Les diverses leçons de Pierre Messie, gentilhomme de Seuile, contenans la lecture de variables histoires, & autres choses mémorables, mises en françoys par Claude Gruget Parisien. Le tout reveu & corrigé par ledit Gruget.

16mo: [10]-380 ff. (gnawed at in begin. and end, with more important marg. lacks at end, tear strengthened on title, cut short, sl. damp stain on last quires).

Contemp. vellum, ink-titled flat spine (corners missing, label on spine, staining, front flyleaves missing, ms. notes on front pastedown).

Extremely rare edition of a Renaissance classic (1st in Spanish 1540) in a translation by Cl. Gruget (1st 1552). Encyclopedic miscellany compiled on ancient authors (Plutarch, Pliny the Elder, Aulus Gellius...) dealing with various subjects: pope Joan, Amazones, Muhammad, the greatness of the Roman Empire, the opinion of ancient Emperors on Christ, the art of swimming, bull's blood (that kills those who drink it), who was the first to plant vines and to put water in wine, the first bookshop in the world, etc. The humanist and historian Mexía (1497-1551) was the official chronicler of the court of Charles V. Printer's mark on title. Ms. marginalia from various hands.
Ref. Cp. STC French 312 (Cavelier 1557 ed.). - Cp. Adams, Brunet, Cioranescu (other ed.).
Prov. Contemp. ms. entries on title.