CHRONICLES, HISTORIES, MEMOIRS. 



483 



Hayard; but the " II isfory of the Deeds, Achievements, Triumj)lis, and 1'rowess 

 of tlic good Chevalier, who is without Fear and without Ueproach, the gentle 

 Seigneur do Mayard," is rightly regarded as the historical masterpiece, of the 

 time nl' Francois I. 



The best of the Memoirs of which the Sire de Joinvillc had, so to speak, 

 furnished the model are those rewritten at the end of the fifteenth century 

 by Philippe do Commincs (Fig. :J7'3), and published in 1524 und 10*28 under 



Fig. 371. Miniuture from the " Livre de Fails d'Armes et de Chevulerie," by Christina dc 1'isan. 

 Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century. In the Library of SI. Ambioise Firmin-Didot, Paris. 



the title of "Chroniques." M. Ludovic Lulunnc has pointed out with great 

 truth that lie was the first Frenchman to write the history of his time with 

 the profundity, the discernment, and impartiality of a man who had passed 

 his lil'e in public afYairs. The- style of these Memoirs, though rather tortuous 

 and wordy, is not lacking in vigour and intensity. In addition to the 

 .Memoirs of Louis XL's favourite, wo can do no more than mention the 

 Chronicle-memoirs of Pierre Feniii, Mathieu de Coucy, Olivier de la Murche 



