Code of conduct for the Papal Militia

PIUS VI, Pope (Giovanni Angelo Braschi 1775-1799).Articoli Militari. [Rome?] 1793. Small folio. [8]f (first & last blank) with 12p of text. One large historiated woodcut initial at beginning. Contemporary decorated paper wrappers. The official code of conduct for the Papal Militia, listed as 42 articles, dated 7 February 1793, signed by its commandant general, Enea Count Caprara, and by the auditor general, Francesco Maria Rufini. The papal troops are to be loyal to the Roman Catholic Church and its supreme pontiff, they are not to blaspheme the saints, read prohibited books, accuse others falsely, neglect their guard duties, desert their post, engage in duelling, commit indecent acts, steal, keep concubines, show disrespect to superiors, engage in games of chance, cheat, nor commit vandalism, on pain of severe punishment. The 14 different modes of military punishments for transgressors, ranging from detention to decapitation, are listed at the end. The papal militia was not considered effective at this period, and indeed proved useless when Pius VI was taken prisoner by the French in 1797. A fresh copy.…