Statements to the Inquisition Against Juan Gómez de Luna, 1626
- Steven Perez
- Aug 9
- 9 min read
Juan Gómez de Luna, an interpreter of the Tewa language and encomendero of the pueblo of San Lázaro, aroused the suspicions of several Santa Fe residents for his comments on married people being superior to the clergy—including Lucas de Figueroa, Captain Juan López Olguín and Isabel Bohórquez (Baca). He allegedly favored letting indigenous peoples practice their traditional customs but also seemed to have an axe to grind against the people of Acoma. Several priests considered him to be a threat to the Church for his actions and comments. Father Pedro Zambrano wrote up a complaint against him with details of his transgressions, which he presented to Friar Alonso de Benavides on 20 April 1626 in Santo Domingo. This was followed by a similar denunciation from Friar Pedro de Vergara. Gómez was also one of the Santa Fe residents that Friar Esteban de Perea had chosen to denounce in his first statement to Benavides.
He is the same Juan Gómez who was married to Juana Sánchez, a mulata, who herself came under the scrutiny of the Inquisition in 1631 for giving other women magic herbs to win back the love of their husbands. Gómez’s brother-in-law Álvaro García Holgado (who was married to Juana’s sister Juana de los Reyes) also was denounced by Father Pedro Zambrano in his written statement to Benavides in 1626.
A paleographic transcription of witness testimony in Spanish is available in the Cibola Project’s “Cross vs. Crown in New Mexico, 1626.”
Statement of Lucas de Figueroa to Friar Alonso de Benavides
30 January 1626
Santa Fe
In the town of Santa Fe, on the 30th day of the month of January in the 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 due form to tell the truth, a man who said his name was Lucas de Figueroa, a native of Seville, a soldier residing and living in New Mexico for the past six years, aged between 29 and 30 years. For the relief of his conscience, he states and denounces that about five or six years ago, while this declarant was in the plaza of this town, speaking privately with a mestizo named Diego Hernández (who was later killed by the Jemez Indians here in New Mexico) he told him, among other things, that he had heard Captain Juan Gómez, interpreter for these nations, say that the state of married [people] was as good as that of the religious (clergy), and since it was so long ago, he does not recall whether he said it was even better to be married.
And some days later, when this declarant saw the said Captain Juan Gómez and Captain Juan de Vitoria Carvajal, a resident and settler of this town, with others whose names he does not remember, sitting at the door of the casas reales, this declarant approached, and to find out if Captain Juan Gómez had made that statement, he said, by way of conversation and question, whether it was true that the state of married [people] was better than that of the religious (clergy). To which Captain Juan de Vitoria Carvajal responded that he should not say such a thing because it was wrongly said (or misinterpreted). And this declarant, expecting that Captain Juan Gómez would uphold or support that opinion, saw that he said nothing about it. And so, this declarant neither believed it nor disbelieved it, and they turned to other matters. Later, on the occasion when the edicts of our holy Catholic faith were read, while discussing the matters of the edict with Juan de Lisasu (Lizaso?), a resident of this town considered to be a Navarrese, he told this declarant that the said Captain Juan Gómez had debated on this aforementioned opinion in his presence with a friar of this custody (whose name he does not recall).
And that this is the truth by the oath he has taken, and after it was read to him, he said it was well written. He stated that he does not say it out of hatred. He was charged with secrecy, he promised it, and signed his name.
Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric} Lucas de Figueroa {rubric}
Commissary
Witnessed by,
Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}
Notary
Statement of Friar Father Zambrano to Friar Alonso de Benavides
20 April 1626
Santo Domingo
Friar Pedro Zambrano, Guardian of Galisteo, in the presence of Your Reverence, our Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, Commissary of the Holy Office, denounced and declared that about five years ago, more or less, Father Friar Pedro de Vergara, who was then at the convent of San Cristóbal, in the mission and pueblo of the Tanos of this jurisdiction of Galisteo, told me that the Indians of that pueblo had told him that during a gathering that Juan Gómez, the interpreter, held in the church with all the people of the said pueblo, among other things, the said Juan Gómez told them that the Spaniards wanted to go to Acoma to destroy the mountain (where they lived), and that he would pray to his God to give aid to those who were to go with the Spaniards, and that they too should pray to their gods and make offerings, and they would bring that mountain crashing to the ground.
After this, Father Friar Pedro de Vergara notified Father Friar Esteban de Perea, who at that time was commissary and custodian, and in order to know the truth, as I am minister of that pueblo, I called the Indians, and they told me even more than what they had said before. And so it is evident from what was said that this is against the Holy Catholic Faith. This speech of Juan Gómez was made in front of everyone. Witnesses are Marcos and Andrés, the fiscales, who are still alive, and the captains.
Item: Furthermore, the late Father Friar Antonio told me that while he was in Zacatecas, at the door of a shop, Juan Gómez, in the presence of a cleric and a layman, said that the married state was more perfect than the religious state, because he had heard it from Don Juan de Eulate.
Item: I have also heard that the said Juan Gómez was shouting in some houses in the town or elsewhere, saying that we priests were enemies of the Indians because we took away their idols, even though the Catholic King, by his ordinances, commanded that they not be taken away. This is understood to apply not to Christians, but to the gentiles.
I have also learned that an Indian of San Lázaro, which is an encomienda and pueblo of the aforementioned Juan Gómez, was cohabiting with an Indian woman from this pueblo of Galisteo. When he was reprimanded by a ladino Indian named Miguel Estanjaque, he replied that Juan Gómez would return from Mexico with orders for them to live again as they had before, in their paganism. This occurred while Juan Gómez was in Mexico.
