Exquemelin, Alexandre Olivier (?1645-1707).

4to (201 x 151mm.), [40, last leaf blank], xvi, 328 (Ee4 blank), [4]pp., title-page printed in red and black, illustration: engraved coat of arms of the dedicatee Bernardino Antonio de Pardi on verso of title-page, 9 plates and maps (see footnote), 2 woodcuts of arrows within text, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, neat manuscript corrections of misspellings within text, binding: contemporary speckled calf, spine gilt in compartments, marbled edges, light spotting, binding rubbed

armorial bookplate with the motto "Consciencia de la Paz"

Church 667; Palau 85730; Sabin 23471

first edition, first issue, in spanish of exquemelin's influential work on buccaneers. it is rare indeed to find this book complete and in such fine condition.

First published in Dutch as De Americaensche Zee-Roovers (Amsterdam, 1678), this Spanish edition was the basis of the later popular translations into English (1684) and French (1686). Exquemelin's book reflects the life of the peoples of the Caribbean caught between the warring powers of Spain, France and England, but also tends to romanticize the life of the pirates who held sway in the area between 1660 and 1720, making them out to be swashbuckling daredevils. The book was the basis of countless imitations and its legacy is still felt in the modern day fascination with the era of the buccaneers, whose most recent manifestation has been the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films. 

Exquemelin embarked on his American adventures from Le Havre in 1666. He eventually became a privateer before "retiring" from his adventurous life.

The subjects of the plates are (i) facing page 40, portrait of Bartolome Portugues; (ii) facing page 50, portrait of Rock Brasiliano; (iii) facing page 96, portrait of Francisco Lolonois; (iv) facing page 127, slaughter of prisoners by Lolonois; (v) facing page 147, portrait of Juan Morgan; (vi) facing page 152, the battle for Puerto del Principe; (vii) facing page 208, Morgan's destruction of the Spanish Armada, folding plate; (viii) facing page 250, folding map of Panama; (ix) opposite page 269, the battle between Morgan's buccaneers and the Spanish before a burning city of Panama, folding plate