An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
them in character, which are finished with azured tools of a larger kind, and have the
interlacings of the fillet contrived in a more simple and geometrical manner. This style generally
occurs upon books of no great size; as on a copy in three volumes of Dz'onysit' A reopagt'tae
Opera, Paris, 1562, in the British Museum; the boards of which are painted, in the centre, with
the arms of Katherine de Medicis [C. 24- e.].
The date of the death of Nicholas Eve is unknown; but he appears to have been succeeded, in
his office of Binder in Ordinary to the king, by George Drobet, who published several works at
Tours in 1592, on the title-pages of which he styles himself ' Relieur du Roy.' This stationer had
established himself at Paris, before 1596; in which place and year, he published a translation
into French, of the Dz'vz'ne Comedy, with the imprint: 'Pour George Drobet Libre & Relieur du
Roy, rue S. Jacque au soleil d'or & en sa boutique au Palais, en la gallerie des Prisonniers.'
Drobet was in turn succeeded in his office, by Clovis Eve, unless the place was conjointly held by
them; the grant of this title to two persons at the same time, being a common practice, during
the next century. Of the early history of Clovis Eve, who was probably son or nephew of Nicolas
Eve, nothing is known: but in 1596, he published a book of devotions entitled: Le Thrlsor des
Prieres, Oraisons et Instructions Chrestiennes pour invoquer Dieu en tout temps; the imprint of
which runs: 'A. Paris pour Clovis Eve, Relieur ordinaire du Roy au Mont S. Hylaire,' 1596. Other
evidence of his office of Binder in Ordinary to the king, exists in the 'etats,' or check-rolls, of the
Royal Household, where his name is duly entered from 1598 tp 1633: that for the year 1598
being the earliest to which M. Thoinan, my authority, could gain access. He was Master of
the Guild of St. Jean, from 1602 to 1604; and remained one of the most assiduous members Qf
that society in attending its meetings, as the records bearing his signature prove. In 1605. he
pupJished the tragedies of Charles Bauter; but it was with the publicajion of religious books,
that he was chiefly occupied. An Officz'um beatae M ariae Virginis ad usum Romanum was issued
in 1698, with the joint imprint of Pierre Mettayer and Clovis Eve: and it further appears, that
they, as printer and bookseller, obtained a renewal of certain privileges to print and issue
'Messels, Breviaires, Diurnaux et autres livres concernans l'usage du Concil'; and that in
consequence of the opposition of the Stationers and the University, these privileges were
withdrawn, by a decree of the Council, dated 23rd December, 161 I. Pierre Mettayer obtained
his freedom, as a master-printer, in 1602: his partner Clovis Eve, who like Nicholas Eve, wa"s
not himself a printer, appears to have died towards the close of the year 1634, or the beginning
of the year 1635.