Manuscritos
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
General Library of University of Coimbra
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Largo da Porta Férrea, 3000-447 Coimbra
Contact information: phone number
00351 239 859 831 (general)
00351 239 859 847 (reference office)
00351 239 859 847 (reference office)
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
secretaria@bg.uc.pt (Secretarial Office)
manuscritos@bg.uc.pt (Manuscripts and Rare Books Room)
manuscritos@bg.uc.pt (Manuscripts and Rare Books Room)
Reference number
Ms.
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Manuscritos
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Biblioteca da Universidade de Coimbra
Date note
12th century/20th century
Language(s)
heb
lat
por
spa
Extent
More than 3,230 codices
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Satisfactory
Scope and content
The Manuscritos collection of the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra comprises items of various typologies and subjects. The first group of manuscripts (Ms. 1 to Ms. 25) is a collection of abstracts and annotations on Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts belonging to diverse fonds, from municipal registries to fonds of religious institutions preserved in other archives and libraries, composed by João Pedro Ribeiro (1758-1839). In 1790, Ribeiro, who was a scholar and professor of the University of Coimbra, was instructed to visit the archives of the kingdom to compose a collection of documents that should be published by the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa (Lisbon Academy of Sciences). Part of the results of this work is expressed in these manuscripts. For instance, they include abstracts of documents from the registries of the Câmara Municipal do Porto, at present in the Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto (Ms. 2), and the monasteries of São Salvador de Vairão and São Bento de Avé Maria do Porto (Ms. 19), and the Colegiada do Salvador de Coimbra (Ms. 23), which are part of the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo's collection. Ms. 639 contains another group of abstracts by João Pedro Ribeiro of documents from the "Censual da Sé do Porto" (Cabido da Sé do Porto fonds, Arquivo Distrital do Porto) and the "Livro Preto da Sé de Coimbra" (Cabido da Sé de Coimbra fonds, Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra and Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo). These collections contain scattered materials for the history of the Jewish communities in Portugal before the late 15th-century expulsion. See the collection descriptions of these fonds here in Western Sephardic Diaspora Roadmap.
On the same subject, an 18th-century copy of the "compromisso" (statutes) of the Misericórdia of Leiria in 1544 (Ms. 503) includes an annotation reporting that the Misericórdia church was built in the place of the former synagogue.
It is also part of this collection a Hebrew fragment (B 12) of Deuteronomy, written in Ashkenazi square characters, which was part of a 14th-century German manuscript (see Moita, 2017).
Manuscripts with information on New Christians and the Portuguese Inquisition are numerous in this collection. Some examples are the following:
Ms. 156: miscellaneous documents, including extracts of the inquisitorial trial and other documents on António Homem's case. António Homem was a professor of the University of Coimbra, accused of Judaism and sodomy by the Inquisition and "relaxado" à justiça secular" (handed over to the secular justice, i.e., sentenced to death) in 1624. Other copies of Homem's sentence are in Ms. 595. Ms. 796 and Ms. 985 contain two manuscript law treatises written by Homem.
Ms. 490 and 493: miscellaneous papers, including the sentence against Simão Pires Solis on January 31, 1631. Solis was accused of stealing the Blessed Sacrament from the church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon and sentenced to death.
Ms. 568: miscellaneous papers, including a complaint against António Rodrigues Mogadouro, arrested by the Inquisition in 1672.
Ms. 1486: documents from the Holy Office Tribunal, including several documents regarding trials against New Christians.
Ms. 3132: miscellaneous papers, including copies of sentences and extracts of Inquisitorial trials, particularly of New Christian defendants sentenced to death.
Ms. 1489: records regarding the "correio-mor do reino" (the Kingdom's Chief Postal Officer), including documents on Luís Gomes da Mata and his family.
Ms. 2980: various documents, including a copy of the sentence from the Court of Appeal on July 3 1734, regarding the sequestration of the assets of Isabel Luísa de Pina, her son Marcos Mendes Monforte, Maria Aires de Pina, and other relatives. This New Christian family from Brazil was dispersed among Portugal, England, and the Netherlands (doc. 180).
Several manuscript copies of Jesuit António Vieira's writings on the New Christian question and the Inquisition proceedings. See Mss. 133, 320, 342, 480, 535, 676, 1040, 1047, 1048, 1155, 1156, 1161, 1351, 1526, 1552, 1675, 2579, and 2580.
The Manuscritos collection also comprises a few manuscript copies of Sephardic authors' works, such as:
Antonio Enríquez Gómez: “Las mas notables cosas del libro Academias morales de las Musas hecho por Antonio Henriquez Gomez Lusitano” (selection of extracts from Gomez's Academias morales de las Musas), in Ms. 315.
António José da Silva: “Originaes do Doutor Antonio Joze da Silva. Parte 2.ª. Contém duas comédias em espanhol: “El Prodigio de Amarante” e “Comedia Famoza del Pastor Fido"" (original works by Dr Antonio Joze da Silva, second part, containing two Spanish comedies) in Ms. 387.
