Santiago del Riego, 1596 
371 
troubles that might arise in all other respects from a multitude. As was 
learned from the report of Don Lope de Ulloa, whom the count sent to 
ascertain if Don Juan had carried out the articles of his agreement, he 
fully satisfied them, as will appear by the papers of Don Lope’s account 
of it. When Don Juan was on the point of setting out on his journey, it 
appears that the devil, who is much interested in delaying it, in order 
that the souls of the heathen may not be saved, encouraged some persons 
in those kingdoms to set up a claim to it, among them Don Pedro Ponce 
de León, who succeeded to the seigniory of Bailén, upon whose petition, 
and, because the viceroy count had written by the first despatch-boat that 
your Majesty should delay the confirmation until you should be better 
informed as to what there was in this expedition, you ordered your royal 
decree to be sent that it should be delayed until your Majesty should pro¬ 
vide otherwise. In fulfillment of this, the viceroy count, proceeding 
prudently and carefully in order not to destroy the undertaking which was 
so well on the way and would be so difficult again to assemble, secretly 
notified Don Juan not to start, which he obeyed and is obeying, in accord¬ 
ance with his duty. This is the state in which the business stands on the 
day that this is written, and I have given such a long account of it in 
order to say, as one who has had long experience in the affairs of this 
country, what it seems to me would be conducive to the service of God 
and your Majesty, in conformity with my duty and with what I swore 
on the day when I was received into the service of the office with which 
your Majesty has favored me. 
The result that has come, and will always come, from all the expeditions 
in these kingdoms which have been entrusted to people coming from there 
[Spain] to these parts with orders for them, this royal Council knows 
better than I can point out—as, for instance, that of Serpa, 39 that of Juan 
Ponce, 40 that of Artieta, 41 that of Luís de Carvajal, 42 that of Don Gon- 
salo, 43 and others which are more than well known. The reason is that 
the people who usually come from there upon these expeditions are poor 
people, attracted by pretenders and tempted and deceived with false prom¬ 
ises of mountains of gold and other riches that are promised them. But 
when they arrive here and find themselves disappointed in these [expec¬ 
tations] they cry out to God and execrate Him for what has happened to 
them, even though He cannot fulfill their wishes, however powerful He 
may be; and so it is that each one hurries away and returns to his country. 
It is utterly impossible for this not to happen, and in order that it may be 
understood I beg that your Majesty will deign to learn that for the expe¬ 
dition of which I am now speaking, there are to go two hundred men, in 
accordance with the agreement, and for every other soldier at least there 
must be taken four or five horses, or more, to say nothing of pack animals, 
coat of mail, cuishes, helmet and beaver, which, cutting off a third of the 
value, are worth, at the very least, more than sixty pesos, and in addition 
horse armor and harquebus, without which he cannot go on the expedition, 
and which will at the very least cost him in excess of seventy pesos more, 
not to mention the cart to take his clothing and other necessaries. What 
man, indeed, in these kingdoms will wish, or be able, to help the people 
procure these things? What length of time will he need to secure it all? 
