This manuscript contains the book L’Arbre des Batailles by Honoré Bonet (c. 1340 – c. 1410), a Benedictine and prior of Salon near Embrun. He studied at the University of Avignon and wrote about philosophy, law, politics, and Heraldry. L’Arbre des Batailles is one of his most important works. It was written around 1382-87 in the form of a scholastic dialogue and deals with war and the laws of war. The work is composed of four sections, and is a vast overview of the laws of war drawing upon historical, philosophical, legal and literary sources. It includes an abridged version of the History of Isreal and of the Catholic Church, a summary of the history of the four kingdoms of Antiquity, and a treatise on legal problems of war. L'Arbre des Batailles was quite popular in the late Middle Ages, in particular as a manual for commanders and rulers.

Contents

Introduction: the title on f. 1r reads: Cy commence le livre de larbre des batailles et premierement les rebriches. The text starts on f. 1r with the following words: En cestuy livre aura quatre parties. And ends on f. 6v.

Prologue: the text starts on f. 7r with the following words: A la sainte couronne de France. And ends on f. 7v with the following words: et si aura nom cestuy livre larbre des batailles.

Text: the title on f. 7v reads: La maniere de faire l'arbre des batailles. The text starts on f. 8r with the following words: Mais puis que jay ce fait il me convient. And ends on f. 224r with the following words: et produise a la sienne sainte gloire de paradis. Amen. Cy finist larbre des batailles.

A French hand, with rubrics and plain red capitals, two rough filigree initials.