The Travels of Ludovico di Varthema: In Egypt, Syria, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Felix, in Persia, India, and Ethiopia, A.D. 1503 To 1508. Ludovico di Varthema
Saxony, was printed at Leipzig in 1610, with the following title:—
"4. Hodeporicon Indiæ Orientalis; das ist, Warhafftige Beschreibung der ansehlich Lobwürdigen Reyss, Welche der Edel gestreng und weiterfahrne Bitter, H. Ludwig di Barthema von Bononien aus Italia bürtig, Inn die Orienta- lische und Morgenländer, Syrien, beide Arabien, Persien, und Indien, auch in Egypten und Ethyopien, zu Land und Wasser persönlich verrichtet: Neben eigentlicher Vermel- dung Vielerley Wenderbahren Sachen, so er darinnen gesehen und erfahren, Alss da seynd manigfaltige sorten
PREFACE. xii
von Thieren unci Gewächsen,Dessgleichen allerhand Volcker sitteu, Leben, Polycey, Glauben, Ceremoinen unci gebräuch, sampt anderer seltzamen denckwürdigen dingen, daselbst zu sehen: Und endlich, Was er für angst, noht und gefahr in der Heidenschafft vieler ort aussgestanden: Alles von jhme H.Barthema selber in ItalianischerSprach schrifftlich verfasst und nu aus dem Original mit sonderm fleiss verdeutscht: Mit Kupferstücken artlich geziert, und auffs new in Truck verfertiget: Durch Hieronymum Megiserum. Leipzig. 1610. 8 ."
This edition is copiously illustrated with maps and plans engraved on copper by H. Gross. A copy is in the British Museum.
Ternaux Compans has inserted in his Bibliotheque the title of an edition of Megeserus's translation, printed at Augsburg in 4° in 1608. This date may be correct, as the preface to the edition of 1610 is dated 1 October 1607. He also mentions an edition printed at Francfort by H. Gulferichen in 1548. An edition was also printed at Leipzig in 1615.
Spanish.
The first edition of the Spanish translation was printed in 1520, and the translator, Christoval de Arcos, informs us that he made it from the Latin version, because he could not procure the Italian. He recommends those who doubt the truth of Var- thema's relation to go and see for themselves; and to those who may find fault with his translation, he ex- cuses himself on account of the obscurity of the Latin from which it was made. The title is : —
Itinerario del venerable varon micer Luis patricio ro-
xiv PREFACE.
mano: en el qual cueta mucha parte de la ethiopia Egipto: y entrabas Arabias: Siria y la India. Buelto de latin en romance por Christoual de arcos clerigo. Nuncia hasta aqui impresso en lengua castellana.
Colophon. Fue impressa la presente obra enla muy noble y leal cuidad Seuillapor Jacobo croberger aleman. Enel ano dela encarnaciom del senor de Mill y quincentos y veynte. Fol.
This edition consists of fifty-four numbered leaves (from II to LV), besides the title, and also the colo- phon, which is printed on a separate leaf. The book is printed in double columns. Signatures a iii to g v.
A copy of this edition is in the Grenville Library. Brunet states that this translation was reprinted at Seville in 1523 and 1576 in folio, and Ternaux Com- pans mentions an edition printed at Seville in 1570.
French.
No separate translation into French has been pub- lished of this work, but a French translation is printed in the "Description de l'Afrique, tierce partie du monde contenant ses royaumes, regions, viles, cités, chateaux et forteresses: iles, fluves, animaux tant aquatiques que terrestres, &c. Escrite de notre tems par Jean Leon, Africain." Tome second: "Conte- nant les Navigations des capitaines Portugalois et autres faites audit pais, jusques aux Indes, tant orientales que Occidentals, parties de Perse, Arabie Heureuse, pierreuse et deserte. . . . L'assiette desdits pais, iles, royaumes et empires: Les figures, habits, religion et facon de faire des habitans et autres sin- gularités cy devant incogneues." Lyons, 1556. Fol.
PREFACE. xv
Dutch.
