Martín de León, 1611

Bilingual Nahuatl Catechism
Martín de León, 1611
LÉON, Martín de (fl. 1574-1611). Camino del cielo en lengua mexicana. Mexico City: Diego López Dávalos, 1611.

First edition of a Nahuatl devotional and catechism. Born in Mexico, Martín de León became a Dominican friar and student of indigenous languages. The illustrations in this guide to Catholic life include an image of a demon whose face has been scratched out—evidence of the apotropaic treatment of book images. Sabin 40080.

Quarto (188 x 134mm). Woodcut device on title, two woodcuts in text, woodcut initials (extensive repairs to title page, with missing text replaced in manuscript facsimile; occasional small repairs sometimes affecting text, a few leaves strengthened; some staining and browning; some side notes shaved). Later stiff vellum. Provenance: early underlining and notes, some washed – Francesco Benites de Haniza (inscriptions, one dated 1719) – faint "duplicate released" stamp on verso of final leaf.