Harley MS 6205

Les Commentaires de la guerre gallique (Commentaries on the Gallic War) was written by François Desmoulins de Rochefort (d. 1526), a Franciscan friar, almoner and preceptor to Francis I of France. Composed as a dialogue between Julius Caesar and the king of France, on the responsibilities of an emperor and on their experiences as conquerors of Switzerland, it belongs to the genre of 'mirror for princes'. The work was perhaps commissioned by Francis's mother, Louise de Savoie (b. 1476, d. 1531), after his victory at Marignano (1515); it consists of three books, which were separated, probably in the late 16th century (see Orth, Renaissance Manuscripts (2015), p. 33). This manuscript contains the first book; the second book is now Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France MS fr. 13429; and the third book is now Chantilly, Bibliothèque du Château, MS 764.

Contents:

f. 2v: The prologue of the Commentaire de la guerre gallique. The prologue of the commentary is contained into two golden-framed banners. The first one begins: 'Francoys par la grace de Dieu roy de France, second Caesar victeur et et domateur des Souyces'. The second banner begins: 'Caesar premier subiugateur des Helvecez luy fit gracieuse responce'.

ff. 3r-72r: The Commentaire de la guerre gallique, book 1, begins: 'Le tres crestian Roy Francoy demande a Caesar: En quantes parties est divisee toute la Gaule qui vous a aultreffois tant donne de peine'.

ff. 73r-76r: An alphabetical lexicon of cities, peoples and places of Gaul. The title of this lexicon is: 'Registre ou repertoire des villes, des peuples et des lieux de Gaule qui sont declaires et interpretes plus au long en la precedente traduction du premyer livre des commentaires'.

The Dutch astronomer and theologian, Albert Pigghe (b. c. 1490, d. 1542) supervised the creation of the maps and may also have been the scribe (see Orth, 'Commentaires, volume III' (2001), p. 25).

Decoration:

11 large miniatures and 1 small miniature in semi-grisaille (ff. 5v, 9v, 13r, 17r, 21v, 23r, 31v, 33v, 36v, 43r, 53r, 60r). Two banners with a frame in gold (f. 2v). A small initial in gold on a brown ground, at the beginning of the registre (f. 73r). Initials in gold (f. 3r). Line fillers in gold on brown grounds. Rubrics alternating between blue, gold and red. Paraph signs in black ink.

The subjects of the miniatures are as follows:

f. 3r: Two portrait roundels in semi-grisaille with a frame in gold and a blue background depicting Francis I and Julius Caesar, both with their initials F. M and J. C.;

f. 5v: Orgetorix, chief of the Helvetii;

f. 9v: The Swiss villages burning;

f. 13r: A supplicant kneeled before an emperor Julius Caesar;

f. 17r: Caesar directing archers;

f. 21v: Caesar in battle;

f. 23r: The construction of a bridge;

f. 31v: Diviciacus, a king in Gaul and Britain, kneeling before Caesar;

f. 33v: Considius on horseback and Caesar standing;

f. 36v: Caesar and his horse in battle;

f. 39r: A note in gold ink in Latin on a black background;

f. 43r: Caesar enthroned and surrounded by courtiers;

f. 53r: A harbour in front of the city of Besançon. The miniature is dated '1519' and followed by the name of the city 'Besançon'. The text below the miniature is referring to Besançon and the Doubs river: '[...] par la nature du lieu elle estoit si forte/ qu'il estoit facile de la garder/ pource que guerez ne san failloit que le fleuvre Alduabis [Doubs] ne lenvironnast' (f. 53r). 'Alduabis sappelle maintenant la riviere Du et passe au travers de Besancon [...]' (f. 53v);

f. 60r: Caesar on his horse with his army talking with Ariovistus, a chief of German peoples, who received from Julius Caesar the title of king of Germans and friend of Roman people.

The decoration of the manuscript is attributed to Godefroy le Batave, a Flemish artist active in France between 1516 and 1526: the miniatures are dated '1519' by the artist and signed with a 'G'. The portrait medallions have been attributed to Jean Clouet (see Orth, Renaissance Manuscripts, 2015)