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The important letters from Japan, 1615-1627 in the first and only edition in French

BONELLI, Jean-Baptist & Jean VIREAU (ed. & translator).
Histoire de ce qui s'est passé au royaume du Japon, es annees 1625. 1626. & 1627. Tirée des lettres adressées au R. Pere Mutio Viteleschi, General de la Compagnie de Jesus. Traduite d'Italien en François par un Pere de la mesme Compagnie.

With woodcut printer's device of Cramoisy on the title, several woodcut headpieces.

With woodcut printer's device of Cramoisy on the title, several woodcut headpieces.

With woodcut printer's device of Cramoisy on the title, several woodcut headpieces.

With woodcut printer's device of Cramoisy on the title, several woodcut headpieces.



Paris, Sebastian Cramoisy, 1633. 8vo. Beautiful 19th-century green morocco, spine richly gilt in compartments, with title lettered in gold, triple gilt lines along the edges of both covers, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, gilt edges (Emile ROUSELLES & Auguste FONTAINE). With woodcut printer's device of Cramoisy on the title, several woodcut headpieces. (7) 1 blank, 465 (=485) pp.

First and only edition of the enlarged French translation, made by Jean Vireau (1558-1638), procureur in Paris, of the highly interesting letters on the situation in Japan, written by the Jesuit missionaries in Japan to the General of the Jesuit Order in Rome, Mutius Vitelleschi (1563-1645) during the years 1625-1627. The letters contain, next to ample first-hand information on the Jesuit missions in Japan and the treatment of the Jesuits by the Japanese authorities, the martyr's deaths of many of the fellow missionaries, and fascinating stories on the Japanese empire itself, its customs, usages, daily life, travel facilities, etc.
The original edition in Italian was edited by Jean Jean Baptiste Bonelli (1589-1638), who also wrote the first letter from Macao: Lettere annue del Giappone de gli'anni MDCXXV. MDCXXVI. MDCXXVII. Al molto Rev. in Christo P. Mutio Vitelleschi Preposito generale della Compagnia di Giesu. 8vo. (Rome, Francesco Corbelletti, 1631; second edition: Rome & Milan, Filippo Ghisolfi, 1632).
Newly added to this French translation is the letter containing the history of the martyrdom of three Jesuits in Paraguay in 1628 (see below, pp. 474-485).

After the title, dedication to Mathieu Molé by Sebastien Cramoisy, the 'imprimatur's (the first by Mutius Vitelleschi, dated Rome 30 August 1631), and Privilege, dated Rouen, 20 September 1632, the main work consist of the following letters:
- pp. 1-148: Letter by Jean Bonelli concerning the year 1625, dated Macao, 25 March 1626, with chapters as 'La persecution commencée au Japon il y a trois ans, continuë encore ceste année ... donne matiere de descrire les tourments & mort de plusieurs personnes ...', 'La cité & destroit de Nangasachi', 'La mort de Jaques Coici, & Caye ...', 'De Firando & de son terroir', 'De la residence d'Amacusa, & missions au Royaume de Fingo', 'La residence du Royaume de Cicungo, & des missions aux autres lieux', 'Residence du Royaume de Bungo (and: de Oxu & Dena)', 'La Chrestienté de Tzungaru', and many other martyrdoms.
- pp. 149-252: Letter by Pierre Moreion, dated Macao, 31 March 1626, titled: 'Relation de la glorieuse mort de neuf religieux de la Compagnie de Jesus, & d'autres, au Japon'.
- pp. 253-340: Letter on the year 1626 by Jean Roiz Giran, dated 31 March (1626).
- pp. 341-445: Letter by Christofle Ferreria, dated Japan, 14 September 1627, titled: 'Relation de la persecution souslevee en Tacacu contre la saincte foy, en l'an 1627'.
- pp. 446-452: Letter (by Christofle Ferreria), dated Japan, 25 January 1628, titled: 'La mort de Leonard Massudadeuzo, lequel fut decolé pour la foy en la ville de Ximabara le troisiesme de Decembre 1627'.
- pp. 453-473: 'Explication des mots escrits et gravez sur une pierre antique, trouvée au Royaume de la Chine'. This is the famous inscription of Xi Piu which is often mentioned by the Chinese missionaries.
- pp. 474-465 (=485): 'Relation de la glorieuse mort des PP. Roch Gonzales, Alphonce Rodriguez, et Jean de Castillio, de la Compagnie de Jesus, occis pour la Saincte foy par les Indiens de la Province d'Uruay, appartenant au Paraguay, l'an 1628'. The letter was sent by P. François Traxillo Vasques (Vasquex Truigillo), Provincal in Paraguay, to the 'Procureur des Indes' in Madrid, and forwarded to J. Foissey, Rector in Bourge, by J. de la Chaussée on 29 November 1630, and is added to this French translation of the Japanese Jesuit letters by the translator Jean Vireau.

Fine copy.- (Sl. browning throughout).
De Backer-Sommervogel, VIII, col. 834, cf. I, col. 711; Alt Japan Kat. 674; Cordier, Japonica, col. 315; Molossi, Memoire d'alcuni uomini illustri di Lodi (1776), pp. 134-6.

Related Subjects: 17th Century  America [South]  Japan  Jesuits  Mission 

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