The Christian Empire of Prester John
The legacye of embassate of the great emperor of Inde prester Iohn (1532)
John More's work is a translation of Damiao de Góis and his Embassy of the great Emperor of the Indians, Prester John, to Manuel, King of Portugal.
Blackburn translates More's preface:
When that thrice-noble Portuguese, Damian Gooes, my greatest friend, was recently carrying on the business of his king among the Scythians (across the Vistula, among the Poles and Russians), he was asked by John, the great Goth (Magnus), the archbishop of Upsala, to translate this book of the Indian embassy from the Portuguese vernacular into Latin after he returned here (to Antwerp). Since he is a young man of an elegant nature. and of every virtue, as well as of noble family. he is somewhat shy, far from Thrasonical presumption, and has kept this translation hidden in his house, truly preferring that the fame of publishing it be given to someone else rather than himself. Having got possession of it, or as it were, extorted the little book from him, I send it to you, most amiable brother, that you may set it in your type before the yes of the world. This will be exceedingly gratifying to me, to him not without honor, and to judicious readers not unpleasing. Farewell, the Ides of August, 1532.
