In 1567 Petrus Ocharte published in the city of Mexico a volume entitled "Incipiunt Hore Beate Marie virginis, secundus ordinem Fratru Predicatorum." The book is an octavo of 39 pages. A copy is preserved in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

Pedro Balli was also an early printer of Mexico. In 1579 he imprinted an octavo volume in Roman letter bearing the title "Ceremonial Y Rubricas Generales, Con La orden de celebrar las missas y auifos para los defectos q acerca dellas pueden acontecer. Sacados del nueuo Missal Tridentino. Y traduzido por el muy R. P. Fray Iuan Ozcariz. Dirijido al Illustrissimo y Reuerendissimo Senor D. Pedro Moya de Cotreras, Arcobispo de Mexico, del Consejo de fu Majestad &c." A copy of this book at the Ramírez sale brought $92.50.

A book of ritual bearing the imprint of Petrus Ocharte and the date 1583, is called "Forma Brevis Administrandi apud Indos Sanctu Baptismi Sacramentum iuxta ordine Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ: ex cocessione S. D. Pauli Papæ III. nuper summa cura, & diligentia lima ta, ac prælo mandata, per Fratrem Michaelem a carate Minoritani." The book is an octavo, and is printed in Roman letter rubricated.

While later Mexican printers never attempted any thing so elaborate as the Missal of 1561, they issued

various books of ritual and devotion, arranged for certain parts of the country or for the use of different fraternities. A book that went through several editions in the city of Mexico, bears this title: "Manual breve y forma de administrar los Santos Sacramentos á los indios universalmente; ex concessione Pau. Papæ III." This appeared at different dates with some variations in the wording of the title page. It bore the imprint in 1614 of María de Espinosa, and is in one octavo volume. In 1642 it was printed by Francisco Robledo in quarto, and in 1669 by Francisco Rodríguez Lupercio in octavo. Joseph Bernardo de Hogal issued it in quarto in 1731, and followed it with another impression in 1732.

It is evident that the only Mexican printing exciting interest and enthusiasm, is that which produced the beautiful impressions of the sixteenth century. Bearing in mind the age that gave us these productions so soon after the invention of printing, they cannot be pronounced otherwise than marvelous. They certainly reflect great credit upon the artistic taste of the early printers and publishers of the land of the Aztecs.

EARLY PRAYER BOOKS OF THE ROMAN

CATHOLIC CHURCH AMONG

THE INDIAN TRIBES.

MISSIONARIES of the Roman Catholic faith began their labors among the Indians of North America at an early date, especially among the tribes located in Canada. One of the earliest pioneers was the Rev. Jean Baptiste de La Brosse, a native of France, who was identified with missions among the Abnaki Indians on the St. John river, from the year 1755. In 1766 he was commissioned to take charge of the Indian work at Tadoussac. He was a diligent student of the Montagnais language, and gave most substantial evidences of it. In his journal he says of the year 1767: During this year, for the benefit of those who can read and those who will learn to read, I had printed three thousand books of alphabets and two thousand books of prayers and cate chism. The last touch was given to this work on the last day of October at the ninth moon. In the following year, 1768, I wintered in the Mission

6

AIA MIHE

MASSINAHIGAN,

SHATSHEGUTSH, MITINEKAPITSH, ISKUAMISKUTSH, NETSHEKATSH, MISHT, ASSINITSH, SHEKUTIMITSH, EKUANATSH, ASHUABMUSHUANITSH, PIAKUAGAMITSH,

Gaie miffi miffi nehiro-iriniui Aftfhitsh ka tatjits, ka kuciafku aiumihatjits ka utfhi.

UABISTIGUIATSH. Maffinahitfetuau, BROUN gaie GIRMOR. 1767.

Fac-simile of the title page of the Montagnais Prayer Book, issued by Brown & Gilmore, of Quebec, in 1767. Exact size.