  We have obtained low-resolution near infrared spectra of three QSOs at 5.7 <
z < 6.3 using the NICMOS instrument of the Hubble Space Telescope. The spectra
cover the rest-frame ultraviolet emission of the objects between lambda_rest ~
1600A - 2800A. The Fe II emission-line complex at 2500A is clearly detected in
two of the objects, and possibly detected in the third. The strength of this
complex and the ratio of its integrated flux to that of Mg II lambda 2800 are
comparable to values measured for QSOs at lower redshifts, and are consistent
with Fe/Mg abundance ratios near or above the solar value. There thus appears
to be no evolution of QSO metallicity to z~6. Our results suggest that massive,
chemically enriched galaxies formed within 1 Gyr of the Big Bang. If this
chemical enrichment was produced by Type Ia supernovae, then the progenitor
stars formed at z ~ 20 +/- 10, in agreement with recent estimates based on the
cosmic microwave background. These results also support models of an
evolutionary link between star formation, the growth of supermassive black
holes and nuclear activity.
