Pedro Ponce de León, 1597 
345 
The King. Count of Monterey, my relative, viceroy. . . . Having 
examined the letter which you wrote me on November 15, of the past year, 
and the papers which you sent in regard to the state of the exploration of 
New Mexico, concerning which the viceroy Don Luís de Velasco made an 
agreement with Don Juan de Oñate, and having consulted with the 
president and those of my Council of the Indies, I have agreed to write 
you this, by which I order and charge you that if you know that the said 
Don Juan de Oñate has the people and other things necessary for the 
expedition you shall order him to continue with it, and in case he cannot 
carry it out you will inform me of it as soon as possible, so that after due 
consideration I may take the measures that seem best to me. At Madrid, 
April 2, 1597. I the King. Etc. 
The Council of the Indies. February 7, T597. It is necessary that a 
decision be made as to what shall be advised in the matter of the 
claims of Don Pedro Ponce de León. 
Sir: Don Pedro Ponce de León awaits the decision which your 
Majesty will be pleased to order in regard to his petition that he be given 
authority to raise by a mortgage on his estate what is lacking to him for 
the expedition to New Mexico, or that he be lent a certain sum, which, 
added to the funds which he will be able to collect, will be sufficient for 
the undertaking; for it is very desirable that he go soon, so that the people 
gathered by Don Juan de Oñate, with whom a contract had been made 
there, being held and delayed for such a long time, shall not cause any 
disturbance, for, according to what has been learned from letters just 
received from the viceroy, the decree in which your Majesty ordered that 
the expedition should not be continued had reached there. Your Majesty 
will take measures according to your pleasure. Madrid, February 7, 1597. 
[Royal Decree.] 
Let a copy be sent me of the papers that have come in regard to this, 
so that according to the state in which it is I can the more readily come to 
a decision. [Rubric.] 
