Commines, Philippe De

Les Memoires

      Paris, Claude Micard 1572. 16mo., ff (iii) 506 (xviii) lacking final blank. Roman letter, title within pretty woodcut border of cornucopiae and improbably cherubs reading large folios, decorative initials and headpieces. Light age yellowing, a bit more so to title, C.17 autograph of Francis Richard in lower blank margin. a good copy in contemp. limp vellum. A very rare edition of Commines classic French history, dedicated to Angelo Cattho, Archbishop of Vienne whose 'life' concludes the volume, together with some explanatory notes by Jean Sleidan and a copy of a long letter from him to 'Protector Somerset' concerning the state of England. Commines was an intimate counsellor, ambassador and friend of Louis XI (1464-1483) who showed him the greatest favour as a reward for the sagacity of his advice. The present work is essentially a no holds barred history of Louis' reign by an insider who knew what was going on. Commines shared his master's philosophy that the end justifies the means, and neither of them always appears attractive, but as a source of what actually happened in France in those years, and why, Commines is unequalled as an authority. The second part is devoted to the negotiations at Vence leading to the Vercelli Treaty of 1495-6. Not a man given to blushes, Commines gives the unexpurgated story of royal ruthlessness-one can see why it appealed in Tudor and Stuart England. However, his combination of skill, style and factual accuracy is such that Commines has often been described as the father of modern history. Certainly the graphic descriptions of his narrative, and the keeness of his insight into the motives of his contemporaries (undimmed by any principle of right or wrong) make this work one of the great classics of modern history. Not in BM. STC. Fr., Adams, Tchemerzine or Brunet. Index Aurel 143.377 recording only a single copy, at Bonn. SN2563.