'Une Bibliothèque Bien Fournie’: The Earliest Known Caribbean Library

Louis de Poincy was governor of the French island Saint Christopher (modern-day Saint Kitts) from 1639 until 1660. Among the several accomplishments of his administration was the construction of a large, impressive chateau on the island and the accumulation of a sizable private library numbering about 100 volumes. After he died in 1660, the library was inventoried, and this inventory survives in the National Archives in Paris, leaving us with the earliest known record of a Caribbean library of any size. This article discusses Poincy's house and the library. It includes a diplomatic edition of the library inventory manuscript and notes identifying and discussing titles in the library itself.