13 
HALL 1. 
Cases 40 and. 41. — The objects of art and famous histori- 
cal documents in this hall are mainly from the Vatican, Rome, 
and have recently been donated to this Museum by His Holiness 
Pope Leo XHI. 
No. 654. — Album containing specimens of ancient writings 
from records of the Roman Pontiff, from Innocent HI. to Urban V. 
No. 655. — Facsimile in phototype of the Vatican Greek 
Bible. 
No. 662. — Aquarelles, or water-colors, representing paint- 
ings in the Roman Catacombs. 
No. 656.— The Codex of the Prophets, and several other 
valuable books. 
No. 653.— Album containing reproductions of documents 
relating to. the early history of America, taken from the famous 
series of Papal Registers in the secret archives of the Vatican 
Palace. The facsimiles of documents relating to the early history 
of America, here exhibited, are taken from the famous series of 
the Papal Registers, or letter books. These are a collection of 
more than 12,000 volumes in folio, written partly on parchment 
and partly on paper, and are preserved in the secret archives of 
the Holy See of the Vatican Palace. 
Since 1879 , by order of Leo XIII., these archives have been 
open, and their treasures accessible to the students of history and 
investigators from all countries and of all religions. 
In these registers almost all the letters issued by the Popes 
were recorded before being sent to their destinations. They con- 
tain, also, the petitions received, and therefore offer original and 
most important materials for the histories of all nations. 
The papers of which facsimiles are here shown, may be 
divided into four groups, viz.: 
Those which relate to the Bishopric of Gardar, in Greenland; 
Those which relate to the line of demarcation; 
