San Francisco, Eugenio.

8vo (198 x 127mm.), title within typographic border, 5 engraved plates (3 folding), woodcut initials and tailpiece, old vellum, staining to many pages

J.B. Bury, bookplate

Tobler p.105 (starred as not seen); Röhricht p.262; Palau 290552; not in Blackmer or Atabey

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

exceedingly rare account of fray eugenio de san francisco's first journey to the holy land.

San Francisco was a discalced Augustinian who set out from Seville in February 1682, and paused in Rome and Cyprus before travelling overland from Tripoli to Jerusalem. En route he recorded his observations of Syria, Samaria and Galilee. Consequently, although referencing earlier authors, San Francisco's account is flavoured throughout by his personal experiences.

San Francisco's is a practical guidebook to the pilgrim route with vivid descriptions of the landscape, peoples and Holy places. He explains how he disguised himself as a Franciscan because the Turks charged the members of that Order half the taxes they demanded from those of other Orders. One of San Francisco's most exciting (and alarming) experiences was having his ship mistaken for a corsairs' craft and being shot at whilst at Limassol.

The extreme rarity of this work can be adjudged by Joseph Ramon Jones's expression of doubt that a single copy survived in his 1998 Viajeros Espanoles a Tierra Santa, Siglo XVI Y XVII (pp.98-99). Agustin Arce asserted in his Itinerario a Jerusalem, 1703-1704, de Fray Eugenio de San Francisco (1940) that none of the bibliographers of Palestine had examined a copy.