DON ANTONIO DE MENDO^A a.d. 



1539. 



Frier Marco de Ni9a, and his companion a Franciscan 

 Frier, because they had bene long travelled, and exercised 

 in those partes, and had great experience in the affaires 

 of the Indies, and were men of good life and conscience, 

 for whom I obtained leave of their superiours : and so 

 they went with Francis Vazquez de Coronado, governour 

 of Nueva Galicia unto the Citie of Saint Michael of 

 Culiacan, which is the last Province subdued by the 

 Spaniards towarde that quarter, being two hundred 

 leagues distant from this Citie of Mexico. Assoone as 

 the governour, and the Friers were come unto that 

 Citie, hee sent certaine of those Indians which I had 

 given him, home into their Countrey, to signifie, and 

 declare to the people of the same. That they were to 

 understand, that your Majestie had commaunded they 

 should not hereafter bee made slaves, and that they 

 should not be afrayd any more, but might returne unto 

 their houses, and live peaceably in them, (for before 

 that time they had bin greatly troubled by the evill 

 dealings which were used toward them) and that your 

 Majestie would cause them to be chastened, which were the 

 causes of their vexation. With these Indians about twentie 

 dayes after returned about 400 men ; which comming 

 before the governour said unto him, that they came on 

 the behalfe of al their Countrey-men, to tell him, that 

 they desired to see and know those men which did them 

 so great a pleasure as to suffer them to returne to their 

 houses, and to sow Maiz for their sustenance : for by 

 the space of many yeres they were driven to flee into 

 the mountaines, hiding themselves like wild beasts, for 

 feare lest they should be made slaves, and that they and 

 all the rest of their people were ready to doe whatso- 

 ever should bee commaunded them. Whom the gover- 

 nour comforted with good wordes, and gave them 

 victuals, and stayed them with him three or foure dayes, 

 wherein the Friers taught them to make the signe of 

 the Crosse, and to learne the name of our Lorde Jesus 

 Christ, and they with great diligence sought to learne 



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