CHARTIER, Alain (Gilles Le Bouvier). Les Croniques du feu roy Charles septiesme de ce nom que Dieu absoulle contenans les faits et gestes dudit seigneur lequel trouva le royaulme en grant desolation et neantmoins le laissa paisible. Ladvenement de la pucelle faits et gestes dicelle et autres choses singulieres advenues de son temps. Rédigées par escript par feu maistre Alain Chartier homme bien estime en son temps secretaire dudcit feu roy Charles VIIe. Avec privilège.

Rare and sought-after literary and historical first edition about Joan of Arc epic and Charles VII’s reign (1403-1461), the period of unrest caused by the Hundred Year’s War and the final victory.

“The volume that we just described is the first edition of Charles VII’s Chronicle. This work that, in most of the manuscripts, doesn’t bear an author name, was attributed at that time to Alain Chartier. The name of the poet appears once again in the reprinting of Nevers, Pierre Roussin, 1594, 4to; and André Du Chesne also inserted the chronicle in his edition of the works of Alain Chartier, 1617. Later, the manuscript of Bigot, today preserved at the National Library (fr. 2860), allowed Du Chesne to correct his mistake and revealed the name of the author, Gilles Le Bouvier, called Berry”. (Catalogue James de Rotschild, II, 2099).

The author starts his chronicle in 1402, the year Charles VII was born. This prince becomes from 1417 the main point of the account. The chronicler gives a detailed and lively picture of the reign and ends his account with the death of the king on the 22^nd of July 1461.

The edition contains a title in red and black with a lovely historiated initial under which is printed the mark “with an elephant” of François Regnault.

On the second leaf, a woodcut depicting a doctor teaching his pupils, precedes the prologue. The back of this same leaf contains the wood engraved portrait of the king, surmounted by the motto “Espoir en dieu”, and the beginning of the chronicle.

The text is illustrated with numerous decorated initials and comes with summaries printed as marginalia.

Born in Bourges in 1386, the author, Gilles le Bouvier, was introduced to the court at the age of 16 years old under the sponsorship of Jean, duc de Berry; he obtained from Charles VII, then the Prince Regent, the office of herald in 1420. Several times under the reign of Charles VII, G. le Bouvier took part in important military and diplomatic operations.

Fine copies of this literary and historical first edition have always aroused high bids.

Brunet’s Supplement quotes, in the 1870’s, the 920 gold francs reached by Potier’s copy (apparently the present copy) bound in morocco by Trautz; compared with the first edition of Montaigne’s Essays printed in Bordeaux in 1580, bound in old calf, that reached 1420 gold francs at the same Potier sale (current value: 500 000 €).

A superb wide-margined copy (height: 256 mm, compared to 239 mm for the copy of the marquis of Serrant, bound in 17^th century calf).

References : Tchemerzine ii, 335 ; Brunet I, 1816 ; Cat. James de Rothschild, II, 2099 ; Institut de France, manuscrit Godefroy 242.