“Relación”

by Fray Marcos de Niza

In 1538, a Franciscan friar, Marcos de Niza, set out from New Spain to explore lands in the name of Catholicism and the King of Spain. New Spain’s viceroy, Don Antonio de Mendoza was inspired by reports of the Seven Cities of Cibola with its vast riches. He bought the slave, Estéban the Moor to guide Fray Marcos de Niza, on the expedition towards the north. Estéban had previously journeyed across the continent with Cabeza de Vaca and two other Spaniards.

Knowing the route, Estéban traveled ahead of Fray Marcos. Soon the Indian guides who accompanied Estéban returned to tell Fray Marcos that Estéban had been killed at Hawikuh, one of the Seven Cities of Cibola. They described how Estéban had entered the pueblo dressed in robes and holding a copper rattle. Estéban’s party may have interrupted a summer ceremony or his flamboyant behavior disturbed the Zunis. According to the Zunis, Estéban crossed a line they had drawn with sacred cornmeal and so they overpowered and killed him. Fray Marcos planted a cross in the earth near Hawikuh but feared going further and entering the pueblo. Nevertheless, he returned to New Spain with reports of the golden Cities of Cibola. Inspired by the de Niza’s account, Viceroy Mendoza organized a new expedition led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado.

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With the aid and protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Our Lady, and of the Seráfico, our father Saint Francis, I, Fray Marcos de Niza, a professed friar of the order of Saint Francis, in compliance with the instructions above contained, from the Illustrious Lord Don Antonio de Mendoza, viceroy and governor for His Majesty of New Spain, departed from the villa of San Miguel, in the province of Culiacán, Friday, the seventh day of March, year of one thousand five hundred and thirty nine, taking with me as companion the Father Friar Honoratus, and also taking with me Estévan de Dorantes, a black, and certain Indians of those which the said Lord Viceroy liberated and purchased for this purpose, the which were brought to me by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, governor of New Galicia, and with many other Indians from Petatlán and from the town that is called Cuchillo, that would be fifty leagues from the said villa (of San Miguel). These came to the valley of Culiacán showing great joy, because it had been proclaimed that the Indians are free men, the said governor having previously sent word to them to inform them of their liberty, and to assure them that they would not be made slaves nor warred upon nor mistreated, telling them that this was the will and command of His Majesty. And with the company that I have said, I took my way toward the town of Petatlán, receiving on the way many hospitalities and presents of food, roses and other things of this sort, and huts that they built for me of mats and brush in those districts where were no people. In this town of Petatlán I rested three days, because my companion, Fray Honoratus, was seized with illness, and I found it advisable to leave him there. So, conforming to the said instructions, I pursued my journey, wherein I was guided by the Holy Spirit, though I was unworthy. And with me went the said Estévan de Dorantes, the black, and some of the freed Indians and many people of the region, arranging for me, in all places that I reached, much hospitality and celebrations and triumphal arches. They gave me of the food they had, although it was little because they said they had three years without rain, and because the Indians of that region think more of hiding themselves than of planting crops, through fear of the Christians of the villa of San Miguel, who until then had been accustomed to go there to make war and slaves.

Con el ayuda y favor de la Sacratísima Virgen Maria, Nuestra Señora y del Seráfico nuestro padre San Francisco, yo Fra. Marcos de Niza, fraile profeso de la órden de San Francisco, en cumplimiento de la instrucción, arriba contenida, del Ilustrísimo Sr. D. Antonio de Mendoza, visorey y gobernador por S. M. de la Nueva España, partí de la villa de San Miguel de la provincia de Culuacan, viernes siete días del mes de marzo de mill é quinientos é treinta é nueve años, llevando por compañero al padre Fra. Onorato y llevando conmigo a Estéban de Dorantes, negro, y á ciertos indios, de los quel dicho Sr. Visorey libertó y compró para este efecto, los cuales me entregó Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, gobernador de la Nueva Galicia, y con otra mucha cantidad de indios de Petatean, y del pueblo que llaman del Cuchillo, que serán cincuenta leguas de la dicha villa. Los cuales vinieron al valle de Culuacan, significando gran alegría, por habelles certificado los indios libertados, quel dicho Gobernador envió delante a hacelles saber su libertad y que no se habían de hacer esclavos dellos ni hacelles guerra ni mal tratamiento, diciéndoles que asi lo quiere y manda S.M.Y con esta compañía que digo, tomé mi camino hasta allegar al pueblo de Petatean, hallando en el camino muchos recibimientos y presentes de comida, rosas y otras cosas desta calidad, y casas que me hacían de petates y ramas, en todas las partes donde no había poblado. En este pueblo de Petatean holgué tres días, porque mi compañero Fra. Onorato adoleció de enfermedad, que me convino dexallo allí; y conforme á la dicha instrucción, seguí mi viaje por donde me guió el Espíritu Santo, sin merescello yo. E yendo conmigo el dicho Estéban de Dorantes, negro, y algunos de los libertados y mucha gente de la tierra, haciéndome en todas partes que llegaba muchos recibimientos y regocijos y arcos triunfales y dándome de la comida que tenían, aunque poca, porque dicen haber tres años que no llovía, y porque los indios de aquella comarca mas entendían en esconderse que en sembrar, por temor de los christianos de la villa de San Miguel, que hasta allí solían llegar á les hacer guerra y esclavos.

