Chapter VI: Section I: Works Written or Annotated by Tory (2)

Do you wish and long to become acquainted with Agnes' urn? See,
where the laurel grows upward to the lofty sky.

On the eighth.

Here lies in death Agnes of memory dear; she could already sing
tripping measures with tender voice.

On the ninth.

Here lies the maiden poet ten years of age, an honour to freeborn
song and maidenhood.

On the tenth.

If you wish to know where Agnes' ashes really lie, they are here;
hesitate not in your belief, but be assured.

On the eleventh.

Do you wish to hear Phœbus and the Muses' selves singing in sweet
strains? Approach this urn, and you will straightway hear.

On the twelfth.

A rising poet, deceased in tender years, lies here with
laurel-crowned maidenhood.

MONITOR _and_ AGNES, _Speakers_.

MON. Answer me a few questions, I pray, maiden poet.

A. I will, provided you ask but few.

MON. I will ask but few.

A. Ask.

MON. What is your mind in death?

A. Of gold.

MON. What is your body?

A. Of dust.

MON. What is your spirit?

A. Of air.

MON. Enough; calm repose and peace be for ever yours.

A. And yours in life a full measure of sweet health.

_Distichs hanging on written tablets from a laurel-tree near the
tomb and urn of Agnes._

On the first tablet.

Here lies a poet, image of distinguished virtue, noble and
illustrious type of nature.

On the second.

Here, with drooping quiver, lie the broken arms which freeborn Love
once used to carry.

On the third.

Pearl, crystal, magnet, and the green emerald gleam with the virgin
poet that lieth here.

On the fourth.

Here will be perpetual spring with various flowers as long as
flashing Phœbus drives his golden chariot.

On the fifth.

Here rest Comeliness and Sport, and Laughter, and Merriment; here is
Love, unarmed, with the laurel-crowned maid.

On the sixth.

Inside this urn is a treasure; touch it not, countless gems are
within it.

On the seventh.

As long as Phœbus shall fill the regions of the heavens with his
rays, here will be violets and flowers, here will be the anise.

On the eighth.

Here abide Love, and Sport, and Laughter, and Merriment, and Wit;
here abide the Muses and the Graces; here abides Apollo.

On the ninth.

Here dwells, with the honey-dropping Muses, a maiden destined to
receive glory and perpetual song.

On the tenth.

Here the earth is green, producing spontaneously marjoram-garlands,
and here it is damp and fertile with vernal dews.

On the eleventh.

Here violets, here flowers, here lilies, garlands, crowns grow
spontaneously, and spontaneously thrive.

On the twelfth.

Here Genius with cruel hand breaks in twain his standards, seeing
that the type of nature has perished.

MONITOR _and_ MAIDENHOOD, _Speakers_.

MON. Ho there! maiden, beauteous with your rosy face, what
do you here, weeping in deep distress?

MA. I am moaning.

MON. What is the reason for your moaning?

MA. The maiden Agnes, whose ashes this earthen urn beside
me holds.

MON. Whence comes this sweet odour to my nostrils?

MA. From the urn, an odour placed there by the Graces,
beings divine.

MON. What did they place there?

MA. Roses and cinnamon, balsam and nard, flowers and
violets, lilies, garlands, and saffron.

MON. Is there marjoram also in the urn, the cyperus with
oil of myrrh?

MA. There is in it every fragrant herb and pleasant odour.

MON. Does the urn, beautifully decked, wear a green crown?

MA. As is fitting and right, it wears a laurel-wreath.

MON. What is the reason?

MA. It contains the rejoicing Muses, who celebrate with
song the rites of the tender maiden.

MON. Do they sing alone?

MA. Alone? No. Phœbus Apollo in the centre tunes his lyre
and performs the mystic rites.

MON. What, then, do you mean, sweetest maid, by this great
moaning, and why do the divinities beside you sweetly sing?

MA. I will tell you the truth. I cannot but willingly weep;
so nobly gifted was she in intellect. But ten years of age, having
followed her father's precepts, she was even then a poet who could
sing in tripping measure.

MON. A mighty miracle of nature you recount to me.

MA. Nothing on this earth can be truer.

MON. Who are these whom I see standing here?

MA. Sport, Merriment, then Gesture, Honour, Virtue, and
festive Love.

MON. And these shattered arms that lie in great numbers
around the urn?

MA. The gods themselves carried them when they were whole.

MON. What will they do now that all these arms have been
thus broken?

MA. They will lament and weep and groan for all time.

MON. Shall you too weep?

MA. I shall weep in sorrow all my days.

MON. Have you a name?

MA. I have.

MON. What is it?

MA. Maidenhood.

MON. Dear one, farewell.

MA. Farewell, dearest Monitor, and forget not her who lieth
here and was once a beautiful maiden.

MONITOR _and_ AGNES, _Speakers_.

MON. Little poet, lying here, all-deserving of famous
praise, may I speak a few words with you?

A. You may.

MON. Who made for you this urn set with brilliant gems?

A. Who? My father, famed in this art.

MON. Your father is certainly an excellent potter.

A. He practises industriously every day the liberal arts.

MON. Does he also write melodies and poems?

A. He does. He also blesses with sweet words this lot of
mine.

MON. Yes, the skill of the man is wonderful.

A. Hardly has any land produced so famous a man.

MON. O maiden happy in such a father!

A. I certainly am so. He also exalts my name to the skies.

MON. I hear the symphony.

A. The Clarian Muses, together with Phœbus, sing their
melodies here with me night and day.

MON. Near you I see the Graces.

A. They tender garlands to me.

MON. Whence do they pluck violets?

A. On the Elysian Hills.

MON. Are there others with you?

A. There are also three divinities.

MON. What are they?

A. Sport, and Love, fair Monitor, and Merriment.

MON. What do they?

A. They lay in place for me holy holocausts, and they fill
the accustomed hearths with tinder and with fire.

MON. Have you long been a goddess of the upper regions?

