De novis Christianae Religionis progressibvs, et certaminibus in Iaponia, anno M. DC. XXII. in Regno Sinarvm, M. DC. XXI. et M. DC. XXII. Litterae; ad Reuerendum in Christo Patrem Mvtivm Vitellescvm Praepositvm Generalem Societatis Iesv

ad Reuerendum in Christo Patrem Mvtivm Vitellescvm Praepositvm Generalem Societatis Iesv. Monasterii Westphaliae [Münster] : Ex Officina Typographica Michaelis Dalii [Michael Dalius, or Daly], 1627. Quarto (200 x 160 mm), contemporary limp vellum with early manuscript lettering to spine; title with woodcut Jesuit device, early ownership inscription of the Collegium Embricense (the Jesuit college at Emmerich am Rhein), and later wet stamp Ex Bibl. Paulina Monast. in black which is over-stamped with the University of Münster Library deaccession stamp in violet (these stamps also appear on p. 92, the first page of the China section); 2 unnumbered leaves, pp. 177, [3] (last blank); frequent browning, scattered foxing, a few underlinings in red pencil (including on title); with two illustrated leaves from an early 16th-century breviary, one mounted on the rear pastedown, the other loosely inserted.

This early collection of Jesuit missionary reports in Latin documents recent events in both Japan and China. It was published in Münster in 1627 by Michael Daly, an Irish Jesuit exiled from Ireland during the religious persecutions of the time, who dedicated the work to prominent bibliophile and canon Bernhard von Mallinckrodt.

‘This work is divided into three parts, of which the first by Girolamo Maiorica, S.J., dated Sep. 30, 1623, deals entirely with Japan, while the other two by Trigault and Semedo relate to China. In the early 1620s, Japan had entered into the period of persecution of missionaries and their converts, which was constantly increasing in severity. The letter [of Father Maiorica] provided gruesome details of the martyrdoms in Nagasaki, Ōmura, etc., including the deaths of Jesuit Fathers Camillo Costanzo and Pietro Paolo Navarro, during the year 1622.’ (Kirishitan Bunko, Sophia University, KB 430-89a)

The Chinese reports of Trigault and Semedo, which make up approximately the second half of the text, focus on Jesuit missionary work, scientific and cultural exchanges, and the challenges faced in the Ming Empire during 1621 and 1622.

All of the letters are addressed to the Jesuit Superior General, Muzio Vitelleschi.

Cordier, BJ, col 294; Cordier, BS, col. 815; Streit, v. V, p. 497; not in Wiener China-Bibliographie

Rare: no sale record in the Rare Book Hub database since 1949 (Harmsworth sale).