Passe, Crispijn II van de PLUVINEL, Antoine de Le Maneige royal ou lon peut remarquer le defaut et la perfection du chevalier, en tous les exercices de cet art, digne des princes, fait & pratiqué en l'instruction du roy [...]. Le tout gravé & representé en grandes figures de taille douce par Crispian de Pas, Flamand [...]. Paris "aux frais de Crispian De Pas, et se vendent [sic] chez Guillaume Le Noir" 1623 Oblong folio: front.-[9]-[1 bl.] pp., 69 col. on 18 ff.; 64 pl. (dampstains, tears without loss except some very minor at bottom of printed title which is trimmed close to the edge at tail, sl. frayed edges, paper reinforcements on many lvs). Contemp. vellum (soiling, renewned endpapers). Very rare posthumous first edition. According to Mennessier, 67 plates including the title-front., 2 full-page portraits, and 64 pl., are required, but the total number is uncertain (with or without the repeats, etc.). Our copy seems almost complete with the title-front., 64 plates, and the portrait of the author surrounded by 2 verse pieces. The portrait of Louis XIII is missing. On the other hand, it contains the printed title, often missing, and one leaf of warning to the readers signed by De Passe, not mentioned by Mennessier. The latter mentions the problems concerning the number of plates in this work (the table, imprecise, is not entirely reliable), informing us that J.B. Huzard's copy contained 65 while Mellon's copy contained 61. These large plates, presented in an architectural frame with the coat of arms of France and Navarra on top, show many figures of horse-riding and dressage, featuring the king and high officials, tournaments, costumes and equipments. This book is the only work of de Pluvinel, first squire of the Duke of Anjou (future King Henry III). He founded in 1594 an Academy which taught not only horsemanship but also mathematics, painting, music and poetry. Ref. Mennessier de La Lance II:327-sq. - Brunet IV:748 (63 pl.). - Dejager 164 (61 pl.). Prov. "Louis de Patin de Borrishof [Borryhof?] major" (ms. mention on front.).