Description

The First Edition in English of both volumes, with the Privilege Leaf dated 7th, January 1646 facing the title, and with the original Errata Leaf at the end. A book with pleasing provenance, signed Fran: Cornwallis on the title-page. Cornwallis was a friend of Ben Jonson. In the 1929 Jerome Kern sale, a book owned by Ben Jonson, signed by him and then by his friend Fran: Cornwallis was described with both signatures being "excessively rare". With the engraved title-page to each volume, the first with large engraved ornament taking nearly half of the title page, elaborate, large engraved chapter head and tail pieces and richly engraved and decorated 6-line initials. Thick Folio, handsomely bound in antique three-quarter calf over marbled paper covered boards, the spine gilt lettered and tooled in gilt at the head and tail of the panel, original cords and endleaves. [4], 1-1478, Errata Leaf pp. A most handsome copy, unusually well preserved, internally very clean, fresh, crisp, unpressed and sturdy. The binding attractive and strong, some expert restoration to the head and tail of the spine panel. A very appealing copy.

Edizione: a scarce book and an important and early printed book in english, a copy with very pleasing provenance and a book which charles adams calls “a work of primary importance.” davila’s account is extensive and first hand, the writing of it was a primary undertaking of his very active life.<br> historian enrico davila was descended from a spanish noble family. his immediate ancestors had been constables of the kingdom of cyprus for the venetian republic since 1464. but in 1570 the island was taken by the turks and antonio davila, the father of the historian, had to leave cyprus despoiled of all he possessed. he traveled into spain and france, and finally returned to padua, and at sacco on the 30th of october 1576 his youngest son, enrico caterino, was born.<br> about 1583 antonio took this son to france, where he became a page in the service of catherine de medici, wife of king henry ii. he served the court with distinction and in time entered the military service. he served through the entirety of the civil wars until the peace in i508. his position in the court allowed him to observe nearly all aspects of the war first hand. after the war he returned to padua where he led a studious life until, when war broke out, he entered the service of the republic of venice and served with distinction in the field once again. but during the whole of this active life, many details of which are very interesting as illustrative of the life and manners of the time, he never lost sight of the design which he had formed at a very early period, of writing the history of those civil wars in france in which he had borne a part and during which he had had so many opportunities for closely observing the leading actors and events. this work was completed about 1630, and was offered in vain by the author to a list of the publishers in venice. at last one tommaso baglioni, who had no work for his presses, undertook to print the manuscript, on condition that he should be free to leave off if more promising work offered itself. yet the printing of the ‘istoria delle guerre civili di francia’ was completed, and met with an enormous critical success davila would not experience. he was murdered while on his way to take possession of the government of cremona for venice in july 1631, by a ruffian with whom some dispute seems to have arisen concerning the furnishing of the relays of horses ordered for his use by the venetian government.<br> davila’s work has long been considered one of the primary and most important historical source books of the wars. the first hand experience of its author led greatly to it legitimacy and readability. it is a contemporary history however, and divila’s catholic background and place in the royal court is apparent. <br> the historia is based on first-hand knowledge of events and personalities. sceptical about the religious claims of both sides (catholic and huguenot), davila vividly portrayed the french wars of religion mainly as a struggle between noble factions for the control of the royal government and, within limits, is still a rich source of information for a troubled period of french history. over two hundred editions followed the first.<br> lord bolingbroke, in his fifth letter on the study of history, recommends him very strongly as a writer equal in many respects to livy. the american president, statesman and political thinker john adams wrote his last work of political theory, the discourses on davila, as an extended commentary on davila's history of the french civil wars, following the example of machiavelli's discorsi on livy's history of rome. <br> the translation into english was accomplished by w. aylesbury and charles cotterell whose initials are at the center of the large engraved ornament on the first title-page. samuel pepys was appreciative. aylesbury and cotterell went to the original italian instead of using the version in french which had been widely distributed. later editions would follow, but this first printing is rarely seen on the market, especially in such original condition, fine and unpressed, crisp and clean and in a contemporary binding. wiki