RECUEIL DES HISTORIENS DES GAULES. — From 1636 to 1649, André and François Duchesne had published a selection of sources relating to the history of France up to the reign of Philippe IV le Bel (Historiae Francorum scriptores coaetanei, Paris). But their work, though still extremely useful for consultation, was incomplete in too many respects: Chancellor d'Aguessau encouraged the publication of a much more extensive collection under the direction of d. Martin Bouquet, a Benedictine of the Congregation of St-Maur.
Eight volumes in folio were published, from 1737 to 1752, under the dual title of Rerum Gallicarum et Francicarum scriptores and Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France (Paris). The texts, presented in an accurate edition and accompanied by learned and appropriate notes, were arranged in strictly chronological order. To the contemporary sources of the events were added fragments drawn from writings of a later date, which therefore do not possess the same value from the standpoint of testimony. It follows that consultation of the Recueil must be rigorously controlled by means of a
RECUEIL DES HISTORIENS DES GAULES - REDDITO
a thorough knowledge of the historical sources of each period. The work of d. Bouquet has the advantage of being furnished with indexes compiled with the utmost care. The chronological tables provide historians with a valuable working tool. After the death of d. Bouquet, five volumes appeared between 1757 and 1786. The French Revolution interrupted the task that the Benedictines of St-Maur had undertaken. Under the auspices of the Institute, d. Briar, who was a member of it, published five volumes between 1806 and 1822. Naudet, Daunou, Guigniaut, de Wailly, L. Deliale, and Ch. Jourdain continued the publication from 1833 to 1904, up to the year 1328. The work therefore comprises a total of 24 vols. At present, the Académie des Inscriptions et belles-lettres is continuing to publish slowly a new series, in quarto format, comprising a collection of lists of the benefices of the dioceses of France (10 vols., Paris 1903–46), obituaries (6 vols., Paris 1902–30), and financial documents (2 vols., Paris 1910–30).