The DOULOUROUS COMPLAINT OF A DENIED BLADE. Small booklet in-8, long-grained red morocco, double fillet, number AA in the centre of the covers, smooth spine decorated in the same way with the title in full, interior scroll, gilt head (Purgold). Bechtel, 162/C-473 // Brunet, II-199. (16f.) / A-B8 / 27 lines, gothic car / 87 x 133 mm. New edition of the Complainte douloureuse de l'âme damnée. This lament seems to date from the 15th century. It is a versified dialogue between a damned soul, God, the devil and the parents of a sick man. The last ten lines bear the acrostic of Rouge Belot, who appears to be the author, but according to Rothschild, he appropriated an earlier composition and added the actor's conclusion. The earliest edition was published in Paris by Du Pré around 1486. This play was often reprinted. Bechtel gives eleven separate editions, none of which is dated. Of these, five are incunabula and the others were all published before 1525. The one we are presenting was given by Jean Trepperel's successors between 1512 and 1525. A woodcut on the title depicting a standing woman holding a child with a figure lying behind her. The edition seems to have escaped the notice of bibliographers, with the exception of Brunet and Bechtel, who cite only this copy. It is obviously extremely rare. A fine copy, finely bound by Purgold. Minor wear to 2 corners. 2 shorter leaves in the side margin have been trimmed. Provenance: Adolphe Audenet (bookplate, II, 11 March 1841, no. 694), Charles Nodier (bookplate, 27 April 1844, no. 337) and Nicolas Yemeniz (bookplate, 9 May 1867, no. 1639).