PIGAFETTA, Filippo (1533-1604) and LOPEZ, Duarte (fl. 1578-1589). A Report of the Kingdome of Congo, a region of Africa. Translated by Abraham HARTWELL (1553/4–1606). London: John Wolfe, 1597.

First edition in English of this eye-witness Portuguese account of the kingdom of Kongo as it existed under the reign of Álvaro I, founder of the Kwilu dynasty.

The Portuguese merchant Duarte Lopez spent twelve years in Central Africa as ambassador to the Kingdom of Kongo, during which time he recorded detailed observations on Kongo culture and regional politics. After returning to Europe in 1589, Lopez sought papal support for a new mission; Pope Sixtus V instead commissioned Filippo Pigafetta to transcribe and edit his account, published in 1591 as Relatione del reame del Congo. Translated into many languages, it became one of the most authoritative and widely circulated European sources on Central Africa in the sixteenth century. The English audience forgot much of its information however. When this translation was reprinted in 1881, the introduction remarks how much better informed the Portuguese were about Central Africa in the 16^th century than the English were in the early 19^th century.

This copy with first leaf of Hartwell’s introduction uncanceled (mis-spelling "glyketrōteron"). Without inserted woodcut following S3 present in copies with maps of Congo in first state. The present Congo map is apparently supplied from another early edition and is not signed by William Rogers. ESTC S108820.

Quarto (178 x 127mm). Illustrated with two folding engraved maps and 10 full-page woodcut illustrations including two repetitions (without A1-A2 [A1 blank except signature mark, A2 a fly-title], deleted ownership inscription on title with some bleed-through, P3 [illustration] bound after P2, engraved map of Congo apparently supplied from another early edition and with two small ink-stains, other map reinforced at top edge and with some small repairs, repair to Y1 obscuring a couple of words, rust-hole to 2D1 affecting a couple of letters, the woodcuts frequently shaved at outer margins, a few headlines and shoulder notes shaved). Modern black calf bound by Donald B. McKeon with stamp in Esperanto, partially preserving earlier blue wrappers, the two folding maps attached to flyleaves. Provenance: Henry White of Litchfield (ownership inscription dated 1824 preserved on modern endpaper).