Composite: Part A, ff. i-ii, 1-72; Part B, ff. 73-84.
Extent: i + ii + i + 81 + i + 10 + iii, foliated i-ii, 1-85.
Contents: 'Codex Mendoza', Mexican pictorial manuscript (ff. i-ii,
1-72), including: a pictorial history of the Aztec empire from
1325-1521 (ff. 1r-17r or 18r); an illustrated catalogue of the
annual tribute paid by the towns of the empire to the last emperor,
Montezuma II (ff. 17v or 18v-54v); an illustrated account of Aztec
life-cycles, male and female, from birth to death (ff. 56v-71v).
Tables of the comparative value of Roman, Greek, English and French
money (ff. 73-84).
Binding: Plain vellum-covered boards, either London, c. 1655-1659,
or Oxford, c. 1655-1665 (Barker-Benfield, 2000, pp. 99-102).
Provenance: The two parts of the manuscript were still separate
after John Selden’s death and are listed separately in the
handwritten catalogue (c. 1655) of his books and manuscripts, MS.
Selden Supra 111 (Barker-Benfield, 2000, p. 100). Acquired by the
Bodleian from Selden’s executors at some point between 1655 and
1659 (Barker-Benfield, 2000, pp. 101-2).
