HISTOIRE ET CHRONIQUE MÉMORABLE DE MESSIRE JEAN FROISSART de FROISSART, JEAN - 1574

Paris: Pierre L' Huillier, 1574. Second Sauvage Edition. 350 x 215 mm. (13 3/4 x 8 1/2"). 8 p.l., 423, [ 1] pp., [14] leaves ; 6 p.l., 288 pp., [2] leaves; 4 p.l., 333, [1] pp., [1] leaf; 4 p.l., 324 pp. Four volumes bound in one. Edited by Denis Sauvage de Fontenailles.
18th century diced russia, rebacked, raised bands, black morocco label, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Title pages with large olive tree device of the printer, decorative woodcut headpieces and initials. USTC 7557. Not in Adams or STC French. Extremities rather worn, covers a bit chafed, but the binding quite solid. Mild to moderate browning affecting perhaps a quarter of the leaves, with a couple of dozen more noticeably affected, occasional small rust spots, minor marginal stains, or other trivial imperfections, but a very good copy, generally clean and quite crisp, with comfortable margins, in a serviceable binding.

One of the great works of Medieval history, Froissart's "Chronicle" is replete with anecdotes and tales of court intrigue, even murder. Covering the period 1325-1400, it comprises "a narrative of the principal occurrences of the period of the Hundred Years War, including many particulars relating to affairs of Italy, Spain, Germany, etc., but chiefly of the battles and sieges, repressions of popular risings, massacres, and pillage, seen as exploits of the feudal chivalry of France and England." A considerable achievement as a literary account, the work is "of extraordinary vividness and (in spite of errors of chronology and topography) of high historical value for the picture it presents of the conditions and sentiments prevailing in this period." (Oxford Companion) Froissart's "Chronicles" is the principal source of our knowledge of all but the final phases of the Hundred Years War between England and France. First published in 1559-61, the present version was prepared and annotated by the historiographer to Henri II, Denis Sauvage de Fontenailles (1520-87). Our edition is scarce, with USTC locating just nine copies in US libraries..