A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
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—<br />
Collation.<br />
Tp., Ai.—Ded. <strong>to</strong> William Davison, A2.—Verses, A3-4.<br />
Author's pref., B I -b2.—Cts., b2.—Diags., one folding.—R.H. : "The . . .<br />
Booke <strong>of</strong> Militarie Discipline."—Sigs. in 8», A, B (2 fF.), €-¥4; A <strong>and</strong> B in<br />
4*.— 38 <strong>and</strong> 37 11. <strong>to</strong> p. (See No. 42.)<br />
Copies. B.M.<br />
Contents. One <strong>of</strong> the most famous, most widely read, <strong>and</strong> most widely ^<br />
The titlepage <strong>of</strong> the<br />
quoted <strong>of</strong> sixteenth century <strong>books</strong> on the <strong>military</strong> art.<br />
4th ed. <strong>of</strong> the original (Rigaud, Lyons, 1592), states that the work was "first<br />
executed <strong>and</strong> compiled by the author from what he had read in Ancient <strong>and</strong><br />
Modern writers, such as Polybius, Vegetius, Frontinus, Cornazan <strong>and</strong> others,<br />
as well as from what he had seen <strong>and</strong> done in the armies <strong>and</strong> wars <strong>of</strong> his<br />
time." For a century de Fourquevaux's work was ascribed, almost without<br />
question, <strong>to</strong> Du Bellay, such writers as Bran<strong>to</strong>me^ <strong>and</strong> Naude* helping <strong>to</strong><br />
perpetuate the mistake ;<br />
<strong>and</strong> even now, it is commonly, for convenience' sake,<br />
spoken <strong>of</strong> as Du Bellay's. Grud6 de la Croix Dumaine,* indeed, doubted<br />
his claim, on the ground that the author praises himself for his learning <strong>and</strong><br />
soldiership. " Had he read the work attentively," Bayle remarks, " he would<br />
have found other <strong>and</strong> stronger pro<strong>of</strong>s." At last, in 1643, J. ^" ^^^' ^^"^ ^°<br />
the press Francois de Fourquevaux's MS., ** Les Vies de plusieurs capitaines<br />
Francois," *<br />
written many years before, in which Francois states the " Instructions<br />
" <strong>to</strong> be his father's work, <strong>and</strong> proves it his<strong>to</strong>rically impossible that Du<br />
Bellay should have written it. The mistake arose through the finding among<br />
Du Bellay's papers <strong>of</strong> a MS. <strong>of</strong> the original, which had been sent <strong>to</strong> him by<br />
the author, that he might pass judgment <strong>up</strong>on it, <strong>and</strong> had never been returned.<br />
" If the Author's kinsman had acquainted the public with the truth <strong>of</strong> this<br />
fadt," says Bayle," " before the Sieur<br />
de Naud6 had published his Syntagma<br />
de Studio Militari, it is probable that this Syntagma would not have contained<br />
the common error." De Fourquevaux's claim, however, is not uncontested ;<br />
some, like Voltaire, attributing the work <strong>to</strong> Francis I.<br />
Raimond de Fourquevaux( 1509-15 74), a Gascon belonging <strong>to</strong> a family <strong>of</strong><br />
the robe, was engaged in many <strong>of</strong> the campaigns <strong>of</strong> his time, <strong>and</strong> also in<br />
various diplomatic missions <strong>to</strong> Italy, Germany, <strong>and</strong> Spain.<br />
" The Instruftions " consists <strong>of</strong> three <strong>books</strong> <strong>of</strong> 1 2, 7, <strong>and</strong> 5 chapters respe(5lively,<br />
dealing with recruiting, arming, exercising <strong>and</strong> manoeuvring <strong>of</strong><br />
troops, cavalry, marches, vi6lualling, encampments, crimes <strong>and</strong> punishments,<br />
rewards for good service, etc. De Fourquevaux has taken his description <strong>of</strong><br />
a battle (Bk. L, chap, xi.) from Macchiavelli.<br />
[V. Orig. 515.]<br />
*<br />
"M6moires des gr<strong>and</strong>s capitaines Fran9ois," Leyde, 1666, 12°.<br />
' "Syntagma de Studio Militari," Rome, 1637, 4".<br />
' « Bibliotheque," Paris, 1584, fol.<br />
* Paris, 1643, 4% pp. 331-331-<br />
' " Didtionnaire His<strong>to</strong>rique," Rotterdam, 1720, fol., vol. i., p. 497.<br />
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