Io. Barclaii  Argenis,
 Editio Novissima Cum Clave, Hoc Est Nominum Propriorum Elucidatione hactenus nondum edita

by Barclay, John

Amsterdam, Ex Officina Elzeviriana; 1659

569 pages + table + index.

A rare work of Scottish literature.

Original gilt ruled calf, spine richly gilt, marbled endpapers

Very good interior, some wear of leather, spine worn

Size  3 by 5 1/4 inches.

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John Barclay [1582 - 1621] was an early 17th century Scottish poet and author. His most important and best-known work was Argenis, the last one he completed before his death. Argenis is a political love novel that deals with the actual history of religious conflicts in France as well as the royalist controversy in England. The religious conflict is set in France under Henri III and Henri IV, and touches on events in England, including the Overbury scandal.  The story itself is an allegory developed from the point of view of a king.


With Argenis a new genre, the political romance, was created by John Barclay. It is the greatest of all Neo-Latin novels and a masterpiece of early modern literature. It was a tremendous success throughout Europe, it went through more than 50 editions in the next 100 years and was translated into all the major European languages.

The work, drafted into five books, combines elements of a romance, political treatise and historical allegory. The romance is about the love of Argenis, the daughter of the Sicilian King Meleander, and the valiant Poliarchus, their vicissitudes and final triumph; the political treatise discusses various political and religious topics as Barclay had experienced these at the court of King James I, but also as he had observed them in France; the historical allegory is about the religious conflict in France under Henry III and Henry IV, but also on contemporary English events, whereby the protagonists of this historical allegory represent probably specific historical figures. The tendency of the work is that of absolute royal power and against popular sovereignty. Barclay admonishes aristocrats, denounces political faction and conspiracy and shows how these might be repressed. The story unfolds from the viewpoint of the king who reduces the power of the aritocracy "in the interest of the country".


Engraved title page depicting the figures of Argenis and Polyarchus and in the upper-middle the coat-of-arms of the Royal House of France and Navarre.
The engraver  Pieter Serwouters [Antwerpen, 1586 - Amsterdam, 1657].
He has been employed by the Elzeviers until his death in 1630.