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The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Complete

da Vinci Leonardo

of cloth to make a shirt, at io soldi the braccio, which I gave him on the 20th day of April 1503. [Footnote: With regard to Vante or Attavante, the miniature painter (not Nanni as I formerly deciphered this name, which is difficult to read; see _Zeitschrift fur Bild. Kunst_, 1879, p. 155), and Vasari, Lives of Frate Giovanni da Fiesole, of Bartolommeo della Gatta, and of Gherardo, _miniatore._ He, like Leonardo, was one of the committee of artists who, in 1503, considered the erection and placing of Michel Angelo's David. The date of his death is not known; he was of the same age as Leonardo. Further details will be found in '_Notizie di Attavante miniatore, e di alcuni suoi lavori_' (Milanese's ed. of Vasari, III, 231-235).] 1526. On the morning of San Peter's day, June 29th, 1504, I took io ducats, of which I gave one to Tommaso my servant to spend. On Monday morning 1 florin to Salai to spend on the house. On Thursday I took 1 florin for my own spending. Wednesday evening 1 florin to Tommaso, before supper. Saturday morning 1 florin to Tommaso. Monday morning 1 florin less 10 soldi. Thursday to Salai i florin less 10 soldi. For a jerkin, 1 florin. For a jerkin And a cap 2 florins. To the hosier, 1 florin. To Salai, 1 florin. Friday morning, the 19th of July, 1 florin, less 6 soldi. I have 7 fl. left, and 22 in the box. Tuesday, the 23th day of July, 1 florin to Tommaso. Monday morning, to Tommaso 1 florin. [Wednesday morning 1 fl. to Tommaso.] Thursday morning the 1st day of August 1 fl. to Tommaso. Sunday, the 4th of August, 1 florin. Friday, the pth day of August 1504, I took 10 ducats out of the box. 1527. 1504. On the 9th day of August, 1504, I took 10 florins in gold[*2] .... [*3] on Friday the 9th day of August fifteen grossoni that is fl. 5 S 5 .... given to me 1 florin in gold on the l2th day of August [*4] ..... on the 14th of August, 32 grossoni to Tommaso. On the l8th of the same 5 grossoni to Salai. On the 8th of September 6 grossoni to the workman to spend; that is on the day of our Lady's birth. On the 16th day of September I gave 4 grossoni to Tommaso: on a Sunday. [Footnote: In the original, the passage given as No. 1463 is written between lines 2 and 3 of this text, and it is possible that the entries in lines 3 and 4 refer to the payments of Jacopo Tedesco, who is there mentioned. The first words of these lines are very illegible. *7. _Al fattore._ Il Fattore, was, as is well known, the nick-name of Giovanni Franceso Penni, born in Florence in 1486, and subsequently a pupil of Raphael's. According to Vasari he was known by it even as a boy. Whether he is spoken of in this passage, or whether the word Fattore should be translated literally, I will not undertake to decide. The latter seems to me more probably right. Section Title: Inventories and accounts. 1528. On the day of October, 1508, I had 30 scudi; 13 I lent to Salai to make up his sister's dowry, and 17 I have left. 1529. Memorandum of the money I have had from the King as my salary from July 1508 till April next 1509. First 100 scudi, then 70, then 50, then 20 and then 200 florins at 48 soldi the florin. [Footnote: Compare No. 1350 and 1561.] 1530. Saturday the 2nd day of March I had from Santa Maria Novella 5 gold ducats, leaving 450. Of these I gave 2 the same day to Salai, who had lent them to me. [Footnote: See _'Conto corrente di Leonardo da Vinci con lo Spedale di S. Maria Nuova' [1500 a 1507, 1513--1520]_ published by G. UZIELLI, _Ricerche intorno a Leonardo da Vinci, Firenze,_ 1872, pp. 164, 165, 218 and 219. The date here given by Leonardo does not occur in either of the accounts.] 