A French translation of Maffei's celebrated Historiarum Indicarum. Divided into 16 books, it describes the Portuguese discoveries and missionary work in India, the East Indies, Persia, Japan, China, Brazil and other parts of America. "Maffei writes extensively about Brazil, describing it very accurately" (Borba de Moraes), in fact devoting three chapters to the subject. Book six is devoted to China and includes a description of tea, to which Maffei ascribed several health benefits, regular consumption resulting in a "long and healthy life" ("Elles les ... fait vivre longues années, presque sans aucune langueur", p. 230). The translation is by Abbé Michel de Pure (1634-1680).
Title-page with stamp and owner's inscription. Lower corner of title-page torn off (ca. 10 x 5 cm), stamp on leaf A1 partly cut out, slightly shaving a few letters of the text, slightly browned. Binding worn, spine damaged, hinges cracked, corners damaged. A reasonable copy. Borba de Moraes, pp. 508-509; Cordier, Japonica, col. 66; Cordier, Sinica, col. 784.