Far East.- Borri (Cristoforo)

Relatione della nuova missione delli pp. della Compagnia di Giesu, al regno della Cocincina, woodcut Jesuit device to title and arms of the dedicatee, Pope Urbano VIII, to a2, tear to H4, paper flaw to P3, occasional spotting and marking, contemporary limp vellum, soiled, spine restored, [Cordier, ‘Indosinica’, 1917], 8vo, Francesco Corbelletti, Rome, 1631.

*** Report on the travel in Vietnam (Chochin-China) of Jesuit Father and mathematician Cristoforo Borri, or Burrus (1583-1632), who entered the Society of Jesus in 1601. He stayed for many years in the East Indies and was one of the first to enter Cochin-China, where he remained five years (1616-1621). His book contains the first authentic information on this country. It is divided into two parts. The first deals with the geographical feature of the country, its climate, agricultural and craft production, customs of the inhabitants, medicine, government, wars, etc. Chapter VIII, concerning the trade, is very important for the relations of this country with China and Japan. The second part is mostly dedicated to the religious cult.