A. I am becoming a goddess of the upper regions.

MON. If you are a goddess, why do you not have your dear
parents ascend to the heavenly realms?

A. They will both ascend.

MON. But when?

A. When their fates clearly see that it is necessary. Each
man has his fixed day, appointed for him by the fates.

MON. Each man, therefore, has his fixed and immovable day?

A. To every man comes death on a certain day.

MON. Meanwhile what will your father and mother do here on
earth?

A. What? They will perform their holy, sacred duties, and
pray.

MON. Afterwards what will happen?

A. In blessedness they will ascend to the heavenly realms,
when the Heavenly Father above so wills.

MON. I will now go back to my duties.

A. When you wish, of course; live in happiness, and a kind
farewell.

MON. And may you live with the gods above, as a heavenly
intelligence, as a famous constellation, as a benign goddess.

GENIUS _and_ WAYFARER, _Speakers_.

G. Stay a little, I beg, and go no farther, wayfarer,
before looking at this urn and tomb.

W. Who are you?

G. I am Tutelary Genius.

W. What would you have?

G. I wish to converse a little with you here, friend.

W. I am willing.

G. See how a maiden poet, taken away by cruel fate, is
contained in this earthen urn.

W. How old was she?

G. Twice five years.

W. And did she, well-skilled, sing poetic measures?

G. She did.

W. 'Tis a wonder that you tell me of.

G. She wrote festive songs in sweet verse, spontaneously
playing, spontaneously singing.

W. O rare grace of nature! O manifest glory of the gods!
That so tender a maiden should be a poet!

G. 'Twas a song, whatever she by chance wished to utter;
whatever she desired to say, 'twas a song.

W. Whence came to her the source of such a power?

G. From the realms above, whence it is used to come.

W. As one divine, therefore, she wrote charming verses?

G. As one divine, following her own and her father's
precepts.

W. Does her father too compose melodies?

G. He does, he is a poet fair and proper. He is proper and
deft and neat, bright and decent. He is one whom the Muse blesses
with divine song.

W. He is certainly well-deserving of some Mæcenas.

G. Few are the Mæcenases that live in the French world. No
one to-day either encourages the liberal arts by appropriate gifts
or undertakes to encourage them in any way. Uprightness and fair
virtue are in no esteem. So powerful is the sway of unhappy Avarice.
Treachery, deceit, and vice are in the ascendant. Virtues are put in
the background, and every form of wretched evil creeps abroad.

W. What, therefore, does he who is trained by the charming
Muses?

G. He takes pleasure in being able to live in his own house.

W. He ought to go with hurried step to the courts of kings.

G. He does not care to, because he has a free heart. Your
potentates sometimes take pleasure in looking at songs, but what
then? They requite them with nods. Golden songs, drawn from the high
heavens, they should reward with jewels and with pure gold. But,
frivolous as they are, they foolishly give their grand gifts to
fools, spendthrifts, and rogues.

W. Did he educate his own daughter in studies befitting her
birth?

G. He did, and in the fine arts besides.

W. And was she earnest to retain her father's precepts?

G. She had no greater wish than to follow her father's
words.

W. Oh, what a great honour she would have been to her
country and her father, had she lived to undertake the duties of
life.

G. Yes, her glory would have excelled that of all other
girls in French lands. She was distinguished in appearance, her face
was beautiful in its modesty, and she was all compact of golden
words and ways. She drew to herself the hearts of men, young and
old, and made them follow her wishes with constant loyalty.

W. This is a miracle you tell me of.

G. I tell you the truth, wayfarer. She was a mirror of
true-born nobility.

W. Oh, overwhelming grief! Oh, bitter grief and pain! That
such a one could die so suddenly! What will her father do in the
meantime?

G. Bowed down with grief, he will suffer pain of heart and
shed unceasing tears.

W. He would do better to pour forth a flood of prayers to
the heavenly gods and to join to his prayers the last rites to the
dead.

G. He joins the last rites to his prayers and never ceases.
He fills the customary hearths with tinder and fire.

W. O maiden worthy of so deserving a father! O father, too,
blessed in such a daughter!

G. She now shines benign in the glad clouds, like a
radiance newly-risen, like a golden constellation.

W. May she triumph, shining in the ethereal realms, and may
the daughter graciously take her father with her.

G. Go about your affairs, if you will depart, wayfarer.
This is what I wished to say. Friend, farewell.

W. Live in happiness, guardian of the tomb and revealer of
the urn. I go about my affairs diligently and in haste.

Printed at Paris, near the Law School, A.D. 1523, 15th day
of Feb'y.

10

CHAMP FLEVRY AU QUEL EST CONTENU LART & SCIENCE DE LA DEUE &
VRAYE PROPORTIÕ DES LETTRES ATTIQUES, QUŌ DIT AUTREMĒT LETTRES
ANTIQUES, & VULGAIREMENT LETTRES ROMAINES PROPORTIONNEES SELON LE
CORPS & VISAGE HUMAIN.--Ce Liure est Priuilegie pour Dix Ans
Par Le Roy nostre Sire, & est a vendre a Paris sus Petit Pont
a Lenseigne du Pot Casse, par maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges
Libraire, & Autheur du dict Liure. Et par Giles Gourmont aussi
libraire demourant en la Rue sainct Iaques a Lenseigne des Trois
Coronnes.

[Here the Pot Cassé, no. 4 (see p. 45 supra).]

Privilegie povr dix ans.

* * * * *

A small folio of 8 preliminary leaves (signature A), comprising the title, the _privilège_, etc., and LXXX numbered leaves (signatures B to O); in all, 14 signatures. The first and last have 8 leaves each, the others 6.

I have already spoken of this book at considerable length in the first part, and shall refer to it again in the third; but in this place I must at least describe it from a bibliographical standpoint.

