AMELOT de la HOUSSAYE - History of the government of Venice. Frederic LEONARD Paris, 1676 1 VOL first edition. Ex libris O'Reilly Note: The work was first published in 1676 when Amelot de La Houssaye was embassy secretary in the city of the Doges. It was extremely poorly received by the senate of the Serenissima, as the History written by Amelot openly criticised the institutions and policies of Venice. The King of France had to repatriate Amelot and lock him up for some time in the Bastille to put an end to the diplomatic row.