Roland LE VAYER DE BOUTIGNY

First edition, very rare.
Contemporary limp vellum binding. Smooth unlettered spine.
The author studies the various propositions of the king's edict concerning monasteries, especially what concerns the raising of the age for entering monasteries. If the work appears at first glance as a critique, it proves to be a defense of the edict, the author demonstrating and arguing, notably by recourse to history, the well-founded nature of the reforms, particularly regarding the question of priestly marriage.

New illustrated edition in first printing. The illustration comprises three frontispieces by Cochin, Moreau and Eisen, engraved by Gaucher, Ponce and Née; and 20 head-pieces by Eisen, engraved by Helman, De Longueil, Masquelier and Massard. Elegant illustrated work with careful page layout, printed on deluxe Holland paper, which explains why the work takes up considerably more space than the ordinary printing on laid paper, here 6 volumes against the usual 3.
Full speckled brown sheep binding ca 1800. Smooth spine decorated with 2 grotesque compartments, a fleuron and roulettes at tail. Orange morocco title and volume labels. Foliage frieze framing the boards. Rubbing. 3 corners slightly bumped. One nibbled area on the upper board of volume 2, a second on volume 2 (second part); another on the lower board of volume 3 (first part). 4 wormholes along the joints. 0.5cm trace of dampstain along the first frontispiece, in outer margin. Fairly loose stitching between leaves. Very handsome copy, perfectly established and of great freshness (despite rare scattered foxing).
Novel originally published in 1665, which received its first illustration in 1720, this biographical episode disguised and transformed into a Greek pastoral tells the misfortunes and adventures that prevented and delayed the marriage of Le Vayer with Mlle Servin. The varied narration draws its inspiration from Greek and Latin novels (Aethiopica by Heliodorus) or Persiles and Sigismunda by Cervantes. This novel, quite appreciated in its time, was adapted for opera in an eponymous title by Francoeur and Rebel.

New illustrated edition in first printing. The illustration comprises three frontispieces by Cochin, Moreau and Eisen, engraved by Gaucher, Ponce and Née; and 20 headpieces by Eisen, engraved by Helman, De Longueil, Masquelier and Massard. Elegant illustration with careful page layout.
Full blonde tortoiseshell calf bindings. Spines with five raised bands decorated with gilt compartments and fleurons, as well as red and green sheep title and volume labels. Covers framed with triple gilt fillets. Gilt dentelles framing the pastedowns. All edges gilt. Head and foot of first volume with small lacks, those of the other two volumes rubbed. Five corners bumped. Numerous and scattered foxing (mainly at the beginning of the first volume).
A novel originally published in 1665, which received its first illustration in 1720, this biographical episode disguised and transformed into a Greek pastoral tells of the misfortunes and adventures that prevented and delayed Le Vayer's marriage to Mlle Servin. The varied narrative draws its inspiration from Greek and Latin novels (Heliodorus's Aethiopica) or Cervantes's Persiles and Sigismunda. This novel, quite appreciated in its time, was adapted for opera in an eponymous work by Francoeur and Rebel.

New illustrated edition in first printing. The illustrations comprise three frontispieces by Cochin, Moreau and Eisen, engraved by Gaucher, Ponce and Née; and 20 head-pieces by Eisen, engraved by Helman, De Longueil, Masquelier and Massard. Elegant illustrated work with careful layout.
Half olive green morocco binding with corners, late 19th century unsigned in a master binding. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Gilt title and date at tail. Gilt fillets on boards. Top edge gilt. Very pale dampstain on the first 4 leaves of volume II, at mid-page. Very handsome copy, perfectly established and of great freshness.
Novel originally published in 1665, which received its first illustration in 1720, this disguised biographical episode worked into a Greek pastoral tells of the misfortunes and adventures that prevented and delayed Le Vayer's marriage to Mlle Servin. The varied narrative draws its inspiration from Greek and Latin novels (Heliodorus's Aethiopica) or Cervantes's Persiles and Sigismunda. This novel, quite appreciated in its time, was adapted for opera in an eponymous work by Francoeur and Rebel.

Anonymous first edition. The work bears number 2023 in the catalogue of Elzevirian editions (Willems, Vol. II). For the author, see Barbier, Dictionnaire des ouvrages anonymes.
Contemporary full vellum binding with flaps. Smooth spine. Title in faded red ink.
Rolland Le Vayer de Boutigny (1627-1685) was Master of Requests to Louis XIV and one of his influential advisors. Author of novels, plays and short stories, as well as political and legal treatises, this book reveals that Boutigny was trained as a jurist. Peculatus designates the theft of public funds by those who administer them; it was punished by death under Roman law, but not under French law. "Under the Ancien Régime, how many ministers were condemned for peculatus and extortion! How many chambers of justice were instituted to make the financiers who pillaged the treasury disgorge their gains, in complicity with the superintendents of finance!" (Dictionnaire de droit criminel, Doucet). The treatise on peculatus caused scandal; Boutigny was accused of defending Fouquet, who a few years earlier had been arrested and accused of embezzlement, which is why he wrote these Observations in dialogue form, where he discusses the validity of the death penalty, banishment, and the history of French law regarding peculatus...