86 
Vatican Archives 
VESCOVI (E GOVERNATORI). 87 
A brief list of the volumes in this collection is found in indice 134 , De Pretis, 
ff. 170-177. There are 374 numbers, but as one is doubled and nine inter- 
numbered, the total number of volumes is 384. The extreme dates are 1506 
and 1797. The letters from bishops are originals and are bound in volumes 
containing from 500 to 800 each, the folios being in most instances numbered, 
and the order chronological. The volumes of letters to bishops are mostly 
registers, and many are indexed by names of dioceses, though not with entire 
reliability. 
This collection is of fairly consistent character, though with a total of many 
exceptions. On the one hand it contains letters of the electoral archbishops, 
although more of these are found in the Principi ; on the other, there are found 
some to and from persons not bishops, but occupying temporarily secular of¬ 
fices generally exercised by bishops. The great majority relate to the govern¬ 
ment of the papal provinces; some, as those of the bishops of Parma in the 
eighteenth century, resemble the news-letters of nuncios; and there are a con¬ 
siderable number to and from bishops in other countries. Abbe H. Surrel de 
Saint-Julien has drawn from this series unedited letters of Cardinal de Retz. 88 
Abbe A. Clergeac has calendared 601, of French bishops between Feb. 13, 
1591, and Apr. 25, 1677. 89 
Volumes 93 - 96 , covering the years 1700-1702; 278 - 281 , covering the years 
1760-1763 ; 292 , covering the year 1772 ; of the letters of bishops ; and volumes 
356 , Jan. 2, 1762-Dec. 28, 1765; and 367 - 369 , covering the years 1788-1791, 
of the letters to bishops, have been examined, among which were found only 
the following letters relating to America: 
93 . f. 171. Apr. 8, 1701. From the Bishop of Parma, referring briefly to 
American affairs. 
96 . f. 454. May 23, 1702. From the Archbishop of Mexico. 
368 . ff. 292-293. Dec. 11, 1790. “ A Mg r Vescovo di Bertinoro ” (Baltimore). 
Garampi in his Miscellanea refers to a letter of the Archbishop of Mexico, 
supplicating the Pope to confirm privileges conceded by Gregory XIII. to the 
preceding archbishop, in 20, p. 202. 
M. Clergeac cites a letter from the nuncio at Paris, relating to missions in 
the Western Indies, in 20 , f. 84, Aug. 1, 1613. 
The following list contains all those remaining volumes which may con¬ 
ceivably contain American material: 
Letters from Bishops. 
10,11. i573‘ I 59°- 
13 . 1639-1641. 
17 . 1609-1610. 
23 . 1628-1664. 
24 . 1644-1650. 
26 . (2 vols.), 27 , 1645-1648. 
30 - 35 . 1648-1653. 
36 - 54 . 1654-1708. 
55 - 84 . 1669-1694. 
87 - 92 . 1695-1700. 
97 - 121 . 1703-1713. 
123 - 125 . 1714-1715. 
127 - 137 . 1716-1721. 
139 - 140 . 1722-1725. 
141 - 166 . 1724-1737. 
231 - 277 . 1738-1760. 
282 - 322 . 1764-1791. 
See also vols. 337-342 seq. 
^ 87 Bourgin, Les Archives Pontihcales , p. 73; A. Clergeac, “ Inventaire Analytique et 
Chronologique de la Serie des Archives du Vatican dite, Lettere di Vescovi 1 ', in Annales 
de St. Louis des Frangais, X. 215-268, 319-375, 420-470. 
88 Annales de St. Louis des Frangais, IV. 365-376. 
89 See note 87. 
