Colet, Claude trans. (fl. 16th century)
L'Histoire Palladienne, Traitant des Gestes & Genereux Faitz d'Armes et d'Amours de Plusieurs Grandz Princes et Seigneurs. Paris: Estienne Groulleau, 1555.First edition, listing only Groulleau as vendor, one of four issues to be sold by Jean Dallier, Vincent Sertenas, Jean Longis, and Groulleau himself; folio, illustrated with thirty-nine woodcut text illustrations (including fifteen repeats) that first appeared in Groulleau's Amadis de Gaule (also translated by Colet); preface by Etienne Jodelle, dedicatory poems by Jodelle, Denisot, and de Magny; bound in full early 19th century tan calf (rebacked) with large gilt arms of John Ker (1740-1804), 3rd Duke of Roxburghe on both boards, sold in the 1812 Roxburghe library sale as lot 6173; gilt corner pieces with crowned initials WSC added circa 1812 for William Spencer Cavendish (1790-1858), 6th Duke of Devonshire; Chatsworth bookplate of William Cavendish (1808-1891), 7th Duke of Devonshire inside front board, 12 3/4 x 8 in.This work has a purported source in a Spanish romance titled Florando de Inglaterra, which, despite the mention of England in the title, takes place in Europe. And although the tale was never published on the Iberian peninsula, it does contain passages that seem to have reached Cervantes. An English translation by Anthony Munday (1553-1633) from Colet's French was published in London in 1588.Brunet I 434 (Dallier issue); rare at auction; Worldcat locates seven copies of all issues and two copies in institutional libraries worldwide of this issue, at the Bodleian & the Beinecke.From the Ken Rapoport Collection.