Conestaggio, Girolamo Franchi di [Edward Blount, translator]

HISTORIE OF THE UNITING OF THE KINGDOM OF PORTUGALL TO THE CROWNE OF CASTILL. Containing the Last Warres of the Portugals Against the Moores of Africke, the End of the House of Portugall, and Change of that Government, The Description of Portugall, Their

      London: Arm. Hatfield for Edward Blount, 1600. First Edition. A copy with fine provenance, having been owned by the Earl of Essex, Viscount Maldon and Baron Capell: 1701, with his ownership label showing the royal coat of arms, and later by Penrose. This copy also handled by Quaritch many years ago. With beautifully engraved head-pieces and intitials. Folio in sixes, 27 x 19 cm., beautifully bound in contemporary calf, the covers with gilt paneled frames of triple gilt fillet lines with gilt tooled corner devices, borders of the covers with double gilt fillet rules, the spine panel elaborately gilt and with royal crown and title on red morocco lettering labels gilt. [xii], 324, [vii] pp. roman letter, elaborate woodcut printerOs device to the title. A very handsome copy, collated perfect by Bernard Quaritch Ltd, in Pencil, deacidified.. FIRST EDITION, COPIES IN CONTEMPORARY BINDING WITH IMPORTANT PROVENANCE ARE VERY RARELY ENCOUNTERED IN THE MARKET PLACE. AN IMPORTANT WORK. A OVery rare important book dealing partly with Africa. It is the first English edition of a famous book published in Genoa in 1585 by Conestaggio.O - Telle Da Sylva The work is generally ascribed to the authorship of Juan de Silva and is an important source book for the history of the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal before the union of their crowns. Their is significant material on the voyages of discovery of each nation of of their expansion around the globe. There is significant work on the Jesuits and of their role in the affairs of the crown. De Silva, conde de Portalegre was on the early voyage of Dom Sebastian to Africa.