jamesgray2

905G Roland Fre jus ca 1700

The relation of a voyage made into Mauritania, in Africk, by the Sieur Roland Frejus of Marseilles, by the French king’s order, in the year 1666. To Muley Arxid King of Tafiletta, &c. for the establishment of a commerce in all the kingdom of Fez, and all his other conquests. With a letter, in answer to divers curious questions concerning the religion, manners, and customs of his countreys, also their trading to Tombutum for gold, and divers other remarkable particulars: by Mons. A. Charant who lived 25 years in the Kingdom of Sus and Morocco Englished out of French

{bound with}

A Letter, in answer to divers curious questions concerning the religion, manners, and customs, of the countrys of Muley Arxid King of Tafiletta

{by Antoine Charant (formerly Wing C2036) has separate pagination, register, and dated title page with imprint “London, printed by B.G. and are to be sold by Moses Pitt .1671.”.}

London: Printed by W. Godbid, and are to be sold by Moses Pitt, at the white Hart in little Brittain, 1671                                                    1750

Octavo 5 3/4 X 3 1/2 inches A4, B-H8, I4 amd  π1, A-E7 (With three final advertisement leaves.)Most likely The title π1 is infact E8 and placed in the front.

First English edition This copy is bound in contemporary pannel calf rebacked with red spine label.

In 1666 Louis XIV of France sent Frejus to Morocco to promote trade agreements between their two countries in 1666. This narrative provides us an interesting glimpse of the Moroccan court and customs in the seventeenth century. This title was originally published in French a year earlier. Frejus was well received by Muley Arxid. Frejus employed a Jew named Jacob Pariente as his interpreter and agent, and the latter rendered most valuable services to the Embassy, arranging the audiences with the Sultan and keeping the French envoy well posted with regard to the position of affairs in Morocco. Pariente appears to have been well known and respected, and his friendship with Aaron Carsines, the Jewish goldsmith of Muley Arxid, paved the way for friendly negotiations.  In short, Frejus did very little without the advice of his Jewish agent, and succeeded in his mission extremely well. As Pariente did not know a word of French the Spanish language was used at all the interviews. Here and there in Frejus’ narrative, we get glimpses of the influence of the Jews in Muley Arxid’s Court; his almoner was a Jew named Carsenay, and we are also told of a certain Isa ben Samuel, who showed the French envoy many civilities.Issued in the same year as Frejus’ Voyage into Mauritania, and by the same publisher, was A Letter . . . concerning the Religion, Manners, and Customs of the Countrys of Muley Arxid. … By Mons. A., “who lived twenty-five years in the Kingdom of Sus and Morocco “.

Wing F2161:Playfair, Morocco, 257;Goldsmiths’ Lib. cat.,; 1978; Arber’s Term cat.; I 73And Wing C2036