LOPES DE CASTANHEDA, Fernão (c.1501-1560). The first Booke of the Historie of the Discoverie and Conquest of the East Indias, enterprised by the Portingales, in their daungerous Navigations, in the time of King Don John, the second of that name. Translated from the Spanish by N[icholas] L[ichfield]. London: Thomas East, 1582.

One of the very few 16th century works on Portugal's Age of Exploration to be published in English. The first edition in English, dedicated to Sir Francis Drake, and a rare work. "Although relating principally to the Portuguese in India, China, and the East Indies (where Lopes de Castanheda lived for twenty years), this work contains interesting particulars of the Portuguese conquest of Brazil. The first book [all that was published] treats only the early part of Lopes de Castanheda's history, but it is the part most important in American history, as it includes Cabral's voyage [his discovery of Brazil in 1500] and others. Nothing more of the first book was ever printed in English or Spanish. Nicholas Lichfield, who dedicated the book to Sir Francis Drake... probably was Thomas Nicholas, the well-known translator of the Tudor era. This English edition is very rare." (Hill 1035). Alden & Landis 582/54; Borba de Moraes p.166; Palau 262; Sabin 11391; STC 16806; Streeter sale 26.

Quarto (188 x 134mm). With the colophon leaf. Mostly black letter. Woodcut title-border, woodcut initials, including a large opening initial (tiny rust-hole to title touching two letters, a tiny marginal wormtrail to fore-edge). 19th-century diced calf, stamped in blind and with gilt horsehead device (rebacked to style, edges rubbed, adhesion residue on front pastedown). Provenance: George Wilbraham (armorial bookplate) – J.C. MacCoy (leather bookplate).