Pedro Ponce de León, 1596 
339 
230 soldiers and servants whom he is taking with him may carry to the 
said provinces for the provisioning of their houses, no duties shall be 
charged for this time, either in these kingdoms, or in the Indies, and I 
exempt them from paying this amount. I order my officials of New Spain 
and the other parts of the Indies to which they may take the said articles 
and provisions not to charge them duties for them there, nor in these 
kingdoms, provided that they do not sell them; if they do sell them, or a 
part of them, the said duties shall be collected for me to the full amount 
on the whole . . . Done October 19. Etc. 
[On the said day another decree of the same tenor and form was sent 
to the corregidor of Zacatecas. 
Ditto on the said day another to the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia.— 
F. R. B.] 
The King. By the present writing I give permission to you, Don Pedro 
Ponce de León ... in conformity with what has been agreed with you, 
to engrave stamps and dies with my royal arms and place them in the 
towns that may be settled by Spaniards in the said provinces, so that with 
them and no others the gold, silver, and other metals which may be in 
them shall be marked. . . . Done October 12. Etc. 
The King. Don Pedro Ponce de León ... I give you permission and 
power to select the place or places in them that may seem suitable to you 
for establishing my money-chests, to name officials of my exchequer in 
the parts that seem best to you, and to assign them moderate salaries in 
the products of the land. For this time only you shall be empowered to 
divide Indians among them, after they shall have become explorers and 
settlers; and they shall enjoy them jointly with the offices, notwithstand¬ 
ing what has been decreed against it, of which, for this occasion and as 
regards this, I absolve them. Done at San Lorenzo, October 16. I the 
King. Etc. 
The King. Count of Monterey ... or the person or persons in whose 
charge the government of it may be: As you have been informed, I have 
ordered a contract to be made . . . and as it is my will that he be aided 
and favored, I command you that in whatever he may need for the said 
discovery and settlement you shall give him the favor and assistance that 
are proper, and that he may ask you for on his part. And if any soldiers 
run away from him you will have them returned to wherever he may be 
and turned over to him. Done at San Lorenzo, October 19, 1596. I the 
King. Etc. 
The King. Officials of my royal exchequer who may be at the time in 
the kingdoms and provinces of New Mexico: Since it is my will that 
Don Pedro Ponce de León, my governor and captain-general of them, 
shall receive as yearly salary, during all the time that he may wish to serve 
in the said offices, 12,000 ducats, which amount to 4,500,000 maravedís, 
so that he may be able to maintain himself with them according to the 
quality of his person and carry out the obligations of the said offices. I 
