Rare complete set of the six parts of the first and only edition of a very detailed Portuguese account of Goa during the reign of the Viceroy Pedro Migues de Almeida (1688-1756), who governed the region from 1744 to 1750. Although Portuguese power in India had peaked more than a century earlier, Almeidas rule provided a brief respite from the decline. The present work is especially interesting for its account of the Portuguese government's disputes with the predominantly Hindu Maratha Empire that had taken control of most of Northern India from the Islamic Mughal Empire by this time. The large map "Planta da Ilha de Goa" shows the area around the mouths of the Mandovi and Zuari rivers, with the "Ilha de Goa" between them.
José Freire de Monterroyo Mascarenhas (1670-1760) was a Lisbon writer and newspaper editor, who had family in Goa (the work gives information about people with that family name in Goa). His work provides a wide-ranging coverage of current events and affairs in the region, with particular attention paid to the tensions and conflict between the Portuguese and the Maratha (Mahratta) Confederacy. The title page names the author only by his initials J.F.M.M. The publisher of the work is unknown; only part 6 mentions the name of Francisco da Silva. It is not certain that parts 2 and 6 were produced by the anonymous printer who produced parts 1 and 3-5.
The spine is slightly frayed at the foot, the edges and corners of the boards are lightly scuffed, the vellum has darkened, with some worming along the joints. The work is somewhat browned throughout, it has been cut somewhat short at the head, without loss of text, some leaves have been reinforced in the margins. Otherwise in good condition. Danvers, F.C., Portuguese in India, II, p. 418; Innocêncio 4, pp. 351-352; Mhamai, S.K., Sawants of Wadi: coastal politics in 18th and 19th centuries, p. 185; Porbase 458652 (6 copies BnP).