[GOULART (Simon)] - [LA BOÉTIE] - Lot 484

[GOULART (Simon)] - [LA BOÉTIE] Mémoires de l'estat de la France sous Charles neuviesme contenant les choses plus notables, faites & publiées tant par les catholiques que par ceux de la religion Meidelbourg, Wolf, 1578. (Suivi de) [SERRE (Jean de)] : Mémoires de la troisième guerre civile et des derniers troubles de France. Composées en quatre livres, contenans les causes, occasions, ouverture & poursuite d'icelle guerre. Slne, 1671. 2 works in 3 volumes in-8: 8f., 655f., (9) / 6f., 630f. / 494f., 2f. - 4f., 484pp. 2f. Paper loss in outer margin of one leaf and worm marks at foot of last table leaves (vol. I). Contemporary granulated fawn calf, spine ribbed and decorated, 2 headpieces stretched, jaws cracked at the entrances, slight rubbing, gilt roulette on the edges, red speckled edges. Second edition (the original appeared in 1576) of this important collection of the Memoirs of Charles IX. Contains the first edition of the famous "Discours de la servitude volontaire" by Étienne de la Boétie (the text begins on page 116 of Volume III), a violent diatribe against the monarchy. This treatise, the author's most important, is one of the finest pieces of French prose to have come down to us from the 16th century. Second edition by Jean de Serres, brother of the famous agronomist Olivier de Serres, appointed historiographer of France in 1597.