Condition. The book is in Very Good condition. The spine is sunned and there are small areas of discoloration on the boards. There is a dinged/indented area along the joint between the spine and the back board and light fraying at the head and foot of the spine and on the corners. There is a scraped area (ca 1 in x 2 in) on the paste down of the front board. Eraser scuff on the top of the title page where pencil writing was removed. Internally very clean with no markings are faults.

 
Purchas, Samuel, B.D.
Wild, Cyril (editor and added commentary):
Purchas His Pilgrimes in Japan. Extracted from Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes. Containing a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and others by Samuel Purchas, B.D. and edited with commentary and notes by Cyril Wild, Kobe, J.L. Thompson and London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., preface dated December 1938, Japanese language colophon tipped in at rear with printing date of 1939, printed in Japan by The Kobe & Osaka Press, Ltd, Kobe, 8vo (6 1/4 x 9 in - 16 x 23 cm), brown blindstamped cloth with gilt lettering on spine, 5 black and white illustrations which include 2 maps, bibliography, index, 5 pages of J.L. Thompson advertisements at the rear, i-viii, 283 pp.

This book is a compilation of Western contacts with Japan found in the published records of the Hakluyt Society. It begins with Marco Polo's second-hand and exaggerated accounts of Japan ("They have gold in great store....") in the 13th century. The book contains accounts of Portuguese, Spanish, Jesuit, Dutch and English activities in Japan. The editor provides detailed commentary and that is followed by extracts from the Hakluyt records. The extracts contain notations in the margin citing the volume number and page in the 20 volume set where the extract can be found. As the extracts relating to Japan are contained throughout the 20 volume source set, this book is an important and time saving compilation. Much information can be found on William Adams, John Saris, the English House at Hirado and Richard Cocks. The English section spans approximately two thirds of the book.

Saris and his voyage to Japan are discussed by Cyril Wild at pages 102 to 124. The actual Saris log is at pages 124 to 232.

The editor bases this work on Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes, Contayning a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and Others published by James MacLehose in 20 volumes between 1905-1909. Regarding the 20 volume republication, Wild asserts it is "an exact reprint" of the original five volume publication with the same title published in London in 1625. Wild notes a copy of the Saris's log is in the possession of the India Office. In comparing that to the version published by the Hakluyt Society, he concluded that it is "...evident that the India Office MS is Saris's fair copy of the original log...." (at page 122) and that the log in Hakluyt records appears to have been "amplified" by Saris. Wild also notes that the Bacon manuscript (owned by the Toyo Bunko) is identical, except for minor variations, to the log published by Hakluyt Society.

Wild outlines the three know sources of Saris logs as:

1. Richard Hakluyt papers. Not a manuscript log but apparently taken by Hakluyt directly from Saris's personal copy of his log.
2. The India Office Manuscript log. This log is not as comprehensive as 1 and 3.
3. The Brown Manuscript log owned by the Toyo Bunko.

Several books have been published which deal with the log of Saris's visit to Japan in 1613. It should be noted that they deal with different versions of the Saris's logs. These versions are:

1. Brown Manuscript ("Brown MS"). An original Saris's manuscript version of his log which was purchased by the Toyo Bunko in the 1920s. Published in facsimile form in 1940 and transcribed in 1941.

   The First Voyage of the English to the Islands of Japan, Being the Eight Voyage of the East Indies Under the Command of Captame John Saris of London with The Ships the Cloue and the Hector and the Thomas, 1940, Toyo Bunko, facsimile (reproduced in collotype) of the "Brown MS." More information here.

   The First Voyage of the English to Japan by John Saris, Transcribed and Collated by Takanobu Otsuka, The Supplementary Volume to the Toyo Bunko Sokan, No. 10, The Toyo Bunko Publications, Series D, Volume III, 1941, Toyo Bunko, transcript of the "Brown MS." More information here.

2. Hakluyt Version of the Log. This is not a manuscript log.

   Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes, Contayning a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and Others . Samuel Purchas (1577-1626) inherited the papers of Richard Hakluyt, a noted travel writer, who died in 1616. Using these papers, Purchas published this 5 volume set in 1625 in London. This set contains a copy of the Saris log which was apparently taken by Richard Hakluyt directly from Saris's personal copy of his log.

   Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes, Contayning a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and Others, 1905~7, Glasgow, James MacLehose and Sons, Hakluyt Society, a 20 volume reprint of the 1625 five volume set. Volume III contains the Saris log. More information here.

   Purchas His Pilgrimes in Japan. Extracted from Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes. Containing a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and others by Samuel Purchas, B.D. and edited with commentary and notes by Cyril Wild, Kobe, J.L. Thompson and London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., 1939, printed in Japan by The Kobe & Osaka Press, Ltd, Kobe , 283 pp. Saris and his voyage to Japan are discussed by Cyril Wild at pages 102 to 124. The actual Saris log is at pages 124 to 232. More information here.

   A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, History, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time, Volume IX (1611-1701), edited by Robert Kerr, Edinburgh, printed by James Ballantyne for William Blackwood, 1813, 8vo, 562 pp. More information here.

3. India Office Manuscript Supplemented With Extracts from the Hakluyt Society Manuscript - edited and supplemented by Ernest Satow. The India Office log is an original Saris's manuscript version of his log.

   The Voyage of Captain John Saris to Japan, 1613, Edited from Contemporary Records by Sir Ernest M. Satow, K.C.M.G, from "Works Issued by the Hakluyt Society, Second Series, No. 5," London, Hakluyt Society, 1900, 8vo, gilt decorated and blindstamped blue cloth, frontispiece, 4 black and white plates (one of which is folding), folding map of the Eastern Seas, 20 pages of Hakluyt Society information, 242 pp. Satow based this book on a copy of the Saris manuscript preserved in the India Office and supplemented that with extracts from the Hakluyt Society Purchas His Pilgrims. More information here.

Title Page



Contents.

Preface                                             1-6

Part I.   The Early Explorers.                     7-20
          i.  Marco Polo
          ii. The Portuguese and Spaniards
 
Part II.  The Jesuits                             21-62

Part III. The Dutch                               63-70

Part IV.  The English                             71-248
          i    Ralph Fitch and Thomas Cavendish
          ii.  Sir Edward Michelborne & John
               Davys
          iii. Will Adams
          iv.  John Saris and Richard Cocks and
               the English House at Hirado
          v.   The Fleet of Defense
          
Notes                                             249-268
          Note A.  Embassy from the Viceroy    
                   of the Indies to Toyotomi
                   Hideyoshi
          Note B.  Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion
                   of Korea
          Note C.  Tea
          Note D.  The Death of William Adams
          Note E.  Correspondence between King
                   James I and Tokugawa Iyeyasu
          Note F.  The Petition for Privileges
                   and Charter of Trade
                   
Bibliography                                      269-270

Index                                             271-283

Advertisements for J.L. Thompson       5 unnumbered pages


Illustrations.

Facsimile of Engraved Title Page             Frontispiece
Facsimile of the Title Page to the First Part        viii
Hondius his Map of the World                          86
The Japonian Charter                                 156
Hondius his Map of Japan                             230


Japanese Language Colophon
(tipped in at rear - not in all books)

Printed:  Showa 14(1939).7.27 
Published:  Showa 14(1939).8.1