DESCRIPTION OF A VOYAGE TO DENMARK

DES HAYES

Les Voyages de Monsieur Des Hayes, Baron de Courmesvin en Dannemarc. Enrichis d'Annotations. Par le Sieur P.M.L.

Paris, Chez Pierre Promé, 1664.

12mo. In contemporary full calf with five raised bands and richly gilt spine. Extremities with wear and top 5 mm. of spine missing. Corners bumped and part of lower corner of front board worn of. Front free end-paper detached. Previous owner's name on title-page crossed out. First few leaves missing small parts of paper in lower margin, far from affecting text. Stain to lower edge. (8), 284 (wrongly printed as 184), (3) pp.  

First edition of Des Hays’ work on his voyage to Denmark, constituting one of the earliest description of a voyage to Denmark. It is written as a diary during his stay in Denmark and his preparations for a diplomatic mission to Moscow regarding a commercial treaty for the Baltic Sea trade. Beside descriptions of various part of of various parts of Denmark it also include Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic countries.

Louis Deshayes was born at the end of the sixteenth century. He undertook various diplomatic missions to the East, Russia and Denmark, on behalf of Louis XIII. Deshayes was accused of conspiring against Cardinal Richelieu and was beheaded in 1632.

Order-nr.: 60201