Pedro Ponce de León, 1596 
315 
of the said Indians but to their benefit—you to send a statement of your 
divisions so that it may be approved or amended. 
35. Item: It is promised you that you shall be given four pieces of 
artillery, forty quintals of powder, and a hundred and thirty of lead, 
which will, if possible, be provided from here, or if not, the viceroy will 
be charged with it—my arms to be placed on the said pieces and they to 
remain and be always my property. 
36. And because it has been heard that some disbanded soldiers entered 
these provinces 31 without license or order and committed crimes there for 
which they deserved to be severely punished, I give you the power to 
pardon or punish those who may have entered against the edict of the 
viceroys as may seem best to you, not only as an example, but also for 
the peaceful government of those provinces and better results from the 
expedition. 
37. Item: It is promised and granted you that you shall be given the 
Indians that appear to be of that province, so that they may return to 
their native land and serve as interpreters, in particular one Indian woman 
who was brought from that country for that purpose. 
38. Item: I grant and give you license and power to divide and give 
in encomienda among the soldiers, settlers, and pacificators, of the first, 
second, and third [generations], who may enter with you or afterwards 
go to aid you in this expedition and exploration, the Indian towns that 
may be in those provinces, according to the form that is contained in 
article 58 of the said ordinances of new settlements and discoveries, leav¬ 
ing for me the ports and capital cities. 
39. Item: I grant you, so that you may be able to make the voyage 
and take the officials, soldiers, and servants above mentioned, permission 
to charter and take two ships, each of two hundred tons. 
40. Item: I grant to you and the aforesaid one hundred and thirty 
soldiers, officials, and servants who are to go in your company and service 
on the said exploration, pacification, and settlement, exemption, for this 
time only, from the export duties which pertain to me in these kingdoms 
and in the Indies upon all that you are taking and may take on this voyage 
for the maintenance of your house and theirs, in conformity with which 
I will give you a decree, so that the said duties may not be charged or 
taken from you. 
41. Item: I grant to all the persons who may go with you to settle 
in the said provinces and kingdoms of New Mexico that they shall pay 
me but a tenth, instead of a fifth, of the gold, silver, pearls, and precious 
stones that they may take from them, for the space of twenty years, run¬ 
ning from the day when you shall have settled the first town. 
42. Item: I give grace to you, the said Don Pedro Ponce de León, and 
to the said explorers and settlers of the said provinces of New Mexico, 
from paying the excise tax which would be due me and which you would 
be under obligations to pay me there, for the space of twenty years, run¬ 
ning from the day when you shall have settled the first town, and I com¬ 
mand that during this time it shall not be required of you nor of them. 
43. Item: I grant grace to you, the said Don Pedro Ponce de León, 
and to the said pacifiers and settlers, that for the space of ten years no 
