[Eloy DAMERVAL]. Sensuit la grãt dyablerie Qui traicte cõment sathan fait demõstrance a Lucifer de tous les maulx que les mõdains font selon leurs estatz vacations et mestiers. Et comment il les tire a dpnation... Small in-4, red jansenist morocco, 5-ribbed spine, interior roulette and filleting, gilt edges ( Chambolle-Duru). Bechtel, 204/D-26 // Brunet, II-478 // Fairfax Murray, 600 // Tchemerzine-Scheler, II-720 // USTC, 83461. (150f.) / A6, b-e4-8, f4, g-o4-8, p4, q-z4-8, ｸ4, A4, B8 / 40 lines on 2 columns, goth. car. / 130 x 190 mm. A very rare second or third edition of this theological poem on human vices, a contemporary edition of which was also published by Le Noir. Little is known about Eloy Damerval, who is listed as the author of this text in the table of the first edition. A singer at the Court of Savoy, then attached to Charles d'Orléans at the Château de Blois, he was, in 1483, master of the choirboys of Sainte-Croix in Orléans. The Grande diablerie is his most famous work. Comprising an 8-chapter prologue and two 260-chapter books, followed by the actor's final conclusion, this comic dialogue between Satan and Lucifer contains over 22,000 verses. Satan, full of experience, explains to a naive young Lucifer the foibles and weaknesses of men and women, and how to tempt them: Jay thousand million traps And trebuchetz Lucifer To make them die in hell The world, the flesh and the dyables Nuyt and day are not fables. Damerval's intention is to challenge men to fall into these traps, but he doesn't shy away from a certain literary pretension, claiming to be Aesop, Come Esopes en ung beau mettre / Se dit bien qui est panthamettre: And don't be dismayed Si jay voulu pour resveiller The understanding of the lisans Often dare to say pleasant things Et de termes assez joyeulx To keep your hands boring Car les rimes entrelardees Of joyful words are watched Comunement plus voulentiers... In chapter 68, François Villon is mentioned, probably one of the earliest literary references to the poet: Maistre Francoys Villon jadis / Clerc expert en faictz et en ditz / Comme fort nouveau quil estoit / Et a farcer se delectoit / Fist a Paris son testament. This work was first published by Michel Le Noir around 1508. The name of the author is taken from the table of this first edition: De maistre Eloy d'Amerval (...) / Cy s'ensuyt (...) la Dyablerie... These verses are not included in our edition, which only mentions the author's first name at the beginning of the prologue and at the very end of the volume: Prier aussi le createur / Pour moy Eloy le pauvre acteur. Title in red and black adorned with a large lettering and a large woodcut depicting five devils, one of whom is taking long notes, a large woodcut at the colophon (f.A6v) printed in red and black depicting 6 devils, and a smaller woodcut in black showing God appearing to the author (f. b1r). Leaves A2v and A5r are printed in red and black, with 47 small initials on a sifted background. The edition is extremely rare. There are four or five copies: one at the Bibliothèque Mazarine, one at the Kongelige Bibliotek in Copenhagen, the Soleinne copy, the Yemeniz (no. 1702)/Firmin-Didot (no. 174) copy and this one. The Soleinne and Yemeniz/Firmin-Didot copies, both bound in antique calf, may be the same. A fine copy, despite a small loss at the top of a spine and a slight knock to a cut on the first cover. Notebooks v and x inverted, an old annotation in ink (f. B7v), angular restoration to 4 leaves (A1, c1, y4 and ｸ1) and restoration with damage to a few letters (f. l2). Provenance: Fairfax Murray (label, no. 600).