Fernando de Oñate, 1612 
449 
questions respecting competence declares that he is nowise disqualified and 
that he is sixty-five years old. 
To the second question he declared that he knows and it is true that the 
said Don Fernando de Oñate, the younger, is the legitimate son of the said 
Don Fernando de Oñate and Doña Leonor de Ribadeneyra, for, living as 
they are to-day in matrimony, in peace with the Holy Mother Church, 
this witness has seen that they have had and procreated as the legitimate 
son of the said marriage, the said Don Fernando de Oñate, the younger, 
and they have treated him as such, naming and supporting him, as is 
public and well known by public voice and rumor. This witness knows 
that the said Don Fernando de Oñate, the elder, is the same who presented 
the evidence referred to in the question, for through its being so well 
known throughout this kingdom he heard reports of it. This witness does 
not know, nor has it come to his knowledge that in virtue of the merits 
that are represented in the said evidence either the said Don Fernando or 
his children have been remunerated with any favor, although the said 
evidence was sent to the Council, for if it had been done this witness 
would have known it, through the intercourse he has had with the said 
Don Fernando de Oñate. This he affirms. 
To the third question he declared that he knows and saw that after the 
said Don Fernando de Oñate, the elder, presented the evidence mentioned 
in the question—and it was publicly known that he presented it while the 
Marquis of Montesclaros was governing this New Spain as viceroy— 
the corregimiento of the district of Mexico having become vacant at that 
time, and the said Don Fernando being a person of such character and 
abilities as are required for such an office, the said viceroy named and 
selected him as corregidor of this city, and this witness saw him fill and 
exercise the said office like a good gentleman and upright judge, with 
great rectitude and to the satisfaction of the said viceroy and this royal 
Audiencia and the entire community, according to the good reports that 
he constantly made, to which testimony reference is made. And this 
witness saw that at the said time Don Alonso de Oñate, legitimate brother 
of the said Don Fernando, and uncle of the said Don Fernando, the 
younger, was captain of the guard of the said viceroy, Marquis of Mon¬ 
tesclaros, and he also filled it with much dignity and to the satisfaction of 
all. This he affirms. 
To the fourth question he declared that what is stated in it in regard to 
the time when Governor Don Juan de Oñate went on the campaign to 
New Mexico was known to this witness as being public and well known, 
and he has no doubt of it, for, since the aforesaid gentlemen were very 
solicitous for the augmentation of the royal crown, it cannot be believed 
that they would do anything contrary to what the question contains. This 
he affirms. 
To the fifth question he answered that notwithstanding the marriage 
contracted between the said Don Fernando de Oñate, the younger, and 
Doña Magdalena de Mendoza, his wife, was celebrated outside of this city 
and this witness did not see it, he knows it through its having been a 
public and well-known affair, as also the high rank and pure lineage of 
Vicente de Zaldivar and Doña Magdalena de Mendoza, wife of the said 
