COMMENTARIES ON THE CIVIL WARS OF FRANCE BY JEAN DE SERRES 1574 ENGLISH TRANSLATION

[SERRES, Jean de (1540?-1598)]. The three partes of Commentaries, containing the whole and perfect discourse of the ciuill warres of Fraunce, vnder the raignes of Henry the second, Frances the second, and of Charles the ninth. with [sic] an addition of the cruell murther of the Admirall Chastilion, and diuers other nobles, committed the 24. daye of August. Anno. 1572. Translated out of Latine into English by Thomas Timme minister. Seen and allowed. Imprinted at London: by Frances Coldocke, anno. 1574.

Three parts in one. Leather-bound. Hardback. Quarto (190 x 130 x 60 mm). Pp. [14], 271, [23], 264, [4], 265-267, 494 [i.e. 308], [38 leaves]. Numerous errors in pagination. English text in black letter. Contemporary full calf. Each part with separate title-page within ornamental border. Tables and indexes. Woodcut initials. Head- and tail-pieces. Printed shoulder-notes. Condition: FAIR to GOOD. Binding secure, the covers rubbed to the extremities and lacking the ties. An incomplete copy, lacking pp. 1-8 and pp.136-144 of Book One, the first of these gatherings replaced by blank sheets; pp. 9-16 of Book One chipped at outer edge with marginal loss not affecting text, p.77 of Book Seven torn with loss of 75% of the text, short marginal tear to p.133 of Book Two and longer one to p.121 of Book Eight. Mildly toned with some marginal staining and thumbing. Scarce.

Notes: A translation, by Thomas Tymme, of Commentariorum de statu religionis et reipublicae in regno Galliae, by Jean de Serres, The work consists of 3 vols., containing three books each, and a fourth volume without separate title page but separate pagination which is headlined: "The Tenth Booke treating of the furious outrages of Fraunce ...," a translation of E. Varamund's [i.e. F. Hotman's] De furoribus gallicis. "Seconde parte of Commentaries" and "Thirde parte of Commentaries" each has special t.p. and separate pagination. Colophon at end of v. 3 (ninth booke of Commentaries): "Imprinted at London, by Henry Middelton: for Frauncis Coldocke ... 1574." Ascribed erroneously to Petrus Ramus in the translator's dedication. "The cruell murther of the Admirall Chastilion" has been attributed to François Hotman. cf. Brit. Mus. Catalogue.