Luís de Velasco , 1614 
439 
Catholic faith, and that they plant and reap their crops at the proper times, 
and that they be not charged for . . . against what has been disposed 
and ordered by his Majesty . . . and you will endeavor to punish public 
sins committed against the majesty of God and try to separate the native 
Indians from their rites and idolatries. In case you have news of any 
uprising, gathering, or rebellion among the natives in your district, you 
will inform me of it so that I can remedy it. . . . 
At the mines of Guanacebi in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, on the 
thirteenth day of the month of January, 1614, before Don Gregorio de 
Medrano, captain and alcalde mayor in them for his Majesty, he presented 
the following: 
Captain Don Luis de Velasco. I declare, as is public and well known, 
that I went to serve our lord, the king, in the new exploration and cam¬ 
paign of the provinces of New Mexico, as captain of cavalry and with the 
title of treasurer of the real hacienda ; in which occupation I was engaged 
there more than five years, exercising the office of captain and commander 
of some companies which Governor Don Juan de Ofiate sent to me to 
discover and conquer anew towns which had rebelled against the service 
of his Majesty, and in other matters of peace and war and relief which I 
did in getting provisions needed by the said army, as appears in the pat¬ 
ents and orders which were given me for the said purposes. Having 
served during the said time and fulfilled all my obligations, like a loyal 
servant of his Majesty, as appears from my said patents and licenses, 
I came to this kingdom of Nueva Vizcaya with my household and family, 
where I have resided more than eleven years, serving our lord, the king, 
on the frontiers of Mapimi. In them I exercised the office of captain and 
alcalde mayor, and I did the same on the frontiers of Yndehe and the 
province of Santa Bárbara, and the rest of the time in these mines of 
Guanacebi, where I have also exercised the said office of justice and of 
captain, being always able, ready, and prepared with my arms, horses, 
and servants, to proceed upon the service of your Majesty on the occa¬ 
sions of peace and war which have offered. In these services I have 
used up a great part of my fortune and on account of them have become 
poor, and I have a wife and children to support. And because I am deter¬ 
mined to go to represent my services to our lord, the king, and to his 
loyal councils and the most excellent señor viceroy of New Spain, so that 
adequate relief may be granted me in remuneration for them, I beg and 
pray your Majesty to receive evidence from me upon the contents of this, 
my petition, by examining the witnesses whom I present. 
