![Item #26111 THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP DE COMINES [KNIGHT, LORD OF ARGENTON]: CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF LEWIS XI, AND CHARLES VIII OF FRANCE AND OF CHARLES THE BOLD, DUKE OF BURGUNDY; To which Princes he was Secretary: As also the History of Edward IV. and Henry VII. of England. including that of Europe for almost half the Fifteenth Century: With a Supplement, as also several Original Treaties, Notes and Observations. And Lastly, The Secret History of Lewis XI, out of a book call'd The Scandalous Chronicle: And the Life of the Author prefix'd to the whole, with Notes upon it, by the Famous Sleidan. Faithfully Translated from the late Edition of Monsieur Godefroy, Historiographer Royal of France. To which are added Remarks on all the Occurrences relating to England. By Mr. Uvedale. Philip de Commines, Philip de Comines, France History.](https://buddenbrooks.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/26111_001.jpg?auto=webp&v=1693580465)
THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP DE COMINES [KNIGHT, LORD OF ARGENTON]: CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF LEWIS XI, AND CHARLES VIII OF FRANCE AND OF CHARLES THE BOLD, DUKE OF BURGUNDY; To which Princes he was Secretary: As also the History of Edward IV. and Henry VII. of England. including that of Europe for almost half the Fifteenth Century: With a Supplement, as also several Original Treaties, Notes and Observations. And Lastly, The Secret History of Lewis XI, out of a book call'd The Scandalous Chronicle: And the Life of the Author prefix'd to the whole, with Notes upon it, by the Famous Sleidan. Faithfully Translated from the late Edition of Monsieur Godefroy, Historiographer Royal of France. To which are added Remarks on all the Occurrences relating to England. By Mr. Uvedale
(London: J. Brotherton and V. Fayram in Cornhill et al., 1723).
A RARE PRINTING WITH FINE PROVENANCE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORKS OF MEDIEVAL CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. AN EXCELLENT TRANSLATION OF COMMINES, CALLED BY MANY THE FIRST MODERN HISTORY AND A CLASSIC OF HISTORICAL WRITING. A COPY WITH EXCELLENT PROVENANCE. This copy bearing the Macclesfield bookplate in each volume. There are included a fine preface work and a life of Commines and his time.
Commines [1447-1511] gives an account of the reign of Louis XI and the Italian expedition of Charles VIII covering the final 30 years or so of the 15th century. For the first time after the classical age, Commines produced a critical and philosophical history, with the result that he became known as the father of modern history. This history is "characterised by a hardheadedness and realism, e. g. his ridicule of chivalry and feudal warfare, in his preference for the diplomatic and subtle Louis to the headstrong and arrogant Charles, and in his condemnation of ruse and indirection. Both Machiavelli and Guicciardini were in his debt" (Wedeck & Schweitzer, Dictionary of the Renaissance, p. 163).
"One of the most famous of the French chronicle histories. Malone in his notes on The Tempest thinks it is not improbable that Shakespeare had in his thoughts a translation of Commines' history." Rosenbach 27:122.
Commines, had little formal education, and he knew no Latin. But he was nonetheless a writer of considerable talent, remarkable for his psychological perceptiveness, his sense of the picturesque, and the vividness of his narrative." Item #26111
2 volumes. The Second Edition. A Copy with Excellent Provenance, the Macclesfield Copy. Decorated throughout with very elaborate engraved head- and tail-pieces and engraved initials. 8vo, bound in full contemporary calf, the spines with raised bands, elaborately decorated in full gilt panel designs with large central gilt devices within the compartments, contrasting red and black morocco lettering labels gilt to each volume, the covers ruled with double gilt fillet lines. [40], 515, 3 ads.; viii, 386; [136] pp. A very handsome copy in very good condition, the text-block still very crisp, solid and quite clean with only occasional minor toning, the bindings with some pleasing age, a bit of minor splitting along the front hinge which is otherwise still firm and solid.