SUAREZ DE FIGUEROA, Cristóbal (1571–1644). Hechos de don García Hurtado de Mendoza. Madrid: Imprenta Real, 1613.

First edition of Suarez de Figueroa’s account of Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza’s career as governor of Chile during the Araucanian War and of his administration in Peru. The Brasseur de Bourbourg–Pinart copy.

Mendoza (1535–1609) sailed from Callao in 1557, first reaching Santiago. He established a settlement at Osorno in 1558 and sent out tributary expeditions into remoter regions, including those expeditions of Juan Ladrillero and Francisco de Ulloa to explore the southern archipelago as far as Tierra del Fuego. He returned to Spain in 1561 and after being pardoned for abuses of authority served in the occupation of Portugal and then returned to South America as viceroy of Peru. He spent seven years developing the country’s economy and cultural footing.

Rare, no copy has come to auction in the past 15 years.

Quarto (202 × 138mm). Large royal armorial woodcut device on title-page (dampstains, occasional small stains including partial handprint on 2K4, neat marginal tear in quires P to T, ). Contemporary vellum, evidence of two fore-edge ties (light stains). Provenance: contemporary manuscript annotations – Collegii Paris. Soc. Jesu (contemporary inscription on title-page) – Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg (1814–1874 ; bookplate) – Alphonse Pinart (1852–1911; bookplate).