1531. Thursday, the eighth day of June, I took 17 grossoni, 18 soldi; on the same Thursday in the morning I gave to Salai 22 soldi for the expenses. 1532. To Salai 4 grossoni, and for one braccio of velvet, 5 lire, and 1/2; viz. 10 soldi for loops of silver; Salai 14 soldi for binding, the making of the cloak 25 soldi. [Footnote: Compare No. 1523.] 1533. I gave to Salai 93 lire 6 soldi, of which I have had 67 lire and there remain 26 lire 6 soldi. 1534. To Salai S 42 2 dozen of laces S 8 for papers S 3 d 8 a pair of shoes S 14 for velvet S 14 a sword and knife S 21 to the barber S 11 to Paolo for a.... S 20 For having his fortune told S 6 1535. On Friday morning, one florin to Salai to spend; 3 soldi received bread S.. d wine S.. d grapes S.. d mushrooms S.. d fruit S.. d [Footnote 6: Compare Nos. 1545, l. 4 and 5, with similar entries for horse's fodder.] bran S.. d at the barber's S.. d for shoes S.. d 1536. On Thursday morning one florin. 1537. On Saint Ambrose's day from the morning to Thursday 36 soldi. 1538. The moneys I have had from Ser Matteo; first 20 grassoni, then on 13 occasions 3 f. and then 61 grassoni, then 3, and then 3*3; 46 soldi 12 grossoni. 1539. For paper S 18 for canvas S 30 for paper S 10 d 19 Total S 73 1540. 20 pounds of German blue, at one ducat the pound lire 80 S d 60 pounds of white, S.. the pound lire 15 S d 1 1/2 pound at 48 the pound lire 6 S d 2 pounds of cinnabar at S 18 the pound lire 1 S 16 d 6 pounds of green at S 12 the pound lire 3 S 12 d 4 pounds of yellow at S 12 the pound lire 2 S 8 d 1 pound of minium at S 8 the pound lire 0 S 8 d 4 pounds of..... at S 2 the pound lire 0 S 8 d 6 pounds of ochre at S 1 the pound lire 0 S 6 d black... at S 2 the pound for 20 lire 2 S 0 d wax to make the stars 29 pounds at S--the pound lire 0 S 0 d 40 pounds of oil for painting at 5 soldi the pound lire 10 S 0 d Altogether lire 120 d 18 without the gold. 18 tin for putting on the gold 120 18 58 1541. Two large hatchets and one very small one, 8 brass spoons, 4 tablecloths, 2 towels, 15 small napkins, 2 coarse napkins, 2 coarse cloths, 2 wrappers, 3 pairs of sheets, 2 pairs new and 1 old. 1542. Bed 7 0 S ring 7 0 crockery 2 5 gardener 1 2 ..... 2 8 porters 2 1 glasses 1 fuel 3 6 a lock 1 Section title: Miscellaneous Notes. 1543. New tin-ware 3 pairs of sheets 6 small bowls, each of 4 breadths, 6 bowls, 2 small sheets, 2 large dishes, 2 tablecloths and J/2, 2 dishes medium size, 16 coarse cloths, 2 small ones 8 shirts, Old tin-ware 9 napkins, 3 small bowls, 2 hand-towels. 4 bowls, 3 square stones, 2 small bowls, 1 large bowl, 1 platter, 4 candlesticks, 1 small candlestick. 1544. Hose S 40 straw S 60 wheat S 42 wine S 54 bread S 18 meat S 54 eggs S 5 salad S 3 the Barber S 2 d 6 horses S 1 1545. Sunday meat S 10 d wine S 12 d bran S 5 d 4 herbs S 10 d buttermilk S 4 d 4 melon S 3 d bread S 3 d 1 ____________________ Monday S 9 8 ____________________ ..... S 6 d wine S 12 d bran S 9 d 4 buttermilk S 4 d 4 herbs S 8 d ____________________ Tuesday S d meat S 0 d 8 wine S 12 d bread S 3 d meal S 5 d 4 herbs S 8 d Wednesday __ wine S 5 d melon S 2 d meal S 5 d 4 vegetables S 8 Ash.I. 18b] Notes by unknown persons among the MSS. (1546--1565). 