First edition of an extensive history of Reims by Guillaume Marlot, prior of St. Nicaise of Reims. With leaves inserted in volume 2 (between pp. 754 & 755, and between 858 & 867) updating the list of bishops with additions to the year 1714, printed in Rheims, 27 June 1714 by Charuel (from his Armorial général de la France?). Antoine Dezallier in Paris re-issued the present Lille/Reims edition in 1680. The 3 half-page engravings, two of Roman reliefs and one with the archbishop of Reims receiving his bishops, are signed by Jacques Dassonville (or Dassonneville; 1619-1670), a French or Flemish painter and etcher.
Volume 1 is in fact a greatly enlarged edition of the historical works of Flodoardus Remensis (894-966), also known as Flodoard of Rheims, or Frodoard of Rheims, especially his Historia Remensis ecclesiae; vol. 2 is Marlots continuation from 970 to his own times.
Provenance: volume 1: with the gold-tooled coat of arms of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (1685-1740). Apart from this royal provenance there is an erased ownership's entry on the half-title from 1785 and a bookplate of Dr. Aubert, Paris. Volume 2 has 2 owner's entries. The binding of volume 1 has been repaired at the hinges and corners. The binding of volume 2 slightly worn. Otherwise in good condition. Cioranescu II, 45985; Brunet III, 1438 ('ouvrage peu commun, et qui renferme des documents curieux'; he mentions a copy in the Lancelot cat. (n. 392) also containing the 1714 additions); Thieme-Becker 8, p. 416; USTC 1527376 (vol. 1) and 6118170 (vol. 2); Jadart, H., Dom Guillaume Marlot, historien de Reims 1596-1667, sa famille, sa vie et ses oeuvres, son monument à Saint-Remi de Reims (Reims,1892).