(Raleigh, Sir Walter) — Nicolas Vignier

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Théatre de L'Antéchrist auquel est respondu au Cardinal Bellarmin, au Sieur de Remon, à Pererius, Ribera, Viegas, Sanderus et autres qui par leur esprits condanment la doctrine des Eglises Réformées sur ce subjet. [La Rochelle: Heirs of H. Haultier], 1610
Ink, paper and cow

4to (11 1/4 x 7 3/4 in.; 286 x 196mm). Engraved title in a large architectural ornament, woodcut initials. Five numismatic plates in text, woodcut head- and tail-pieces, blue fore-edges. Contemporary vellum, gilt (now faded) crest of Sir Walter Raleigh (out of a ducal coronet a conical hat surmounted of a plume of three ostrich feathers) on panels; binding fragile, only supported by one band, laces missing.

Provenance

Sir Walter Raleigh (armorial binding) — Fran[cis?] St. John (signature on endpaper) — The Dukes of Manchester, Kimbolton Castle (nineteenth-century bookplate) — Philip Robinson (letter from W. Oakeshott to him addressed). Sotheby's London, 19 July 1993, lot 223 — acquisition: Purchased at the foregoing sale through Bernard Quaritch

Literature

Delgraves, Répertoire des ouvrages de controverse entre catholiques et protestants en France, 1595–1685, I, 1186; Sir Walter Oakeshott, Sir Walter Raleigh's Library. The Library, 5th Series, vol. 23, 1968, pages 285-327

Catalogue Note

First edition. Sir Walter Raleigh's copy.

The copy is inscribed by an early hand inside the upper cover: "This was S[i]r Walter Raleighs booke." The volume also bears the signature "Fran: St. John." Two members of that wide-spread family had dealing with Walter Raleigh.
Nicolas Vignier was a Huguenot theologian whose Theatre de l'Antechrist was ordered by the Protestant Synod of La Rochelle, the main Reformist place in France. The book was such a violent attack against the Catholics, it was banned by King Henri IV as he was trying to bring back together the people of France after a century of religious wars.

Although this copy does not appear in Oakeshott's inventory of Raleigh's library, there is another work by Vignier père. This copy comes with a letter from Sir Walter Oakeshott explaining that "[he] ha[s] really very little doubt that your book belonged to Raleigh" (Lincoln College, Oxford, 24 July 1962).

Books from Raleigh's library are extremely rare: only two manuscripts and six books are recorded and located.