Cousin, friend, and sir:
At the coming of the galleon which arrived here from Nueva España at
the end of July in last year, 1729, I received two letters from your
Grace of the same tenor, dated April 19, 1728. While they gave me most
special pleasure, on account of the consolation which is afforded
me by all the letters from your Grace which I am so fortunate as to
see, I have not been and am not able to express my feelings at the
news contained in them of the grievous illness, the inflammation in
the chest, from which your Grace has suffered for so long a time;
and I am very anxious that you should continue to improve, so that
your Grace may be entirely free from it (as I hope you now are),
and restored to the excellent health which I earnestly hope you may
experience for many years. In the midst of so much vexation as has
surrounded me, God has been pleased to grant me the favor of good
health, so liberally that it seems as if He had cast me in bronze;
for He has preserved me in the midst of so much trouble without the
slightest headache, contrary to my usual condition, for which I give
thanks without number to His great goodness--remaining, as I always
shall, so devoted to your Grace as you must well know.
The governor of these islands, Don Fernando Baldes Tamon, arrived
here safely in the above-mentioned galleon, and accordingly took
possession of this office, in which he continues to show the earnest
zeal which, with a desire for what is most conformable to right,
actuates him. From the place from which the mails which came in the
same galleon were despatched to this city he wrote to me--on account
of the news which they gave him there of my troubles--with very
cordial expressions of affection; and as soon as he arrived here
he began to confirm this impression, not only by his confidences
on various matters, and by having cared for the comfort of some of
my dependents--about whom unfortunately, doubtless on account of my
lack of means, I am nevertheless being undeceived, by experiencing
[from them], in return, that ingratitude which always more than
abounds here--but by manifesting to the public that he valued above
others [even] my uselessness. [He did so] in such a manner that,
recognizing this, envy and prejudice were aroused, especially that
of the licentiates and auditors, to see how they could deprive me
of this gentleman's protection. Not only to show my gratitude for
his kind intentions above mentioned, but in order to carry out the
prudent counsel which your Grace is pleased to give me, I endeavored
to follow from those beginnings the line of returning his kindness,
as is proper, manifesting my feeling of obligation as well as I was
able, and even in the midst of the many pecuniary losses that I have
experienced--which have been caused not by extravagance, since I have
tried to live as plainly as a religious, but by the unfortunate result
of fairs in which everything has been lost, besides the unlooked-for
destruction of property [55] when the galleon was wrecked in the
year 726. The day before he took possession of the government, I
waited on him with a batôn [of office] made of gold, with a diamond
which I caused to be set in its tip, which was valued at more than
six hundred pesos. Don Fernando still continues in his kind regard
for me, although these knaves have not relaxed in their perverse
designs. Your Grace may rest assured that, on my part, not only will
not the slightest cause be given to him for growing cool toward me,
but I shall, on the other hand, endeavor to secure the opposite result,
in whatever concerns the behavior that is due him. Your Grace will
please say the same to all your honored friends, who, influenced by
the [same] affectionate loyalty [fina ley] which I acknowledge toward
your Grace, have always favored us, pledging themselves to advance
my interests with him--especially Señors Legarra and Maturana. [56]
The latter himself has told me that Don Fernando is under obligations
of great friendship to them, and that they will take especial pains
to talk with him in my behalf. While on my part I give them grateful
thanks, suited to the extraordinary obligation to them under which I
shall always remain, I am meantime fulfilling that obligation without
[unnecessary] delay, for the next galleon (since the [brief] time
does not give me leisure for this one), in attending to the affairs
of the above-mentioned gentlemen, Señors Legarra and Maturana--and
in regard to the others. In virtue of the knowledge that your Grace
can do me the pleasure of facilitating those which are, I trust that
you will be pleased to continue to me the much that I owe to you,
and for which I shall always remain under great obligation to you,
by asking them that on the first occasion, or in reply to this, they
will deign to confer on us the new favor of returning thanks to this
knight; for that will be a circumstance which will gratify him, and
will certainly be very apropos. And in case they consent to bestow on
us this new honor, I trust that your Grace will please arrange that the
letters come through my hand, in order that I may deliver them to him.
