137 242
277
●
(MEXICO—1562.)
A very early Mexican carta de poder (power of attorney)
document.
Partially printed document signed, 2 pages on one sheet, with 35 printed lines
on recto and 9 on verso, 31 x 22 cm; stitch holes and minor dampstaining on the inner
margin, minor edge wear.
[México: Juan Pablos?, circa 1562]
[1,500/2,500]
As with most of these early documents, the printed first line reads “Sepan quantos esta carta
vieren como yo,” followed by a space for the manuscript completions. The printed text here
resumes with “paraque por mi y en mi nombre podays pedir y demandar auer recibir y cobrar
de todas y qualesquier personas. . . ”
Szewczyk describes an identical form used in October 1565 which he attributes to the printer
Pedro Ocharte, from type inherited from Juan Pablos. Carpenter described one used in December
1565, giving Valtón’s attribution to the press of Pablos. The present example was used three
years earlier than either of these, pushing back the printing date to 1562 or earlier. Carpenter, A
Sixteenth Century Mexican Broadside, 4; Szewczyk, 39 Books and Broadsides, 6.