Beschreibung:

A COMPLETE SET OF THE INDIAN TRACTS
8 parts in 2 volumes, comprising; VOLUME I with 5 Tracts, 8vo (193 x 136 mm). 17th-century speckled calf, gilt title to spine, red and green speckled edges; morocco folding case. Provenance : "Fletcher"Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (1653-1716), his signature ("Fletcher") on lower pastedown; This volume, sale Sothebys London, June 23 1988, lot 195, £9,500 ($16,800). Acquisition : purchased from Librairie Thomas-Scheler. [No. 4]. Tratado co[m]probatorio del Imperio soberano… que los Reyes de Castilla y Leon tienen sobre las indias. Seville: Sebastian Trugillo, 1553. [80] ff. including final blank. Gothic type. Title in red and black below woodcut arms of Spain, within four-part woodcut border, woodcut initials. "The purpose of this tract is `to prove the sovereign empire and universal dominion by which the kings of Castile and Leon hold the West Indies'" (Church). European Americana 553/19; Sabin 11231; Church 96; Field, Essay towards an Indian Bibliography 869; Medina, Biblioteca Hispano-Americana 156. [No. 7]. Aqui se contiene una disputa… entre el Obispo… Bartholome de las Casas … y el doctor Gines de Sepulveda. Seville: Trugillo, 1552. [62] ff. including final blank. Title in red and black within four-part woodcut border incorporating the arms of Spain, from Cromberger's stock (the same blocks used in tract 2). first issue , with last line of title reading "An[n]o 1552". Contains Domingo de Soto's account of the controversy between Las Casas and Gines Sepulveda, who argued against the personal rights of the heathen Indians. European Americana 552/13; Sabin 11234; Church 91; Field 865; Medina BHA 147. [No. 2]. Entre los remedies que don fray Bartolome delas Casas… refirio por mandado del Emperador … para reformacion de las Indias. Seville : Jacome Cromberger, 1552. [54] ff. including final blank. Title in red and black within four-part woodcut border incorporating the arms of Spain (same blocks as those used in tract 7). (Trace of dampstaining in quires c-3, short marginal tear in gutter of g1.) "Assigns twenty reasons to prove that the Indians should not be given to the Spaniards in any form of slavery" (Church). European Americana 552/9; Sabin 11229; Church 89; Field 862; Medina BHA 146. [No. 1]. Brevissima relacion de la destruyción de las Indias . Seville: Trugillo, 1552. [54] ff. Title in red and black below woodcut arms of Spain & within four-part woodcut border, woodcut initials. "The Brevissima relacion remains today almost unparalleled in the vigor of its composition and the nobility of its design… The work is divided into nineteen Articles, each portraying in detail the condition of the Indians, in one of the provinces of Spanish America… "(Field, p. 217). The four leaves at end (quire g), with drop-title Lo que se sigue es un pedaço de una carta y relacion, often catalogued separately, contain a fragment of an eye-witness account of terrible atrocities committed by the Spanish. European Americana 552/8; Sabin 11227-8; Church 87-88; Field 860-861; Medina BHA 151. [No.5]. Aqui se co[n]tiene[n] unos avisos y reglas para los confessores q[ue] oyeren confessines de los Espanoles qui son o han sido en cargo a los Indios de las Indias del mar Oceano. Seville: Trugillo, 1552. [16] ff. Title with small cut of a penitent with his confessor, within four-part woodcut border. Contains the 12 rules that Las Casas had written in 1546 or 1547 for confessors, in which all offices of the church were to be denied to all those who held Indians as slaves. European Americana 552/11; Sabin 11232; Church 90; Field 860-861; Medina BHA 148. VOLUME II with 3 tracts, 8vo (192 x 131 mm). 20th-century polished calf by Lobstein-Laurenchet, sides and spine gilt-ruled, gilt edges; morocco folding case. [No. 3]. Este es un tratado… sobre la material de los Yndios que se han hecho en ellas esclavos. Seville : Trugillo, 1552. [36] ff., final page blank. Title in red & black within four-part woodcut border, woodcut initials. Several early marginal ms. co