“CONSECRATING PORTUGUESE TRIUMPHS”: RARE 1681 FIRST EDITION OF MARTINEZ DE LA PUENTE’S CHRONICLE OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE IN THE EAST INDIES

MARTINEZ DE LA PUENTE, Jose. Compendio de las Historias de los Descubrimientos, Conquistas, y Guerras de la India Oriental, y sus Islas… Madrid: Imprenta Imperial, por la Viueda de Joseph Fernandez de Buendia, 1681. Octavo, period-style full maroon morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers. $3800.

First edition of Martinez de la Puente’s history of the Portuguese empire in the East Indies to the year 1600, including a chapter on Brazil, an account of the discovery of the Moluccas, as well as descriptions of the Philippines and New Guinea.

Martinez de la Puente compiled his work from various Portuguese authors, notably João de Barros. About New Guinea, "tierra del Papuè," the author acknowledges that it is not known whether it is an island or part of a Southern Continent: "si bien todavia no se sabe si es Isla, tierra continente (esto es, si está con la tierra Antarctica)." Title page printed in red and black. Text in Spanish. Two text leaves (S4-5) and one leaf of index (Cc7) supplied in a neat manuscript; part of final leaf of index completed by the same hand. Palau 155609. Sabin 44953. Borba de Moraes II:524. Bookplate, from "la Habana," Cuba laid in.

Faint traces of dampstains, a few minor wormholes, occasional tears, all chiefly marginal. A very good copy of this scarce early history of the Portuguese presence in the East Indies.