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MARTYR, Peter (Pietro Martire d'ANGHIERA). The History of Travayle in the West and East Indies, and other countreys lying eyther way, towards the fruitfull and ryche Moluccas. As Muscovia, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Fgypte, Ethiopia, Guinea, China in Cathayo, and Giapan: With a discourse of the Northwest passage Gathered in parte, and done into Englyshe by Richarde Eden, Newly set in order, augmented, and finished, by Richard Willes. London: Richard Jugge, 1577.
8o (187 x 128 mm). Printed in black letter, Dedication to the Countess of Bedford, woodcut of the Pole Antartike on f.436 verso, "Speciall advises" and Table at end, woodcut illustrated initials. (Title with a few marginal repairs, 2L5 with pale dampstain at center slightly affecting text, 2M3-6 bound out of sequence, small marginal wormhole in gatherings A-F, some occasional pale dampstaining.) 18th-century English calf, covers ruled in blind, preserving old spine panels (some rubbing, a few small repairs); red quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance: Alexander Pitfeild (ownership inscription dated 1712), Fellow of the Royal Society and translator of Claude Perrault's Natural History of Animals.
THE VERY RARE SECOND AND BEST EDITION OF RICHARD EDEN'S TRANSLATION OF MARTYR'S 'HISTORY' AND THE FIRST EDITION BY WILLES OF THE FIRST COLLECTION OF VOYAGES IN ENGLISH, the first comprehensive account of Asia and the first account of Japan in English, and the first account in English of Magellan's circumnavigation, by the earliest historian of the Americas and originator of the term "The New World." Willes was a member of the Society of Jesus from 1565-1572 and well acquainted with Maffei, the Jesuit chronicler whose work he drew on. Under the patronage of the Earl of Bedford he expanded Richard Eden's translation to include four Decades of Peter Martyr and an abridgement of Decades V-VIII, Frobisher's voyage for a Northwest Passage, Sebastian Cabot's voyages to the Arctic for the Moscovy Company, Varthema's travels to Asia, Cortes' conquest of Mexico, Pereira's description of China, 1565, Acosta and Maffei's notices of Japan, 1573, and the first two English voyages to West Africa. In addition, THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST PRINTED WORK TO ADVOCATE A BRITISH COLONY IN NORTH AMERICA. In 1492 Martyr was at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, and Chronicler of the State Council for the Indies. As such, he had access to original travel documents and was an acquaintance of Columbus, Vespucci, da Gama and Magellan. The first English edition by Richard Eden, London, 1555 (see previous lot) contained Martyr's Decades I-III only; the first complete English edition with the eight Decades was not published until 1612 (see following lot). Alden & Landis 577/2; Brunet I:294, II:943; Church 119; Cordier Japonica 71; Howgego M65; Sabin 1562; STC 649.
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THE VERY RARE SECOND AND BEST EDITION OF RICHARD EDEN'S TRANSLATION OF MARTYR'S 'HISTORY' AND THE FIRST EDITION BY WILLES OF THE FIRST COLLECTION OF VOYAGES IN ENGLISH, the first comprehensive account of Asia and the first account of Japan in English, and the first account in English of Magellan's circumnavigation, by the earliest historian of the Americas and originator of the term "The New World." Willes was a member of the Society of Jesus from 1565-1572 and well acquainted with Maffei, the Jesuit chronicler whose work he drew on. Under the patronage of the Earl of Bedford he expanded Richard Eden's translation to include four Decades of Peter Martyr and an abridgement of Decades V-VIII, Frobisher's voyage for a Northwest Passage, Sebastian Cabot's voyages to the Arctic for the Moscovy Company, Varthema's travels to Asia, Cortes' conquest of Mexico, Pereira's description of China, 1565, Acosta and Maffei's notices of Japan, 1573, and the first two English voyages to West Africa. In addition, THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST PRINTED WORK TO ADVOCATE A BRITISH COLONY IN NORTH AMERICA. In 1492 Martyr was at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, and Chronicler of the State Council for the Indies. As such, he had access to original travel documents and was an acquaintance of Columbus, Vespucci, da Gama and Magellan. The first English edition by Richard Eden, London, 1555 (see previous lot) contained Martyr's Decades I-III only; the first complete English edition with the eight Decades was not published until 1612 (see following lot). Alden & Landis 577/2; Brunet I:294, II:943; Church 119; Cordier Japonica 71; Howgego M65; Sabin 1562; STC 649.