On the verso of the title-page which I have just quoted, we read what follows:[225]--

Ce toutal Oeuure est diuise en Trois Liures.

Au Premier Liure est contenue Lexhortation a mettre & ordonner la Lāgue Françoise par certaine Reigle de parler elagāment en bon & plussain Langage François.

Au Segond est traicte de Linuention des Lettres Attiques, & de la conference proportionnalle dicelles au Corps & Visage naturel de Lhomme parfaict. Auec plusieurs belles inuentions & moralitez sus lesdittes Lettres Attiques.

Au Tiers & dernier Liure sont deseignees & proportionnees toutes lesdittes Lettres Attiques selon leur Ordre Abecedaire en leur haulteur & largeur chascune a part soy, en y enseignant leur deue facon & requise pronunciation Latine et Françoise, tant a Lantique maniere que a la Moderne.

En deux Caietz a la fin sont adiouxtees Treze diuerses facōs de Lettres. Cest a scauoir. Lettres Hebraiques. Greques. Latines. Lettres Françoises. & icelles en Quatre facons, qui sont. Cadeaulx. Forme. Bastarde, & Torneure. Puis ensuyuant sont les Lettres Persiennes. Arabiques. Africaines. Turques. & Tartariennes. qui sont toutes cinq en vne mesme Figure Dalphabet. En apres sont les Caldaiques. Les Goffes, quō dit autrement Imperiales & Bullatiques. Les Lettres Phantastiques. Les Vtopiques, quon peut dire Voluntaires. Et finablement Les Lettres Floryes. Auec Linstruction & Maniere de faire Chifres de Lettres pour Bagues dor, pour Tapisseries, Vistres, Paintures & autres chouses que bel & bon semblera.

On the following leaf is the license, an extract from which will be found on a subsequent page (Part 2, § II, no. 2); then a letter from Tory 'à tous vrayz et deuotz Amateurs de bonnes lettres,' beginning thus:--

'Poets, orators, and others learned in letters and sciences, when they have made and composed some work of their studious diligence and their hand, are wont to make gift thereof to some great lord of court or church, commending him by letters and by words of praise to the knowledge of other men; and this in order to please him and to the end that they may be able always to be so welcome in his sight that he shall seem to be obliged and bound to give to them some great gift, some cure or some office, in recompense of the toil and night-watches they have employed in the making and composing of their said works and gifts. I could readily do the same with this little book; but, considering that, if I should give it to one rather than to another, there might arise envy and detraction, I have thought that it would be well and wisely done of me to make of it a gift to ye all, O ye devout lovers of goodly letters! nor to prefer the great to the humble, save in so far as he loves letters the more and is the more at home in virtue.'

Then comes a table, filling eight pages, and another letter of Tory, from which we make a few extracts.

_To the readers of this book, humble greeting._

It is commonly said, and truly said, that there is great natural
virtue in plants, in stones, and in words. To offer examples would
be superfluous, so certainly is it true. But I would that God
might be pleased to give me grace so to prevail by my words and
entreaties that I may persuade some persons that, if they will not
do homage to our French tongue, they will at the least cease to
corrupt it. I find that there be three sorts of men who strive and
exert themselves to corrupt and debase it: they are the 'skimmers
of Latin,' the 'jesters,' and the 'jargoners.' When the skimmers
of Latin say: 'Despumon la verbocination latiale, & transfreton la
Sequane au dilucule & crepuscule, puis deãbulon par les Quadrivies
& Platees de Lutece, & comme verisimiles amorabundes captiuon la
beniuolence de lomnigene & omniforme sexe feminin,'[226] it seems
to me that they make sport not of their fellows alone, but of
themselves. When the jesters, whom I may fairly call 'slashers
[dechiqueteurs] of language,' say: 'Monsieur du Page, si vous ne me
baillez vne lesche du iour, ie me rue a Dieu, & vous dis du cas, vo⁹
aures nasarde sanguine,' they seem to me to do as great harm to our
language as they do to their coats, by slashing and destroying with
contumely that which is of more worth whole than when maliciously
torn and defaced. And in like manner when jargoners[227] make their
remarks in their malicious and wicked jargon, it seems to me not
only that they prove themselves dedicate to the gibbet, but that it
would be well if they had never been born. Although Master François
Villon was in his day mightily ingenious therein, yet would he have
done better to have essayed to do some other more goodly thing....
I consider moreover that there is another sort of men who corrupt
our language even more: they are the innovators and forgers of
new words. If such forgers are not villains, I deem them little
better. Think you that they show great refinement when they say
after drinking that they have 'le Cerueau tout encornimatibule &
emburelicoque dũg tas de mirilifiques & triquedondaines, dung tas
de gringuenauldes & guylleroches qui les fatrouillēt incessammēt?'
I would not quote such foolish words, were it not that my scorn
in thinking of them forces me to do it. 'Si natura negat, facit
indignatio versum....'

Yours in everything,
Geofroy Tory de Bourges.

After this letter comes the text of the book, which occupies, as I have said, eighty numbered leaves.[228]

At the end we read: 'Here endeth this present book ... the printing of which was finished Wednesday the twenty-eighth day of the month of April, in the year 1529, for Maistre Geofroy Tory of Bourges, author of the said book, and bookseller, living in Paris, who has it for sale on the Petit Pont, at the sign of the Pot Casse, and for Giles Gourmont, also a bookseller, living in said Paris, who likewise has it for sale on Rue Sainct Jaques, at the sign of the Trois Couronnes.'[229]

* * * * *

This work was reprinted in 1549, in octavo,[230] with the same woodcuts, but with some variations in other respects.

