[BERINUS]. What follows is a description, in the form of a r - Lot 26

[BERINUS]. What follows is a description, in the form of a romance, of the story of the noble knight Berinus. And of the valiant and most chivalrous champion Aygres de laymant, his son. This book is so delightful that it ought to be, above all others, the true path to honor and the exemplar of all chivalry. Recently translated from an unknown language into the common French tongue. Paris, on the Rue Neuve-Notre-Dame. At the image of Saint John the Baptist, s.d. (privilege dated December 18, 1521, granted to Jehan Janot on the reverse of the title page). Small in-4 (192 x 133 mm), blue Jansenist morocco, ribbed spine with gilt title, interior lace, gilt edges (Niédrée, 1846). First edition of this extremely rare chivalric novel. Adapted into prose in the 14th century from a poem likely written a century earlier, it is set in Rome during the Late Roman Empire. Stemming from the tradition of *The Romance of the Seven Sages* and *The Mountain of Aymant*, it recounts the adventures of Berinus and, above all, those of his son Aygres, which will lead the latter all the way to France through a series of twists and turns. Only five manuscripts of this novel are known to exist—one of which is fragmentary—along with four editions, all printed in the 16th century and identical in text. The present edition, the most carefully prepared, published by Jehan Janot under a privilege dated December 18, 1521, is generally considered the first,¹ preceding an edition—also undated—published shortly thereafter by the Widow Trepperel. This was followed by two editions published by Alain Lotrian (undated, c. 1536–47) and Jean Bonfons (undated, after 1547). Our edition is illustrated with 24 woodcuts (including two repetitions), sixteen of which were designed specifically for the text and follow it precisely. These sixteen half-page figures, all of identical square format (111 x 111 mm) and featuring a beautiful, highly expressive archaic style, were reproduced in whole or in part in subsequent editions, with the exception of Lotrian’s edition, for which copies were commissioned. Also noteworthy is the beautiful full-page woodcut depicting Aygres de laimant, opposite the beginning of the prologue. A fine mark by Jehan Janot appears on the verso of the last leaf. All of these editions are extremely rare, with only one or two copies known to exist, almost all of which are held in public collections. Apart from our copy—the only one known to be in private hands—the only other surviving copy of this first edition is the one from the Solar auction (1860, no. 1884), bound in morocco lined with Capé, now at the BNF (Y2-671). The copy is well-preserved, though slightly truncated at the top (the running title is slightly damaged on the first leaf of the prologue). There is restoration at the bottom of the last leaf, with a few words very skillfully rewritten in pen. From the Yemeniz Library (1867, no. 2342). 1- Stéphanie Rambaud, in a study available online titled *Le chevalier Berinus et ses impressions parisiennes, rue Neuve-Notre-Dame* (Studi Francesi, 175, LIX, I, 2015), recently proposed reversing the order of the first two editions. Bechtel (B-88); Brunet (I, col. 788–789).

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