“The last night Mr. Mattaire came to me and said that he had seen Signor Zamboni, and nine MSS. which are lately come to him from Italy—­that they will soon be sent to his house without being shown to any other, and that then I shall see them forthwith.  And further, that this Signor expects a little parcel of Greek MSS., not yet arrived.”  Three weeks later he again wrote:—­

“This morning I went to Mr. Mattaire, with whom I saw fifteen old Latin MSS., or fragments of MSS., belonging now to Signor Zamboni, but formerly to the Dutch Professor Graevius.

He opened a negotiation, and after some months wrote thus:—­

“Signor Zamboni, sending a very kind letter to me, desiring to visit me, either here or at my lodgings, I desired he would please to call here, my lodgings being out of order, by reason of my maid’s being married yesterday.  Signor Zamboni came hither about 2, and I showed him many more of my Lord’s MSS. to his great satisfaction.  At length he desired that I would go along with him to an ordinary, where he was to dine with some foreign persons of distinction.  I complied with his request, as thinking I might do my Lord some service; and after dinner was over, and the rest of the company gone, he assured me that as to the price of the MSS. which he hath sent hither, he will leave it entirely to my regulation, and accept of whatever I shall think an equitable price for them; only, he desires a dispatch as speedy as may be, lest the owner should send for them back.  He further said that the owner chiefly values the two volumes of learned men’s Letters, the Saxon Spieghel, and the Prayerbook of Solyman the Magnificent.”

Three days later, 27 September 1725, the Diary further records:—­

“Yesterday Signor Zamboni came to me, and was entertained to his own content and satisfaction.  He conferred with me about the MSS. here in my custody, and will stand to my award, between my Lord and him.  He says that as to the things my Lord formerly had of him, that he was no gainer, but that in one of the parcels, he of himself lowered the price twenty pounds less than his commission ran for.  I hope I shall be able to separate the two volumes of Letters, the Saxon Spieghel and Solyman’s Prayer-book, although they are very curious and valuable things, and so my Lord may have the others very cheap.  This done, I believe that the same Letters and two MSS. may in time fall into my Lord’s hands at a price far lower than they are now held up at.  Signor Zamboni, who proves to be a good-natured and is [I believe] an honest gentleman, mentioned 4000 more original Letters in the possession of his correspondent, which may soon be brought over into England.”

On the 2nd October he added:—­

“I waited on Signor Zamboni yesterday, who is daily teased by his Dutch correspondent about the chest of MSS. lying here.”