200 
The Founding of New Mexico 
On April 23, 1596, Don Pedro Ponce de León petitioned the king to 
consider certain changes which he wanted made in his proposed contract 
then in the hands of the Council. At the same time, inasmuch as he had 
heard from friends in New Spain that Don Juan had been able to raise but 
few people, most of whom were half-breeds and mulattoes, and that these 
had committed so many outrages that many had been arrested, Don Pedro 
asked that he be allowed to proceed to Mexico promptly in order to coun¬ 
teract the bad situation arising there. 
Another significant proposed amendment was that four years later, 
at the conclusion of the administration of the then governor of Nueva 
Vizcaya, he should be named governor of that province. The desirability 
of having a lieutenant in Nueva Vizcaya who would be in a position 
readily to succor him with men, provisions, and munitions was the assigned 
reason for making this request. Also the king was urged to issue a new 
cédula to the viceroy of New Spain declaring the contract with Oñate null 
and void and ordering the viceroy to detain him. 28 Such are but the more 
significant changes which Don Pedro desired made in the contract which 
he had presented to the king. 
Apparently, however, the king was not willing to choose Don Pedro 
to conquer New Mexico without giving further consideration to the claims 
and qualifications of Don Juan de Oñate, and upon the latter the Council 
of the Indies was called to report. This report was made on April 25, 
1596, and in it the Council charged that it had proof that Don Juan was a 
bankrupt spendthrift; that he had failed to make good on a former explor¬ 
ing expedition; and that his financial and moral standing was such that 
none but desperadoes and vagabonds would enlist under him. At the 
same time the Council took occasion to point out the qualifications of 
Don Pedro, emphasizing the latter’s high financial and moral standing 
and good sense. In view of the “ notable disproportion ” between the two 
applicants, and the expressed belief that no one was better qualified for the 
position of adelantado of New Mexico than Don Pedro, the Council 
recommended that a decision be reached in time for notice of it to be sent 
to New Spain by the ship that was then ready to sail. 29 
Action on the part of the king was not delayed long after receiving the 
above report. On May 8, 1596, a cédula instructed the viceroy of New 
Spain not to permit Oñate to make the expedition to New Mexico, even 
though he had already begun it. 80 Eleven days later the Council, in a 
letter to the king, again urged haste with regard to closing the contract 
with Don Pedro Ponce de León. 31 By September 7, 1596, the Council 
had had the contract submitted by Don Pedro examined by legal counsel, 
and had approved it with certain modifications. In the final form as 
approved by the Council the contract was sent to the king for his signature 
28 Petition of Don Pedro Ponce de León to the king, Madrid, Apr. 23, 1596. This 
volume, p. 299. 
29 Council of the Indies to the king, Apr. 25, 1596. This volume, p. 301. 
30 Royal cédula to the viceroy of New Spain, Aceca, May 8, 1596. This volume, p. 303. 
31 Council of the Indies to the king, May 19, 1596. Ibid. 
