how cabe?a de vaca came to the court and gave relation of the countrie of florida: and of the companie that was assembled in siuil to goe with ferdinando de soto.
when don ferdinando had obtained the gouernment, there came a gentle man from the indies to the court, named cabe?a de vaca, which had been with the gouernour pamphilo de naruaez which died in florida, who reported that naruaez was cast away at sea with all the companie that went with him. and how he with foure more escaped and arrived in nueua espanna: also he brought a relation in writing of that which he had seene in florida; which said in some places: in such a place i haue seene this; and the rest which here i saw, i leaue to conferre of betweene his majestie and my selfe. generally he reported the miserie of the countrie, and the troubles which hee passed: and he tolde some of his kinsfolke, which were desirous to goe into the indies, and vrged him very much to tell them whether he had seene any rich country in florida, that he might not tell them, because hee and another, whose name was orantes, (who remained in nueua espanna with purpose to returne into florida: for which intent hee came into spaine to beg the gouernment thereof of the emperour) had sworne not to discouer some of those things which they had seene, because no man should preuent them in begging the same: and hee informed them, that it was the richest countrie of the world. don ferdinand de soto was very desirous to haue him with him, and made him a fauourable offer: and after they were agreed, because soto gaue him not a summe of money which he demanded to buy a ship they broke off againe. baltasar de gallégos, and christopher de spindola, the kinesmen of cabe?a de vaca, told him, that for that which hee had imparted to them, they were resolued to passe with soto into florida, and therefore they prayed him to aduise them what they were best to doe. cabe?a de vaca told them, that the cause why he went not with soto was, because hee hoped to beg another gouernment, and that hee was loth to goe vnder the command of another: and that hee came to beg the conquest of florida: but seeing don ferdinando de soto had gotten it alreadie, for his others sake hee might tell them nothing of that which they would know: but he counselled them to sell their goods and goe with him, and that in so doing they should doe well. as soone as he had opportunitie hee spake with the emperour, and related vnto him whatsoeuer hee had passed and seene, and come to vnderstand. of this relation made by word of mouth to the emperour, the marques of astorga had notice, and forthwith determined to send with don ferdinando de soto his brother don antonio osorio: and with him two kinsmen of his prepared themselues, to wit, francis osorio, and garcia osorio. don antonio dispossessed himselfe of 60000 rials of rent which hee held by the church: and francis osorio of a town of vassals, which he had in the countrie de campos. and they made their rendezuous with the adelantado in siuil. the like did nunnez de tonar, and lewis de moscoso, and iohn rodriguez lobillo, each of whom had brought from peru fourteene or fifteene thousand duckets. lewis de moscoso carried with him two brethren: there went also don carlos, which had married the gouernours neece, and tooke her with him. from badaioz there went peter calderan, and three kinsemen of the adelantado, to wit, arias tinoco, alfonso romo, and diego tinoco. eluas is a citie in portugal. and as lewis de moscoso passed through eluas, andrew de vasconselos spake with him, and requested him to speake to don ferdinando de soto concerning him, and deliuered him certaine warrants which he had receiued from the marques of villa real, wherein he gaue him the captaineship of ceuta in barbarie, that he might shew them vnto him. and the adelantado saw them; and was informed who hee was, and wrote vnto him, that hee would fauour him in all things, and by al meanes, and would giue him a charge of men in florida. and from eluas went andrew de vasconselos, and fernan pegado, antonio martinez segurado, men roiz fereira, iohn cordero, stephen pegado, benedict fernandez, and aluaro fernandez. and out of salamanca and iaen, and valencia, and albuquerque, and from other partes of spaine, many people of noble birth assembled at siuil: insomuch that in saint lucar many men of good account which had sold their goods remained behind for want of shipping, whereas for other known and rich countries, they are wont to want men: and this fell out by occasion of that which cabe?a de vaca told the emperour, and informed such persons as hee had conference withall touching the state of that countrie. soto made him great offers: and being agreed to goe with him (as i haue said before) because he would not giue him monie to pay for a ship, which he had brought, they brake off, and he went for gouernour to the riuer of plate. cabe?a de vaca was the gouernour of the riuer of plate. his kinsemen christopher de spindola, and báltasar de gallégos went with soto. baltasar de gallégos sold houses and vineyards, and rent corne, and ninetie rankes of oliue trees in the xarafe of siuil: hee had the office of alcalde mayor, and tooke his wife with him: and there went also many other persons of account with the president, and had the officers following by great friendship, because they were officers desired of many: to wit, antonie de biedma was factor, iohn danusco was auditor, and iohn gaytan nephew to the cardinall of ciguenza had the office of treasurer.
