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Show a . ” ‘ “illlae ernie © _ FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN FRANCISCO HISTORY leader and explorer. ‘‘There had been few attractions to draw these adventurers cease ine — LEADING historian of the expedition, was of little service when used against the walls of the Pueblo villages. Large numbers of cattle and sheep were also taken with the expedition.1** The command was composed largely of soldiers of fortune, who had been living in Mexico. Among them were the sons of many Spanish noblemen. Their presence in the New World has been easily accounted for. <A great portion of the discovery and conquest by the Spaniards was due to this class of individuals. They were good soldiers; by personal valor and ability they held the positions of leadership everywhere among men who followed whom and when they chose; they always served under the banner of the successful an ee 170 away from Mexico,’’ says Winship, ‘‘for some time previous to 1539. Peru still offered excitement for those who had nothing to gain or bei but the purely personal struggle going on between Pizarro and ddan could not arouse the energies of those who were in search of glory as well as employment. A considerable part of the rabble which followed Nuiio de Guzman, during the conquest of New Galicia, went to Peru after their chief had been Superseded by the Henaitaia de la Torre, so that one town is said to have disappeared entirely from this cause. But among these were men of good blood and spirit. Mendoza had been able, at first, to accommodate and employ those who accompanied him from Spain, like Vasquez Coronado, ‘‘being chiefly young gentlemen.’’ But every vessel coming feos home oe some companion or friend of those who were already in _ oat and after Cabeza de Vaca carried reports of his discovles to the Spanish court, an increasing number came each season to ve join the already burdensom e body of usele ss members of the vice regal household. The te viceroy vi recognized the necessity of relieving the community a ae himself from oe an ecninty | soon after he had established himself in Mexico, y on the watch for some suitable means of freeing nee —. : gentlemen’’ By 1539, the problem of looking after whose number is determined quite ac- ae the two hundred and fifty or three hundred ‘‘ gentlemen 186 Castaiieda, Winship ’s translation, 14th B, A. E., pp. 420, 469 VASQUEZ CORONADO 171 on horseback’’ who left New Spain with Coronado in the spring of 1540, had become a very serious one to the viceroy.**’ Consequently, in September, 1539, after the return of Friar Marcos, with the news of his great discovery of the Seven Cities, the viceroy had no difficulty in organizing the expedition and within a month and a half an urgent, restless, but light-hearted band of conquest-loving cavaliers was ready to be led into the unknown regions In the entire army there were only two or three men of the north. settled residents of New Spain.*** been ever had who Compostella, on the Pacific coast, was announced as the point where the intended army of invasion and conquest would be mobthe ilized, and Don Francisco Vasquez Coronado **” was named as commander of the expedition. success Mendoza spared neither pains nor expense to insure the 14th B. A. E., p 376. 187 Winship, George Parker, Coronado Expedition, p. 373, Testimony concern188 Pacheco y Cardenas, Doc. de Indias, vol. xxv, Francisco Vasquez Coronado, Wining those who went on the Expedition with ay ship’s translation. presented a petition to ‘¢At Compostella, on February 21, 1540, Coronado that certain persons who the viceroy, Mendoza, declaring that he had observed for the about to start were not well disposed toward the expedition which was City of country had said that many of the inhabitants of the newly discovered Spain, and also of ComposMexico and of the other cities and towns of New Galicia were going on the tella and other places in this province of New nts offered by him, as a result induceme of because or request his at n expeditio eserted, or almost So. w in d New in order der that information be obtained, of New Spain and of his that the truth might be known about the citizens there were were going to accompany him. He declared that province who ve on account of any very few of them, and that they were not going free will, and as there were few or inducement offered by him, but of their own vee as And in New Spain. of them, there would not be any lack of people Pedro Almides Cherino, t : zalo de Salazar, the factor or royal agent, and Spain, and other citizens 0 veedor or royal inspector of His Majesty for New information, were present Mexico who knew all the facts and had the necessary ees best to provide and order that ae . there, Coronado asked His Grace of New Spain. security and serve His Majesty’s interests and the welfare Maldonado, oidor of the aye. a ‘The viceroy instructed the licentiate, “7 _ To facilitate the hearing he provic ( cia, to procure this information. and others who were there, ~ the said factor and veedor and the regidores, the following day. a oo attend the review of the army, which was to dbe held the by Maldonado to attend of the desired witnesses were also commande : review and observe those whom they knew in the army. one the took , Maldonado ‘*On the 26th day of cereus arae licentiate, the of personnel the to as testimony the witnesses in proper form and their army has been preserved. ’’ ae : patie Coronado — de Coronado, it is sometimes — vt Don Ree eon oa was born in Salamanca, as is stated by Herrera, 1 his Historia Genera', ‘‘Who he is, what he has already done, an by Tello in Icazbaleeta’s Mexico. |