) from Milan, Florence, Bologna, Verona, Parma, but also Brussels and Paris, listing each commodity with its specific quantities and the value of the payments demanded. Much of Renaissance Ferrara's economy revolved around the introduction of tolls on goods transported along the River Po', taxes on goods manufactured in Ferrara, and most importantly on luxury goods manufactured elsewhere and brought into Ferrara. The marginal annotations indicate that the present manuscript was a practical, working document — although the quality of the script and scrolling penwork decoration on the opening leaf suggest that the booklet was produced for a figure of influence in Renaissance Ferrara, perhaps an official of Ferrara's financial administration.