4to, (158 x 220 mm). 22 pp., paginated "a" through "x". Bound in 18th century full red sheepskin, prettily gilt. Traces of ties. Binding a little rubbed. Faint scattered foxing and soiling throughout; insignificant worming or short tears affecting the blank margins of a few leaves but without loss to text.

At the end of the text, Tasso has signed and inscribed the manuscript to his friend, the fellow poet and playwright Marco Montano (ca. 1528-86): "Ripetutta per la seconda per il signore Marco Montano di Urbino". Partially mounted to the final blank leaf, facing the last page of the poem, is an oblong sheet of paper, folded to fit, bearing a brief contemporary provenance statement by Francesco Maria II della Rovere, the Duke of Urbino (1549-1631), explaining that the volume was left to him by his friend, Marco Montano, as one of several manuscripts. The unsigned statement is dated 12 January 1586, the day after Montano's death, and bears the Duke's blindstamped paper seal at lower right.

Disregarding individual sonnets, which are offered from time to time, autograph verses by Tasso appear on the market only very rarely: apart from a single 33-line madrigal, the only substantial poetry manuscript in sales records since the early 20th century is an incomplete draft of the dialogue "Il Gonzaga overo del piacere onesto" (sold at Sotheby's in 1977 and again 1988).

Tasso, La Sette Giornate del Mondo Creato (Viterbo, Girolamo Discepolo, 1607), pp. 201-212. Tasso, Delle rime, parte sesta (Venice, Evangelista Deuchino, 1608), pp. 29-39. Cf. Serassi 442f., 469.

Provenance: copied by the author some time before 1586 and gifted in his own hand to; his friend, the poet and playwright Marco Montano (ca. 1528-86); later bequeathed to Francesco Maria II della Rovere, the Duke of Urbino (1549-1631), with his provenance statement tipped in, and; U.S. private collection.