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[editor’s note: travelling in southern Arizona near the Yaqui River)
On another route I sent Estéban de Dorantes, the black, whom I instructed to follow to the north for fifty or sixty leagues, to see if by that route he would be able to learn of any great thing such as we sought; and I agreed with him that if he received any information of a rich, peopled land, that was something great, he should not go farther, but that he return in person or send me Indians with this signal, which we arranged: that if the thing was of moderate importance, he send me a white cross the size of a hand; if it was something great he send me one of two hands; and if it was something bigger and better than New Spain, he send me a large cross.

And so the said Estéban, the black, departed from me on Passion Sunday after dinner (or, "after eating"), while I stayed on in this settlement which, as I say, is called Vacapa. And after four days there came messengers from Estéban with a very large cross, of the height of a man, and they told me on the part of Estéban that I should at once ("on the hour") depart and follow him, because he had reached people who gave him information of the greatest thing in the world; and that he had found Indians who had been there, of whom he was sending me one. This Indian told me so many wonderful things of the land that I forebore to credit him until I should have seen them or have more information of the place. He told me that it was thirty jornadas from the place where he had left Estéban to the first city of that country, which city he said was called Cibola.

[Y] por otra parte envié á Estéban de Dorantes, negro, al cual dixe que fuese por la derrota del Norte, cincuenta ó sesenta leguas, para ver si por aquella via se podría tener razón de alguna cosa grande de las que buscábamos; y concerté con él que si tuviese alguna noticia de tierra poblada y rica que fuese cosa grande, que no pasase adelante, sino que volviese en persona ó me enviase indios con esta señal que concertamos: que si la cosa fuese razonable, me enviase una cruz blanca de un palmo; y si fuese cosa grande, la enviase de dos palmos; y si fuese cosa mayor y mejor que la Nueva España, me enviase una gran cruz.

Y así se partió el dicho Estéban, negro, de mi, Dominica de Pasión después de comer, quedando yo en esta población, que digo que se dice Vacapa. Y de ahí á cuatro días, vinieron sus mensajeros de Estéban con una cruz muy grande, de estatura de un hombre, y me dixeron, de parte de Estéban, que á la hora me partiese en su seguimiento, porque habia topado gente que le daba razón de la mayor cosa del mundo; y que tenia indios que habian estado en ella, de los cuales me envió uno. Y este me dixo tantas grandezas de la tierra, que dexé de creellas para después de habellas visto ó de tener más certificación de la cosa; y me dixo que habia treinta jornadas, desde donde quedaba Estéban, hasta la primera ciudad de la tierra, que se dice Cibola.

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Next day I continued my journey, taking with me the Pintados, who did not want to remain behind. I reached another settlement where I was very well received by its people, who tried to touch my robe, and they informed me of the land which was my destination, as particularly as I had been told before, and they told me how people from that village had gone four or five jornadas with Estévan Dorantes. Here I came upon a large cross erected by Estévan to indicate that the news of the good country always increases, and he left word for me to hurry on and that he would await me at the end of the next despoblado. Here I erected two crosses and took possession, in compliance with instructions, because it appeared to me that this was a better land than that which I had passed, and so it was proper to perform there the acts of possession. And after this manner I continued for five days, always finding well-populated settlements where I was received with great hospitality and receptions and where I found many turquoises and cowhides, and the same report of the country. They all spoke to me of Cibola and that province as people who knew that I was going in search of it and they told me how Estévan had preceded me; and from him I there received messengers who were natives of that town, and who had gone some distance with him; and always he overloaded my hand (cargándome la mano) in speaking of the grandeur of the land and urged me to make haste.

