Diego de Ibarra , 1582 
115 
of this discovery appears to belong to it, for it is known that persons of 
this district had news of it many days ago, and the soldiers who just went 
with the said religious were from the company of Governor Martín López 
de Ibarra, my deputy. With this or anything else connected with the 
matter I have not wished to deal, except to yield myself to the will of the 
viceroy, who, until he learns the wish of your Majesty on this point, has 
not desired to take any steps. When your Majesty has examined the 
account you will take such measures as please you, and I will carry out 
the orders given to me like a loyal subject of your Majesty. The said 
Martín López de Ibarra, who also served in the office of treasurer by 
appointment of the governor, Francisco de Ibarra, 5 who gave it to the 
said Martín López because he was one of the first conquerors and settlers 
of that province, died about five months ago. On account of his death I 
appointed to the said office of treasurer my nephew, Juan de Ibarra, 6 a 
person able and qualified to fill it. I humbly beg that your Majesty will 
be pleased to confirm him in the appointment, and I assure your Majesty 
that I made it more because of his ability and qualifications than because 
he is my relative. May our Lord guard the Sacred Catholic Royal person 
of your Majesty, with increase of greater kingdoms and principalities, 
as we, the loyal subjects of your Majesty, desire. Mexico, November 10, 
Í5 82 - 
Sacred Catholic Royal Majesty, I, servant of your Sacred Catholic 
Royal Majesty, kiss your royal feet. Diego de Ibarra. 
[Diego de Ibarra to the Señor Secretary, Juan de Ledesma. Mexico, 
November 10, 1582.'] 
Señor Secretary, Juan de Ledesma. 
Most Illustrious Sir: Although your Grace may be surprised to receive 
a letter from me, I regard it as great good fortune that the occasion offers 
to make a beginning in this and to offer myself to your Grace as your ser¬ 
vant in the future and to place myself under your orders in this city and 
outside of it, which will be a special favor to me. 
What I have to place before you at present is that, in consideration of 
the diminution of my fortune and the many debts that I owe, I determined 
to make a report of the many services that I have rendered to his Majesty, 
in the discovery of the mines of Zacatecas as well as in the conquest and 
pacification of the province of Nueva Galicia, serving in person in it, 
while my nephew, Francisco de Ibarra, served in the exploration, conquest, 
and pacification of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, in which I aided him 
from my estate with money that he needed, amounting to more than 
two hundred thousand ducats, and not a single real was spent in this from 
the funds of his Majesty. [I wish also to report] that there went to him 
by the last fleet, from the tithes of the said province alone, more than five 
thousand six hundred marks in silver; and I believe that by the present 
one much more will go, because there have been more discoveries and 