11

LA TABLE DE LANCIEN PHILOSOPHE CEBES, NATIF DE THEBES, ET
AUDITEUR DARISTOTE. EN LAQUELLE EST DESCRIPTE ET PAINCTE LA VOYE DE
LHOMME HUMAIN TENDANT A VERTUS ET PARFAICTE SCIENCE. AVEC TRENTE
DIALOGUES MORAULX DE LUCIAN, AUTHEUR JADIS GREC. Le tout
pieca translate de grec en langue latine par plusieurs scavans et
recommandables autheurs. Et nagueres translate de latin en vulgaire
françois par maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, libraire, demourant
a Paris, rue Sainct Iaques, devant lescu de Basle, a lenseigne du
Pot Casse. Sont en ung volume ou en deux qui veult, a vendre audict
lieu par ledict translateur, et par Iean Petit, libraire jure en
luniversite de Paris, demourant aussi en la rue Sainct Iaques, a
lenseigne de la Fleur de Lys.

Twelvemo; divided into signatures of 8 leaves. In the first volume, 10 preliminary leaves and signatures A to T; in the second volume, signatures _a_ to _vij_. All the pages are embellished with narrow filleted borders, on some of which the Lorraine cross appears.

On the first page is Tory's Pot Cassé (no. 6), or Jean Petit's mark, according as the copies were issued by one or the other of those publishers, who divided the edition.

On the second leaf is an extract from the license (dated September 18, 1529[231]), in so far as it concerns this book, 'the printing of which was finished the fifth day of October, in the year above named.'

On the third leaf is the dedicatory epistle, the essential part of which is as follows:--

_Geofroy Tory of Bourges doth say and give humble greetings to all
studious and true lovers of excellent pastime in reading._

Horace, a poet of old surnamed Flaccus, hath told us in writing
in his 'Ars Poetica' that philosophers and poets are wont, under
the outer bark of deceitful words, to convey a moral meaning which
may profit us in the knowledge of virtue or give us pleasure in
the charm of their style and their pleasing invention. Wherefore,
seeing this to be true, and reading all day the Table of the ancient
philosopher Cebes, likewise the Dialogues of the very learned and
graceful Greek author Lucian, methought that it would be well done
of me to translate them into our French tongue also, and cause them
to be printed, to the end that each one of you, upon reading the
said Table, may readily recognize what pure virtue is, and may find
honest pleasure in the ingenious and moral Dialogues of the said
Lucian. I offer them with a most humble and devout heart to you,
O scholars and lovers of pure worth! giving you to know that, in
so far as it hath been possible for me so to do, I have followed
the true text, adding nothing of my own thereto, neither using nor
misusing any modification or stuffing whatsoever. I have most gladly
written them down for you in flowing language, in your domestic
mother tongue, without attempting to mix therein refinements of
phrase, strange words, or such language as Carmentes, mother of
Evander, might be unable to understand or decipher. I see some who,
if they should write but six words, four will be either out of use,
or manufactured, or stretched out longer than a spear. Like him who
said in the laments and epitaphs of a king of the Basoche:--

'Au point prefix que spondile et muscule,
Sens vernacule, cartilaige auricule,
DIsis acule, Diana crepuscule,
Et lheure acculle pour son lustre assoupir.'

And a thousand other like sayings which I leave to him. I know not
to whom such language gives pleasure; but to me it seems scarce fair
or fine. It would seem, and yet I misdoubt, as if such a battery of
behorned and overrefined words had come or been hurled down from the
Latin language to ours; for there have been, and there are to this
day many who think that they have done a wondrous thing if they have
written in Latin a strange and unduly long word, like him who said,
and ingeniously none the less: 'Conturbabuntur Constantinopolitani
innumerabilibus sollicitudinibus.' And that other, Hermes by name,
who took such delight in writing long and refined words that he
was hoist with his own petard when another ingenious man composed
against him, in manufactured words, with an armful of syllables, the
distich which follows:--

'Gaudet honorificabilitudinitatibus Hermes,
Consuetudinibus, sollicitudinibus.'

I say this in passing, that you may not expect to find unwonted
words in this your little book. I know that there was once a wise
man and philosopher who said one day to his friend: 'Loquere verbis
presentibus et utere moribus antiquis,' which is to say, 'Speak in
ordinary language and live according to the manners of the good
old days.' In this your said little book you will, I think, find
charm, for it is full of many goodly and ingenious conceits both of
Cebes and of Lucian. I have placed first herein, as I have said, the
Table of this man Cebes, to the end that you may see at the outset
that 'poesis est pictura loquens': a poetical work is a speaking
picture. Touching the Dialogues of the learned Lucian, I have not
included them all, nor translated all; but I have chosen thirty only
of those which in my opinion are the finest and most moral, which
you may readily discover to be not only pleasant to read, but most
profitable in goodly moral teaching. You will accept them then, if
it please you, with kindly face and heart, remembering that with
God's help I will shortly make you some other new gift, to the best
of my ability. And meanwhile I will pray to our Lord Jesus to have
you in his keeping according to your wishes.

From Paris; in all things your devoted servant,
Geofroy Tory.

Follows a long list of errata, and a table of the Dialogues, followed by another letter, 'aux lecteurs des Dialogues de Lucian contenuz en ce present livre.' This letter contains nothing personal to Tory, and I will quote only the closing passage, where, speaking of the Dialogues, he says:--

I believe that, if the ancient and noble painter Zeuxis of
Heracleia, if Raphael of Urbino, Michel Angelo, Leonardo da Vinci,
or Albrecht Dürer should try to paint philosophers and their various
aspects, they could not paint them so well nor so to the life as
our Lucian paints them herein. It will seem to you that you do
verily see them and hear them speak, and that Menippus, before your
wondering eyes, doth fly up to heaven to learn the truth concerning
all the falsehoods of the said philosophers. May God have you in his
keeping according to your noble and goodly desire.

From the University of Paris; in all things your devoted servant,
Geofroy Tory.

At the end of the book, after the Dialogues, Tory introduced a number of moral apothegms and plays upon words, probably of his own invention.

This volume is printed with the type and decorative letters of 'Champ fleury.'

