[BAYART]. La Tresioyeuse plaisante & recreative hystoire compose par le loyal serviteur des faiz, gestes, triumphes et prouesses du bon chevalier sans paour et sans reprouche le gentil seigneur de Bayart... In-4, red morocco, armorial supra-libris of the Mello library in the centre of the boards, 5 ribbed spine, inner lace, gilt edges (Trautz-Bauzonnet). Bechtel, 57/B-69 // Brunet, III-182 // USTC, 31387. (4f.)-XCVIII / A4, A-Z4, ｸ4, ?2 / 39 long lines, gothic car / 171 x 242 mm. A rare first edition of the story of Bayard, a knight without fear or reproach whose epic is such that it ranks among the legendary figures who made French history. There are two versions of the story of this illustrious character. One was written by Champier and was first published in Lyon in 1525, the other was written by an anonymous author and is the first to be published here. It is the better and more sought-after version. The author is now known to be Jacques de Mailles, one of Bayard's secretaries. This honest biography contains accounts of the battles in which Bayard took part, particularly that of Marignan. This account of Bayard's life was not published again until almost a hundred years later, in 1616. Title in red and black, coat of arms of France on verso and initials in the text. A very fine copy despite minor bumping to the upper corners of the binding and very skilful restoration to the first 2 and last 2 leaves. Provenance: Baron Achille Seillière (supra-libris, 28 February - 4 March 1887, no. 105).