FROISSART (Jean). Histoire et chronique memorable... Lot 34

FROISSART (Jean). Histoire et chronique memorable de messire Iehan Froissart. Reveu et corrige sus divers exemplaires, et suivant les bons auteurs, par Denis Sauvage de Fontenailles en Brie. Paris: Pierre L'Huillier, 1574. -5 volumes in one large folio, 332x213: (8 ff.), 423 pp., (14 ff.); (6 ff.), 288 pp., (2 ff.); (4 ff.), 333 pp., (1 f.); (4 ff.), 324 pp. Stiff parchment, gilt fillets framing, gilt fleuron at corners and gilt arms painted in black in center on covers, remnants of cloth ties, ornate ribbed spine (period binding). Tchémerzine, III, 388. New edition of Jean Froissart's chronicle published by Denis Sauvage (1520?-1587?), historiographer to King Henri II. This is the main work of the writer and historian Jean Froissart (c. 1337-c. 1404), written between 1361 and 1400, focusing on the conflict between France and England during the Hundred Years' War. "His Chroniques offer the aristocratic class a vast picture of knightly society, its deeds, festivals, rituals, dreams and preoccupations. For us, this book remains an essential source of knowledge of the 14th century" (Bechtel, p. 303). This edition was shared between four booksellers, and can be found under the addresses of Jean Ruelle, Claude Gautier, Michel Sonnius or, as here, Pierre L'Huillier. An interesting copy in contemporary binding from a rare and prestigious provenance. This is indeed the copy of Sir George Carew, first Earl of Totnes (1555-1629), one of the most historic figures in English history. He spent the first part of his career as a soldier, mainly in Ireland. He took part in the Earl of Essex's expeditions to Cadiz in 1596 and the Azores in 1597. President of Munster from 1600 to 1604, he successfully put down a rebellion. After the accession of James I, he settled further in England, where he became Master of Artillery in 1608 and Governor of Guernsey in 1610. He was appointed Baron Carew of Clopton in 1605 and Earl of Totnes in 1626, and remained closely involved in Irish affairs. Fewer than a hundred books from his library have survived. Of these, a mixture of Latin, English, French, Italian and Spanish, many relate to military theory and practice. Irish history was also highly prized by this collector, and most of the works on this subject are held in the Bodleian library in Oxford and the Lambeth Palace library in London. All his books and manuscripts were bequeathed to Sir Thomas Stafford in his will. On his death in 1655, they were sold by his widow to the London bookseller Cornelius Bee. However, Stafford is suspected of having given or sold the manuscripts to Archbishop Laud. His books were generally bound in parchment or calf with his arms hand-painted in the center of the boards. He sometimes signed the title followed by the date of acquisition. This copy includes all these characteristics. The contemporary binding is in parchment and bears Carew's gilded and painted arms on the boards. Carew's autograph signature also appears on the title, followed by the date 1580, indicating the year the work was purchased. The copy later belonged to the library of Clément-Charles-François de L'Averdy (1724-1793), councillor at the Parlement de Paris and Controller General of Finances from 1763 to 1768. It bears his bookplate decorated with the arms of L'Averdy and his wife Élisabeth Catherine Devin, with the indication "Bibliothèque de Gambais". He acquired the Château de Neuville in Gambais, Yvelines, in 1765, which was sold as national property in 1795, two years after Clément-Charles-François de L'Averdy was guillotined on November 23, 1793, accused of having contributed to the starvation of the people by throwing entire harvests into the pond in the grounds of his château. Hinge of first board largely split, soiling and a few tears on boards and spine. Without cloth ties. The first title has been restored and reassembled, but it is the true title of the copy. Tear with damage to text on leaves e6, k4 and ii6 in the first volume. Staining to a few leaves, some foxing and browned leaves. Provenance: Sir George Carew, with his arms and signature. - Sir Thomas Stafford. - Clément-Charles-François de L'Averdy and Élisabeth Catherine Devin, at Château de Gambais, with bookplates. - Label from the Fougerolle bookshop in Paris.