A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Douce b. 2

Summary Catalogue no.: 21973

Contents

Machines et utensils de guerre
Rubric: Machines et Ustenciles de Guerre [perhaps a later title]

A set of painted drawings of military engines and implements, including multiple guns, portable boats, etc.

The arms and name of Portugal are on some of the drawings, and the date 1582 on some of the guns

Language(s): Middle French

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: paper
Extent: 152 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 16.875 × 12 in.

Decoration

Pächt and Alexander i. 899

Good miniatures (coloured drawings)

Binding

Brown leather with elaborate gold stamping dated 1596, worn (French work)

History

Origin: 1582 ; Portugal (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

'I Cab. T. I. A. 2' in a French library

Sale of Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise, 1788, no. 3993

Francis Douce, 1757–1834

Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2025) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1922). Decoration, localization and date follow Pächt and Alexander (1966)

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (66 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2025-05-22: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1897)