12

SUMMAIRE DE CHRONIQUES, CONTENANS LES VIES, GESTES ET CAS
FORTUITZ DE TOUS LES EMPEREURS DEUROPE, DEPUIS IULES CESAR IUSQUES
A MAXIMILIEN, DERNIER DECEDE.--Avec maintes belles histoires
et mensions de plusieurs roys, ducs, contes, princes, capitaines et
aultres, tant chrestiens que non, tant de hault que de has estat et
condition.--Faict premierement en langue latine par venerable et
discrete personne Iehan Baptiste Egnace, Venicien.--Et translate de
ladicte langue latine en langaige francoys par maistre Geofroy Tory
de Bourges.--On les vend a Paris, a lenseigne du Pot Casse.--Avec
privilege du Roy nostre sire pour X ans.'

Octavo; 16 preliminary leaves (signatures _a_ and _b_), 99 leaves of text, numbered, and 13 leaves of index and errata, not numbered (signatures A to O); in all, 128 leaves, or 16 octavo sheets. All the pages are enclosed in threefold fillets, with compartments running into one another, such as were still used in printing-offices until quite recently. I will remark in passing that the sheets of this book bear only two signature letters each, one on the first page (for the first form), the other on the third page (for the second form), as is the general practice to-day, instead of the four which were commonly inserted, to no useful end.

On the verso of the first leaf, the recto of which is occupied by the title, is printed the king's license, in these terms:--

Francoys, by the grace of God King of France, to the Provost of
Paris, Bailly of Rouen, Seneschal of Lion, and to all other our
justiciars and officials, or to their lieutenants, greeting. Our
dear and well-beloved maistre Geofroy Tory of Bourges, bookseller,
dwelling in our city of Paris, hath caused it to be said and shown
to us that he hath of late translated from the Latin into vernacular
French two books, one having been formerly translated from the
Greek into the Latin by several learned and commendable authors,
entitled: 'La Table du philosophe ancien Cebes, natif de Thebes,
et auditeur Daristote,' together with certain moral Dialogues of
Lucian; the other originally composed in the Latin tongue by Jehan
Baptiste Egnace, entitled: 'Summaire de Chroniques, contenant les
gestes et faictz de tous les empereurs Deurope, depuis Iules Cesar
jusques a Maximilian'; likewise another book, entitled: 'Les Reigles
generales de Lorthographe du langaige francoys'; the which books he
is desirous to print, were it our pleasure to permit him so to do,
and at the same time to forbid all booksellers, printers, and all
other persons whatsoever to print, cause to be printed, or expose
for sale the said books--Wherefore is it that we, having regard to
the trouble and labour which the said Tory hath had herein, have
given unto him license and permission to print, cause to be printed,
and expose for sale at a fair and reasonable price, by himself, his
servants, agents and factors, the said books above described, during
ten years following and subsequent to the printing thereof. Such is
our will, etc. Given at Paris the xxviii day of September, in the
year of grace M. D. XXIX, and of our reign the XV.

Heruoet.

Next comes the following letter of Tory, by way of preface:--

_Geofroy Tory of Bourges, to all studious and true lovers of goodly
reading and profitable pastime, doth humbly bid and offer greeting._

I promised you not long since, in the preface to the Table of Cebes
and the thirty new Dialogues of Lucian, that I would ere long, by
my humble efforts, make for you another new book, which, to my
thinking, might afford you pleasing and useful pastime, by enticing
you to read and see therein things wherewith your mind might well in
due time and place be entertained and deliciously soothed. At this
present time (my most honourable lords), as your humble servant,
who is entirely devoted to you, I present to you a 'Summaire de
Chroniques,' the which I have translated for you, as I translated
the said Cebes and Dialogues, from the Latin into French, to the
best of my poor ability, forewarning you that, after the manner
of Jehan Baptiste Egnatius, the present author, I have neither
modified nor changed the meaning of the story in favour of any man
whatsoever. Nor is my translation made word for word, because that
would have been a too barren style and devoid of charm. I know
that, according to Horace ('nec verbo verbum curabit reddere fidus
interpres'), a translator should not vex his wits about rendering
each word that he translates into a word of his language; but should
retain the meaning and set it forth in the best style that shall
be possible for him. So I have done the best that I could, as well
for the love and respect that I owe you, as not to depart from the
pure truth of history, which is of such nature that it will not
brook to be in any way turned aside from its purity. Marcus Tullius
Cicero doth well enjoin it upon us, when he writes in the second
book of his 'Orator': 'Nam quis nescit primam esse historiæ legem,
ne quid falsi dicere audeat, deinde ne quid veri non audeat, ne
qua suspitio gratiæ sit in scribendo, ne qua simulatis?' 'But who
is there [he says] who does not know that the first law of history
is to dare to tell nothing that is untrue, and to tell the truth
without feigning, to the end that there may be no suspicion of
partiality or of envy in that which one writes?' Of a surety history
should be entirely true, not only for the reasons already given, but
because, as Cicero says a little before the place already quoted:
'Historia est testis temporum, lux veritatis, vita memoriæ, magistra
vitas, et nuncia vetustatis.' 'History [he says] is the testimony
of the times, the torch of truth, the nurse and life of the memory,
teacher and schoolmistress of our life, and messenger of antiquity.'
I have chosen to make you a present of a history, and a history
abridged to the limits of a summary, rather than of something else,
for the reason that while engaging yourselves, you may see therein,
as in a mirror, a thousand excellent things, wherefrom you shall
be able to hear and recognize innumerable useful suggestions which
shall do you good service on occasion in due time and place. Titus
Livius says, in the preface to the first book of his first Decade:
'Hoc illud est precipue in cognitione rerum salubre ac frugiferum,
omnis te exempli documenta in illustri posita monumento intueri,
unde tibi tuasque Reipublicæ quod imitare cupias, unde fœdum
inceptum, fœdum exitu quod vites.' 'It is [he says] peculiarly
good and useful in the knowledge of things, to see and learn in
noble history the teachings of worthy example, by the imitation and
likeness whereof you may choose for yourselves and for your country
that which you ought to imitate and follow, and that which you ought
to avoid as an abomination, at the beginning as well as at the end.'
Take therefore in good part, an it please you, this little work, and
accept it with a gracious face and expression, as of your kindliness
you are wont to do; even so you will invite me, of your courteous
and singular grace, henceforward to do better, with the aid of Our
Lord Iesus, to whom I pray that he will give to you all his love and
blessed grace, at your noble and worthy desire.