1546. Miseracione divina sacro sancte Romane ecclesie tituli n cardinalis 2wulgariter nuncupatus venerabili religioso fratri Johanni Mair d'Nustorf 3ordinis praedicatorum provintie teutonie (?) conventus Wiennensis capellano 4 nostro commensali salutem in dno sempi- ternam Religione zelus rite ac in [ferite?] 5honestas aliarumque laudabilium probitatis et virtutum merita quibus apud nos fide 6digno commendationis testimonio Magistri videlicet ordinis felicis recordacionis Leonardi de 7Mansuetis de Perusio sigillo suo ... us dans tibi ad ... opera virtutum comen(salem)? 8 locum et tempus success(ores) cujus simi- liter officium ministratus qui praedecessoris sui donum (?) 9confirmavit et de novo dedit aliorumque plurima [laudatis] qui opera tua laudant 10nos inducunt ut tibi (?) reddamus ad gratiam liberalem hinc est quod nos cupientes. [Footnote: The meaning of this document, which is very difficult to decipher, and is written in unintelligible Latin, is, that Leonardo di Mansuetis recommends the Rev. Mair of Nusdorf, chaplain at Vienna, to some third person; and says also that something, which had to be proved, has been proved. The rest of the passages on the same leaf are undoubtedly in Leonardo's hand. (Nos. 483, 661, 519, 578, 392, 582, 887 and 894.)] W. XIIb] 1547. Johannes Antonius di Johannes Ambro- sius de Bolate. He who lets time pass and does not grow in virtue, the more I think of it the more I grieve. No man has it in him to be virtuous who will give up honour for gain. Good fortune is valueless to him who knows not toil. The man becomes happy who follows Christ. There is no perfect gift without great suffering. Our glories and our triumphs pass away. Foul lust, and dreams, and luxury, and sloth have banished every virtue from the world; so that our Nature, wandering and perplexed, has almost lost the old and better track. Henceforth it were well to rouse thyself from sleep. The master said that lying in down will not bring thee to Fame; nor staying beneath the quilts. He who, without Fame, burns his life to waste, leaves no more vestige of himself on earth than wind-blown smoke, or the foam upon the sea. [Footnote: From the last sentence we may infer that this text is by the hand of a pupil of Leonardo's.-- On the same sheet are the notes Nos.1175 and 715 in Leonardo's own handwriting.] Section Title: Miscellaneous notes. 1548. On the morning of Santo Zanobio the 29th of May 1504, I had from Lionardo Vinci 15 gold ducats and began to spend them. to Mona Margarita S 62 d 4 to remake the ring S 19 d 8 clothes S 13 good beef S 4 eggs S 6 debt at the bank S 7 velvet S 12 wine S 6 d 4 meat S 4 mulberries S 2 d 4 mushrooms S 3 d 4 salad S 1 fruit S 1 d 4 candles S 3 .... S 1 flour S 2 _____________________________ Sunday 198 8 _____________________________ bread S 6 wine S 9 d 4 meat S 7 soup S 2 fruit S 3 d 4 candles S 3 d ____________________________ Monday 31 ____________________________ bread S 6 d 4 meat S 10 d 8 wine S 9 d 4 fruit S 4 soup S 1 d 8 ____________________________ 32 1549. Tuesday _________________ bread S 6 meat S 11 wine S 7 fruit S 9 soup S 2 salad S 1 *[Footnote for 1548 and 1549. On the same sheet is the text No. 1015 in Leonardo's own handwriting.] Section title: Notes by unknown hands. 1550. To Monna Margarita S 5 to Tomaso S 14 to Monna Margarita d 5 S 2 on the day of San Zanobi left..... after payment d 13 S 2 d 4 of Monna Margarita __________________ altogether d 14 S 5 d 4 1551. On Monday, the l3th of February, I lent lire S 7 to Lionardo to spend, Friday d 7. [Footnote: This note is followed by an account very like the one given as No. 1549.] 1552.