Le istorie delle Indie orientali

Tradotte di Latini in lingua Toscana.  Florence : Filippo Giunti, 1589. First edition in Italian, translated by Francesco Serdonati. Small quarto, contemporary card wrappers (joints strengthened), shelf mark from the Sir Thomas Phillips collection inside upper wrapper, early ownership inscription to endpaper, woodcut device on title, pp. [lvii]; 930; (6), occasional light foxing, a very good copy.

The first Italian translation of Maffei’s account of the Portuguese discoveries in the West and East Indies, and of the Jesuit missions. Maffei lived in Portugal for twelve years studying early reports from the Indies in order to compile his monumental History. It includes several letters from Jesuits in Japan, China, Persia, India, Brazil and Goa. The first edition, printed in Latin, was published in Florence the year earlier. Maffei’s account of Japan was enthusiastically endorsed by Alessandro Valignano, overseer of the Jesuit missions in India, Japan, and China, in a letter sent from Macau in 1603: ‘Of all those who have so far written about Japan, none has done it with greater precision or in better order than Father G. P. Maffei.’

Cordier (Sinica) 783; Alden 589.42; Sabin 43777; Palau 146993; Borba de Maraes (1983) p.508.