Mémoires d’Estat

2 parts in one octavo volume, ivory vellum, gilt armorials at the center, smooth spine titled in ink, smooth edges.

184 x 110 mm.

Villeroy. State Memoirs by Monsieur de Villeroy, State Counselor and Secretary of the Commands of Kings Charles IX, Henri III, Henry IV and of Louis XIII, currently reigning.In Sedan, according to the copy printed in Paris by Jean Houzé, 1622.Second volume of the State Memoirs collected from various manuscripts following those of Monsieur de Villeroy.Paris, Samuel Thiboust, 1625.

Contemporary binding. Volume I: 4 leaves; 618 pages, 19 leaves of tables. Volume II: 8 leaves; 664 pages.

Collected edition of the first two parts of theState Memoirs of Villeroy. A third and fourth part appeared in 1623 and 1626.

The first three parts were reprinted in 1665 and then at Trevoux in 1729, “but the very first editions should be preferred”.

They were reprinted again in the “Collection of Memoirs Relating to the History of France”, then in the Petitot collection.

“Nicolas de Neufville, Lord of Villeroi (1542–1617), was considered, from the age of 18, to be a skilled politician; and Queen Catherine de’ Medici, whose confidence he had earned, employed him in two important negotiations, in Spain and in Italy. Having married the daughter of l’Aubespine, he succeeded him not long after (1567) in the position of Secretary of State. Without losing his influence with the Queen Mother, he gained the favor of Charles IX, who frequently admitted him to his intimacy. It is known that it was to Villeroi that the prince dictated his Treaty of the Hunt, printed in 1625, and his Epistle to Ronsard.… Commissioned by the Duke of Mayenne to enter into negotiations with Henry IV, he had several conferences with the prince. Villeroi did not conceal his prejudices against the Protestants, whom he accused of being the true instigators of the League. As soon as Henry IV abjured, Villeroi hastened to recognize him as the only legitimate sovereign. In 1594, he was reinstated as Secretary of State.”After the death of Henry IV, Villeroi retained his position and used his influence with Marie de’ Medici to approve the system of alliance with Spain, which had been long opposed by Sully as contrary to the true interests of France.”

The political longevity of this statesman, who took part in the government of France under Catherine de’ Medici, Charles IX, Henri III, Henry IV, and Louis XIII, allows us to count these “Memoirs” among the most interesting of the 16th century.

The last copy of the State Memoirs by Monsieur de Villeroy to appear on the market — 4 volumes bound in contemporary vellum without armorial bearings, with margins 8 mm shorter — was catalogued and sold for €11,000 in May 2005 (Ref: Livres Précieux, May 2005, no. 72).

Superb large-margined copy preserved in its contemporary ivory vellum with the arms of the Savignac family, which provided many magistrates to the Cour des Aides of Montauban.