Pedro de Ahumada de Samano, 1562 
91 
[Royal cedida. The king to the viceroy of New Spain concerning the 
expenditures of Pedro de Ahumada de S amano in the campaign 
against the Zacatecas and Guachichiles Indians. Madrid, October 
17, 1562.I 
The King. To our viceroy of New Spain and president of the royal 
Audiencia which resides there: Pedro Mexía Melgarejo, in the name of 
Pedro de Ahumada Samano, being in that country, has reported to me that 
it is well known that the Zacatecas and Guachichiles Indians, whose 
territory borders upon the mines of Zacatecas and San Martin and Avino, 
had arisen in revolt against our service last year, 1561; that they had 
killed many persons, robbed and burned farms, and, in alliance with 
other Indians, had committed many other depredations. This matter 
having been considered by our oidores, alcaldes mayores of the Audiencia 
of that country and cognizance being taken of the fact that the Indians 
were continuing in their crimes and rebellion, the oidores ordered and 
commanded Pedro de Ahumada to go with soldiers to pacify and punish 
them. He went with forty men on horseback and four hundred Indian 
allies and defeated the above-mentioned Indians and pursued them, over¬ 
taking them several times, until he drove them out of the territory where 
they were roving. Having completed the pacification, he returned over 
the mountains in the desert between San Miguel and Zacatecas. He 
destroyed many villages of the Chichimeca robbers who had committed 
the murders and robberies and incendiarisms along that route. He worked 
diligently at this task, which occupied him for eight months and more, 
therein performing a great service to God our Lord and to us. He had 
also made great expenditures at his own cost and initiative, for, though it 
had been ordered that he should be given the money necessary to make the 
expedition, yet, when he arrived for the purpose, our officials of the new 
kingdom of Nueva Galicia did not wish to and would not accept the 
drafts which you had made upon them, saying that they did not have the 
power to draw from our royal treasury. As a result he was very much 
injured, for he spent on the journey in succoring soldiers, providing them 
with arms and other things, more than twenty-six thousand pesos, every¬ 
thing in that country being at very high prices. Yet he was not able to 
avoid any of this expense, because if he had neglected anything it might 
have resulted in the loss of the entire country. All this Melgarejo said 
as appeared in a certain report which he presented before us in our Council 
of the Indies in the name of Ahumada, and supplicated me to order paid 
the said amount which he had expended from his estate, and to make him 
some grant in reward of his labors and service or in whatever way I should 
desire. The petition being considered by the members of our Council 
of the Indies together with the report above mentioned, it was agreed that 
you be ordered to concede him the following favor. And I considered the 
advice good; wherefore I command you to examine the foregoing, and, 
