First edition of a French biography of the Jesuit martyr Ignacio de Azevedo, by Father Gilles-François Beauvais (1695-1773), who modelled his book on the Italian biography by Father Cabral (pseudonym of Giulio Cesare Cordara) (1704-1785), published at Rome in 1743 under the title Relazione della vita e martirio del venerabile padre Ignazio de Azevedo. In the present biography, dedicated to King Stanislaus I of Poland, Beauvais made several additions, for example the "Martyre du Vénérable Père Diaz et de ses Compagnons", pp. 193-262.
Most of the book is devoted to the life of the martyr Ignatius de Azevedo from Porto (1528-1570), who worked in Brazil as Visitator for the Jesuit Order. On 15 July 1570, he and his 39 companions at sea were killed by French Calvinist pirates near the Canary Islands. In 1854, these "40 martyrs of Brazil" were canonized.
Beauvais's biography may be regarded as a loose translation, with additional material, of Cordara's biography, which was translated into Spanish in the same year and into German in 1856. A second edition of Beauvais's version was published at Brussels in 1854. The martyrdom of Ignacio de Azevedo and his companions has inspired many literary works up to the present day.
Some faint marginal stains, a small corner of the last 2 leaves (and larger corners of the following endleaves) restored, not approaching the text. Boards scratched. In good condition. Borba de Moraes, p. 93; De Backer & Sommervogel I, col. 1080, 4; Chadenat 754; not in Bosch; Sabin.