The Novus Orbis of Grynæus was again translated, and this time into Dutch by Cornelis Ablijn, and printed at Antwerp in 1563 in folio. The translator addresses his work to William Prince of Orange, and, speaking of the original, announces his own labours in the following words:—
"Dwelek ich Cornells Ablijn openbaer notarius resi- derende inder vermaerder coopstadt van Antwerpen. door bede van sommige vrienden wt der Hoochduytscher in deser Nederduytscher oft Brabantsche taelen getranslateert ende oveghesedt hebbe."
This translation, therefore, is further removed from the original than any of the others. The privilege is dated 1561.
De uytnemende en seer wonderlijcke zee-en-Landt-Reyse vande Heer Ludowyck di Barthema, van Bononien, Ridder, &c., gedaen Inde Morgenlanden, Syrien, Vrughtbaer en woest Arabien, Perssen, Indien, Egypten, Ethiopien, en andere. Uyt bet Italiens in Hoogh-duyts vertaelt door Hieronymum Megiserium, Cheur-Saxsens History schrijver. En vyt den selven nu eerstmael in't nederdcuyts gebracht door. F. S. Tot Utrecht, 1654. 4°.
A copy of this edition is in the British Museum.
Meusel, "Bibliotheca Historica," vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 340, says that the German translation of Megiserus was translated into Dutch, and printed at Utrecht in 1615 in 4°; and Ternaux Compans inserts in the "Bibliothèque" the title of another edition printed at Utrecht in 4° by W. Snellaert in 1655.
xvi PREFACE.
English.
In 1577 Richard Eden published, a collection of Voyages and travels in 4°, which he entitled "The History of Travayle in the West and East Indies," &c, in which he included the Itinerary of Varthema with the following title:—
"The navigation and vyages of Lewes Vertomannus, Gentleman, of the citie of Rome, to the regions of Arabia, Egypte, Persia, Syria, Ethiopia, and East India, both within and without the ryver of Ganges, etc. In the yeere of our Lorde 1503: conteynyng many notable and straunge thinges, both hystoricall and naturall. Translated out of Latine into Englyshe by Richarde Eden. In the yeare of our Lord 1576."
A short extract, greatly abridged, from Varthema's work, is also inserted in "Purchas his Pilgrimage." London, 1625-6. Fol.
J. WINTER JONES.
Dec. 10, 1863.
INTRODUCTION,
BY THE EDITOR.
WHO was Ludovico di Varthema? Unfortunately, scarcely any record of him is forthcoming except what he tells us himself. I have searched every available repository of such information, to learn something of his antecedents, and have searched in vain. Zedler finds no place for him in his Universal Lexicon; our own Biographical Collections pass him over; and all that the French have to say is this:— "Vartomanus, gentilhomme Bolonais, et patrice Ro- main, fut un voyageur célèbre clans le xvi e siècle. Il est presque inconnu dans le notre, parce que l'abbe Prévost, et ceux qui ont ecrit l'histoire des Voyages, ont négligé de parler du sien, quoiqu'il soit un des plus importants pour l'histoire de la géographie, et pour l'histoire en général."1 I had hoped to glean some stray notices of him in the writings of his own countrymen; but they are as barren of what we wish to know as the rest. Zurla2 does not even mention him in his Dissertation on the most illustrious Italian
1 Biographie Universelle, Ancienne et Moderne, Paris, 827.
2 Di Marco Polo e degli altri Viâggiatori piu illustri, Disser- tazione da P. AB. D. PLACIDO ZURLA, 2 vols. Venezia, 1818.
c
xviii INTRODUCTION.
travellers; and Fantuzzi, the only Italian historian who devotes more than a few lines to him, begins his article on "Lodovico Bartema" with an admission which I have been obliged to imitate, and ends it by erroneously stating that our author's Itinerary was first published at Venice, and by hazarding a doubt respecting his return to Italy,—a fact which is plainly stated at the conclusion of his narrative. Fantuzzi's notice is as follows:—"Of this person, we know nothing beyond what the Co. Valerio Zani has