Cartilla, y Doctrina Espiritual, para la Crianza, y Educacion de los Novicios, Que Tomaren el Habito en la Orden de N.P.S. Francisco..

Mexico City: En la Imprenta de D. Felipe de Zuniga y Ontiveros, 1775. About very good.. [6],118pp. Contemporary limp vellum. Fore-edges binding and text block darkened by smoke, with markings creeping into margins of several leaves including title page. Light dampstaining along lower edge, somewhat heaver on final leaves. An unusual Mexican religious primer, with teachings based on the doctrines of St. Bonaventure but adapted to the practices of the Franciscan Order. The work was created for Franciscan novices, and sets forth rules and orders for various offices, duties, and other responsibilities, as well as standard beliefs and practices for the order. This is the second edition, with the first having been printed over fifty years earlier in 1721. Both were likely printed in small numbers, being intended for the rather limited audience of Franciscan novices. The present copy belonged to Henry Ward Poole, the noted American engineer and collector of Mexicana, with his manuscript initials and shelf number on the front pastedown. Scarce on the market, with only one copy appearing in available sales records in the past thirty years, and a fairly nice example with good provenance.