INCA GARCILASO DE LA VEGA (1539–1616). Primera parte de los commentarios reales. Lisbon: Pedro Craesbeeck, 1609.

First edition of Vega’s famous history of Incan life. Born in Cuzco to a Spanish conquistador and a Peruvian noblewoman, Vega describes Inca life and the social and economic system of early Peru in the first part of his magnum opus. The records the stories as related to him by his mother’s family and from the works of Peurvian-born Jesuit Blas Valera. The second and final part, on the Spanish conquest of Peru, would first be published at Cordoba in 1617. Vega’s contribution to early Inca history is unequaled, but his history of the conquest, however, was banned in the 18th-century by Charles II of Spain for its portrayal of the conquistadors. Sabin 98757.

Folio (263 × 188mm). Full-page engraved arms of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, woodcut initials (lightly soiled, occasion wormholes with one repaired in title-page, large fore-edge dampstains, few leaves toned, partial handprint on F1v, closed tear in upper inner corners of final two leaves). Contemporary limp vellum (small stains). Provenance: contemporary manuscript titling on spine – modern shelfmark on spine.