Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01

One OF enc earue6t OF original htAlcda
manuscripts is pastoral letter in Latin
dated 1884, by Zumarrags, the first Bishop
of Mexico, who received that appointment
in consequence of his piety, which won
the admiration Of Charles V. Within the
musty parchment covers is the autograph
of Queen Juana, "Yo la Reyna," ap-
pended to her expressed appreciation.
| There are curious specimens of monastic
labor in such works as ''Moralia S. Gre
gorii Pape," in thirty five books. Small.
close Gothic lettering displays marvellous
caligraphic style; numerous marginals and
references are in Greek style; the running
title is in blue Roman numerals with red
tracery the chapter headings are in black
Arabic, but red figures number the lines.
Large blue headpieces adorned with intri-
cate tracery in red and blue begin the
books, and every sentence commences with
red letter in the index, profuse as are
these initials, they alternate in red and blue.
Red undermining ia frequent, but rubrics
rare. On the parchment covered PASTE
board is emblazoned in color triangular
shield. In the "Colegio de Nuestra
Sonora de Guadalupe de Zacatecas, Escrip-
tura de Protestacion," there are but nine
lines to the black bordered octave page,
and which, in its illustrations and its title
page, is dazzling with irisated colors.
There are also many books which might be
cited as types OF visionary writings pro-
fusely Illuminated with fabricated head
lines, quotations and capitals.
THE GEM.
The gem of the collection we consider to
be the costly "Concilios Provenciales
Mexicanos," in four large parchment Gov.
cred volumes, forming thu original record
of the proceedings of the first three eccle-
siastical councils of Mexico. held in the six
teenth century, prize Mr.. Bancroft dis
covered in Europe. The autographs form
great attraction from the curious outlines
of the letters and rubrics as well as for
their historic interest. There are found
the autocratc signature 70 el Reg Of Philip
| IL, the imposing patronymic of the Vice.
rows, the modest initial or the revered sig
nature of the monk prelate while mere
rubrics suffice for certain corporations and
percentages.
Political history is enriched by early
originals and copies of documents on Cen.
trail America and Mexico. There is found
90 Historic Apologetica and "Historia de
las Yndias," by Las Casas, the champion
of the oppressed natives the letters of
Cerezsda to the King, 1929 to 1888 /;
Documentos para la Historic Ecclesiastica
Civil de Ia Nueva Viscaya, Materiales
para La Historic de Sonora, and 'Decu-
mentos para la Historic de Texas, collected
from the Mexican general archives /;
Memorials de Mexico" with pen map
and plan of the city, dated 16lS; the
"Crcnica de la Provincial de S. Pedro Y S.
| Pablo de Mechoscan," from 1922 TO 1915,
by Beaumont, is valuable work, with
bright water. color Illustrations.
| Peter Martyr, the fountain head of AM
erican history, is Represented in three
editions "De Insvlis Noper Inventis,
Colonial, 1882 !" "Oratoris Clarissimi de
rebus Oceanicis, and "Orbe mono, Bas-
ilee. 1888" An early edition exists of that
most learned compilation, "Ramusio
Dele Navigation, " in three folio volumes ;
the first dated 1854, the last 1865 and
here also is Hakluyt's famous and rare
blsck-letter edition, in three volumes ;
London, 1899.
a few of the rare editions of the begin
/ ming of the sixteenth century exist only in
later reprints but even of the rare issues
this library possesses larger and more
complete collection than any other in the
world.
In the seventeenth century we find that
the cosmographic works give way to quaint
black-letter compilations, more or less
bulky, and curiously illustrated, at the
head of which stands the rare and costly
editions of Purchas, His Pilgrimage, y
London, 1914, which is incomplete, and
his q" Pilgrims" of 1886, in five large
folio volumes. There is no room for men.
tion of more than one or two works as we
proceed. The first printed general history
of America by Herrera in 1901 is +" His
toris General de los Heohos de los Castal
lauos," in four volumes.
In the eighteenth century are the su.
perior edition of Herrera, 1880, and the
English translation of I75; Tosquemada''
curious "Monarchia Indiana" the library
possessing the superior edition of 1928
The valuable and already rare collection
of Garcia Historiadores Primitivos
l749," contains full accounts of Columbu.
and other early voyagers.
TYPICAL OF THIS CENTURY.
Within the present century research and
publications have so increased that it ii
| difficult to specify one or two as typica
works. Bustsmantis is the most prolific
historical writer of Mexico. His entir,
works, some of them in the original manu-
script, mostly with his autograph o.
penned by himself, passed from the Max
imilian Library into Mr.. Bancroft's pos
session there are such sets as the "Ga
zetas de Mexico" events in Spain from
1854 to 1921, exceedingly rare in complete
form. The "National Book of thE
Clutches was issued in 1857 by Able
Brasseur de Bourbourg His writings OF
Indian history and antiquity are volumin
GUS among them are the valuable His
toire des Nations Civilisees," in four vol
umes, and the illustrated Interpretation O.
Mays hieroglyphics in the "Manuscri
Troano." Then we find Kingsb orough'
"Mexican Antiquities" in elegant folio
euperbly illustrated, whose investigations
like those of Brasseur de Bourbourg, ont
can study thoroughly and yet iud the
points he questioned still unsettled. Here
too, is the now priceless. because only com
plete set, of "The Wilkes Exploring Elk
peditiou-lS44 to 1858. in twenty quartz
volumes, with eight folio volumes of col
ored plates, of which but one hundred
copies were printed.
The library is rich in manuscripts ant
transcripts. From Washington, Mexico
and the Continent extensive copies hav'
been made of Government archives. Ii
California, as in the South, though mucf
had been destroyed, much remained. Tber'
were the mission and county archives, be
sides innumerable documents in the handI
of the Hispano. Californiens and Influential
foreigners. By far the richest deposit o
historical wealth outside the Bancroft Lii
brary is found in the three bulky volumes
of documents lodged in the United States
Surveyor Generals Office in San Francisco
But in their present shape they are mac
cessible for practical purposes and before
they could be of any service to him Mr.
Bancroft had them epitomized, which Labor
occupied thirteen persons about year.
From the missions at Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz and elsewhere from SaI
Diego. Los Angeles and Santa Clara from
old California families, such as Bandini