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
nella India, & nella Ethyopia. Le fede, el viuere, & costumi delle prefate Prouincie. Et al Presente Agiontovi alcune Isole nuouamente trouate.
Colophon. — In Venetia per Matthio Pagan, in Frezzaria, al segno della Fede. 8°.
The type in the colophon has got shifted. This edition reads page for page with that of 1535. One has evidently been closely reprinted from the other.
Mr. Grenville was of opinion that this edition was printed in 1518. This, however, must be a mistake.
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as Matthio Pagan or Pagano printed at Venice be- tween the years 1554 and 1569 (see also "Saggio di Bibliografia Veneziana, composto da E . A . Cicogna." Venezia 1847), and his name is not found in any list of printers prior to that date. The circumstance which renders it important to fix the date of this edi- tion is that of the "Itinerario de l'lsola de Juchatan," being printed for the first time with the work of Varthema. If Mr. Grenville be correct, then the Itinerary was printed in 1518; if not, it was not printed until 1535. It is not included in any edi- tion bearing a date prior to that of 1535.
A copy is in the Grenville Library.
Varthema is also inserted by Ramusio in his "Prime volume delle navigationi et viâggi nel qual si contiene la descrizione dell' Africa, et del paese del prete Janni con varii viâggi dal Mar Rosso a Calicut et infin all' isole Molucche dove nascono de spetierie," &c. Venetia, 1550. Fol. Ramusio had evidently never seen the first or second editions, as he tells us that he had made use of the Spanish translation from the Latin, in order to correct the corrupted text then in use. It may naturally, therefore, be supposed that such a process cannot have restored the language of the original.
Boucher de la Richarderie ("Bibliotheque Univer- selle des Voyages") mentions an edition in Italian printed by Rusconi at Venice in 1520, and another printed at the same place in 1589; and Ternaux Compans inserts in his" Bibliothèque Asiatique et Africaine" the title of an edition printed by Scin-
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zenzeler at Milan in 1525 in 4°. Beckmann ( Vorrath) mentions an edition printed at Venice in fol. in 1563.
Latin.
We have already said that the travels of Varthema were translated into Latin within a few months after the appearance of the Italian edition, the dedicatory epistle of the translator bearing the date "Mediolani octavo calen. Junias MDXI." [25 May, 1511.] Al- though there is no date to this edition, it was most probably printed in the year the dedication bears date, or very shortly afterwards. The title is as follows:—
Ludovici Patritii Romani novum Itinerarium Æthiopiæ: Ægypti: vtriosque Arabiæ: Persidis: Siriæ: ac Indiæ: intra et extra Gangem. 4°.
The dedicatory epistle bears the following inscrip- tion:—
Reverendissimo in Christo Patri Domino Domino Bernar- dino Carvaial episcopo Sabino: Sancte crucis in Hierusalem Cardinali amplissimo: Patriarchæ Hyerosolimeo: ac utri- usque philosophiæ monarchal eminentissimo, Archangelus Carævallensis.
In this epistle the translator gives a rapid geogra- phical sketch of the various parts of the world, show- ing the interest and importance of Varthema's work, which, he says, "tuis auspiciis effectus est romanus et, quasi serpens, exuto senio elegantioreque sumpto amictu juvenescit."
Colophon.— "Operi suprema manus imposita est auspitiis cultissimi celebratissimiq: Bernardini Carauaial hispani. Epi sabinen. S.R.E. Cardialis cognomèto sancte crucis
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amplissimi. quo tpe quibus nunq: antea bellis: Italia crudele imodu uexabat."
This edition consists of sixty-two numbered leaves, besides eight preliminary leaves. Sigs. AA. A. to I v.
Ternaux Com pans (Bibliotlwque Asiatique et Afri- caine) gives the title of an edition of Madrignanus's translation of 1508 ; but this is clearly a mistake, the Italian not having been printed until 1510, and the epistle to the Latin translation bearing date 1511.
A copy of the edition of 1511 is in the Grenville Library.
Another Latin edition was printed at Nuremburg in 1610, and again at Francfort in 1611. It was also inserted in the " Novus Orbis" of Grynceus.
German.
Four years after the Latin translation a German version was published with the following title :—
1 . Die Ritterlich vn lobwirdig rayss des gestrengen vn uber all ander weyt erfarnen ritters vnd Lantfarers herren Ludowico vartomans vo Bolonia Sagent vo den landen, Egypto, Syria, vo bayden Arabia, Persia, India, vn Ethiopia vo den gestalte, syte vn dero menschen leben vnd gelauben. Auch von manigerlay thyeren voglen vnd vil andern in den selben landen seltzamen wuderparlichen sachens. Das alles er selbs erfaren vn in aygner person gesehen hat.
Colophon.—Auss welscher zungen in teytsch transferyert und seligklichen volend worden in der Kayserlichen stat Augspurg in Kostung und verlegung des Ersamen Hansen Millers der jar zal Christi 1515. An dem. sechzechen den Tag des Monatz Junij. 4°.
This edition consists of 76 leaves not numbered.
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Signatures a ii to t. iii. The printer's device occupies the last leaf.
A copy is in the Grenville Library.
2. Die Ritterlich und lobwurdig reiss des gestrengen vn über all ander weyt-erfarne Ritters vii landtfarers herre Ludowico Vartomans vo Bolonia Sagend von den landen, Egypto, Syria, von beiden Arabia, Persia, India, vnd Ethiopia, von den gestalten, sitten vnd dero menschen leben vnd glauben. Auch von manigerley thieren, voglen vnd vil andern in den selben landen seltzamen wunderbar- liclien sachen. Das alles er selbs erfaren vnd in eygner person gesehe hat.
Colophon.—Auss Welscher zungen in Teutsch transffe- riert. Unnd selighlichen volendet unnd getruckt in des Keyserliche Freystat Strassburg. Durch den Ersame Jo- hannem Knobloch, Als man zalt vo der geburt Christi unsers herre MCCCCCXVJ. Jar. 4°.
This edition contains 113 unnumbered leaves. Signatures A ij to X. v.
A copy is in the British Museum.
Both these editions are copiously illustrated with engravings on wood.
Panzer (Annalen der älteren Deutschen Literatur, p. 421,) gives the following: —
"3. Die Rittertich vnd lobwirdig raiss des gestregen vnd über all ander weyt erfarnen ritters vn landfarers, herren Ludowico Vartomans von Bolonia. Sagent vo den landen Egipto. Syria, vo bayden Arabia. Persia. India, vn Ethiopia. Das alles er selbs erfaren vnd gesehen hat." Colophon.— " Getrucht in der kaiserlichen stat Augspurg, in der jar zal Christi M.D.XVIII." 4°.
Panzer is of opinion that this translation may have
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been made by Michael Herr. It will be shown, however, hereafter, that this cannot have been the case. It was reprinted at Augsburg in 1530.
In 1532 Simon Grynæus published at Basle, in folio, a collection of Voyages and travels, under the title, "Novus orbis regionum ac insularum veteribus incognitarum una cum tabula cosmographica et aliquot aliis consimilis argumenti libellis," in which he included the Latin translation of Varthema. This collection was translated into German by Michael Herr, under the title, " Die New "Welt," and printed at Strasburg in 1534. In the introductory epistle to Regnart Count of Hanau, he says, that if he had met with the German translation of Varthema (whom he calls Varthoman) before he had made his own, he should have been glad to have been spared his trouble. It is clear, therefore, that Herr did not make the German translation published in 1515 and 1516. Herr's translation was executed from the Latin— that of 1515 from the Italian.
Another translation by Hieronymus