La Cedola del Terzo Monte dei Poveri della magnifica Città di Perugia ('The ordinances of the third Mount of Piety of the magnificent city of Perugia') is a document relating to the establishment of a Mount of Piety founded in Perugia in 1467. A Mount of Piety was a pawnbroking establishment run by the Church as a charity and intended to benefit the poors by lending small sums of money in exchange for an object which belonged to the client. One of the first of such institutional pawnbrokers had been founded in Perugia only a few years earlier, in 1462.

Letter of Alexander Numai: starts on f. 1r with the words Alexander Dei et apostolice sedis gratia episcopus forlivensis perusie ac Ducatus Spoletani etc. Vice Legatus generalis; it ends of f. 1v with the words sub penis et censuris in ipsis capitulis contentis. Datum Perusie die XXI mensis Octobris MCCCCLXXIII, pontificatus Sanctissimi D.N. Domini Sixti divina providentia pape quarti, anno tertio. Alessandro Numai (1440-1483) belonged to a noble family of Forlì and became officially Bishop of the city in 1470. At the time in which he wrote the letter (21 October 1473), he was acting as deputy of the papal legate in Perugia. The letter instructs Stefano Guarnieri, Chancellor of Perugia, to make a complete copy of the Rules of the establishment as laid down by Giovanni Battista Savelli and afterwards amended by his successors.

Prologue: on f. 2r. It is introduced by the rubricated words Prohemium Reverendissimi Domini Prothonotarii Sabelli and begins with the words Sanctissimus in Christo pater et clementissimus Dominus noster: dominus Paulus; it ends on f. 2v with the words facimus constituimus et ordinamus infra scriptas constitutiones et ordinamenta videlicet. This prologue by Giovanni Battista Savelli, papal notary and Governor of Perugia, states that he has authority from Pope Paul II to draw up and set down rules for the establishment.

The prologue incorporates the papal mandate which starts on f. 2.r and is introduced by the rubricated words Paulus papa Secundus. It begins with the words Dilecte fili, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Cum accepimus bursam officialium montis pauperum and ends on f. 2v with the words Datum Rome apud Sanctum Marcum sub anulo piscatoris die xi Octobris mcccclxvii, pontificatus nostri anno quarto (11 October 1467).

Rules: start on f. 2v. They are introduced by the rubric Incipiunt Capitula dicti Montis. The text that follows records the rules of the establishment as laid down by Savelli by the advice of the magnates of Perugia and on the authority of the Pope. It is written in Italian and begins with the words E prima statuimo et ordinamo che per governo et regimento del dicto Monte; it ends on f. 11r with the words fama honore et utile a la inclyta citta de perusia et subventione de le povere et abbisognose persone, followed by the rubric Expliciunt capitula Montis. The texts is divided in thirty-eight chapters, all indicated in the margins and introduced by a rubric.

Ratification: begins at the bottom of f. 11r with the words Que omnia et singula capitula constitutioneset ordinamenta supra scripta and ends at the top of f. 11v with the words Datum perusii sub nostro sigillo consueto die xvi mensis Januarii mcccclxviii pontificatus praefati Sanctissimi Domini Nostri anno quarto. (Perugia, 16h January 1468).

Addition (25 January 1474): on 11v. It is introduced by the rubric Adictione facte nel 1474 a di 25 de genaro che il cancielliero debbia essere rogato de le cose ad partinenti al monte et salario dela sua mercede.

Addition (21 August 1474): starts at the bottom of f. 12r and is introduced by the rubric Additione facta nel mcccclxxiiii a di xxi de Agosto come se debbia pagare la spesa de li capituli del monte reformati del anno mcccclxxiiii a di xxi de decembre in iii cedule per li iii monti de novo rescripte.

Further Additions: start on f. 12v with the words Che il depositario finito lofficio suo sia tenuto assignare al successore tutti li denari; they end on f. 16r with the words in tale surrogatione che sieno. These are further exapansions and reforms added in 1481, 1493, 1497 and 1504 by different hands. They continue the chapter numeration of the main text up to chapter 63.

The hand is of a good italic type.

The title is in burnished gold Roman capitals. The initials are of the ordinary type: in blue and red or red and purple filigree. There are two illuminated initials of lake, blue, green and buff on gold grounds, embellished with gold rayed discs, and containing three coats of arms.