BARCLAY (John). Argenis. [Nicolas Buon, 1623]. Fort in-8, full contemporary vellum, handwritten title on spine; [6]-1082pp.-[2]ff. 21 full-page engravings after Gaultier and Mellan, (title page missing). Ex-libris and filing label on front flyleaf, stamp on flyleaf. Spine faded, small loss on 1st and last leaf, no loss of text, angular wetness on most pages, no damage to reading. Rare second edition, in French, (after Pierre de Marcassus), published 2 years after the original in Latin (Nicolas Buon, 1621). Jean Barclay, (1582-1621), was a French Catholic writer of Scottish origin. L'Argenis, is an allegorical novel written in Latin and mixed with prose and verse, in which he paints a picture of the vices and revolutions of the courts. This book, esteemed by Richelieu, is remarkable for the elegance of its style. A good copy, despite minor imperfections.