Eight volumes from the library of Louis de Sainte-Maure are known. Three are recueils, containing altogether 22 separately published editions of Cicero’s orations, from the Parisian presses of Josse Bade, Michel de Vascosan, and Simon de Colines, printed 1532-1547; four are works of ancient or modern history, published at Lyon or Basel, printed 1556-1558; and one is Jean de Maumont’s French translation of the collected works of the Christian apologist Saint Justin Martyr, printed at Paris by Michel de Vascosan in 1559, and the latest book of the group.
Louis de Sainte-Maure was the second son of Jean III de Sainte-Maure, comte de Nesle et de Joigny, and Anne d’Humières. In January 1545, in anticipation of his marriage to Renée de Rieux (1524-1567; after 1547, known as Guyonne, comtesse de Laval), François I granted him the title of marquis, which is lettered upon all eight bindings. Upon the death in May 1547 of her uncle, Guy XVII, said to have been stabbed by Henri II during a quarrel, the Laval estate passed to the couple, and Louis de Sainte-Maure (now denominated Guy XVIII) is said to have transferred the rich Laval library to Nesle in Picardie.1 His three titles of nobility (Nesle, Laval, Joigny) are lettered on several bindings; a motto “In via Virtuti nulla est via” on one.
The three recueils (nos. 1-3 below) and the Plinius (no. 6) were bound ca 1550-1555 in the Parisian atelier designated the “Cupid’s Bow Binder”. The Giovio (no. 5) was bound in Lyon ca 1556-1558 by the “Medallions of Henri II Binder”. The luxurious binding on the Saint Justin Martyr is from an as yet unidentified shop. The “Prologue du Roy” in this book is subscribed by Jean de Maumont, at Paris, 10 June 1559, and the colophon dated July 1559. It was given a binding date of ca 1559 by Paul Culot, but more likely was bound in the mid-1560s. On 27 May 1559, Louis de Sainte-Maure stood together with Frédéric de Foix, Gaston de Foix, and Antoine du Prat in the palace of Westminster, and surrendered himself into custody, in accordance with the terms of the recently-concluded treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis. The hostages were visited in London sometime during 1560 by Pierre Boaistuau; in 1562, all except Du Prat were released. The binding on the Du Choul (1556) may also date from the early or mid-1560s. The Polybius (1558) has very recently come to our notice and no details of its binding are yet available.
After the death of Renée, Louis de Sainte-Maure married Madeleine Olivier. Her remarriage after his own death (9 September 1572) was the occasion for producing an “Inventaire après décès” which might contain information about his library.2
1. Maucourt de Bourjolly, Memoire chronologique sur la ville de Laval (Paris 1888), II, pp.3-4.
2. Archives nationales, Minutes et répertoires du notaire Pierre Dutot, 18 avril 1560 - 4 décembre 1581 (étude XXIV).
(1) Marcus Tullius Cicero, [recueil of 6 books, 1532-1543] (1) Oratio pro P. Quintio (Paris: Michel de Vascosan, 1543), bound with (2) Cicero, Oratio pro Sex. Roscio Amerino (Paris: Michel de Vascosan, 1541), bound with (3) Cicero, Pro Q. Roscio Comoedo M. T. Ciceronis Orationis quod extat Fragmentum (Paris: Josse Bade, 1532), bound with (4) Cicero, Actionum in Verrem Libri quatuor (Paris: Michel de Vascosan, 1539), bound with (5) Cicero, Pro M. Fonteio Oratio (Paris: Josse Bade, 1533), bound with (6) Cicero, Pro A. Cecinna Oratio (Paris: Simon de Colines, 1540)
(a) Lucanus, Pharsalia (Paris: Josse Bade, 1506)
provenance
● John Blacker (d. 1896)
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, Catalogue of a remarkable collection of books in magnificent modern bindings formed by an amateur (Recently deceased), London, 11 November 1897, lot 62 (“brown calf, ornamental back, the sides covered with elaborate geometrical line and floriate scrolls in black and gold, with name ‘Loys de Sainct-Maure’ in upper cover and motto in the under, edges gilt, gauffred and painted in ornaments” [link]) [RBH Nov111897-62]
● Bernard Quaritch, London - bought in sale (£10)
(b) Gaius Iulius Solinus, Rervm Toto Orbe Memorabilivm Thesaurus locupletissimus (Basel: Michael Isengrin, 1543)
provenance
● John Blacker (d. 1896)
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, Catalogue of a remarkable collection of books in magnificent modern bindings formed by an amateur (Recently deceased), London, 11 November 1897, lot 94 (“ruled in red … brown calf, sides inlaid with ornamental scroll frames and fleurons in various colours, within an outer border of red, name, ‘Loys de sainct maure’ on upper cover and motto, ‘Invia virtutis nulla est via’ on the under, gilt and ornamental gauffred edges” [link]) [RBH Nov111897-94]
● Sabin - bought in sale (£11 5s)
● Anderson Galleries, Selections from the private library of the late George Merryweather … and others, New York, 19-20 November 1930, lot 260 (“An immaculate copy in a Grolieresque binding. Woodcuts maps and floriated initials. Folio, old brown calf, gilt tooled back, sides ornamented with a pattern composed of interlaced strapwork and scrolls painted in white, green, blue, red, and yellow, with small ornaments tooled in gilt; the front cover carries the legend Loys de Saincte Maure, and the back cover the motto In via virtuti nulla est via; gilt gauffered edges.”) [RBH 3864-260]
● unidentified owner - bought in sale ($55)