Manuel Bocarro Francês Rosales: "Discurso que o Doutor... fez sobre a conjunção maxima, que se celebrou no anno de 1603 31 Dezembro" (Ms. 103), “Luz pequena, lunar e estellifera” (Ms. 393), and "Anacephaleoses da Monarchia Luzitana" (Ms. 1599).
Further information on Portuguese Jews and New Christians abroad can be found in the codices with diplomatic correspondence that are part of this collection. Two examples are the following:
Ms. 2974: Letters sent by José da Cunha Brochado, envoy extraordinary in London, to the Secretary of State Diogo de Mendonça Corte Real (1710-1715). It contains references to the case of José Cortiços. Another copy of these letters can be found in the Biblioteca da Ajuda (49-X-36).
Ms. 3008: Letters by José da Cunha Brochado between 1703 and 1710, including two letters to D. Luís Cunha with mentions to Dr Fernão Mendes, a New Christian physician living in London and who served the Portuguese legation in the city (docs. 152 and 156).
On the same subject, an 18th-century copy of the "compromisso" (statutes) of the Misericórdia of Leiria in 1544 (Ms. 503) includes an annotation reporting that the Misericórdia church was built in the place of the former synagogue.
It is also part of this collection a Hebrew fragment (B 12) of Deuteronomy, written in Ashkenazi square characters, which was part of a 14th-century German manuscript (see Moita, 2017).
Manuscripts with information on New Christians and the Portuguese Inquisition are numerous in this collection. Some examples are the following:
Ms. 156: miscellaneous documents, including extracts of the inquisitorial trial and other documents on António Homem's case. António Homem was a professor of the University of Coimbra, accused of Judaism and sodomy by the Inquisition and "relaxado" à justiça secular" (handed over to the secular justice, i.e., sentenced to death) in 1624. Other copies of Homem's sentence are in Ms. 595. Ms. 796 and Ms. 985 contain two manuscript law treatises written by Homem.
Ms. 490 and 493: miscellaneous papers, including the sentence against Simão Pires Solis on January 31, 1631. Solis was accused of stealing the Blessed Sacrament from the church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon and sentenced to death.
Ms. 568: miscellaneous papers, including a complaint against António Rodrigues Mogadouro, arrested by the Inquisition in 1672.
Ms. 1486: documents from the Holy Office Tribunal, including several documents regarding trials against New Christians.
Ms. 3132: miscellaneous papers, including copies of sentences and extracts of Inquisitorial trials, particularly of New Christian defendants sentenced to death.
Ms. 1489: records regarding the "correio-mor do reino" (the Kingdom's Chief Postal Officer), including documents on Luís Gomes da Mata and his family.
Ms. 2980: various documents, including a copy of the sentence from the Court of Appeal on July 3 1734, regarding the sequestration of the assets of Isabel Luísa de Pina, her son Marcos Mendes Monforte, Maria Aires de Pina, and other relatives. This New Christian family from Brazil was dispersed among Portugal, England, and the Netherlands (doc. 180).
Several manuscript copies of Jesuit António Vieira's writings on the New Christian question and the Inquisition proceedings. See Mss. 133, 320, 342, 480, 535, 676, 1040, 1047, 1048, 1155, 1156, 1161, 1351, 1526, 1552, 1675, 2579, and 2580.
The Manuscritos collection also comprises a few manuscript copies of Sephardic authors' works, such as:
Antonio Enríquez Gómez: “Las mas notables cosas del libro Academias morales de las Musas hecho por Antonio Henriquez Gomez Lusitano” (selection of extracts from Gomez's Academias morales de las Musas), in Ms. 315.
António José da Silva: “Originaes do Doutor Antonio Joze da Silva. Parte 2.ª. Contém duas comédias em espanhol: “El Prodigio de Amarante” e “Comedia Famoza del Pastor Fido"" (original works by Dr Antonio Joze da Silva, second part, containing two Spanish comedies) in Ms. 387.
Manuel Bocarro Francês Rosales: "Discurso que o Doutor... fez sobre a conjunção maxima, que se celebrou no anno de 1603 31 Dezembro" (Ms. 103), “Luz pequena, lunar e estellifera” (Ms. 393), and "Anacephaleoses da Monarchia Luzitana" (Ms. 1599).
Further information on Portuguese Jews and New Christians abroad can be found in the codices with diplomatic correspondence that are part of this collection. Two examples are the following:
Ms. 2974: Letters sent by José da Cunha Brochado, envoy extraordinary in London, to the Secretary of State Diogo de Mendonça Corte Real (1710-1715). It contains references to the case of José Cortiços. Another copy of these letters can be found in the Biblioteca da Ajuda (49-X-36).
Ms. 3008: Letters by José da Cunha Brochado between 1703 and 1710, including two letters to D. Luís Cunha with mentions to Dr Fernão Mendes, a New Christian physician living in London and who served the Portuguese legation in the city (docs. 152 and 156).
