La Vie, Faictz, Passion, Mort, Resvrrection, Et Ascension, De nostre Seigneur Iesus Christ.
Paris, J. Bienné 1574.
8vo (160 x 103 mm.). 514, [13], [1 blank]p. Woodcut title device of the Royal Printer for Greek.
Mid-18th-century gilt-ruled red morocco (joints rubbed, one upper corner worn), flat spine gilt à la grotesque, all edges gilt.
Only Edition. This life of Christ harmonizes the Gospels in a single narrative in over 1500 lines of vernacular heroic verse. The marginal notes supply summaries, biblical citations and parallels, while the index provides access to episodes in Christ’s life, his parables and his most treasured quotes. Foucqué completed the text by August 1561, but the privilege was not issued until 1574. Accordingly, the book has two dedications to two successive monarchs: François II (r. 1559-60) and Charles IX (r. 1560-74). One copy in U.S. libraries. Some quires lightly stained, small hole in four leaves, one tear with partial loss of a shoulder note; 1773 and 1817 purchase inscriptions on the front flyleaves.
¶Csürös & Bjaï, “Le Long poème narratif à la Renaissance. Tableau chronologique” in Nouvelle Revue du XVIe Siècle 15 (1997) 60; Renouard, Imprimeurs & libraires parisiens du XVIe siècle 3: 668; Cioranesco 10225.
Price: $4,800.00