[British Isles] [Mary, Queen of Scots] Belleforest, François de, and (John Leslie). L'Innocence de la Tresillustre Tres-Chaste, et Debonnaire Princesse, Madame Marie Royne d'Escoffe

(Reims), 1572. 8vo. ff. (xx), 110 (but 100), 80, (2, errata) (erratic foliation); two blanks at front. From the library of the Dukes of Manchester, with their Kimbolton Castle library book-plate on front paste-down. Later full brown calf, stamped in blind and in gilt, rubbing to boards, joints, and extremities; all edges gilt; marbled endpapers; front free endpaper starting; front free leaf excised; contemporary manuscript on verso of front blanks and on leaves at rear; scattered contemporary underlining and marginalia, largely at front; ownership signature of Francis St. John on title-page, previously attributed to be lawyer and politician of Thorpe Hall, Peterborough (1634-1705). USTC 342; Scott, A Bibliography of Works relating to Mary Queen of Scots 85; Brunet I 1370; Wilkinson, Mary Queen of Scots and French Public Opinion, pp. 63-66

A rare work published in defense of Mary, Queen of Scotts, "the most significant Catholic response to the deposition and imprisonment" of her (Wilkinson). Variously attributed to François de Belleforest and John Leslie, it is surmised that it was a collaborative effort between English and Scots exiles and loyalists of Mary of Guise. Issued in two parts, the first is a reply to the French translation of Buchanan's Detectio, the second part is a reply to a translation from the Treatise of Treasons.

As Scott explains, "the book, which is of considerable rarity, has been treated by many bibliographers as an original work; the authorship they attribute to Francois de Belleforest, a voluminous French author and translator. It is manifest, however, that if Belleforest had any part in its production, it was only as editor and translator." He further explains that copies are found with variant settings, caused by the "addition or removal of passages offensive to many of the actors in the drama".

Rare to auction, according to RBH this is only the fourth copy offered since 1983.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

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Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[British Isles] [Mary, Queen of Scots] Belleforest, François de, and (John Leslie). L'Innocence de la Tresillustre Tres-Chaste, et Debonnaire Princesse, Madame Marie Royne d'Escoffe

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