Item: I also denounce that Álvaro García told me, in the presence of Father Friar Pedro de Ortega, who was then guardian of this convent, that even if they ordered it under excommunication, he would not testify against the governors, even if they were heretics.
Friar Pedro Zambrano {rubric}
At the convent of Santo Domingo of this custody of New Mexico, on the 20th day of the month of April of the year 1626, before Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, Commissary of the Holy Office of these provinces, there appeared, without being summoned, Father Friar Pedro Zambrano, of the Order of our Seraphic Father Saint Francis and current guardian of Galisteo in this custody, and he presented to the said commissary this written paper in his own hand and signature, and he swore in due form that everything contained therein was true in the way it was written, and that he did not say it out of hatred, but to relieve his conscience, and he signed it.
Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric} Friar Pedro Zambrano {rubric}
Commissary Witnessed by
Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}
Notary
Statement of Friar Pedro de Vergara
No Date or Place Given
May there be much health in the soul of your reverence, our father, and of my lord.
The procurador, who is Miguel, is taking nine sheets of paper, for I have nothing left but a sheet and a half, and four cheeses with three strings of garlic. I have made inquiries concerning what Juan Gómez had said, and they say that he said that Juan Gómez was going to Mexico to speak with the great captain so that they might live as before and the friars would not mistreat them. But when he was made captain of the Indians, appointed by Cevallos, and went with Father Friar Isidro to take Acoma, then it happened, and he committed a great evil. He sent from the town to call four captains from San Cristóbal, among whom was [Zajate or Zayate], the other three are deceased. When they arrived in the town, he told them to prepare themselves to go to Acoma, and Juan Gómez told them to submit and do as before: to be Christians, to burn the old idols, but to keep the new ones. This the captains said in the church by order of Juan Gómez; in particular, the said [Zajate or Zayate] told him so. This was kept hidden among the Indians, and a loyal friend told me of it.
I then called [Zajate or Zayate] to verify the truth, and he confessed that Juan Gómez had indeed told him so, and that he instructed them with ease, and all was lost regarding the doctrine, as your reverence well knows. And in confirmation, Domingo González said in this convent, before Father Friar Pedro Zambrano, that before Juan Gómez went to Mexico, he and the whole town knew of it. And in Acoma, he said that, since they had not been able to accomplish anything, the Indians should fast as before, and that the Spaniards, with God’s favor, would destroy Acoma, and that the Indians should submit as before. I know nothing else. May Our Lord keep your reverence for a thousand years.
From your reverence’s humble [servant],
Friar Pedro de Vergara {rubric}
Statement of Captain Juan López Olguín to Friar Alonso de Benavides
21 May 1626
Santa Fe
In the town of Santa Fe, on the 21st day of the month of May in the year 1626, before Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, commissary of the Holy Office of these provinces, there appeared, without being summoned, and swore in due form to tell the truth, Captain Juan López Olguín, a resident of this town, aged 64 to 65 years. He denounces and declares that about fifteen or twenty days ago, while this declarant was at the house of Doña Isabel Bohórquez, wife of the maese de campo Pedro Durán de Chávez in this town, he heard the said Doña Isabel say, in the presence of her sister named Doña Juana, that Captain Juan Gómez, married and a resident of this town, and interpreter for these nations, had said that the married state was more perfect than that of the religious (clergy).
And that when she rebuked him for having said such a thing, Juan Gómez replied that it was true that he had said it, and that if the religious man was bad and the married man was good, then the latter was better than the former. And that these were the words that, it seems to this declarant, the said Doña Isabel told him. And that this is the truth, by the oath he has taken, and that he does not say it out of hatred. His statement was read to him, and he said it was well written. He promised secrecy and signed with his name.
Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric} Juan López Witnessed by
Commissary Holguín {rubric} Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}
Notary
Statement of Isabel Bohórquez Baca to Friar Alonso de Benavides
22 May 1626
Santa Fe
In the town of Santa Fe, on the 22nd day of the month of May in the year 1626, before Father Friar Alonso de Benavides, Commissary of the Holy Office of these provinces, there appeared, being summoned, Doña Isabel Bohórquez, wife of the maese de campo of these provinces, Pedro Durán de Chávez, residents and founders of this town, who said she was about 40 years old, more or less, and she swore in due form.
Asked if she knew the reason for which she was summoned, she said she presumed it was to inquire about something that happened about two years ago, more or less, when this declarant was at her hacienda called Tunque. There, Captain Juan Gómez, interpreter of these nations, arrived and told this declarant, without anyone else present, that he had had some disputes with Father Fermín de Arvide, of the Order of Our Father Saint Francis of this custody. The latter had threatened him, saying he had some charges against him for the Holy Office.
To this, the said captain replied and asked what those charges were. The said friar responded that one of them was having said that the married state was better than that of the religious. To which the said captain told this declarant that it was true that he had said so, because he had heard it from the friars themselves: that when a religious is not content with his state and a married person is, then the married state is better than that of the religious.
And that this is the truth, by the oath she has taken, and she does not presume she was summoned for any other matter, nor does she know of another, and that she does not say this out of any passion. She was charged with secrecy and promised it. Her statement was read to her, and she said it was well written, and she signed with her name.
Friar Alonso de Benavides {rubric} Doña Isabel Witnessed by
Commissary de Bohórquez {rubric} Friar Pedro de Ortega {rubric}
Notary
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. 301r-v, 261r-263v (Images 83451, 83453, 83381-83386)
Available at: https://repositorio.agn.gob.mx/
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