Bernardo Diaz del Castillo, 1566 
65 
any office of justice in which your Highness might be pleased to employ 
me, since there are combined in me, as they are, the necessary and requisite 
qualities for its administration, I beg and supplicate your Highness to be 
pleased to continue to me and to my wife for the duration of our lives the 
said pension of three hundred pesos just as it was paid to Diego Diaz del 
Castillo, provided that the payment thereof shall be from the royal trea¬ 
sury. And in fulfillment of the royal cédula which speaks concerning the 
said offices of justice, I pray that you will be pleased to give me one of the 
five positions mentioned without submitting the appointment to him who 
is or may be viceroy of that kingdom—because it is certain that it will 
never come to have effect any more than it did for the said Diego Diaz 
Lainez del Castillo—so that they may order it as your Highness com¬ 
mands, whereby I shall receive benefit and aid. 
Again, I say that in greater amplification of and justification for the 
plea I make for this favor I herewith present a privilege and coat of arms 
which your Highness granted to the said Diego Diaz del Castillo in recom¬ 
pense for his many merits and his services to your Highness, and beg you 
to command that it be considered together with the aforesaid reports, 
and when they have been considered that the favor which I justly ask be 
conceded. 
Francisco de Barrios León. 
The fiscal says that this petition should be denied because the titles 
which are presented were extinguished upon the death of Diego Diaz del 
Castillo, who enjoyed the income as long as he lived. What might be 
done, if the Council pleased, would be to grant him a cédula recommend¬ 
ing that the viceroy of New Spain should employ him, in whatever capa¬ 
city may offer, in recognition of the services of his grandfather and of 
his own personal qualifications and aptitude. Madrid, April 9, 1619. 
Francisco de Barrios León begs your Highness that notwithstanding 
the recommendation of the fiscal, that which he has requested shall be 
done. I make an end. 
Francisco de Barrios León. 
As to the matter of the income, there is no reason for granting what 
is asked, and it is recommended that he be given a cédula of recommenda¬ 
tion according to the suggestion of the fiscal in Madrid, April 13, 1619. 
Juan Velasquez. 
Royal Cédula. 
The King. To my viceroy of New Spain, and to you, the president and 
oidores of our royal Audiencia which resides in the City of Mexico: 
Diego Diaz del Castillo has presented me an account of how Bernal Diaz 
del Castillo, his father, was one of the first explorers and conquerors of 
that City of Mexico and of New Spain, for he went with Francisco 
Hernández de Córdoba and Juan de Grijalva the first explorers, and later 
returned with the Marqués del Valle, Don Fernando Cortés, where he 
has, with his person, arms, and horses, served us with distinction, with 
