Pedro Ponce de León, 1596 
307 
me voluntary obedience and recognition as their king and natural lord— 
as I am, since the supreme lordship belongs to me in the said province 
and in all the other provinces discovered or to be discovered in the West 
Indies, because of the well-known grants and concessions which I have 
enjoyed and do enjoy 26 —without making use of the arms, soldiers, and 
people with whom you enter the said province except to defend and 
protect the ecclesiastical persons whom you have to take with you for 
the proclamation of the holy gospel, or in your own defense, nor going 
beyond what you ought to do in this in any manner or case; 
And inasmuch as you voluntarily offer to pay all the expense that may 
be necessary for this service of God and myself from the rentals of your 
estate and patrimony, with expectation of the reward and favor which I 
shall grant you according to your character and service; 
And inasmuch as the work and undertaking are so greatly to the service 
of God and myself, in consideration of all this I have decided that a con¬ 
tract and agreement shall be made with you in the following form: 
1. First. You, the said Don Pedro Ponce de León, agree to go to 
explore, pacify, and settle the said province of New Mexico at your own 
expense, without any obligation on my part to aid you in any manner 
from my funds, and in order to put it into execution [you promise] to 
sail within six months after I shall have signed this agreement. 
2. Item: You agree to take with you six religious of the Company of 
Jesus, two to be given to you in these kingdoms and four in New Spain, 
as has already been arranged. By my order to their superiors and you 
it is understood that you are to give them at your expense the ornaments, 
chalices, bells, and everything else necessary for the celebration of divine 
^worship. 
3. Item: You agree that in the said New Spain you will raise and 
assemble three hundred soldiers, married and single, workmen to cultivate 
the land and herd cattle, and officials for all the offices. For this I give 
you permission to raise standards and establish treasuries in all the cities, 
villages, and towns of those kingdoms where it appears proper to you to 
take this measure, and you bind yourself to conduct these persons into 
the provinces of New Mexico well armed and mounted without obligation 
on my part to give them pay or any other recompense. 
4. Item: You bind yourself to purchase flour and maize up to the sum 
of 22,000 reales to take with you. 
5. 11,000 reales in wheat for sowing. 
6. 6400 reales in jerked beef, 2000 head of cattle for breeding, and 
for the same purpose 5000 wool-bearing sheep and 3000 for mutton, 3000 
goats, 400 heads of black cattle, 290 27 colts, and as many breeding mares. 
7. Item: You agree to take six pairs of bellows with tools and imple¬ 
ments for a forge. 
8. Item: You agree to take also eight more pairs of bellows for mines. 
9. Item: You agree to purchase iron for horseshoes with their nails 
to the amount of 22,000 reales to take with you. 
