Ronsard. Ronsardi exhortatio ...

Pierre de Ronsard. Ronsardi exhortatio ad milites Gallos ...

Gordon 1558 .R65

Ronsardi exhortatio ad milites Gallos, latinis versibus de gallicis expressa a Io. Aurato Lemovice.

Paris : André Wechel, 1558.

This is the Latin translation by Jean Dorat of the Exhortation au Camp du Roy pour bien combatre le jour de la bataille published by Ronsard in July 1558 (Paris, A. Wechel).  We can suppose that the Latin translation produced by Dorat, royal poet and former teacher of Ronsard who had previously translated Ronsard’s Hymne de Bacus (1555), was published shortly after the French Exhortation.  In this poem, Ronsard in preparation of the battle between the French and the Spanish troops urges the French soldiers to defend the monarch and the land of France.  The treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis (1559), however, ended the threats of a war.

The Gordon copy was bound by G. Huser.

Bibliography: François Rouget, Pierre de Ronsard, Bibliographie des Écrivains Français, Paris-Rome, Memini, 2005, n° 602.


Ronsard. Discours ...

Pierre de Ronsard. Discours a treshault et trespuissant prince, Monseigneur le Duc de Savoye ...

Gordon 1559 .R65

Discours a treshault et trespuissant prince, Monseigneur le Duc de Savoye.  Chant pastoral a Madame Marguerite, Duchesse de Savoye. Plus XXIIII Inscriptions en faveur de quelques grands seigneurs [...]

Paris : Robert Estienne, 1559.

This short book celebrates the peace between France and Spain thanks to the political alliance which emerged from the marriage of Philibert-Emmanuel of Savoie and princess Marguerite of Berry, daughter of king Henri II.  The publication of this book was delayed by the death of the French king, on July 10.

The Gordon copy was elegantly bound by Godillot.

Bibliography: Jean Paul Barbier, Ma Bibliothèque poétique, Deuxième partie: Ronsard, Genève, Droz, 1990, n° 26; François Rouget, Pierre de Ronsard, Bibliographie des Écrivains Français, Paris-Rome, Memini, 2005, n° 88.


Ronsard. La Franciade

Pierre de Ronsard. Les Quatre premiers livre [sic] de la Franciade

Gordon 1572 .R65

Les Quatre premiers livre [sic] de la Franciade. Au Roy treschrestien Charles Neufieme de ce nom.

Paris : Gabriel Buon, 1572.

This is the original edition of La Franciade, the first four parts of the epic of Francus, the legendary hero representing the history of France since its origins. This ronsardian epic had been awaited for a long time but was published only in 1572 at the request of King Charles IX.  The book, however, was never completed. Some critics have attributed its 'failure' to a number of causes: the use of decasyllabic verse, the choice of an artificial subject, excessive erudition...  Nonetheless, in spite of the numerous criticisms against it, this book was an editorial success (4 editions in 1572-1574).

This Gordon copy was bound by Godillot.

Bibliography: Jean Paul Barbier, Ma Bibliothèque poétique, Deuxième partie: Ronsard, Genève, Droz, 1990, n° 51 and 52; N. Ducimetière, Mignonne, allons voir... Fleurons de la bibliothèque poétique Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller, Paris-Genève, Hazan-Musée Barbier-Mueller, 2007, n° 17; François Rouget, Pierre de Ronsard, Bibliographie des Écrivains Français, Paris-Rome, Memini, 2005, n° 150.


Ronsard. Le Tombeau

Pierre de Ronsard. Le Tombeau du feu Roy

Gordon 1574 .R65

Gordon 1574 .R65

Le Tombeau du feu Roy rees-chrestien Charles Neufiesme, Prinde [sic] tres-debonnaire, tres-vertueux et tres eloquent.

Lyon : Benoist Rigaud, 1574.

In 1574, King Charles IX died under whom Ronsard had been the official poet of the court.  To commemorate his death, Ronsard and a few other poets (A. Jamyn, R. Garnier) gathered some poems and published them in a Tombeau.  Federic Morel published it twice in 1574 in Paris (see Jean Paul Barbier, Ma Bibliothèque poétique, Deuxième partie: Ronsard, Genève, Droz, 1990, n° 54 and 55).  This book was well received, and E. Mesnier and A. Delacourt, in Poitiers, as well as Benoist Rigaud, in Lyon, decided to publish it again with the permission of F. Morel.

The Gordon copy was bound by David and comes from the collection of A. Gagnière.

Bibliography: François Rouget, Pierre de Ronsard, Bibliographie des Écrivains Français, Paris-Rome, Memini, 2005, n° 156.


Materials in this section were generously contributed by François Rouget, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario (2004, 2008).