Memoires du Mareschal de Bassompierre contenant l'histoire de sa vie. et de ce qui s'est fait de plus remarquable à la cour de France pendant quelques années.

First edition, rare. It was printed in Leiden by the heirs and widow of Jean Elzevier. It should be noted that another edition with the same date published by Pierre Marteau has a different collation: (2) 501pp. and (2) 493pp. and therefore seems to contain less text than the one we present; this is an unexplained curiosity.
Bound in contemporary marbled blonde sheep. Spine with raised bands decorated with compartmentalized fleurons. Red morocco title label and black morocco volume label. Head of volume 1 partially split; a lack at the head of volume 2 and one at the tail. A 1.5cm lack along the upper joint (bookworm damage). Corners mostly bumped. Volume I slightly larger by 0.5cm than volume II. A translucent ink stain on the title page of volume II on the fleuron. Rather fresh copy.
Bassompierre was imprisoned at the Bastille in 1631 for participating in the Day of the Dupes; he devoted his twelve years of detention to writing his memoirs (Journal de ma vie) then his embassies, which would appear in 1668. In addition to being one of the most accomplished gentlemen of his time, Bassompierre pursued two brilliant and parallel careers under Henry IV and Louis XIII, military and diplomatic. These memoirs have always been particularly appreciated, they bear the seal of bitterness from imprisonment and are the work of a great French gentleman.