Rare first and only edition of an important, comprehensive and influential history of the almost always disastrous Christian missions to Japan, by José Sicardo (1643-1715), mostly an account of the European and native Japanese Christian martyrs of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, stopping around 1638. It is divided into three books, the first giving a general account of Japan and of the Augustinian mission there, with detailed information about the exchange of embassies between Japan and the Philippines, and including a chapter on the history of the mission in India (pp. 17-30). Books two and three cover the martyrs in chronological order, with a list in the last chapter of book 3. The work closes with an extensive table of contents and an index. Sicardo was a Spanish Augustinian who was appointed professor of theology at the University of Mexico in 1688. Although he never visited Japan, he had extensive contact with other missionaries and drew extensively on the publications of earlier missionaries in Japan. Since the Japanese excluded most of Europe from their trade and other contacts at this time, Sicardo's account gave most Europeans their primary view of the country.
With minor foxing on the title-page and last few leaves, and an occasional minor marginal defect, but still in very good condition and with generous margins. With the spine somewhat browned, some sewing supports broken, the ties on th back board lost and a few scrapes and scratches, but the binding is still good. A rare major contribution to the history of Christian missions in Japan, written in Mexico and published in Madrid by the printer to the King of Spain. Alden & Landis 698/203 (6 copies); Cordier, Japonica col. 407; Palau 312228; Sabin 80832; WorldCat (8 copies).