DON ANTONIO DE MENDOCA 



A Letter written by the most honourable Lord 

 Don Antonio de Mendo9a, Vice-roy of Nueva 

 Espanna, to the Emperors Majestie. 



Of certaine Noblemen which sought to discover the 

 end of the firme land of Nueva Espanna toward 

 the North. The arrivall of Vazquez de Coronado 

 with Frier Marco at S. Michael of Culiacan, with 

 commission to the Governors of those partes, to 

 pacifie the Indians, and not to make them slaves 

 any more. 



A.D. 



1539- 



N the ships that went last from hence 

 (wherof Michael de Usnago was Admiral) 

 I wrote unto your Majestie, how I had 

 sent two Franciscan Friers to discover the 

 end of this firme land, which stretcheth to 

 the North. And because their journey 

 fell out to greater purpose then was 

 looked for, I will declare the whole matter from the be- 

 ginning. It may please your Majestie to call to mind 

 how often I wrote unto your Highnesse, that I desired 

 to know the ende of this Province of Nueva Espanna, 

 because it is so great a countrey, and that we have yet no 

 knowledge thereof. Neither had I onely this desire ; for 

 Nunno de Guzman departed out of this city of Mexico 

 with 400. horsemen, and 14000. Indians footemen borne 

 in these Indias, being the best men, & the best furnished, 

 which have bene seene in these parts : and he did so litle 

 with them, that the most Dart of them were consumed in 

 the enterprize, & could not enter nor discover any more 

 then already was discovered. After this the saide Nunno 

 Guzman beeing Governour of Nueva Galicia, sent Cap- 

 taines and Horsemen foorth divers times, which sped no 

 better then he had done. Likewise the Marques de valle 

 Hernando Cortez sent a captaine with 2. ships to discover 

 the coast : which 2. ships and the captaine perished. 

 After that he sent againe 2. other ships, one of the which 



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