The ‘Recueil de Divers Voyages’ is a compilation of travel works translated by Henri Justel (1620-93). A rare work it comprised accounts not seen in print before with translations of five key English ones. A French Protestant, scholar and book collector, Justel was the secretary to Louis XIV. He left France for England in 1681 before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. He was given the position of Keeper of the King’s Library at St. James’s Palace by Charles II.

The book includes accounts of Africa and America and the order in which these are found often varies. The following is a list of those included, each with its own half title:

1 – Richard Ligon, ‘Histoire de l’isle des Barbades’, first published 1657.

2 – Baltasar Telles, ‘Extrait de l’histoire d’Ethiopie’, first published in Lisbon in 1660

Jeromyno Lobo, ‘Relation de la riviere du Nil’, first published 1669.

3 – Antonio d’Almeyda, ‘Description de l’Empire du Prete-Jean’

4 – ‘Relation du voyage fait sur les costes d’Afrique aux mois de Novembre & Decembre de l’année 1670. Janvier & Février 1671. commençant au Cap Verd’.

5 – De la Borde, ‘Relation de l’origine, moeurs, coustumes religion, guerres et voyages des Caraibes, sauvages des isles Antilles de l’Amerique faite par le sieur De la Borde’.

6 – ‘Relation de la Guiane’.

7 – Richard BLOME, Description de l’isle de la Jamaique’ first published in London, 1672.

8 – ‘Relation de l’isle des Barbades’.

9 – ‘Colonies Angloises’.

Of these accounts of de la Borde in the Caribbean and Guaine are published for the first time. There is a translation of Richard Ligon’s Barbados first published in 1657. Settled by the English in 1625 it exploded with 44,000 settlers by 1650, nearly four times that in Virginia and twice that of New England. The account includes a fine folding map of the island with large inset of the south east and the Caribbean engraved by Michault.

Richard Blome’s ‘Description of the Island of Jamaica’ first published around Easter 1673, is also present. ‘To illustrate it he included a map that is drawn directly from the first state of the Blome and engraved by René Michault who is known to have worked for Pierre Duval and Nicolas Sanson. The only difference being the addition of a few French translations of English nomenclature’ (Burden). The island is depicted just 18 years before the disastrous earthquake at Port Royal in 1692 which destroyed the town. The English work was supported by the Governor of Jamaica and Thomas Modyford, owner of large amounts of land on the island.

The final section with the half title ‘Colonies Angloises’ includes a fine map of the English colonies in North America stretching from Cape Henry in the south to Port Royal in Nova Scotia. ‘To illustrate it he included a map that is drawn directly from the first state of the Blome and engraved by René Michault. The only difference being the addition of a few French translations of English nomenclature … There was a second edition published by the widow of A. Cellier in 1684. It, too, contained this map in an identical state. Provenance: Le Bail-Weissert, May 2001; private English collection. Atabey 527; Baer (1949) nos. 78 & 111; Blackmer 750; Burden (2007) nos. 439 & 440; McCorkle (2001) no. 674.1; The A. E. Nordenskiöld Collection no. 642; Sabin (1868) 36944.