Equitation, Italy, 16th century

A treatise on horses and horsemanship by Alfonso di Rogiero. f. 4r. 'Ordine di cavaliere. et ammaestrare cavalli, dare lettione secondo la qualita, et dispositione di ciascuno, cominciando da che sono polledri: composto dal Sign. Alfonso di Rogiero, San Severini, cavalliero, et cavallarillo Napolitano. f. 71v. [in a different hand] Seguono le qualità di cavalli Item le Segnature Item gl[sic] Mantelli, et Peli. Con alcune attioni, quali mostrano di Natura, et giudicii se possi fare sopra quelle. ff. 85r.-110. blank.

Late 16th century

110 ff. (original foliation 1-100) 1 vol., 205 × 160 mm. (?)18th cent. vellum binding, with 'n.4.' in large letters on front cover, and some indecipherable lettering on spine in what appears to be the same hand as that on f. 71v. Library shelf marks: vii h-ii (f. 1v.); H108 in pencil on inside cover.

Purchased from Norman Comben, 1993.

The author describes himself (f. 4r.) as nephew of Giovanni Luigi Rogiero, 'cavallarillo del Regno di Napoli', governor of the 'ralla' of Calabria during the reign of the Emperor Charles V. He also alludes to the writings of Pasquale Caracciolo, Giovanni Battista Ferraro and Federigo Grisone, three prominent Neapolitan riders and writers on equitation of the early to mid 16th cent. Cf. Sir Frederick Smith, The early history of veterinary literature..., vol.i (London, 1919).

Described in typescript supplements, by Christopher Hilton and Richard Aspin, to the Library's published finding aids.