4
ORDONNANCES DU ROY (François I), etc.
Quarto, of four signatures (A to D). Paris, 1532.
I have seen only the last signature of this collection. It has a special title-page, embellished by the border of the Colines copies of the Hours of 1524-1525; but the signature letter (D) and the first word of the title demonstrate the existence of at least three others. It seems that Geofroy Tory treated the legislative documents of François I in the sixteenth century as the Imperial printing-office treats the 'Bulletin des Lois' to-day: that is to say, each fold has a title, although it forms a part of the same publication with that which precedes and that which follows.
I transcribe the title of the signature that I have seen,[265] made up of six leaves, that is a sheet and a half quarto[266] (encartées):—
AUTRES ORDONNANCES NOUVELLES DU ROY NOSTRE SIRE SUR LESTAT DES TRESORIERS ET MANYMENT DES FINANCES, PUBLIEES EN LA CHAMBRE DES COMPTES ET AU CONSEIL DE LA TOUR CARREE. (Pot Cassé.) Imprimees a Paris par maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, libraire et imprimeur du Roy. Devant Leglise de la Madeleine, a lenseigne du Pot Casse.—Avec privilege comme il appert cy apres en la fin.
Then follow four ordinances of the king, of the year 1532, 'sur lestat des tresoriers,' etc. They are dated, the first at Hamby, April 19, the second at Châteaubriant, June 14, the third and fourth also at Châteaubriant, May 16. On the recto of the last leaf is the duplicate of the license, in these words:—
'The judges appointed by the king in the Chambre de la Tour Carree to administer the finances, having considered the petition presented by Geofroy Tory, bookseller and king's printer, praying that he may have permission to print the ordinances of late issued by the king touching the administration of his finances and the officers engaged therein, which have been published in said chamber, and that all other booksellers and printers may be forbidden to print or to cause to be printed the said ordinances until the expiration of three years next ensuing, on pain of summary fine, the said judges have permitted and do permit the said Geofroy Tory to print the said ordinances, and forbid all other booksellers and printers to print or cause to be printed the said ordinances for one year,[267] on pain of summary fine. Done at Paris the eighteenth day of July, in the year one thousand five hundred thirty-two. Signed: Bordel.'
On the last page is the beautiful final border of 'Champ fleury,' in which is the Pot Cassé; and beneath it are the words: 'The printing of these present ordinances was finished the twentieth day of July M. D. XXXII, by maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, bookseller and king's printer.'