or DOUAY, an ancient and strongly fortified town of France, capital of a cognominal arrondissement in the department of Nord, situated on the Scarpe, 18 miles south of Lille, with which, as well as with many other large towns both in France and Belgium, it is connected by railway. Old walls flanked with towers surround the town, which is farther defended by a detached fort on the left bank of the river, about 2 miles distant. Douai contains numerous literary and scientific institutions, including a university; academy; royal college; college for the education of English Roman Catholic priests, founded by Cardinal Allen; a royal school of artillery; school of drawing and music; museum of natural history; collection of paintings; botanic garden; and a public library, with about 30,000 volumes. It was formerly the seat of a university, founded in 1562. It contains also one of the three royal cannon foundries of the kingdom, an arsenal, and large establishments of artillery; and is the seat of royal court for the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. Its railways and canals open up to Douai an extensive trade in corn, wine, brandy, cattle, wool, hops, flax, and its manufactured produce, chiefly lace, gauze, cottons, linens, thread, earthenware, glass, soap, sugar, salt, and paper. According to some, Douai existed in the time of the Romans; but this seems to be very doubtful. It, however, rose to considerable importance under the Counts of Flanders, and passed with that country into the hands of the king of Spain. In 1667 Louis XIV. took possession of Douai. In 1710 it was taken by the allies under Marlborough and Eugene, but was retaken by the French the following year. Douai gives names to an edition of the Holy Scriptures with copious notes by Roman Catholic divines, prepared for the use of the members of that communion. Pop. (1851) 18,013.