Statement of Friar Pedro de Ortega to the Inquisition, 1626

The priest who was serving as the notary for all of the inquisition testimony, Friar Pedro de Ortega, testified against Governor Juan de Eulate, focusing on an incident that occurred when the wagon-train escort was accompanying Eulate to New Mexico in December 1618 when he had first assumed office. The statement reveals several names of Santa Fe residents who were members of the caravan: Francisco Gómez, Simón Pérez, Alonso Ramírez, Sebastián Rodríguez, his wife Luisa Díaz, Juan Gómez and Juan Palomo (the last two were deceased by 1626).

I also have to admit I love Father Ortega’s quip about the sleep of Saint John and the diligence of Judas!

A paleographic transcription of Friar Ortega’s testimony in Spanish is available in the Cibola Project’s “Cross vs. Crown in New Mexico, 1626.”

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Statement of Friar Pedro de Ortega to Friar Alonso de Benavides

27 January 1626

Santa Fe

On the 27th day of the month of January in the year 1626 in the town of Santa Fe of this New Mexico, in the afternoon, before Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, Commissary of the Holy Office of these provinces, I, the undersigned notary, Friar Pedro de Ortega, guardian and minister of this town of Santa Fe, appeared without being summoned and I swear and have sworn in verbo sacerdotis to tell the truth. And so I say and denounce that about seven years ago, more or less, while coming from the provinces of the Holy Evangel of Mexico—where I professed the rule of my Seraphic Father Saint Francis—and traveling, as I said, in obedience to these missions in the company of a lay brother of my order named Friar Gerónimo de Pedraza, and also in the company of Don Juan de Eulate, who at the time was coming as governor of these provinces, we arrived one day at a place whose name I do not remember.

While there, the said Don Juan de Eulate was in conversation with Francisco Gómez—who today is Sergeant Major of these provinces—and with Captains Simón Pérez, Alonso Ramírez, and many others who were then traveling with us. I, the said notary, was also present in that conversation, quite near them, in the company of Alférez Sebastián Rodríguez and his wife Luisa Díaz, Juan Gómez, and Juan Palomo (the last two now deceased), all of whom are residents of this said town.

While in that conversation, I heard Don Juan de Eulate say that the state of married people was more perfect than that of religious. I, the said notary, got up from where I was and went to Don Juan de Eulate and told him: "Your Lordship should know that not only is what you are saying wrong, but if you persist in it, you will incur excommunication according to the Holy Council." To this, Don Juan de Eulate responded, smiling and belittling me and what I was saying, saying, “that is what Gálvez had told me, a man from my country,” I, the said declarant, replied by asking what he based this claim on. He answered that religious men do not work, and all they do is sleep and eat, whereas married men are always busy working, seeking what they need. To this, I responded that the sleep of Saint John had been more pleasing to Christ Our Lord than the diligence of Judas. Yet Don Juan de Eulate not only was not persuaded but remained smiling and mocking me. All these things were heard and seen by the people I have mentioned, and either Francisco Gómez (now Sergeant Major) or Alonso Ramírez—I do not remember which—agreed with and supported Don Juan de Eulate in his erroneous opinion.

It is also well-known and public knowledge in this land that Don Juan de Eulate defended such erroneous opinions and many others against the religious orders and the ministers of the church. Father Friar Andrés, guardian of the Pecos convent in this custody, also told me how Don Juan de Eulate had publicly declared in this town that the cross of Christ Our Lord was not owed adoration. And so, for all these reasons, and because I have always seen him with little affection for the church and its ministers, and with consistent contempt for them, I hold him suspect in the faith.

And this is the truth, by the oath I have taken. When my statement was read to me, I said it was well written and that I do not say this out of hatred. I promised secrecy and signed it with my name.

Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric}                      Witnessed by

Commissary                                                                          Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}

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Sources: 

Viridiana Rivera Álvarez and Jerry R. Craddock, “Cross vs. Crown in New Mexico, 1626” UC Berkeley Research Center for Romance Studies, Cibola Project, 2019. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0xq1g5b3 

Archivo General de la Nación 

Inquisición, Volumen 356, Expediente 107, fol. 265r-265v (Images 83389, 83390)

Available at: https://repositorio.agn.gob.mx/