Archival history
The collection of manuscripts of the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra was gradually constituted over the library's history and increased with constant acquisitions, donations and exchanges. The first items of this collection, comprising abstracts and descriptions of documents of various fonds, were composed by João Pedro Ribeiro. In his will in 1838, Ribeiro bequeathed his library to the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra. Ms. 315 referred above also belonged to his library.
Regarding the other codices mentioned above, there is information about the provenance of some of them:
- Ms 568 and probably Ms 1047 and 1048 were part of Monsenhor Hasse's collection;
- Ms. 1496 was acquired in May 1910 in the auction of the Contess of Azambuja's library;
- Ms. 1156 belonged to the College of São Paulo of Coimbra;
- Ms. 1599 came from the library of the monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra;
- Ms. 2974 belonged to Monsenhor Santos Farinha's collection;
- Ms. 3132 came from the Dr Casimiro Barreto Ferraz Sacchetti Taveira's library.
Regarding the other codices mentioned above, there is information about the provenance of some of them:
- Ms 568 and probably Ms 1047 and 1048 were part of Monsenhor Hasse's collection;
- Ms. 1496 was acquired in May 1910 in the auction of the Contess of Azambuja's library;
- Ms. 1156 belonged to the College of São Paulo of Coimbra;
- Ms. 1599 came from the library of the monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra;
- Ms. 2974 belonged to Monsenhor Santos Farinha's collection;
- Ms. 3132 came from the Dr Casimiro Barreto Ferraz Sacchetti Taveira's library.
Administrative / Biographical history
The history of the Biblioteca da Universidade de Coimbra (University of Coimbra Library) dates back to before the transference of the University of Lisbon to Coimbra in 1537. By then, there was already a "Livraria do Estudo" (library of study) whose functioning followed specific statutes. The University of Coimbra Library was granted statutes in 1591, 1597, and later in 1653.
In the 16th century, the library collection was enriched with several donations and the acquisition of books. However, this process of development was interrupted during the Philippine dynasty (1580-1640) and the Restoration Wars (1640-1668). It was only in the 18th century, during the reign of King João V, that the library suffered a boost with the construction of a new building and the acquisition of new books. From that time, the magnificent Biblioteca Joanina also remains. In 1772, after the Pombaline reform of the University, new specialised libraries were founded.
The 19th century led to great changes in the University of Coimbra, following the instability caused by the French Invasions and the incorporation of archival fonds from religious orders after their extinction in 1834. In the 20th century, the fact that the University of Coimbra Library has benefitted from legal deposits since 1932 has contributed to the increase of its collection.
In 1962, a new library building opened in the former Faculdade de Letras, whose facilities had been adapted during the works on the campus. At present, the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra is divided into the "edifício novo" (new building) and the Biblioteca Joanina, recognised as a National Monument due to its architectural and decorative richness. The Biblioteca Joanina hosts a priceless bibliographic collection that has been subject to a process of digitalisation since 1991.
(source: https://www.uc.pt/bguc/BibliotecaGeral/Historia)
In the 16th century, the library collection was enriched with several donations and the acquisition of books. However, this process of development was interrupted during the Philippine dynasty (1580-1640) and the Restoration Wars (1640-1668). It was only in the 18th century, during the reign of King João V, that the library suffered a boost with the construction of a new building and the acquisition of new books. From that time, the magnificent Biblioteca Joanina also remains. In 1772, after the Pombaline reform of the University, new specialised libraries were founded.
The 19th century led to great changes in the University of Coimbra, following the instability caused by the French Invasions and the incorporation of archival fonds from religious orders after their extinction in 1834. In the 20th century, the fact that the University of Coimbra Library has benefitted from legal deposits since 1932 has contributed to the increase of its collection.
In 1962, a new library building opened in the former Faculdade de Letras, whose facilities had been adapted during the works on the campus. At present, the Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra is divided into the "edifício novo" (new building) and the Biblioteca Joanina, recognised as a National Monument due to its architectural and decorative richness. The Biblioteca Joanina hosts a priceless bibliographic collection that has been subject to a process of digitalisation since 1991.
(source: https://www.uc.pt/bguc/BibliotecaGeral/Historia)
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged sequentially.
Finding aids
This printing catalogue is not completely comprehensive since other items were incorporated in the Manuscritos fonds after its composition. Some of these items are not yet catalogued.
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Biblioteca da Ajuda, 49-X-36: another copy José da Cunha Brochado's letters (Ms. 2974).
Other copies of António Vieira's writings and the manuscript version of "Notícias recônditas" are in Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, Biblioteca da Ajuda, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, among other libraries and archives.
Other copies of António Vieira's writings and the manuscript version of "Notícias recônditas" are in Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, Biblioteca da Ajuda, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, among other libraries and archives.
Existence and location of originals
Documents mentioned and described by João Pedro Ribeiro are from the above referred collections preserved in the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra and Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto.
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Histórico Municipal do Porto | Collections (official language of the state) | |
| Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra | Collections (official language of the state) |