Correspondance de Fernand Cortès avec l'empereur Charles-Quint, sur la conquête du Mexique. Traduite par M. le Vicomte de Flavigny [...].

8vo: [2]-xxvi-508-[4] pp. (some rare foxing).

Contemp. red morocco [by Derome, after a ms. note], gilt coat of arms framed with double gilt fillet and gilt fleur-de-lis corner fleurons, gilt tooled spine with raised bands and green leather label, a.e.g.

First edition of the French translation, by Viscount César de Flavigny, of three letters from the famous Spanish Conquistador Cortés (1485-1547) to Emperor Charles V. It is a translation and abridgement of Lorenaza's "Historia de Nueva Espana", which came out in 1770. The letters are Cortes' 2nd, 3rd and 4th, though here referred to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The real first letter was lost at sea (Flavigny wrote that it was not an interesting one!), and the 5th letter had not been located at the time of the publication of this book.
Ref. Sabin 16953. - Palau 63912.
Prov. Louis Philippe of Orléans (1747-1793) also known as Philippe Égalité (supra libros).- William Beckford (1760-1844), library sold in 1882 sq (note on the upper flyleaf).