Otro día seguí mi camino, llevando conmigo los pintados que no me querían dexar. Llegué á otra población, donde fuí muy bien recibido de la gente della, los cuales asimismo procuraban de tocarme la ropa, y me dieron noticia de la tierra que yo llevaba, tan particularmente como los de atrás, y me dixeron como de allí había ido gente con Estéban Dorantes, cuatro ó cinco jornadas; y aquí tope una cruz grande, que Estéban me había dexado, en señal de que la nueva de la buena tierra siempre crescia, y dexó dicho que me dixesen que me diese mucha priesa, que él me aguardaría al cabo del primer despoblado. Aquí puse dos cruces y tomé posesión, conforme á la instrucción, porque me pareció ser aquella mejor tierra que la que quedaba atrás, y que convenía desde allí hacer autos de posesión. Y desta manera anduve cinco días, hallando siempre poblado y gran hospedaje y rescibimiento y muchas turquesas y cueros de vaca y la misma razón de la tierra; y luego me decían todos de Cibola y de aquella provincia, como gente que sabia que iba en demanda della, y me decían como Estéban iba delante, del cual tuve allí mensajeros de los vecinos de aquel pueblo que habían ido con él, y siempre cargándome la mano en decir la grandeza de la tierra y que me diese priesa.

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[editor’s note: between the Yaqui and Sonora Rivers]
The next day I entered the despoblado and where I had to go to dine, I found huts and sufficient food, near an arroyo; and at night I found huts and similar food again; and so it was for the four days that I continued through the despoblado. At the end of them [the four days] I entered into a valley very well occupied by people, where in the first town there came to me many men and women with food. They all wore many turquoises that they hung from their noses and ears, and some wore necklaces of turquoises like those which I said were worn by the chief and his brothers of the town on the other side of the despoblado except that those wore only one loop (vuelta) while these wore three and four, and had very good blankets (mantas) and cowhides: the women were similarly dressed, with turquoises on their noses and ears and very good skirts (naguas) and blouses (camisas). They had as much knowledge of Cibola as in New Spain they have of Mexico or in Peru of Cuzco. They particularly described the style of the houses and of the city and its streets and plazas, like people who had been there many times. They wore handsome articles that they had obtained from there through their services, like those before. I told them that it was not possible that the houses were of the style that they described to me, and to make me understand, they took soil and ashes and mixed them with water, and showed me how they placed the stones and how the edifice was built up, placing stones and mortar until it reached the required elevation. I asked them if the men of that country had wings to mount these stories; they laughed and explained to me the ladder as well as I could explain it, and they took a stick and placed it over their heads and said that that was the height, story to story. Also, I was given an account of the woolen cloth of Totonteac, where they said the houses are like those of Cibola, but better and many more, and that the place was very great and had no end.

Otro día entré en el despoblado, y donde había de ir á comer, hallé ranchos y comida bastante, junto á un arroyo, y á la noche hallé casas y así mismo comida, y así lo tuve cuatro días que me duró el despoblado. Al cabo dellos, entré en un valle muy bien poblado de gente, donde en el primer pueblo salieron á mi muchos homhombres y mugeres con comida; y todos traían muchas turquesas que les colgaban de las narices ye de las orejas, y algunos train collares de turquesas, de las que digo que traian el Señor y sus hermaños, del pueblo antes del despoblado, eceto que aquellos traian sola una vuelta, y estos traian tres y cuatro, y muy buenas mantas y cueros de vaca; y las mujeres las mismas turquesas en las narices y orejas, y muy buenas naguas y camisas. Aquí había tanta noticia de Cibola, como en la Nueva España, de México y en el Perú, del Cuzco; y tan particularmente contaban la manera de las casas y de la población y calles y plazas della, como personas que habían estado en ella muchas veces, y que traían de allá las cosas de pulicía, que tenían habidas por su servicio, como los de atrás. Yo les decía que no era posible que las casas fuesen de la manera que me decían, y para dármelo á entender, tomaban tierra y ceniza, y echabanle agua, y señalabanme como ponían la piedra y como subían el edificio arriba, poniendo aquello y piedra hasta ponello en lo alto; preguntabáles á los hombres de aquella tierra si tenían alas para subir aquellos sobrados; reíanse y señalábanme el escalera, también como la podría yo señalar, y tomaban un palo y poníanlo sobre la cabeza y decían que aquel altura hay de sobrado á sobrado. También tuve aquí relación del paño de lana de Totonteac, donde dicen que las casas son como las de Cibola y mejores y muchas mas, y que es cosa muy grande y que no tiene cabo.

