THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP DE COMINES containing the history of Lewis XI. and Charles VIII. of France and of Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy to which princes he was secretary : with a supplement : as also several original treaties, notes, and observations and lastly the secret history of Lewis XI. out of a book called The scandalous chronicle : and the life of the author, with notes by the famous Sleidan faithfully translated from the late edition of Monsieur Godefroy To which are added remarks on all the occurrences relating to England. in Two Volumes 1712

PHILIP DE COMINES & Uvedale

Published by John Phillips, London, 1712

About this Item

Published in London in 1712 this is an early English edition of the Memoirs of Philippe de Commines (or de Commynes or "Philippe de Comines"; Latin: Philippus Cominaeus; 1447 ? 18 October 1511) He was a writer and diplomat in the courts of Burgundy and France THE MEMOIRS Commines's Memoirs were completed (first published in 1524 in Paris), and is considered a historical record of immense importance, largely because of its author's cynical and forthright attitude to the events and machinations he had witnessed. His writings reveal many of the less savory aspects of the reign of Louis XI, and Commines related them without apology, insisting that the late king's virtues outweighed his vices. He is regarded as a major primary source for 15th century European history. The Mémoires are divided into "books", the first six of which were written between 1488 and 1494, and relate the course of events from the beginning of Commines' career (1464) up to the death of King Louis. The remaining two books were written between 1497 and 1501 (printed in 1528), and deal with the Italian wars, ending in the death of King Charles VIII of France. The deathbed of Philippe de Commines. Commines' scepticism is summed up in his own words: Car ceux qui gagnent en ont toujours l'honneur ("For the honours always go to the winners"). Some have disputed whether his candid phrases disguise a deeper dishonesty. Yet at no time does he attempt to present himself as a hero, even when recounting his military career. His attitude to politics is one of pragmatism, and his ideas are practical and progressive. His reflections on the events he has witnessed are profound by comparison with those of Froissart, who lived a century earlier. His psychological insights into the behaviour of kings are ahead of their time, reminiscent in some ways of the contemporaneous writings of Niccolò Machiavelli. Like Machiavelli, Commines aims to instruct the reader in statecraft, though from a slightly different viewpoint. In particular, he notes how Louis repeatedly got the better of the English, not by military might, but by political machination THE BOOKS the books are bound in old full leather bindings with embossed patterned decoration to boards, just under 8 inches tall, in two volumes with a further work, The Scandalous Chronicle of King Lewis XI King of France bound in at the rear of the second volume CONDITION the bindings are rubbed and worn at edges with cracking to joints, upper board of volume one attached by binding cords only, wear with loss to leather at spine ends and corners, internally there are a number of crested bookplates of former owners with the coats of arms, including Reverend Edward Orlebar Smith of Aspley House in Bedfordshire Gilbert Langdon Hume, and Berkley Seymour, his bookplates have been affixed to the reverse of the title pages heavy browning to edges of endpapers, some wrinkling of paper within else the contents to both volumes generally in nice condition, this is a heavier two volume set, overseas shipping costs will be slightly higher than the basic standard quote.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP DE COMINES containing the history of Lewis XI. and Charles VIII. of France and of Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy to which princes he was secretary : with a supplement : as also several original treaties, notes, and observations and lastly the secret history of Lewis XI. out of a book called The scandalous chronicle : and the life of the author, with notes by the famous Sleidan faithfully translated from the late edition of Monsieur Godefroy To which are added remarks ...
• Publisher: John Phillips, London
• Publication Date: 1712
• Binding: Full-Leather
• Condition: Good