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Traité Sur l’Art de la Guerre
'Treatise on the Art of War' by Bérault Stuart
Yale University, Beinecke MS 659
King Francis I and his counsellors in Parliament


A larger image of King Francis I and his counsellors in Parliament
Nous lisons aux histoires romaines que les romains par la conduicte et observance de discipline militaire

Bérault Stuart, seigneur d’Aubigny (c. 1452-1508) was a French soldier and diplomat who belonged to the notable Scottish family the Stewarts of Darnley. Over a distinguished career he served as chamberlain and royal counselor to the King of France and held various military and diplomatic positions in service of the monarchy. In 1508, shortly before his death, he dictated the Traité Sur l’Art de la Guerre (Treatise on the Art of War) to his chaplain. The treatise is a practical discourse on warfare and statecraft, drawing on contemporary works and his own military experience. The present manuscript, held by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, is one of a small number of surviving manuscripts of the work.
Source: Palatino Press.

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f. 2r, full-page miniature comprising the first three lines of the prologue: King Francis I and his counsellors in Parliament, surrounded by courtiers, ambassadors, heralds and guards. The counsellors have all tentatively been identified by Comminges (pp. XXXVII-XXXIX).
In how far Comminges was right in the identification of the personages depicted on f. 2r remains to be certified. Francis I was crowned 1515 and Louis of Orleans, Duke of Longueville, one of the counsellors identified by Comminges, died 1516, which would date our manuscript from the years 1515-16.
Source: Yale pre-1600 Manuscripts

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Author/Creator: Stuart, Bérault, seigneur d'Aubigny, ca. 1452-1508
Title: Traite sur l'art de la guerre.
Published/Created: France, [between 1500 and 1525]
Physical Description: ff. ii + 26 + ii : parchment ; 205 x 135 mm.
Yale Holdings
Location: BEINECKE (Non-Circulating)
Call Number: Beinecke MS 659
Notes: Script: Copied by one hand in a small Gothica Hybrida Formata (loopless Bastarda).
Line-fillers in liquid gold on red, blue or brown ground. 2-line (rarely 3- or 4-line) initials on square background, in liquid gold on coloured background or in colour, heightened with white, on liquid gold background decorated with leaves and flowers. Six miniatures.
Binding: Early nineteenth century. Cross-grained red leather over pasteboard, the covers gold-tooled with a decorative border, the turn-ins gold-tooled with dentelle border; brownish marbled endpapers; the spine gold-tooled with flowerets and the title "L'ORDRE D'UN CHEF DE GUERRE PAR D'AUBIGNY".
In French.
Purchased in 1986 (?) from H.P. Kraus, New York, and presented as a gift of the Beinecke Foundation in memory of Edwin J. Beinecke on his 100th birthday.
Record created by Beinecke staff from catalog description by Albert Derolez.
Source: Berault Stuart, Traite sur l'art de la guerre. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.