Kings, Popes, and Emperors
DU TILLET, Jean.
La chronique des roys de France, puis Pharamond iusques au roy Henry, second du nom, selon la computation des ans, iusques en l’an mil cinq cens quarante & neuf. Le catalogue des papes, puis S. Pierre iusques à Paul, tiers du nom. Catalogue des empereurs, puis Octavian Cesar iusques à Charles, V. du nom. Paris, René Avril for Galliot du Pré, 1550.
8vo, ff. [4], cxix (i.e. 120); text presented in tabular form, woodcuts to ff. 1r, 24r, 99r, 107r, and 115r (one repeat), woodcut du Pré device to last page; small marginal mark to third leaf, some light foxing; a very good copy in contemporary French calf, blind-ruled border and frame to covers with gilt fleur-de-lys cornerpieces and central gilt flower stamp, five raised bands to spine with gilt floral stamp in compartments, printer’s waste visible in hinges; lower joint split at head, corners worn, some rubbing and staining, wormtrack to front endpapers; ownership inscription to front free endpaper ‘Sum S. Richardi emptus Parisiis anno MDL mense Aprili'.
Added to your basket:
La chronique des roys de France, puis Pharamond iusques au roy Henry, second du nom, selon la computation des ans, iusques en l’an mil cinq cens quarante & neuf. Le catalogue des papes, puis S. Pierre iusques à Paul, tiers du nom. Catalogue des empereurs, puis Octavian Cesar iusques à Charles, V. du nom.
Handsome vernacular edition of Jean du Tillet’s famous chronicle of the kings of France, with additional catalogues of the Popes and Roman/Holy Roman Emperors, illustrated with five attractive woodcuts.
Running from the legendary Frankish king Pharamond to Henri II, king of France from 1547 to 1559, the Chronique encompasses, among many notable events, Charles Martel’s victory over the Umayyad invasion of Aquitaine, the reign of Charlemagne, the accession of Hugh Capet, the canonisation of Louis IX, the battles of Poitiers and Agincourt, the end of the Hundred Years’ War, and the meeting of François I and Henry VIII on the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Three kings are depicted in woodcuts: Pharamond, Charlemagne, and François I. The lists of popes and emperors open with woodcuts of an enthroned Christ presenting a key to St Peter and of a crowned and robed monarch holding a sword and orb.
Jean du Tillet (d. 1570) served as bishop of Saint-Brieuc, taking part in the Council of Trent, and later of Meaux; as a scholar he collaborated with his historian brother, Jean, sieur de La Bussière. Galliot du Pré was official bookseller to the university of Paris.
Adams D1205; BP16 113969; USTC 705. Only two copies traced in the US (Michigan State, UCLA) and three in the UK (BL, Cambridge UL, V&A).