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LOPEZ DE GOMARA, Francisco.
The pleasant historie of the conquest of the West India, now called new Spaine. Atchieued by the most worthie prince Hernando Cortes, Marques of the valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to reade. Translated out of the Spanish tongue, by T.N. Anno. 1578.
London: Thomas Creede, 1596. Second edition in English. 8o (166 x 112 mm). Woodcut printer's device on title, ornamental initials, title anfd first four leaves with small blank portion of upper corner renewed, nineteenth century brown morocco gilt by Sanford, all edges gilt, an excellent copy.
SCARCE AND IMPORTANT NEW WORLD HISTORY BY CORTÉS'S PRIVATE AND DOMESTIC CHAPLAIN translating Lopez de Gomara's La conquista de Mexico, the second part of his Historia general de las Indias, first published 1553. It is this second part, relating to Cortés's conquest of Mexico, by which the author is best known. Gomara was one of the earliest and ablest of the Spanish historians of the New World. In 1540 he was the chaplain and secretary of Cortés, a position which gave him access to many documents which have since disappeared and informed his texts. This unparalleled access to documentary evidence makes Lopez de Gomara's text the richest history of the extraordinary exploits surrounding the overthrow of the Aztec empire. "The first of [Thomas] Nicholls's translations was The Pleasant Historie of the Conquest of the West India, now called New Spayne, printed in 1578 with a dedication to Walsingham that revealed it was not based on the original Spanish version of 1552 but on an Italian translation by Agostino de Cravaliz" (Oxford Biographical Dictionary). Alden & Landis 596/52; Sabin 27752; STC 16808; Streit II:1140.
Price: £ 15000
US Dollar Price: $ 22610
Stock Number: 72745