HISTORY. Pierre CHASTIGNER (1541-1623?). Signed autograph ma - Lot 573

HISTORY. Pierre CHASTIGNER (1541-1623?). Signed autograph manuscript, [Le Sommaire des tems depuis la creation du Monde jusqu'en lan 1623]; large folio volume (approx. 34x22cm) of xvii-651pages, original parchment binding, title label on spine (worn binding, interior wetness with a few small tears, and slightly frayed edges). Curious chronicle written in Sully-sur-Loire. The incipit reveals the name of the author, probably a religious, who signed: "Par le recit de les reccriture sainte nous est declaré quau commencement Dieu crea le ciel et la terre et lestablit de rien. Il y a près de six mil annees comme verrez par ce petit Recueil distoires tireez de la Bible et de plusieurs autheurs divins et prophanes tant anciens que modernes qui ont escrit la vie des Empereurs, Rois, princes et grandz seigneurs de la terre, jusqua cet an 1617-18-19-20-21-22 et 23. Le tout fidelement excript par moy Pierre Chastigner sous signé demourant a Sully - Chastigner. Mon nom tourné - Gi reprens Charité". Further on, under the entry for the year 1541, we read (p. 368): "L'an 1541, le jour de St Pierre 29e jour de Juing, nasquit Pierre filz de Pasquet Chastigner et de Perrette Macquard ses père & mere. Lequel a extraict de plusieurs autheurs divins et prophanes les memoires contenus en ce livre intitulé Le Sommaire des tems depuis la creation du Monde jusquen lan 1623". This collection is preceded by an "Facile Instruction pour entendre le Compost lequel sert a trouver les cinq festes mobiles, qui sont la 70 [Sepuagesime], les Cendres, Pasque, les Rogations, et la Penthecoste. Plus the feste du Saint Sacrement de leucharistie. Le tout sur les jointures des cinq doigtz de la main senestre plus le nombre dor, et les epactes lunaires avec", also signed. History up to 1400 occupies pages 1 to 276 (article on Jan Hus). The 15th, 16th and early 17th centuries are infinitely more detailed, with mention of various items relating to the Americas, including the voyages of Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama (p. 319-320), Pizarro's war in Peru (p. 367). The Reformation is dealt with extensively; for example (p. 329): "The sects of Luther and Zving, formerly canon of Constance, could not agree concerning the Last Supper, for Luther says that the body & blood of Christ are truly under the species of bread & wine and take it thus by the mouth, and Zvingle says that it is a figure, interpreting it thus - Cecy est mon corps - Mon corps est icy assis. Not a pretty interpretation. His heretics are growing in Germany from day to day. En la ville de Zurich font tant que la messe y fut abololie"... In 1535 (p. 334), we mention the death of Guillaume Budé, the departure of "Jan Calvin auparavant Chanoine de Noyon" for Geneva, and the publication of Machiavelli's Prince. The following pages are devoted to a "Life of Martin Luther" (p. 335-356), followed by "The change of religion in England"... Calvin also has his own biographical note (p. 411). There are also entries on the du Bellay family, the publication of Roland furieux by "Ludovic Ariosto ferrarois" (p. 368), Clément Marot (p. 371), Théodore de Bèze or "Hierosme Cardan medecin Milannois" (376), the condemnation of Michel Servet (383), the voyage of André Thevet (384), and Rabelais (p. 385): "Francois Rabelais was a physician to Cardinal du Bellay in his youth. He was a native of the town of Chinon, a true atheist who later became a religious. But at last he threw away his frock-coat to exercise his lustful life more freely, living like an epicurean. Never a day went by that he wasn't drunk and smeared with wine. He composed a book entitled La Vie de Pantagruel (The Life of Pantagruel), full of plainspoken speeches and antics, which testify enough to the fact that he died at the cure de Meudon les Paris"; the death of Michel Nostradamus, "a great mathematician and astrologer" (p. 415), the reform of the calendar (p. 438), the death in 1585 of Pierre de Ronsard, "Gentihomme Vendomois prince des Poetes de ce temps Lequel a tellement enrichy par ses ecritz la poesie francois quon la peut comparer a celle d'un Homere ou Vergile" (p. 446)... Etc. The manuscript is a truly detailed chronicle of the reigns of Charles IX, Henri III, Henri IV and Louis XIII. The Wars of Religion feature prominently; for example, in 1567, the capture of Orleans by the Huguenots, with churches demolished or burned, the sieges of Sancerre in 1568 and 1573, St. Bartholomew's Day, the League, and so on. Chastigner regularly notes the conversions of princes and leading figures to the Catholic religion. The entry for April 23, 1615, "le Roy fist commandement a tous Juifs et autres faisans professionans et exercice du Judaisme de vuider du roiaume" is also worth noting... The siege of La Rochelle in 1628 is closely followed by the chronicler. Numerous entries concern the city of