Histoire du ministère d'Armand Jean du Plessis cardinal duc de Richelieu sous le règne de Louis le juste, XIII. du nom, Roy de France & de Navarre. Avec des reflexions politiques, & diverses lettres, contenants les negociations des affaires de Piedmont & du Montferrat. Divisée en IV. tomes. Corrigée en cette édition, & mise en meilleur ordre.

2 vol., 12mo: [24]-760 [= 758], 645-[1]-92-[2] pp. (sl. browning).

Contemp. overl. vellum, upper covers with gilt coat of arms, flat spine. Very nice copy.

First Elzevirian edition publ. one year after the original, ill. with engr. half-title. Vialart (1592-1644), historian known as Father Charles de Saint-Paul, was Superior General of the Congregation of the Feuillants and Bishop of Avranches. He wrote a well-documented history of Richelieu's actions from 1624 to 1633, with particular emphasis on the singular aspects of his foreign policy. At the end of the second volume are pieces relating to the negotiations for the "Piedmont & Montferrat affairs" in 1639. The first edition (1649) appeared posthumously, five years after Vialart's death. The Parliament of Paris condemned this book to the fire, by judgment of May 11, 1650, because it contained "false, slanderous, scandalous, insulting and impertinent speeches".
Ref. STCN 06139369X. - Barbier 783. - Willems 683. - Rahir 682. - Opac SBN. - BnF. - Not in Opac KBR.
Prov. Unidentified coat of arms. - Rolf Wistrand, Suède (printed and ms. bookpl.).