Le Prèmier Livre de la Cronique du Tresvaillant & Redouté dom Flores de Grèce surnommé le chevalier des Cignes, second filz de Esplandian, empereur de Constantinople [with] L'Histoire Aethiopique de Heliodorus

Paris: [par Estienne Groulleau] pour Jan Longis, 1552. First Edition. Hardcover (Full Leather). Very Good Condition. Early full calf, worn at corners and spine ends, edges gilt, one signature in latter section bound out of order, title with paper repair along one edge and part of the V and the RE in Livre added back in manuscript. a few minor marginal dampstains, a few bits of soiling, ink stains in margins. small dampstain in upper margin late in first volume. old signature on title of second volume. Final text leaf with repair on outer margin. Ruled in red throughout. One engraving (repeated) signed with Geoffroy of Tory's Lorraine Cross. Bound with L'Histoire Aethiopique de Heliodorus published by Groulleau in 1559. 70 woodcuts from 38 blocks. (8), CLXV leaves; blank; (4), 123, (1) leaves. (gathering P in Heliodorus out of order)

The latter is the second printing of the first translation by Jacques Amyot (first was 1549), both scarce.

After the sensation of Amadis de Gaule (which Herberay translated the first 8 books of in the late 1530s), it became impossible to sell original French romances in France. As a result, likely attempting to recapture the success of his translation of the first 8 books of Amadis de Gaule, Herberay wrote a pair of chronicles that he claimed to be the translator of but whose originals have left no trace. Le premier livre de l'histoire & ancienne cronique de Gerard d'Euphrate in 1549 (which he claimed was from a Walloon manuscript) and this work in 1552 which he claimed was from a lost Greek manuscript. The former reuses woodcuts from Amadis. Both were published as the "first book" of a series but in both cases only the one appeared. It was republished after Herberay's death in 1561 and again in 1573 and even translated into English in 1664. There were two issues, both 1552, the other printed by Vincent Sertenas. Mortimer 16th C. French Books 272

Provenance: Ken Rappoport (bookplate) Size: Folio. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: Literature & Literary; Inventory No: 048438.