Medina, Pedro de (1493-1567).

folio (294 x 200mm.), ff. [10 (the last a blank)], 1-187, illustration: title printed in red and black with large woodcut map of Spain, woodcut arms of the king of Spain, and initials, 121 woodcuts in the text (including a map of the New World (f.64), see footnote), binding: contemporary vellum

Palau 159685; Burden 14; cf. Sabin 47348 (1548 edition) "A curious work and contains many interesting particulars relating to the discoveries by Columbus"

Third edition. rare. a fine copy. The woodcut map of the New World shows the Atlantic coast of North America, from Newfoundland to Florida; and the Pacific coast as well, from Central to South America. It was first published in Pedro de Medina's Arte de navegar (Valladolid, 1545) and was subsequently used in the first and later editions of the present work. ''Medina's knowledge of the New World was first hand, having travelled with Cortés. Later he held the position of debriefing the returning crews from their voyages. This map depicts the trade routes to and from Spain and her possessions, by the use of ships heading south-westerly on the outward bound journey and returning via the Gulf Stream to the north-east... Central America and particularly the Isthmus of Panama are shown remarkably accurately, and the Yucatan is shown correctly as a peninsula'' (Burden). The illustrations also include woodcut views of Seville and Granada.