Newberry Library - Treatise on the government of princes, approximately 1580

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Title Treatise on the government of princes, approximately 1580

Date 1580

Place France

Language French

Subjects Political ethics, Political science, Princes

Description Title supplied by cataloger.
Possible date suggested by handwriting and entwined columns watermark (cf. Briquet no. 4445).
In a single hand; chancery script.
Text of first three gatherings has been recopied neatly, whereas in fourth gathering, text is still in draft form, with many lines crossed out, and corrections added.
Paragraphs 405 and 406 are copied twice: once at the end of third gathering, in final form, and again at the beginning of fourth gathering, in draft form, with important differences between the two.

Summary Unsigned, undated ms., probably from France, possibly written around 1580, on the political science and ethics of government by the prince. Following the tradition of "penseées politiques" represented by Machiavelli and Castiglione, the author outlines his ideas on the prince as a successful governor, the qualities he must possess to rule well, his duties and obligations to his subjects, and weakness and pitfalls he must avoid. The text is arranged in 548 numbered paragraphs, some with marginal captions, and includes such topics as "Des princes"; "Du bon gouvernement"; "De la loi"; "Des bons et mauvais ministres et des ambassadeurs"; "De l'adulation"; "Des cités et républiques"; "De l'expérience"; "De la colère"; "Des juges"; "Des espions"; "De la tromperie et violence"; "De la prospérité"; and "Du mari et de la femme".

Extent [77] leaves, disbound ; 31 cm (fol.)

Format Sources

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Case MS 5228

BibID 178735

Size 3901px × 5625px 62.82 MB

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

File Created 07/31/2015

Filename 991787358805867_VAULT_folio_Case_MS_5228_FP_014_001.tif

Unique Identifier NL122J81

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