AMADIS DE GAULE, French translation by Nic. de Herberay, Seigneur des Essarts, for the first eight books; first edition printed between 1540 and 1548, by Denis Janot, for the booksellers, Vincent Sertenas, Estienne Groullau, and Jean Longis. Folio, with engravings.
I have seen only two of these engravings signed with the Lorraine cross, but several others seem to have come from the same workshop. The great majority of them, however, are of another make. The two that are signed are: (1) Book II, chap. 2, a large plate representing a sort of temple. A man armed cap-à-pie under a portico. At the right are shields hanging upon posts; at the left, a man kneeling on the ground, holding a naked sword in the air with his right hand, and another hand grasping it. This represents a scene from the 'Île Ferme.' (2) Book VI, chap. 56, a small plate representing four persons on horseback near a château in front of which stands an armed man. This cut does not seem to have any connection with the subject, and may well have been taken from another older work.
There is a copy of this book on vellum in the Bibliothèque Nationale.
1541
I. PRAXIS CRIMINIS PERSEQUENDI, ELEGANTIBUS ALIQUOT FIGURIS ILLUSTRATA, JOANNE MILLÆO ... AUCTORE.
Folio; Paris, Simon de Colines, 1541. Some copies have on the title-page only the names of the brothers Arnould and Charles les Angeliers. (Bibliothèque Nationale.)
There are in this book thirteen large folio cuts, besides the frontispiece. A single one, the seventh, is signed, but all are by the same hand. Following is a description of them, or, rather, a brief list; for a description would lead us into too minute details:[381]—
- 1. Several men slain in divers ways, on a public square where there is a large crucifix.
- 2. Examination of the bodies of the wounded lying in a room.
- 3. Examination of the witnesses.
- 4. The accused summoned by public outcry.
- 5. Arrest of the accused.
- 6. Examination of the accused.
- 7. Confrontation of the witnesses with the accused (signed).
- 8. Ratification of decree of pardon.
- 9. Torture by water.
- 10. Torture by the boots.
- 11. Torture by compressing the wrists.
- 12. Condemnation of the guilty.
- 13. Execution of the guilty.
There is at the Bibliothèque Nationale a magnificent copy of this book on vellum, with the arms of France in miniature on the verso of the title-page.