Spanish and Portuguese works, 6 vol., 1590-1757, by Álava y Viamont, Fernández de Medraño, and others

SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE MILITARY WORKS

A collection of 6 volumes, comprising:

i. Álava y Viamont, Diego de. El perfeto capitan, instruido en la diciplina militar, y nueva ciencia de la artilleria. Madrid: Pedro Madrigal, 1590, FIRST EDITION, folio, woodcut portrait of the author, woodcut illustrations, folding woodcut pasted to Y2, without final blank, bookplates of Marchese di Salsa and William Ward, Viscount Dudley, old vellum, later lettering-piece, [Cockle 566; Palau 4834; USTC 334128], title-page frayed and laid down, next 3 leaves repaired at foredge, a few small marginal tears, a few small wormholes

ii. ii. Fernández de Medrano, Sebastian. El perfecto artificial, bombardero y artillero. Brussels: Lambert Marchant, 1699, third edition, 8vo, engraved frontispiece, 9 folding engraved plates, contemporary vellum, fragment of a liturgical musical manuscript on vellum in binding, inscription of Antonio Henriques Banarol, red ink shelfmark of the Earl of Ashburnham ("26.E"), bookplate of Thomas Francis Fremantle, purchased from Pickering & Chatto, 25 August 1899, £1-1s, [Palau 89222], one plate torn

iii. Isla, Lázaro de la. Breve tratado da arte da artelharia, e geometria, & artificios de fogo. Lisbon: Domingos Carneyro, 1676, 12mo, woodcut arms of Portugal on title-page, contemporary limp vellum, bookplate of José Maria Nepomuceno, [cf. Palau 121967 note], light damp-staining, lacking 2 pairs of ties

iv. Brancaccio, Lelio. Cargos y preceptos militares [translated by I. Scavino]. Mechelen: Juan Jaye, 1671, 4to, woodcut device above colophon, contemporary vellum, bought from Grafton & Co, 6 March 1922, £2-10s (invoice loosely inserted), [STCV 6915169], binding rubbed and stained, joints cracked

v. Oya y Ozores, Francisco de. Tratado de las leyes penales de la milicia española. Madrid: Juan Muñoz, 1732, 8vo, contemporary calf, [Palau 207845]

vi. Arcos y Moreno, Joseph de. Real ordenanza de cavalleria del Reyno. Madrid: Antonio Marin, 1757, 4to, woodcut armorial on first leaf, half-title, with final blank, contemporary vellum, armorial bookplate with motto "Stabo" (of the Accorne or Kinninmond families of Scotland), hinges broken

Álava y Viamont was a nobleman serving in the army of Philip II. He had studied mathematics at university, and while his treatise begins with the characteristics required for the ideal army officer, the main part of his work relates to artillery and fortifications.