78 - COMMINES, Philippe de. The Memoirs of Sir Philippe de Commines, Knight, Lord of Argenton, on the Principal Deeds and Acts of Louis XI and His Son Charles VIII, Kings of France. Revised and corrected by Denys Sauvage de Fontenailles en Brie, based on a copy taken directly from the author’s original, and in accordance with the works of reputable historians and chroniclers.

COMMINES, Philippe de. The Memoirs of Sir Philippe de Commines, Knight, Lord of Argenton, on the Principal Deeds and Acts of Louis XI and His Son Charles VIII, Kings of France. Revised and corrected by Denys Sauvage de Fontenailles en Brie, based on a copy taken directly from the author’s original, and in accordance with the works of reputable historians and chroniclers. Paris, published by Abel L’Angelier, 1605. Folio (340 x 220 mm), light brown half-basane, smooth spine decorated with horizontal gilt friezes, title label in old red leather, covers of light brown marbled paper. 6 unnumbered folios and 340 pages, 4 unnumbered folios (table of contents), engraved title page, headbands, initials, and tailpieces. Binding is rubbed and the spine is almost entirely worn away; some foxing, browned leaves, and slight water stain along the upper margin of the last few leaves. A folio edition published by the Parisian bookseller Abel L'Angelier. It features the famous text revised by the humanist Denis Sauvage, who was the first to abandon the original title *Chroniques* in favor of *Mémoires*, while organizing the work into eight distinct books. Beautiful woodcut frontispiece title page adorned with allegorical figures and medallions depicting Cicero (Tullius) and Demosthenes. Through his account of the reigns of Louis XI and Charles VIII, the duel against Charles the Bold, and the Italian Wars, Philippe de Commines (1447–1511), a diplomat who defected from the Burgundian camp to the secret service of the King of France, offers a lucid and pioneering analysis of the secret workings of power. Breaking with medieval chronicles, these Memoirs dissect the mysteries of European governance and diplomacy. Handwritten bookplate bearing the title “Jehan Le Bosser 1622.”