Italy. Manuscript, [first half of the 17th century]; 505 small leaves in-4 plus a hundred blank leaves, soft vellum binding, double fillet, arabesques with azure irons in spandrels, central medallion decorated with azure irons and containing a coat of arms, ornate smooth spine, chased and gilded edges (Italian binding of the period, small lacks on the spine, qqs ff. roussis); in Latin. Philosophical and scientific treatise, written in brown ink by an elegant hand. It may be part of a scientific curriculum, insofar as the purely metaphysical part occupies far less space than the chapters on theoretical psychology (the soul and the agent intellect), theoretical physiology (nutritive and sensory faculties, etc.) and medical physiology (heart, blood, nutrition, etc.). A modern handwritten note in pencil on a flyleaf seems to attribute the coat of arms on the binding to Bernardino Roncetti, a captain commanding cavalry in the army of Urban VIII, who fought against the Duke of Parma, Edward Farnese.