At Paris, this X day of April, M. D. XXIX.

On the last leaf of the book we find the Pot Cassé, with these words beneath: 'The printing of this present book was finished at Paris, the XIII day of April, M. D. XXIX,[232] for maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, who sells it in said Paris, at the sign of the Pot Casse.'

The only copy that I have seen of this edition was then owned by

M. Ambroise Didot, who courteously permitted me to examine it at my leisure. It was in its original binding with the Pot Cassé. The book is printed in the 'Champ fleury' type.

There are several other editions. I am familiar with two of them, published by Charles L'Angelier, both in octavo, in 1543 and 1544. M. Hippolyte Boyer mentions one of 1541, in his 'Histoire des Imprimeurs et Libraries de Bourges' (octavo, Bourges, 1854), page 27; but I have not seen it: whereas I have had the privilege of examining the other two. Each of them contains 112 leaves (signatures A to O), plus 4 unnumbered ones. The book is illustrated with engravings of two kinds, in addition to the bookseller's mark on the title-page: the first, reproduced several times, represents an emperor, mounted, holding a battle-axe; it is not signed, but is engraved with much delicacy, and embellished with the little cartouches so much affected by Tory. The others represent busts of emperors roughly engraved, which cannot be the work of that artist.

13

LA PROCESSION DE SOISSONS DEVOTE ET MEMORABLE FAICTE A LA
LOUANGE DE DIEU, POUR LA DELIVRANCE DE NOSSEIGNEURS LES ENFANS
DE FRANCE.--On les vend a Paris, a lenseigne du Pot Casse,
rue Sainct Iaques, devant lescu[233] de Basle, et en la halle de
Beausse, a la mesme enseigne du Pot Casse, devant leglise de la
glorieuse Madalaine, avec privilege pour deux ans.

At the end of the book: 'The printing of this present book was finished the XXIX day of August M. D. XXX, and it is for sale at Paris by maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges.'

Small quarto of 20 leaves with borders, signatures Aij to Cij.

This exceedingly rare little volume has a title-page with a border of arabesques engraved on wood, with the Lorraine cross. Beneath Tory's mark are four Latin verses, probably of his composition, as are the six which bring the narrative to a close and which are entitled: 'Torinus Biturigicus ad Galliam.' On the verso of the title is the preface, dated August 25, 1530, and beginning thus: 'Geofroy Tory of Bourges to the devoted lovers of good reading doth bid and offer humble greeting.'

At the top of leaf Aij we read: 'The order of the grand procession ordained at Soissons by the reverend father in God Monseigneur Iehan Olivier, Abbé de Saint Mard at said Soissons, Councillor to the King our Sire, and Chronicler of France, on Sunday the last day of July in the year of grace one thousand five hundred and thirty, to give thanks to our Lord for the deliverance of our lords the Children of France.'

* * * * *

These particulars are taken from the fifth edition of Brunet's 'Manual de Libraire.' I have not been able to find the volume, despite my thorough search in the various libraries of Paris.

14

ÆDILOQUIUM CEU DISTICHA PARTIBUS ÆDIUM URBANARUM ET RUSTICARUM
SUIS QUÆQUE LOCIS ADSCRIBENDA. ITEM, EPITAPHIA SEPTEM DE AMORUM
ALIQUOT PASSIONIBUS ANTIQUO MORE ET SERMONE VETERI, VIETOQUE
CONFICTA. AUTHORE GOTOFREDO TORINO, BITURIGICO.--Parisiis, apud
Simonem Colinæum. 1530. Cum privilegio ad biennium.[234]

Octavo; 3 sheets, printed in italic. The title is set in an exceedingly graceful border, borrowed from the Hours in octavo of 1527. The verso of the title is blank, and on the second leaf is the following preface:--

_Geofroy Tory of Bourges to the fair reader, greeting._[235]

There are certain eminent painters in this prolific age, most gentle reader, who, by their drawings, paintings, and varied colouring, depict the tribal gods and human beings, as also other things of different sorts, with such exactness that a voice and a soul seem the only things wanting to them; but here, most gentle reader, I offer you, nearly in the manner of these painters, a house, which not only is elegant and finished in its outlines and parts, but speaks prettily and describes itself part by part in a eulogy. I also offer you seven epitaphs, composed and written in the ancient style and in very ancient language. These epitaphs show, in a way that we may call comprehensible, the various affections to which unhappy mortals who are in love are subject. I am, I say, pleased to offer you these, not that you may speak or write in obsolete words such as you here find, but that you may have before your eyes, so bright and full of charm, a sample of antiquity, and may know that you have been thoroughly warned by me to be on your guard against falling into the snares and perplexities of an insane love. Farewell.

* * * * *

In addition to the border of the title-page, the book contains seven exquisite little engravings, corresponding to Tory's seven 'love epitaphs,'--engravings which are certainly his, in design at least, although unsigned. Here is a list of them:--

1. Two hearts pierced by an arrow.

2. Two hearts in a circle.

3. Two hearts bound together by cords.

4. Two hearts in a boat.

5. A pig sniffing at two hearts.

6. Two hearts, a distaff, etc.

7. Two hearts being kicked by a horse.

As for the text of the book, it has been variously judged. Catherinot was delighted with it; but the author of the 'Menagiana' reproves Tory for manufacturing Latin words after the style of the author of the 'Songe du Poliphile' (see supra, page 55, note 2). We have seen that Tory himself did not recommend such words to the reader.

