Witnesses Description
Da Porto’s novella was first published in Venice by Benedetto de Bendoni, with the title Istoria novellamente ritrovata di due nobili amanti: con la loro pietosa morte intervenuta già nella città di Verona. The publication date is uncertain but it is supposed to have taken place around the year 1530/31. A reprint of the same text was issued in 1535, again in Venice by Benedetto de Bendoni, with a new title: Novella novamente ritrovata d’uno innamoramento, il quale successe a Verona nel tempo del Signor Bartolomeo dalla Scala, istoria iocondissima. A second edition was published, probably under the supervision of Pietro Bembo, in 1539 in Venice by Francesco Marcolini. The novella, titled La Giulietta, had undergone a linguistic revision and some additions, and was published in the collection Rime et Prosa di Messer Luigi da Porto.
1530/31 edition: This diplomatic edition is based on the 1530/31 copy of the Biblioteca Trivulziana of Milan (MI0327/LO113). This edition is present also in the British Library catalogue (General Reference Collection C.106.a.4.). The edition presents, in the first page (not numbered), the title Hyſtoria Nouellamente Ritrouata di due nobili Amanti: Con la loro Pietoſa Morte: Interuenuta gia nella Citta di Verona, in black letter, with some words in black ink and some in red ink, followed by an illustration representing Justice seated on a throne surrounded by two lions, holding a scale in the left hand and a sword in the right hand. The words Iustus ut Palma Florebit, in red ink, surround the illustration. The rest of the text is in roman letter. This edition is formed by four quires A, B, C, D; 32 carte; 64 leaves, numbered on the recto page, till the fourth, then left unnumbered. The first signature is represented only with a letter, A,B,C and D, the second with the letter and roman number or arabic number: Aii, B2, Cii, D2, the third with letter and arabic number: A3, B3, C3, D3, and the fourth with letter and roman number: Aiiii, Biiii, Ciiii, Diiii, all ofher pages are left unnumbered.
1539 edition: this diplomatic edition is based on the photographic reproduction of a copy in possession of Maurice Jonas, present in Romeo and Juliet by Maurice Jonas, London: Davis&Orioli, 1921. The edition is present in the British Library Catalogue (General Reference Collection 241.d.13. and General Reference Collection G.10638.). The novella, titled La Giulietta is part of the collection Rime et Prosa di messer Luigi Da Porto printed by Francesco Marcolini in 1539 in Venice. The frontispiece framed by an illustration of a frieze representing a door with columns with corinthian capitals and a pediment. Inside the frieze are the words: “Rime et Prosa di messer Luigi Da Porto. Dedicate al reverendissimo cardinal Bembo. MDXXXIX Con Privilegio.” On the following page a text which is absent from the other editions is present:
RIME ET PROSA DI M. LVIGI DA PORTO: il quale eʃsendo belliſsimo et animoſiſsimo giouane per lo suo ualore conddottier de Signor Venetiani, combattendo per loro nel Frigoli co nimici Tedeſchi, fu ferito di maniera: che ne rimaſe prima perduto della perſona per un tempo; et poi zoppo et debole mentre e uiʃʃe. Per laqual cagione ſi riuolse dalle arme alle lettere et alla uolgar Poeſia: onde ne nacquero questi frutti: che M. Bernardin da Porto ʃuo fratello appreʃʃo la morte di lui raccolti. Viʃʃe M. Luigi anni quarantatre , et meʃi noue: et morì in Vicenza ʃua patria il dì decimo di Maggio. MDXXIX.
The text is in roman letter and in italics. This edition is numbered on the recto pages in Arabic numbers at the top from 23 to 38. The only signatures present, at the bottom of some recto pages are: D, Dii, Diii, Diiii and E, Eii, Eiii, Eiiii; the other pages are without signature.
Bibliography
Bullough, Geoffrey. 1961. Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare. Vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press.
De Marchi, Cesare, 1994, La Giulietta, Firenze: Giunti.
Perocco, Daria, 2017, La prima Giulietta, Milano: Franco Angeli.
Romano, Angelo, 1993, Le storie di Romeo e Giulietta, vol. 1 & 2, Roma: Salerno Editore.
Torri, Alessandro, 1831, Giulietta e Romeo: Novella storica di Luigi da Porto di Vicenza, Pisa: Fll.i Nistri.