Household accounts, 1504, and stones moved by river currents
Payments to Iacopo the German, Tomaso and Salaì, with notes on river sediment
The left leaf (271v) carries dated household memoranda for August and September 1504: Leonardo records taking ten gold florins and notes that Iacopo the German came to lodge with him at one carlino a day, followed by sums paid to Tomaso, Salaì and the steward. Below the accounts are notes on river mechanics — how stones move against or with a current depending on whether the water overcomes them, and how weak side-waters leaving a turbid river drop lean sediment. The facing folio (278r) bears a figure with further sketches. Additional untranscribed jottings appear across both leaves.
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Payments recorded across August and September 1504
On Friday 9 August 1504 Leonardo notes taking ten gold florins, and records sums given out in grossoni and florins to Tomaso, to Salaì and to the steward through August and September, several tied to specific dates and to Our Lady's day.
Iacopo the German joins the household
On Saturday morning 3 August 1504 Iacopo the German came to live in the house, agreeing that Leonardo would meet his expenses at one carlino a day.
Stones moving with or against a river's current
Stones not overcome by a river's current move against it, while stones the current overcomes move with it; a great boulder may even go rolling against the body of a small river.
Weak side-waters depositing lean soil
Small, slow waters issuing sideways from the great courses of turbid rivers discharge earth of no great richness within a bounded area, while the clear water escapes.