A valuable panorama of Christian communities throughout the Indian subcontinent in the middle of the 17th century, written by the Portuguese Jesuit missionary to India, Francisco Barreto. His accounts are based on his own experiences in Malabar, the core region of Portuguese Jesuit missionary activities. The work contains detailed accounts of Jesuit activities in the area and Barreto provides painstakingly detailed accounts of the history of the various missions across the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Barreto (1598-1663) was born in Montemornovo (Evora), Portugal. In 1624 he went to India, where he taught philosophy and theology, governed the colleges of Coulam and Cochin, was provincial and visitor of the mission of Malabar, India and the province of Goa. In the period from 1644 to 1653 he returned to Rome to report on the mission. He was elected bishop of Cochin and archbishop of Cranganor, which he did not accept.
The binding has been restored, the title-page and leaf A1 have been reinforced in the gutter, browned and slightly foxed throughout, otherwise in good condition. Cordier, Japonica, 361; Sommervogel I 923; Streit V 371; USTC 4015801 (9 copies); WorldCat 1025072018 (23 copies).