This subject has been treated also in a cameo now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, but in a very summary fashion because of the small size of the piece, which is only 57 millimetres in width by 72 in height. All the essential details of the engraving are reproduced. A description of this interesting cameo will be found under no. 317, in the 'Notice du Cabinet des médailles,' published by M. Chabouillet, one of the conservators of that priceless collection. It has been reproduced, too, in the collection of 'Mémoires de la Société des antiquaires de Morinie,' and the curious feature of the business is that the engraver has taken for his mark the arms of the city of Saint-Omer, which are the Lorraine cross.
II. RECUEIL DES ROIS DE FRANCE, LEURS COURONNE ET MAISON, ENSEMBLE LES RENGS DES GRANDS DE FRANCE, par Jean du Tillet, sieur de la Bussiere, protonotaire et secretaire du roy, greffier de son parlement.—Plus, une chronique abrégée contenant tout ce qui est advenu ... entre les roys et princes ... estrangers, par M. Jean du Tillet, évêque de Maux.[428]
Folio; one volume in two parts, Paris, J. du Puys, 1580.
This volume is an exact reproduction of the manuscript preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale, which I have already described.[429] Although dedicated to Charles IX, the book was prepared for publication at a much earlier date. In fact, the author tells us, in the dedicatory epistle, that he had presented a copy to Henri II; indeed, it seems that he had it prepared for printing at the insistence of the King and Queen, who had promised 'to take care of the expenses.' This fact explains why almost all the portraits of the kings of France, from Clovis to François I, are signed with the Lorraine cross. These portraits are copied from the miniatures of the manuscript, but are on a smaller scale; furthermore they are in oval instead of square borders.
Du Tillet died in 1570, before he was able to carry out his project of printing this work. On August 10, 1578,[430] his heirs obtained a license to publish their 'late father's' work, which finally appeared in 1580; in fact, one part is dated 1579. They made use of the woodcuts bearing the Lorraine cross. Jean du Puys, the publisher,[431] added to the book some portraits which are not in the manuscript (among others those of Henri II and Charles IX), and which consequently do not bear Tory's mark.
Following is a complete list of the portraits contained in this volume, with indication of those not in the manuscript and of those signed with the Lorraine cross.
It will be seen that there are, in all, 10[432] portraits added to those found in the manuscript. For the other princes mentioned in the work, whose features it was impossible to present, empty frames are printed. Naturally, none of the portraits added to du Tillet's book by the editor are marked with the Lorraine cross, and of the other 31, there are only 15[433] on which it is found.
These cuts were reproduced in a great many later editions of du Tillet's work, both folio and quarto. I will mention particularly those of 1586, 1587, 1602, 1607, and 1608.