Philippe de COMMINES.
Cronique & hystoire...... Lot 30
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Philippe de COMMINES.
Cronique & hystoire... contenant les choses advenues durant le regne du Roy Loys Xie tant en France Bourgongne Flandres Arthois Angleterre q Espaigne et lieux circonvoisins Nouvellement imprime a Paris.
In-4, brown calf, mention
Estiene in a medallion on the first cover and
Despinay on the second, spine with 6 ornate bands (
17th century binding), modern brown half-chagrin folder and slipcase.
Bechtel, 158/C-443 // Brunet, II-188 // Fairfax Murray, 101 // Tchemerzine-Scheler, II-450 // USTC, 30904.
(116f.) / A-S6, T-V4 / 42 long lines, gothic car / 179 x 264 mm.
Rare first edition of the first six books of the
Chronique de Philippe de Commines, seigneur d'Argenton.
Born in 1445 into a family of high-ranking Burgundian civil servants, Philippe de Commines was an advisor to Charles the Bold, then became attached to Louis XI, became a minister and was employed by him in numerous political negotiations. After Louis XI's death in 1483, he was a member of the Council during the regency of Anne de Beaujeu, encouraged the intrigues of the Duc d'Orléans, was imprisoned in an iron cage in Loches for eight months, then served again under Charles VIII, but without regaining the power and influence he had under Louis XI.
In his memoirs, Commines shows himself to be a first-rate historian. His judgments are impartial and his accounts faithful, but betrayals
betrayals, even crimes, far from arousing his indignation, are reported by him coldly, without emphasis, envisaged as means of success and judged by their results alone and without any moral considerations (Larousse).
Commines' memoirs contain eight books. The first six are published here for the first time. They are devoted to the confrontation between Louis XI and Charles of Burgundy, and end with the death of Louis XI.
The edition is adorned with a handsome engraved title in architectural style with columns, putti, medallions... with on the verso the arms of France supported by two angels, initials in the text and the printer's mark on the last leaf.
Glued to the center of the title is a rectangular piece of woodcut paper, probably intended to conceal a signature.
Old restored binding, badly worn, title a little trimmed, restored at the top by paper glued to the spine. Stains on 3 leaves (ink) and a spot of rust on leaf V1.
Provenance: Estiene Despinay (or d'Espinay), whose name appears on the binding and whom we have been unable to find.
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