The Bibliothèque Nationale has a copy of this little book, still in its original binding, with the Pot Cassé.

15

SCIENCE POUR SENRICHIR HONNESTEMENT ET FACILEMENT, INTITULEE:
LECONOMIC XENOPHON, NAGUERES TRANSLATEE DE GREC ET LATIN EN LANGAIGE
FRANCOYS PAR MAISTRE GEOFROY TORY DE BOURGES. [Here the Pot
Cassé, no. 4] On les vend a Paris, en la rue Sainct Iaques, devant
lescu de Basle, et devant lesglise de la Magdalaine, a lenseigne du
Pot Casse.--Avec privilege.

Octavo of 9 sheets (signatures _a_ to _i_). As in the 'Sommaire de Chroniques' of Egnasius, there are only two signature marks to the sheet (one for the first form and one for the second), and each page is enclosed in a three-line fillet. The title-page alone is set in a border of arabesques of pleasing design.

On the verso of the title: 'At the aforesaid sign of the Pot Casse there be also for sale Thucydides and Diodorus, with several other excellent books translated from Greek and Latin into French. Likewise there be beautiful Hours and Offices of Our Lady, large, medium, and small, illustrated and vignetted in ancient and modern fashion.'

On the second leaf is an explanation of the words 'Economic' and 'Xenophon'; and on the third a dedication, extracts from which follow.

_Geofroy Tory of Bourges to his most reverend father in God, Antoine
du Prat, Cardinal de Sens, legate in ordinary and Chancellor of
France, doth say and proffer most humble greeting._

After the book treating of the meaning of the ancient letters,
called 'Champ fleury,' the which I composed in the French tongue,
and the 'Table of Cebes,' with thirty moral dialogues, likewise
the 'Sommaire de Chroniques,' the which I translated into our said
tongue,[236] to confer a benefit on the studiously inclined, most
reverend father in God, it hath seemed to me a worthy occupation, if
I should employ myself in translating also the 'Economic Xenophon';
and beneath the shadow of your most honourable wing, first
presenting the same with humble devotion unto you, I have published
the same and placed it in the hands of all virtuous and worthy
persons, to pass the time studiously therewith and therein to find
good counsel for directing their families worthily and increasing
their wealth by honest means.

Wherefore, most reverend father in God, under your venerable favour
and blessing, the studious and veritable lovers of goodly reading
and fruitful occupation will kindly take this little book in their
condescending hands, and all will bear you good will, not for the
book alone, but for that you are he to whom all owe honour and
service, as to whom all the public welfare and all Christendom are
deeply indebted.

I shall continue to be, if it so please you, in your good favour,
and I will pray to Our Lord that he will give you his love according
to your noble and estimable desire.

From Paris this Wednesday, the fifth day of July, M. D.
XXXI.

Following this document, which fills three leaves, comes an epistle from Geofroy Tory of Bourges to 'studious and worthy readers,' by way of preface. It fills two leaves. The eighth leaf is entirely blank. On the ninth, the 'Economic Xenophon' begins, and extends from _b_ to _i_ 4; the fifth and sixth leaves of _i_ contain an 'Epistle from Seigneur Elisee Calense, native of Amphrates, which he sent to Rufinius, guardian of the Emperor Arcadius, replying to him touching the matter of managing his family and of keeping in order his domestic goods and chattels, translated from Latin into French by maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges.'

On the last leaf but one appears a 'duplicate of the license granted to maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, by the King our Sire, for this present book and others named in this said license,' in these words:--

Francoys, by the grace of God King of France, to the Provost of
Paris, Bailly of Rouen, Seneschal of Lyon, and to all other our
justiciars and officials or their deputies, greeting. Our dear
well-beloved maistre Geofroy Tory of Bourges, bookseller, dwelling
in our city of Paris, hath caused it to be made known to us that
he hath of late made and composed in the Latin tongue a certain
book entitled; 'Ædiloquium et Erotica'[237]; likewise, that he
hath translated from Greek and Latin into French the 'Economic
Xenophon'; which books he would fain print, or cause to be
printed, if it should be our pleasure to permit him so to do, at
the same time causing all tradesmen, booksellers, printers, and
other persons whomsoever, to be forbidden to print or to expose
for sale in any manner the said books; and that, if any should be
brought hither by foreigners, other than those of the said Tory's
printing, they may not be sold within our realm during the period
of the four years reckoned from the date of the printing of said
books, with an extension for a like period for certain other books,
illustrations, and vignettes to be printed in the 'Heures et Office
de Nostre Dame' mentioned in two licenses heretofore granted to
him by our favour.[238] Wherefore, having regard and consideration
for the time and toil which it hath cost the said Tory to compile
and translate the said books, and for such expense as it shall be
his pleasure to incur in printing the same,--for these reasons we
have given and granted to him permission to print or cause to be
printed and to offer for sale the said books above mentioned for
four years following and succeeding the printing thereof. And so
we command you, that by virtue of this our present favour, warrant
and permission, you do allow the said petitioner to use and enjoy
the same, and do forbid in our name all tradesmen, printers,
booksellers, to print or cause to be printed, or to expose for
sale in any manner the said books during four years, on pain of
twenty-five silver marcs to be paid to us, and confiscation of the
books as to which they shall have been guilty; for such is our
pleasure. Given at Vannes, the XVIII day of June in the
year of grace one thousand five hundred thirty-one, and of our reign
the seventeenth.--Signed, Heruoet.

On the last page: 'The printing of this present book was finished by maistre Geofroy Tory of Bourges Wednesday the fifth day of July in the year M. D. XXXI. And it is for sale at Paris, opposite the "Escu de Basle," Rue Sainct Iaques, and opposite the Church of La Magdeleine, at the sign of the ("a leeseigne [_sic_] du") Pot Casse.'

