His leisure hours were occupied in composing a civil, religious, and natural history of Mexico in twelve volumes, which were illustrated with drawings by the author and copies of the hieroglyphic writings of the Aztecs; but these drawings were considered by the provincial of his order contrary to religion, as perpetuating the idolatrous customs of the natives, --which was a very real danger at the time-- and his work was not allowed to be published, but it was sent by the viceroy to the chronicler Herrera, who used some of the material in his "Décadas."

The work was afterward printed under the title of "Diccionario histórico universal de Nueva España" (Mexico, 1829). He also wrote in the Aztec language "Arte de la Lengua Mexicana" (Mexico, 1576); "Diccionario trilingüe, Latino, Español y Mexicano" (1578); "Salmodia cristiana en Lengua Mexicana, para que canten los Indios en las Iglesias" (1583); "Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana en Lengua Mexicana" (1583); and, according to Betaneourt, "Historia de la venida a México de los primeros Religiosos Franciscanos," a Spanish manuscript in two volumes, containing the conferences of the missionaries with the native priests in Aztec language.

SAHAGUN, Bernardino de (sah-ah-goon'), Spanish missionary, born in Sahagun, Leon, late in the 15th century; died in Mexico, 23 October, 1590. He studied in Salamanca, entered the Franciscan order about 1,520, came to Mexico in 1529, where he was a professor in the imperial college of Santa Cruz de Tlaltelolco, and, after thoroughly learning the Aztec language, was for more than fifty years a missionary to the natives. His leisure hours were occupied in composing a civil, religious, and natural history of Mexico in twelve volumes, which were illustrated with drawings by the author and copies of the hieroglyphic writings of the Aztecs ; but these drawings were considered by the provincial of his order contrary to religion, as perpetuating the idolatrous customs of the natives, and his work was not allowed to be published, but it was sent by the viceroy to the chronicler Herrera, who used some of the material in his " Ddcadas." The work was afterward printed under the title of "Dic-eionario histdrico universal de Nueva Espana" (Mexico, 1829). He also wrote in the Aztec language " Arte de la Lengua Mexicana" (Mexico, 1576); "Diccionario tri!ingfie, Latino, Espafiol y Mexieano" (1578) ; "Sahnodia cristiana en Lengua Mexicana, para que tauten los Indios en las Igle-sins" (1583) ; " Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana en Lengua Mexicana" (1583), and, according to Betaneourt, "Historia de la venida g M6xieo de los primeros Religiosos Franciscanos," a Spanish manuscript in two volumes, containing the conferences of the missionaries with the native priests in Aztec language.