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[editor’s note: between the Gila and Zuni Rivers]
For my jornadas I entered the despoblado the ninth of May, and thus we went: on the first day, by way of a very wide and much-used road, we arrived for dinner at a spring (agua) where the Indians had erected a sign for me; and, to sleep, at another spring where I found a hut which they had made for me, and another built for Estévan to sleep in when he passed this way, and old huts and many signs of fire, made by people who passed to Cibola over this road. And in this way I traveled twelve days, always well supplied with food of deer, hares, and partridges, of the same color and flavor as those of Spain, although not so large but a little smaller.

Por mis jornadas, entré en el despoblado, á nueve días de Mayo, y así fuimos: el primero día, por un camino muy ancho y muy usado: llegamos á comer á una agua; donde los indios me habían señalado, y á dormir á otra agua, donde hallé casa que habían acabado de hacer para mí y otra questaba hecha donde durmió Estéban cuando pasó, y ranchos viejos, y muchas señales de fuego, de la gente que pasaba á Cibola por este camino. Y por esta órden, caminé doce días, siempre muy abastado de comidas de venados, liebres y perdices del mismo color y sabor de las de España, aunque no tan grandes, pero poco menores.

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At this point there arrived an Indian-the son of a chief among those who had gone in the company of Estévan, the black; he was fatigued, his face and body covered with sweat. He showed profound grief in his person, and he told me that at one jornada before reaching Cibola, Estévan sent messengers [ahead] with his calabash, as he was accustomed to send notice ahead so that they might know he was coming. The calabash carried some rows of cascabels and two feathers, one white and the other red. When they arrived at Cibola, before the ruler that the lord [of the seven cities] had placed there, and gave him the calabash, he, as soon as he took it and saw the cascabels, with much wrath and anger flung the calabash to the ground and told the messengers to be gone immediately, saying that he knew what people those were; that they [the messengers] should tell them not to enter the city; otherwise all would be killed. The messengers returned and told Estévan what had passed; he told them that was nothing, that those who exhibited irritation received him the better; and so he pursued his way until he reached the city of Cibola, where he found that the people would not consent for him to enter within. They placed him in a large house that was outside the city, and presently took from him all that he carried, his trade articles and the turquoises and other things that he had received along the road from the Indians. There he was that night, without their giving anything to eat or to drink to him or to those who were with him. The next day in the morning this Indian was thirsty and left the house to drink from a stream (rio) that was nearby. From there, a moment later, he saw Estévan running away, and after him followed the people of the city, and they killed some of those who were with him; and when he saw this, this Indian retreated, under cover, up the stream and then crossed over to reach the road of the despoblado.

With this news, some of the Indians who were with me began to weep. With the evil tidings, I feared I would be lost, and I feared not so much to lose my life as not to be able to return to give information of the greatness of the country, where God, Our Lord, could be so well served and his holy faith exalted, and the royal patrimony of His Majesty augmented. But with all this, I consoled them the best that I could, and told them they ought not to give entire credit to that Indian; but they, with many tears, told me that the Indian had told nothing that he had not seen. So I withdrew from the Indians to commend myself to Our Lord and to supplicate him to guide this matter as might best serve Him, and to enlighten my heart. This done, I returned to the Indians and with a knife cut the ropes of the bundles of clothing and trade articles that I carried, which until then I had not opened nor given anything to anyone, and distributed that which I carried among all the chiefs, and told them not to fear and that they should go along with me; and so they did.