The description we have given is that of the very complete copy owned by M. Ambroise Didot. M. Chedeau, an attorney at Saumur, owned a copy the title-page of which is different. It reads thus:--

ECONOMIC DE XENOPHON, CEST A DIRE: DOMESTIQUES INSTITUTIONS
ET ENSEIGNEMENS POUR BIEN REGIR SA FAMILLE ET AUGMENTER SON BIEN
PARTICULIER. IADIS COMPOSE EN GREC PAR LANCIEN AUTHEUR XENOPHON, ET
TRANSLATE DE GREC ET LATIN EN LANGAIGE FRANÇOIS PAR MAISTRE TORY DE
BOURGES. [Here the Pot Cassé.] Imprimees a Paris, a lenseigne
du Pot Casse, par ledict maistre Geofroy Tory, marchant libraire et
imprimeur du roy.--Avec privilege.

This title-page has the same border and the same form of the Pot Cassé as the other copy; but it has not on the verso the little list of other publications which we find on the latter, and which we have reproduced above. As the first signature (A) of M. Chedeau's copy lacks four leaves, we cannot say whether there are other differences in that signature; but as to the other signatures, B to I, they are identical in the two copies. Thus we find in both the error to which we called attention above in the word 'enseigne' [printed 'eeseigne'], in the final note; better still, this error has been corrected by hand, in the same way, in both copies, probably by Tory himself. Which of the two is the earlier? I should not venture to say; however, it seems to me that the additional matter on the verso of the title-page of M. Didot's copy tends to prove that it is the later of the two. In any event, the interval between the two impressions cannot have been a long one. If I interpret rightly certain circumstances, the first signature, which had been kept in type (as is proved by a number of typographical defects which appear in both copies), was reprinted at the same time with the last signature. Tory's dedicatory epistle, in M. Didot's copy, is dated July 5, the day when the printing of the book was finished according to the final note. Now, to make it possible for him to affix this date to his preliminary epistle, we must concede that it had been kept in type until the book was finished. But may it not be that no date was affixed on the first signature of the first impression? That is a question that I am unable to answer, in view of the imperfect state of M. Chedeau's copy. It may be, too, that the first signature was reprinted in order to announce Tory's new address, he having very recently installed his printing establishment in the famous old Halle au Blé de Beauce, on Rue de la Juiverie, opposite the Church of La Madeleine. For it will be observed that this address does not appear on the title-page of M. Chedeau's copy, although we do find it in the note on the last page.

This volume is printed in the 'Champ fleury' type.

16

POLITIQUES DE PLUTARCHE, CEST A DIRE: CIVILES INSTITUTIONS
ET ENSEIGNEMENS POUR BIEN REGIR LA CHOSE PU[BLIQUE], IADIS
COMPOSEES EN GREC PAR PLUTARCHE, ET DEPUIS TRANSLATEES DE GREC
EN LATIN PAR LE SEIGNEUR NICOLE SAGUNDIN, ET A PRESENT DE LANGUE
GRECQUE ET LATINE EN LANGAIGE FRANÇOIS PAR MAISTRE GEOFROY TORY
DE BOURGES.--Dediees par le dit autheur a lempereur Trajan,
et par le translateur en langaige françois a tresilustre et plain
de bon espoir en toute heureuse vertu, son seigneur, François de
Vallois, Daulphin de France. [Here the Pot Cassé, no. 4.] Imprimees
en Paris, a lenseigne de Pot Casse, par maistre Geofroy Tory de
Bourges, marchant libraire et imprimeur du Roy.--Avec privilege
tresample.[239]

Octavo, of 8 preliminary unnumbered leaves, and 67 numbered leaves of text (signatures A to Iij). The pages have no borders. There are marginal remarks. The type and the ornamental letters are the same as in 'Champ fleury.'

On the second leaf is the following dedicatory epistle:--

_Geofroy Tory de Bourges to his most debonair lord, François de
Vallois, Daulphin de France, doth say and proffer most humble
greeting._

My lord, while translating this little book, I have oftentimes
reflected to whom of all my good friends I should the sooner
dedicate it, or whether I should dedicate it (as I have heretofore
done with certain other books which I have composed and translated
into the French tongue) to all studious and genuine lovers of
excellent reading and worthy pastime. But in fine, knowing thy
virtuous nature, likewise the mirror of all goodness and perfect
nobility wherein thou dost abundantly excel, and art ever disposed
for every blessed and goodly enterprise, I have considered that
before all other living men, of what state soever they may be, it
is to thy glorious lordship that I ought and am in duty bounden to
consecrate it, since it is thou under whom the public, not of France
alone, but of all Christendom, has its hope of living hereafter in
all felicity. I dedicate it to thee, not forgetting that thou hast
thy noble father the King, who, as Philip of Macedon did of yore to
his son Alexander, doth set before thee noble and goodly instruction
and examples of upright living; but also to the end that thou mayst
by times amuse thyself and read the excellent tales and teachings
which are marshalled herein as in a well-chosen library; and also
that, following thy noble and generous example, the studiously
inclined may, by reading the same, worthily profit thereby. Thou
mayst find herein many excellent passages, which will sometimes help
to comfort thee, and will be in some degree the means whereby thou
and thy Realm, with the grace of God, wilt ever prosper more and
more.

Paris, this XIIII day of June, M. D. XXXII.

On the verso of the last leaf: 'The printing of this present book was finished Saturday the XV day of June, M. D. XXXII, by maistre Geofroy Tory of Bourges, bookseller and king's printer, living in Paris, opposite the church of La Magdeleine, at the sign of the Pot Casse.' [Here the Pot Cassé, no. 9.]

I have seen two copies of this book, one in M. Didot's library, the other in M. Alkan's.