VITEL (Jean de). Les premiers exercices poëtiques de Jan de - Lot 41

VITEL (Jean de). Les premiers exercices poëtiques de Jan de Vitel, avranchois. Contenans l'Hynne de Pallas. La prinse du Mont Saint-Michel Discours, Eclogues, Odes, Elégies & Tombeaux A Paris, chez Prévosteau, 1588. In-12, red morocco, spine ornate, gilt foliage in center and corners, framed with 3 gilt wires, inner tooth, gilt tr. (Trautz-Bauzonnet). ORIGINAL EDITION, OF A RARE INSIGHT, OF WHICH ONLY FOUR OTHER EXEMPLAIRES ARE KNOWN, three of which are in public libraries (Bibl. Mazarine, Avranches and Caen), the fourth belonged to the Count of Auffey. Jean Vitel, born at Manoir de Lentilles, commune of Poilly, near Avances on February 17, 1569, was a poet and writer from the Manche region. Edouard Le Héricher begins his biography as follows: "The great movement of the Renaissance gave birth in the Avranchin region to a poet who deserves to be known for several reasons. Firstly, copies of his works have become very rare; secondly, his literary originality and national merit consist in having taken the imitation of antiquity perhaps further than anyone else, and in having exaggerated his master Ronsard, who is for him the divine Vendosmois. His local interest is indisputable, since in addition to his Avranchinois origins, he sang, symbolically or directly, of the country's great families, its great religious establishments such as Avranches Cathedral, Montmorel Abbey and Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. His main poem, la Prinse du Mont-Saint-Michel, celebrates an important event, the recapture of this abbey-fortress by Lamoricière de Vicques from Montgommery's soldiers, who had disguised themselves as pilgrims." A SUPERB RULED COPY, IN A FINE DECORATED BINDING BY TRAUTZ. (Small repair to ff. 197). Provenance: - Bancel library (ex-libris), - Bibliothèque Techener (II, 378), - Bibliothèque de la Germonière (ex-libris, sale April 29, 1966, no. 322).