Familiarum Epistolarum Libri tres, magna orationis elegantia conscripti, nunc postremo emendati & aucti. … Accesserunt hac postrema editione Ioannis Sturmii, Hieronymi Osorii, aliorumque Epistolae, ad R. Aschamum aliosq; Nobiles Anglos missae. … Adiecta est in fine eiusdem E. G. Oratio, de vita & obitu Rogeri Aschami, & eius dictionis elegantis.

BOUND IN RED MOROCCO FOR DE THOU

12mo. [Binding: 140 x 80mm]. Contemporary Parisian binding for Jacques-Auguste de Thou (1553-1617) of red morocco, the covers ruled in gilt with a three-line fillet, and in the centre the gilt oval arms block of De Thou impaled with the arms of his first wife Marie Barbançon; spine with five raised bands, the kettle-stitch bands at head and tail hatched in gilt, the second panel lettered in gilt, the others with their combined "IAM' cipher and a small De Thou gadfly at head and tail; gilt edges (joints rubbed but intact, upper joint just starting; minor stain in the lower corner of the rear cover).

 

Hanoviae: Apud Gulielmum Antonium, 

This collection of selected letters by Ascham, tutor to Princess Elizabeth and Latin Secretary to Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I first published in 1576 and edited by Edward Grant, headmaster of Westminster School, consists of his correspondence with his pen-friend (they never met) Johann Sturm, Rector of the Gymnasium at Strasburg and editor of Cicero from 1550 to just before Ascham's death in 1568, as well as letters from Ascham to leading scholars, churchmen and members of the court. The second part of letters to Ascham and others by Sturm and other letters to Ascham has a separate title-page. At the end some of Ascham's Latin poems are printed and a biography by Grant. This is a reprint of the fourth edition published at London in 1590.



Provenance:  The bulk of De Thou’s magnificent library was sold by his heirs in 1680 to the Marquis de Menars (1644-1718) and then acquired by Armand Gaston, Cardinal de Rohan (1674-1749). Although De Thou’s first wife had died in 1601 this binding still carries her arms. This volume has the ink shelfmark "3 3 N 168' at the head of the front cover and "3.C.P.T.3.N.168', i.e. vol. 168 on shelf N in the 3^rd Tablette in the 3^rd Chambre Parquette in the Hôtel de Rohan, Paris; it passed to the Cardinal’s nephew the Prince de Soubise and was dispersed by auction in Paris in May 1789. Wilmot Vaughan, 1^st Earl of Lisburne (cr. 1776) & 4^th Viscount Lisburne (c. 1730-1800), with armorial bookplate (his fine library sold anonymously by the 6^th Earl at Sotheby’s on 18/7/1895 included two Grolier bindings (one a 3-vol. set of Ovid now at Harvard). Bertram, 5^th Earl of Ashburnham (1840-1913), sale, Sotheby, 25/6/1897, lot 159, £4/12/- to Bain. Dukes of Devonshire, Chatsworth, Derbyshire, with armorial bookplate of Spencer Compton [Cavendish]. 8^th Duke of Devonshire; Chatsworth sale, Christie's, Feb 24th 1982, lot 468, £450. Private collection.

Stock Code: 245298