Vida de el Venerable Padre Fr. Diego Romero, de la Regular Observancia de N.S. P.S. Francisco, Sacerdote, e Hijo de Esta Provincia de el Santo Evangelio..

Mexico: Juan de Ribera, 1684. Still very good.. [12], 62, [2] leaves. Quarto. Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript spine title, edges sprinkled red. Marca de fuego on top edge. Minor worming to initial leaves, slightly affecting text. Light tanning and scattered light foxing. The rare biography of Father Diego Rivera (ca. 1616-1680), who was a missionary in Peru and Guatemala, before going to New Spain and joining the Franciscan order in 1661. "Some time after this he was sent to New Mexico to carry supplies for the missionaries there, and while engaged in this work was accused of grave derelictions from the rules of the order. A judge who was sent to investigate the charges met the friar on his return at Parral in Nueva Vizcaya, exiled him to a new village of Conchos Indians, where he remained for some time. From exposure, he became paralyzed, and was taken to Mexico in 1670. Here he developed visions and continued in a more or less ecstatic state till his death in February, 1680" -- Wagner. According to Beristain, the author was a Pueblan Franciscan, who became the custodian of the Franciscan province of Santo Evangelio following his authorial career. A second edition with the same collation but no errata was issued in Spain (see Medina BHA 7852), while Leiva travelled in Europe as part of a Franciscan delegation. This first Mexican edition is particularly well printed by Juan de Ribera, with various devices and ornaments throughout, as well as an attractive woodcut of Joseph with the baby Jesus. The present copy is an excellent example, bound in contemporary vellum with a Franciscan marca de fuego on the top edge. We trace no copies other than the present one in available sales records for the last thirty years.
Medina, Mexico 1308. Palau 134640. Sabin 39892. Wagner, Spanish Southwest 57.