Forum Rare Books | Rare Books

< Back

Important Spanish account of missionary activities in Japan in excellent, contemporary parchment binding

PIÑEYRO, Luys.
Relacion del sucesso que tuuo nuestra santa fe en los reynos del Iapon, desde el año de seyscientos y doze hasta el de seyscientos u quinze, Imperando Cubosama.

With woodcut coat of arms on title, repeated at the end of books 1, 2 and 3, woodcut headpiece, numerous woodcut initials.

Madrid, widow of Alonso M. de Balboa, 1617. Folio. Contemporary vellum. With woodcut coat of arms on title, repeated at the end of books 1, 2 and 3, woodcut headpiece, numerous woodcut initials. (16), 516, (8) pp.

Rare first edition of a history of the persecution of Christian missionaries in Japan and Japanese converts to Christianity, written in Spanish by the Portuguese Jesuit Luys Piñeyro (1560-1620). The history is in five books followed by lists of martyrs, a table of chapter titles, etc. A French edition appeared in 1618.
Initially the religious activities of the Jesuits, who arrived in 1549, were tolerated by the Japanese government. Upon seeing the brutal converting methods and the destruction of Japanese temples outside the metropolitan provinces, Shogun Hideyoshi changed his policy towards the Christians in 1587. Churches were demolished, and priests were ordered to leave the country. In 1597, Franciscan priests from Manilla disobeyed Hideyoshi's orders not to preach their religion. Additionally, the captain of a Spanish vessel, which had run ashore in Japan, boasted to his Japanese interrogators that Spanish missionaries were converting the indigenous population to facilitate a Spanish conquest. Twenty-six Christians, among whom six Franciscans, were executed, many churches were demolished and the Jesuits were once more ordered to leave the country. The expulsion order was again not obeyed and, again, not enforced.
The quarrels of the Dominicans and Franciscans with the Jesuits, the Jesuit demand to destroy the ships of the Dutch, who arrived in Japan in 1600, and finally, the charting of the Japanese coast by a Franciscan and a Spanish mariner prompted Iyeyasu, Hideyoshi's successor, to execute Japanese converts in 1613 and to order the expulsion of priests in 1614. In 1616 a new edict was issued, ordering not only the expulsion of foreign priests but also demanding the death penalty for Japanese Christians who refused to renounce their beliefs. Many of the deported priests simply defied the Japanese government and returned to Japan, but only few of these were actually executed.
The present work describes the background to the deteriorating relations between the Japanese rulers and the representatives of Christianity. Piñeyro also deals with the determination of the Jesuits to continue to preach their religion even in the face of persecution.

Very good copy, with ample margins and crisp paper.- (Early ownership inscription at foot of title-page 'de la libr.a de don fer.do de Henao Mongaraz.').

Alt Japan Kat. 1151; De Backer-Sommervogel VI, cols 817-18; Cordier, Japonica, cols 290-1; Palau 226932; not in Nipponalia.

Related Subjects: 17th Century Japan Jesuits Mission Religion Spanish

Add to Shopping cart

€ 31.500,00

Prices in EUROS (€), shipping and BTW/VAT extra.

< Back

Terms of sale

All items are offered subject to prior sale. Prices are nett and in (€) EURO. VAT/BTW, postage, and insurance are not included.

Free shipping for orders over € 2,500. EU customers: if applicable, please quote your VAT number when placing orders.

Preferred mode of payment: by credit card through our secure online payment service, which is facilitated by Ogone. If you wish to make other arrangements, please contact us. Terms of sale

E-mail this to a friend

Antiquariaat FORUM B.V.
Tuurdijk 16
3997 MS t Goy-Houten,
The Netherlands

Phone: (+31) (0)30 601 1955
Fax: (+31) (0)30 601 1813
E-mail: info@forumrarebooks.com
Web: http://www.forumrarebooks.com