Upon resuming our journey, one jornada from Cibola, we met two other Indians of those who had gone with Estévan; they arrived covered with blood and with many wounds, and at their arrival they and those that were with me began such a weeping that from compassion and fear they made me cry also, and there was so much outcry ("so many voices") that I was not able to inquire of them about Estévan, or of what they had suffered. I entreated them to be silent that we might learn what had happened, and they replied, "How can we be silent, since we know that of our fathers, sons and brothers, of those who were with Estévan, more than three hundred are dead? And we dare no more to go to Cibola, as [we were] accustomed." Nevertheless, I tried to pacify them the best I could, and rid them of fear, although I was not without need of some one to rid me of it. I asked the Indians who were wounded about Estévan and what had happened. They remained a while without speaking a word to me, weeping with those of their towns. Finally, they told me that when Estévan arrived at one jornada from the city of Cibola, he sent his messengers with his calabash to Cibola, to the lord, to make it known to them that he was coming to make peace [i.e., in peace] and to cure them. When they gave him the calabash and he saw the cascabels, he angrily threw the calabash to the ground and said: "I know these people, for these cascabels are not of the fashion of ours; tell them to turn back at once; if not, no man of them will remain [alive]," and thus he remained much enraged. And the messengers returned, but feared to tell Estévan of what had happened; however, they [finally] told him, and he told them that they should have no fear; that he wished to go there, because, although they had answered him badly, they would receive him well. So he went on and arrived at the city of Cibola just before the setting of the sun, with all the people who went with him, which would be more than three hundred men, not counting the many women; and they [the Cibolans] would not consent for him to enter the city, but [put them] into a large house with good apartments that was outside the city, and they presently took from Estévan all that he carried, telling him that the lord so ordered, and in all that night they gave us nothing to eat or to drink. The next day, when the sun was a lance-length high, Estévan went from the house and some of the chiefs with him, and at once there came many people from the city and, when he saw them, he began to flee and we with him. Immediately they gave us these arrow-strokes and gashes and we fell, and upon us fell some dead men. And so we remained until night, without daring to move. We heard loud voices in the city, and on the terraces we saw many men and women watching. We saw no more of Estévan, but we believe that they shot him with arrows as they did the rest who were with him, of whom there escaped none but us."

Aquí llegó un indio, hijo de un principal de los que venían conmigo, el cual había ido en compañía de Estéban, negro, y venia aquexado el rostro y cuerpo, cubierto de sudor, el cual mostraba harta tristeza en su persona, y me dixo que, una jornada antes de allegar á Cibola, Estéban envió su calabazo, con mensajeros, como siempre acostmubraba enviallo delantre, para que supiesen como iba; el calabazo llevaba unas hileras de cascabeles y dos plumas, una blanca y otra colorada; y como llegaron á Cibola, ante la persona que el Señor tiene allí puesta, y le dieron el calabazo; como le tomó en las maños y vido los cascabeles, con mucha ira y enojo arrojó el calabazo en el suelo, y dijo á los mensajeros que luego se fuesen, quél conoscia que gente era aquella, que les dijesen que no entrasen en la cibdad, sino que á todos los matarían; los mensajeros se volvieron y dixeron á Estéban lo que pasaba, el cual les dixo que aquello no era nada, que los que se mostraban enojados, les recibían mejor; y así prosiguió su viaje hasta llegar á la cibdad de Cibola, donde halló gente que no le consintió entrar dentro, y le metieron en una casa grande, que está fuera de la ciudad, y le quitaron luego todo lo que llevaba, de rescates y turquesas y otras cosas que había habido en el camino de los indios; y que allí estuvo aquella noche sin darle de comer ni de beber, á él ni á los que con él iban. Y otro día de mañana, este indio hubo sed y salió de la casa á beber, en un rió questaba cerca, y de ahí á poco rato, vido ir huyendo á Estéban y que iban tras él gente de la cibdad, y que mataban algunos de los que iban con él; y que como esto vió, este indio se fué, escondido, el rió arriba y después atravesó á salir al camino del despoblado.

