Paris, Jean Henault, 1659.
8vo [162 x 116 mm] of (1) bl.l., (6) ll., 115 pp., (1) bl.l. Bound in full contemporary limp vellum, flat spine with handwritten title on its head. Contemporary binding.
Extremely rare edition of this relation written based on the notes of Father Alexandre de Rhodes, of the Jesuit mission established in Persia in the middle of the 17th century. Sommervogel, Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, V, p. 255; Carayon, Bibliographie historique de la Compagnie de Jésus, 987. Unknown by Chadenat, Brunet …
The French missionary Alexandre de Rhodes (Avignon, 1591- Persia, 1660) joined the Jesuits in 1612. He preached the Gospel in many countries such as Goa, Macao, Cochinchina, Tonkin… “In 1648, he crossed the entire kingdom of Persia, met Le Gouz de la Boullaye while going along, and went through Anatolia and Armenia, to Smyrna, where he set sail to Genoa. Three years of a peaceful stay in Rome didn’t cure him from the passion of travelling; he went to Paris to make the preparations of his last undertaking, and left for Persia at the head of a new mission. We all agree that he usually gave accurate details about the countries he travelled through.” (Biographie générale, 41, 104).
“The permission of the Provincial, Jacques Renault, says that this Relation of F. de Rhodes has been drawn up by F. Jacques de Machault”. (Sommervogel)
Father Jacques de Machault (1600-1680) is a French writer who joined the Jesuits when he was 18. He taught the classics and philosophy in various Jesuit schools. He became rector in Alençon, Orléans and Caen. He is the one who composed this work based on notes taken by various religious during his stays in Persia.
A seducing copy preserved in its original contemporary vellum binding.
We haven’t been able to locate any other copy on the public market since records started.
