Statement of Captain Hernán Martín Serrano to the Inquisition, 1626

Captain Hernán Martín Serrano came forward of his own volition to denounce Governor Juan de Eulate to the Inquisition on 28 January 1626. He recounted two incidents that occurred about 1624—one in which he heard Eulate say that adoration was not owed to the cross of Christ, and another in which he showed great disrespect when entering and leaving the church because Friar Andrés Bautista did not want to say Mass while the governor was under excommunication. The incident sounds similar to the one recounted by Matías López del Castillo when it was Friar Andrés Suárez who had refused to say Mass, but the details are different. Either the two witnesses’ memory recalled the same incident differently (and mixed up the names of the two priests), or perhaps there were multiple incidents at the church involving Eulate during his period of excommunication.

Hernán’s testimony also reveals some of the officers who served in Governor Eulate’s administration. He stated that Captain Juan Gómez (mostly likely Gómez de Luna, as he was the subject of several other witness statements) was an alcalde and that he himself and Diego de Vera were regidores (town council members) at the time.

This testimony is one of the sources for José Antonio Esquibel’s article on Hernán Martín Serrano, “Descendants of Hernán (I) Martín Serrano in New Mexico: An Authoritative Account of the Five Generations,” January 2019. There are a few errors in that document, which José is in the process of correcting and updating. Hernán did not state that he was a widower in 1626, did not testify against Diego de Vera on the charge of bigamy and did not testify to the inquisition against Gerónimo Márquez. He appeared as a witness on behalf of Márquez in October 1601.

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

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Statement of Hernán Martín Serrano to Friar Alonso de Benavides

28 January 1626

Santa Fe

In the town of Santa Fe, on the 28th day of the month of January in the year 1626, in the afternoon, before Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, Commissary of the Holy Office of these provinces of New Mexico, there appeared, without being summoned, and swore in proper form to tell the truth, a man who said his name was Captain Hernando Martín Serrano, long-established settler and resident of this town, about seventy years of age or slightly more.

He, to relieve his conscience, says and denounces that about two years ago, more or less, while this declarant was in the church of this town, which belongs to the convent of San Francisco, in the presence of the entire community, Don Juan de Eulate, then governor of these provinces, was having an argument with Father Friar Andrés Suárez of the Order of Our Lord San Francisco, who was the guardian of the Pecos. Among other things he no longer recalls, this declarant says he heard with his own ears Don Juan de Eulate say that adoration was not owed to the cross of Christ Our Lord. To this, Friar Andrés Suárez replied that adoration was owed to the cross and that, in due time, he would explain whether or not it should be so. This declarant does not remember which individuals in particular might also have heard this, but he affirms that the general public was present.

He also denounces and states that just a few days later—when Don Juan de Eulate was, at that time, excommunicated—Father Friar Andrés Bautista of the Order of Our Lord Saint Francis, guardian of the convent of San Ildefonso in this custody, came to town to say Mass. Because the friar did not want to allow Governor Don Juan de Eulate to enter the church, the friar decided not to say Mass. While this declarant was inside the church with many others, both Spaniards and Indians, he left to go home since there wasn’t going to be any Mass. Outside the church, on its steps, he encountered the governor along with members of the town council and others. This declarant said to him, “Señor, there is no Mass,” to which the governor responded, “Go back in there, no one is leaving until I do.” He then entered the church without removing his hat and kept it on his head until he reached his place beside the steps of the main altar. Only then did he remove his hat, and turned his back to the high altar, walking back into the congregation stiffly and with legs wide apart. Striking his cane loudly, he said in a voice heard by all: “Now the powerful arm of the king shall be shown.” He then walked back out, still wearing his hat, with the same retinue.

This was seen and heard in particular by Captain Juan Gómez, who at the time was alcalde, and by Diego de Vera, a town councilman (regidor)—as was this declarant at that time. Because of these things, he does not think well of the Christianity of Don Juan de Eulate, given his aversion to hearing Mass or dealing with ministers of the Church, and for having persecuted them. He is a man of bad example, such as one who objects to having music in divine worship, whether in church or elsewhere. He believes it is not appropriate to carry a rosary openly or in the hands, and that prayers should be done in secret. And this is the truth, according to the oath he has made. And when his statement was read aloud to him, he said it was well written, and that he did not say it out of hatred. He promised secrecy and signed his name.

Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric}                                                 Witnessed by

Commissary                                        Hernán Martín {rubric}        Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}

                                                                                                           Notary

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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. 267r (Image 83393)

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