MS. Cronica da Provincia da Senhora da Soledade [...], s.d.

MS. Cronica da Provincia da Senhora da Soledade [...], s.d.

MEALHADA (Fr. Manuel da)
CORONICA da S. Província da Senhora da Soledade da mais estreita obediência de N.P. S. Franc.º no Reyno de Portugal. s.l.: s.n., c.1778.

manuscrito sobre papel; 1 ff. com título, cortado a meio, ao que nos parece sem prejuízo de texto; 1 ff. com a licença do Provincial, truncada do respectivo selo; 8 ff. de Índice, numerados I a XVI; 443 ff. numerados de texto; 5 ff. não numerados, modernos que, segundo inscrição a carvão substituem os originais "por estarem manchados"; 2 ff. numerados 444 e 445, o primeiro com uma Advertência do autor; o segundo, assinado Fr. Joseph de Coimbra Costa, com um juízo crítico sobre a obra. 310 mm. Encadernação inteira de pele da época; folhas de guarda recentes.

Interesting manuscript containing the text of what should be the second volume of the work published with the same title and authored by Fr. Francisco de S. Tiago.

The work is divided into 13 books, each dealing with a Convent: Coimbra (1st and 2nd); Covilhã; Castelo Branco; Harbor; Penamacor; Sardoal; Ourém; Idanha; Barcelona; Missions in Cape Verde and Guinea; Guimarães; Penafiel. This corresponds to the description made by Inocêncio, in the supplement, referring to an original, belonging to the Viscount of Azevedo and which, according to Brito Aranha, was later donated to the Porto Municipal Library.

The present copy (?) has some interesting additions. The first is a document with a signature that appears to be an autograph, albeit truncated, from the Provincial of the Province of Soledade, dated December 13, 1778, which attests that the volume was “examined and approved”, therefore authorizing the print. This folio is truncated, apparently eliminating the white seal that authenticated the license. The second worthy of note is a criticism, signed by Fr. Joseph de Coimbra Costa. Finally, a warning from the author himself. The latter at the end of the codex.

As can be understood from Inocêncio's note, the work always had as its plan the publication of a second volume, which never happened. This second volume is by Fr. Manoel da Mealhada.

In the course of possible investigations in a catalog like this, it is important to mention an article published in the magazine Lusitânia Sacra , by António de Sousa Araújo, which gives us some light on this subject. Thus, according to this article, the author of the first volume, Fr. Francisco de S. Tiago, had left a second volume in manuscript, kept in the BN and, apparently, never published because he had not obtained the respective licenses out of order. This manuscript was published in 2009. Simultaneously, another second volume was left in manuscript and which corresponds to the text of this manuscript, authored by Fr. Manuel da Mealhada and which, to this day, has not been published.

It is not possible to study this manuscript here, but it is important to mention that this manuscript has the chapter on the Convent of Penafiel (Arrifana de Sousa) which the author of the cited article claims does not exist in the version by Fr. Manoel de Mealhada.

A final note for provenance. According to the article, there was a “missing” copy in the possession of former Braga bookseller José Gomes Cardoso. Now, this manuscript has the white seal of 'Pereira Caldas, Professor Bracarense', which suggests that it is the missing copy.

A final note for the Province of Soledade of the strictest Observance. This resulted from the division of the Province of Piedade in 1671 and included all the convents north of the Tagus.

! Please note that this translated text was generated by Google. !