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First edition of a very important collection of early Jesuit letters from Japan, India, the Moluccas and Brazil

[JESUITS - JAPAN - BRAZIL].
Epistolae Iapanicae, de multorum gentilium in variis insulis ad Christi fidem per Societatis nominis Iesu theologos conversione. In quibus etiam mores, leges, locorumque situs, luculenter descibuntur.

Printer's device on second title and the last lvs of both vols.; first title in typographical border; interesting woodcut initials.

Louvain, Rutger Velpius, sub castro Angelico. 1569. 2 vols. in one. 8vo. Contemp. calf, ribbed spine in 5 compartments, both sides ruled in blind with gilt centre piece and four ornaments in the corners. Printer's device on second title and the last lvs of both vols.; first title in typographical border; interesting woodcut initials. (60), 263 (1); 310, (2) pp.

Rare highly interesting first edition of a compilation of Latin letters written by the first Jesuit missionaries in Japan, published in two parts.
The first part is dedicated by the editor Hannardus van Gameren to William, Duke of Bavaria (the preface, f. 2r-13, is dated Louvain, 1st of January 1569). It starts with fragments from the letter by Franciscus Xavier (1506-1552), the founding father of the Jesuit mission in India, Japan and China, of 14 January 1549, written in Coccini (f. 14r-16v) and a letter by Xavier to the Jesuits in Coimbra from Cogaxima, 5 November 1549 (f. 16v-30r). Then follow the letters by Xavier's companions from Japan covering the years 1553-1561. Among the writers of the letters are P. Dalcena, B. Gago, Melchior Nunez, Ed. Silvius, Luiz Frois, one of the ablest observers and chroniclers ever to be associated with the Jesuits in Japan, Gaspar Vilella (1526-1572), and Anthonius Quadrus (p. 1-262). Part 1 closes with a poem 'Ad lectorem' ) on p. 262-263.
The second part is dedicated by Hannardus van Gameren to Gérard de Hamericourt, bishop of St. Omer, dated Louvain, 24 Dec. 1568 (p. 3-11). The letters by Cosma de Torres, Joh. Ferdinand Bongo, Aloysius Ameida, covering the years 1561-1564, follow on p. 12-158. On p. 158-176 follow the letters written from the Moluccas by Petrus Maskarenhas in 1564; on p. 177-186 the letters written from Brazil by Emanuel Nobrega in 1552, and on pp. 187-310 an extensive letter by Jacobus Navarehus on the conditions in Asia and Japan written in Louvain, 1 December 1568. A last unnumbered leaf contains the errata and the printer's device.
The very interesting and popular collection of these early Jesuit letters from Japan, India, the Moluccas and Brazil is not only important for the history of the Jesuit mission in those parts of the world, but also for the history of those countries and religion, customs and traditions of the Japanese, Indian and Asian peoples.

Good copy.- (Spine rubbed (restored), first fly-leaf with contemporary annotations).

Alt Japan Kat. 469-470; Cordier, Japonica, cols. 51- 2; Streit IV, 927; Bibl. Belg. II, E-15; Belg. Typ., 1018.

Related Subjects: 16th Century History India Japan Jesuits Mission

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