AUSSFUHRLICHE GESCHICHT DER IN DEM AUSSERSTEN WELT-THEIL GELEGENEN JAPONESISCHEN KIRCH

Augsburg: Franz Antoni Alger, 1738. First Edition. Hardcover. Nineteenth century signature to front fly leaf and early signature to title, some very light staining in various places throughout (mostly only visible in margins); expected soiling to binding. A clean and attractive Near Fine example. Quarto (8-1/2" x 12-1/2") with two parts bound together in contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards, clasps lacking but catches present, title on spine label stamped in blind; [24], 534, [2], 559, [1] pages. Title in red and black, engraved head- and tail-pieces and initials. Illustrated with 9 engraved plates. The First German Edition of this history of the Jesuit Mission in Japan. While Christianity in Japan flourished for a brief period in the mid 1500s, the religion was banned in 1620 and existed only underground. The Catholic church took some exception to Crasset's work, saying that he "attributed the origin of the persecution of 1597 to the imprudence of the friars in making their religious ceremonies too public" (Catholic Encyclopedia IV, 468).