Historia Delle Guerre Civili Di Frnacia Di Henrico Caterino Davila; Nella Quale Fi Contengono Le Operationi Di Quattro re--Francesco II, Carlo IX, Henrico III and Henrico IIII
Venetia: Presso Paolo Baglioni, 1650. Thick Octavo. Item #025205
[23] 1056 pages, Italian Text. Enrico Caterino Davila's work influenced Clarendon in his writing of the English Civil Wars. He consider Davila as the most worthy to stand besides the ancients [a reference to Tacitus]. Clarendon saw that his account of the French Civil Wars paralleled what had happened in England; in fact, he wrote in his own account that Davila's was written "as our's should be written". Sir Philip Warwick wrote of John Hampden, "He was very well read in history; and I remember the first time I ever saw that of D'Avild of the Civiil Warrs of France, it was lent me under the title of Mr. Hampden's Vade Mecum; and I believe no copy was liker an originall than that rebellion was like ours." (Warwick, Memoirs of the Reigne of King Charles I (London, 1701). For Clarendon, Davila's work was how a political narrative should be written. In other words, he saw history of Davila as an equally Tacitist and Machiavellian interpretation of royal policy under Catherine de Medici, Henry III and Henry IV. The text is printed in Italic except for titles, summaries and index. The title vignette is an armorial etching. Bound in full vellum, raised bands, title in brown ink, some occasional scattered browning or foxing, upper board warping as usual with stiff vellum. A very good copy.
Price: $445.00