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[editor’s note: Hawikuh or another Zuni pueblo]
I asked that some of them should go with me to Cibola, for to see if any other Indian had escaped and to learn anything new of Estévan, but I could do nothing with them. In the end, seeing me determined, two chiefs said that they would go with me. With these and my own Indians and interpreters, I pursued my journey until within sight of Cibola, which is situated on a plain at the skirt of a round hill. It has the appearance of a very beautiful town, the best that I have seen in these parts. The houses are of the fashion that the Indians had described to me, all of stone, with their stories and terraces, as it appeared to me from a hill where I was able to view it. The city is bigger than the city of Mexico. At times I was tempted to go to it, because I knew that I ventured only life, which I had offered to God the day I commenced the journey. At the end I feared [to do so], considering my danger and that, if I died, I would not be able to make a report of this country, which to me appears the greatest and best of the discoveries. Saying to the chiefs who had come with me how beautiful Cibola appeared to me, they told me that it was the least of the seven cities, and that Totonteac is much bigger and better than all the seven, and that it has so many houses and people that it has no end. Viewing the situation of the city, it appeared appropriate to me to call that country the new kingdom of Saint Francis; and there, with the aid of the Indians, I made a great heap of stones, and on top of it I placed a cross, small and light because I had not the equipment for making it larger, and I announced that I erected that cross and monument in the name of Don Antonio de Mendoza, viceroy of New Spain, for the Emperor, our lord, in token of possession, conforming to the instructions, which possession I proclaimed that I took of all the seven cities and of the kingdoms of Totonteac and of Acus and of Marata, and that I went not to them in order to return to give account of what I did and saw.

Roguéles que algunos dellos quisiesen ir á Cibola, para ver si había escapado alguno otro indio, y para que supiesen alguna nueva de Estéban, lo cual no pude acabar con ellos. Visto esto, yo les dixe que, en todo caso, yo había de ver la Ciudad de Cibola, y me dixeron que ninguno iría comigo; y al cabo viéndome determinado, dos principales dixeron que irian comigo, con los cuales y con mis indios y lenguas, seguí mi camino hasta la vista de Cibola, la cual está sentada en un llano, á la falda de un cerro redondo. Tiene muy hermoso parescer de pueblo, el mejor que en estas partes yo he visto; son las casas por la manera que los indios me dixeron, todas de piedra con sus sobrados y azuteas, á lo que me paresció desde un cerro donde me puse á vella. La poblacion es mayor que la cibdad de México; algunas veces fui tentado de irme á ella, porque sabia que no aventuraba sino la vida, y esta ofrescí á Dios el dia que comencé la jornada; al cabo temí, considerando mi peligro y que si yo moria, no se podria haber razon desta tierra, que á mi ver es la mayor y mejor de todas las descubiertas. Diciendo yo á los principales, que tenia comigo, cuán bien me parescia Cibola, me dixeron que era la menor de las siete cibdades, y que Totonteac es mucho mayor y mejor que todas las siete cibdades y que es de tantas casas y gente, que no tiene cabo.

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From there I turned back to my journey, with all the haste I could, until I arrived at the villa of San Miguel, of the province of Culiacán, expecting to find there Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, governor of New Galicia, and as I did not find him, I continued my journey to the City of Compostela, where I found him. And from there I presently wrote of my arrival to the most illustrious lord, the viceroy of New Spain, and to our Father Friar Antonio de Ciudad-Rodrigo, Provincial, asking him to send me orders what to do.

I do not place here many details, because they have nothing to do with the case: I only tell what I saw and was told me of the countries where I went and of those of which I was given information, for to give it to our Father Provincial, so that he might show it to the Father of our Order, who may advise him, or to the Assembly at whose command I went, that they give it to the Most Illustrious Lord, the Viceroy of New Spain, at whose request they sent me on this journey.
Fray Marcos de Niza, Vice-Commissary

De allí proseguí la vuelta de mi viaje, con toda la priesa que pude, hasta llegar a la villa de San Miguel, de la provincia de Culuacan, creyendo hallar allí á Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, gobernador de la Nueva Galicia; y como no lo hallé, proseguí mi jornada hasta la cibdad de Compostela, donde le hallé. Y de allí luego escribí mi venida al Ilustrísimo Sr. Visorey de la Nueva España, y a nuestro Padre Fray Antonio de Cibdad-Rodrigo, provincial, y que me enviasen á mandar lo que haría.

No pongo aquí muchas particularidades, porque no hacen á este caso; solamente digo lo que ví y me digeron, por las tierras donde anduve y de las que tuve razón, para dalla a nuestro padre provincial, para que él la muestre a los padres de nuestra órden, que le pareciese ó en el capitulo, por cuyo mandado yo fui, para que la den al Ilustrísimo señor visorey de la Nueva España, á cuyo pedimento me enviaron a esta jornada.

Fray Marcos de Niza, vice-comissarius