Page:On the Vatican Library of Sixtus IV.djvu/35

 dimidium ducatum pro qualibet docena, adduntur superiores soluti medio, et erit Integra solutio catenarum omnium die Junii 1476. It is worth notice that so simple an article as a chain for a book could not be bought in Rome; but had to be sent for from Milan; where, by the way, the dues exacted by the government made the purchase irksome and costly. The total number of chains bought was 1728, and the total cost 102 ducats, or rather more than £33. The rings were found to be too small, and were altered in Rome. Nothing is said about the place from which the rods came (ferramenta quibus catenæ innituntur).

In 1477 (14 April) "John the chain-maker (Joannes fabricator catenarum)" doubtless the workman who is called simply magister Joannes in the previous account, supplies "48 iron rods on which the books are strung on the seats " and also 48 locks, evidently connected with the same number of rods supplied before. In the same year a key-maker (magister clavium) supplies 22 locks for the seats and cupboards in the Bibliotheca secreta ; and in 1480, when the Bibliotheca pontificia was being fitted up, keys, locks, chains, and other ironwork were supplied by Bernardino, nephew of John of Milan. There are many other payments for iron, which was often bought in the gross and worked up as required; but enough has been quoted to shew that ironwork, such as was required elsewhere by the medieval system of chaining, was in use here also.

For further information we must turn to the Catalogues. For my present purpose the first of these is that by Platina, of which I have already spoken, dated 14 September, 1481. It is a small folio volume, written on vellum, with gilt edges, and