An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
a trois chaines et cathenats, qui signifie que apres que nostre corps est casse par mort, sa vie
est close des trois deeses fatales. Cestuy livre est si bien clos, quil nya celluy qui y sceust rien
veoir, sil ne scaict les segrets des cathenats, et principallement du cathenat rond, qui est clos et
signe a lettres. Aussi apres que Ie livre de nostre vie est clos, il ny a plus homme qui y puisse
rien ouvrir, si non celluy qui scaiet les segrets, et celluy est Dieu, qui seul scaiet et cognoist
avant et apres nostre mort, quit a este, quit est et quil sera de nous. Le feuillage et les fleurs
qui sont au diet pot signifient les vertus que nostre corps pouvoit avoir en soy durant sa vie. Les
rayons de soleil qui sont au dessus et au pres du toret et du pot signifient linspiration que Dieu
nous donne en nous excerceant a vertus et bonnes operations. Aupres dudict pot casse ya en
escript: NON'LVS, qui sont deux dictions monosyllabes, tant en francois quen latin, qui signifient
ce que Pittacus disoit iadis en son grec: M'7}~€v aryav, nihil nimis. N e disons, ne ne faisons
chose sans mesure ne sans raison, sinon en extreme necessite: adversus quam nec Dii quidem
pugnant. Mais disons et faisons SIC. VT. VEL. VT. Cest a dire ainsi' comme nous debvons, ou au
moings mal que pouvons. Si nous voulons bien faire, bien nous aidera, et pour ce ay ie escript
tout au dessus: MENTI BONAE DEVS OCCVRRIT, cest a dire Dieu vient au devant de la bonne
volunte et luyaide.' Geofroy Tory died in 1533, and his business was carried on by his widow,
until it was transferred by her to Olivier Mallard in 1535. In this way, bindings bearing the
stamps of Tory occasionally occur, which are of a date subsequent to that of his death. [Auguste
Bernard's Geofroy Tory, Peintre et Graveur, Paris, 1865.].
The characteristics, which distinguish these bipdings of Fran<;ois I. from contemporary Italian
work, become yet more defined in the bindings, executed for Henri II. and Diane de Poitiers. I
have already remarked a certain delicacy and refinement, which distinguish the work of the
French gilders: but other traits of French Art remain to be noticed, which relate rather to matters
of taste and composition. Diane de Poitiers, the daughter of Jean de Poitiers, seigneur de Saint
Vallier, was born 3rd September, 1499, and was married at an early age to Louis de Breze,
Comte de Maulevrier. Having become a widow in 1531, she took for her device an arrow,
surrounded by branches of laurel, and rising from a tomb, with this inscription, 'Sola vivit in illo.'
At a later time, when the Due d'Orleans, aftewards Henri II., fell in love with her, the allegory
became embarrassing but Diane was possessed of spirit, and found the means to improve her
royal amour, without appearing to abandon the regard, which she had vowed for the memory of
her husband.