[308] This Perot was a favourite huntsman of whom François I speaks in one of his letters to the Connétable de Montmorency: 'I am obliged to confess that we lost the stag, and Perot has buried himself; he dares not show himself in my presence.' M. Génin, who published this letter among the pièces justificatives of his edition of the Lettres de la Reine de Navarre (8vo, Paris, 1841; p. 468), says in a note to the name Perot that he was a dog. I should probably have made the same mistake, had I not, even before I saw this miniature, made the acquaintance of the huntsman in question upon reading the accounts of the expenditure of François I, the lists of his household, and the rolls of receipts given to his treasurer. I find, for example, under date of July 12, 1531: 'Due to Perot de Ruthie, in payment of such emoluments and privileges as he has by virtue of his office of keeper of the park and castle of Saincte Jame, and of the forests and four ponds of Raiz.' Five years later, I find this entry: 'To Perot de Ruthie, to be used for the necessary expenses of sending for and causing to be brought to him a part of the dogs, with their whippers-in, from his kennels in the forest of Chenonces.' (Roll of Receipts for 1536). Still later, he became lieutenant of venery and gentleman of the chamber. He was one of those favoured retainers who know how to make their way.
[309] Library of S. A. R. le Duc d'Aumale, at Twickenham, near London.
[310] [The Duc d'Aumale (fourth son of Louis Philippe), who lived in exile in England during the Second Empire, returned to France soon after the fall of Louis Napoleon, and held a notable position in society, politics, and literature, until his death in 1897. By his will he left his Château of Chantilly, with his very valuable collections, to the Institut de France, in trust for the French nation. The translator regrets his inability to state definitely the present whereabouts of volume 1.]
[311] Octavo, 1810; p. 124, no. 880.
[312] According to information supplied to me from England, it would seem that this fine manuscript is to-day [1865] in the library of the Duke of Hamilton (Hamilton House, 22 Arlington St., Piccadilly, London).
[313] [This description is copied verbatim from the Repertorium, by M. Bernard; the English is evidently a translation of some French original.]
[314] See the following section, under the date of 1535 (infra, p. [205]).
[315] See the following section, under the date of 1549 (infra, p. [234]).
[316] See what is said of this MS. in Le Prince's Essai historique sur la Bibliothèque du Roi, edit. 1856, pp. 28 and 47.
[317] See what I have to say later on this subject under the heading 'Engravings of Uncertain Date' (infra, p. 255).—According to M. Brunet (Manuel de Libraire, 5th edit., vol. ii, col. 929), the first edition of this book was published at Rouen in 1577, under this title: Mémoires et recherches touchant plusieurs choses mémorables pour l'intelligence de l'estat et des affaires de France. But I find it difficult to credit the accuracy of this statement, as the edition of 1580 prints a license dated no earlier than August 10, 1578.