By the letters which I wrote to your Grace, in the aforesaid last year,
you will be fully informed of the extraordinary quarrel in which I was
involved by the bad counsel and selfish designs of the father of my
wife Doña Maria Josepha, encouraged by the mischief-making partisans
that he has. On this topic I ought to add that, soon after the galleon
which carried the aforesaid letters had sailed from this place, the
said Doña Maria Josepha with great eagerness made known her desire
to return home with me, urgently entreating that I would enable her
to do so as soon as possible. Such being the relations between us,
and the lawsuit being then near its final limit [estar en terminos de
concluirse] (since all the evidence [necessary] for deciding it had
already been furnished), and since, to judge by what was coming out in
the suit, much annoyance could be occasioned by my side to her father,
in order that it might serve as a warning and correction to the malice
and evil design with which he undertook this quarrel, I resolved,
responding to the good-will of the said Doña Maria Josepha, to give
her the satisfaction of [granting] her petition. By way of correlative
[to this], I performed the feat of overlooking, in regard to that same
father of hers, the injury that in every way he has tried to do me;
so that, although I could, while awaiting the decision [of the lawsuit]
which, as the saying goes, was already in my hands--inflict on him most
grievous injury, notwithstanding all this, from that time I formed the
steadfast resolve that in case Doña Maria Josepha and I were reunited,
as we were expecting, not only would I do my share to secure that from
it not the slightest [harm] should result therefrom to him, but that
we should maintain such harmony that this matter should no longer be
remembered. In pursuance of this resolve, and because it seemed to
me that this was the best way in order to live in conformity to the
commands of God, I spoke upon this subject to the former governor,
and to the archbishop [57]--who, on account of their earnest desire,
as heads of the commonwealth, that this result might be secured, were
unspeakably delighted that Doña Maria Josepha and I should come to
so good a resolution. Immediately they held a conference in regard to
the measures that should be taken in order that this reunion might be
accomplished as soon as possible; and as it seemed best to them that
it should be done through a conference with her father, since she had
asked me that the matter might be thus arranged, they agreed to talk
with him about it; this business was attended to by the archbishop,
in his own name and in that of the governor. Although that gentleman
[i.e., Doña Maria's father] answered the archbishop with plausible
arguments, to the effect that our union did not depend upon himself,
but upon the aforesaid Doña Maria Josepha, but that he would,
nevertheless, speak to her with the aim of promoting it, he acted so
deceitfully that, in place of devoting himself to carrying out that
promise, what he did was to go, a short time after he had left the
presence of the archbishop, to the place where (as I told your Grace
in my previous letters) Doña Maria Josepha was staying. [There], like
a lion unchained--goaded by the idea of what the archbishop had given
him to understand, to the effect that Doña Maria Josepha and I would
certainly come together in a very short time, and by his own notion
that we had been communicating with each other with that object--he
began to threaten her in the most extravagant terms, in order not
only to break up her purpose of reconciliation, but to prevent her
from having the slightest communication with me. Not halting at this
alone, his preposterous behavior went so far that he visited the
provincial of St. Dominic; and the latter, being a good friend of his,
and a man of so excellent judgment as he has shown in this affair,
complied with his demand--which was, that the provincial should
carry into effect whatever orders he [i.e., my wife's father] should
give to the prioress of the house where Doña Maria Josepha was. [58]
The prioress obliged that lady to leave the rooms in which she was
living, which had a view of the street, and placed her in others
where I could not possibly speak to her on any side of them. They
placed such constraint upon her that she experienced inexpressible
affliction, through this and other most improper measures which they
took--even going so far that [they would not admit] the daughter whom I
had by Doña Rafaela (whom may God keep), when they learned that this
girl had on previous occasions gone to that house on account of the
request that the said Doña Maria Josepha had made to me, that I would
send my daughter to her; for they made arrangements to deprive her
of the pleasure of having the girl with her, availing themselves of
the same means which Herod used when he published the edict for the
slaughter of the Innocents, so that the death of Christ our blessing
might be included therein. For, not shooting openly at the window they
aimed at, in order to attain their object orders were given by the
provincial that in no case should any young girl be allowed to enter
the house--notwithstanding the fact that until then not the slightest
objection had been raised to the admission of any of the girls who
were of my daughter's age, and even when they had been going to that
house for a longer time than she. When I learned of all these and other
wrongful acts, I brought them to the notice of the archbishop, who was
amazed--modifying the idea that he had formed of my wife's father from
his previous actions, and being equally surprised at the provincial for
his actions in contributing to proceedings in which he ought [rather]
to feel so great scruples at following the lead of this man. The
archbishop administered to him an exceedingly severe rebuke, nor was
the provincial left without others, which to a person less carried away
by passions would have served for his entire correction. At last, when
the father of Doña Maria Josepha saw that these and other malicious
and unusual measures--of which he secretly availed himself in order
to attain the purpose which guided him to actions, in regard to the
lawsuit, which were improper and unjust--were continually failing him,
and that consequently the affair of our reconciliation was steadily
taking such shape that it would very soon be accomplished, he yielded
in outward appearance, through his fear that this would occur without
his having the least intervention in the matter. Through the agency
of that same provincial, the affair was discussed with the archbishop
and the governor; and thus the conclusion of it was arranged, so that,
a few days after the middle of July, Doña Maria Josepha and I were
reunited, the former governor having brought about a reconciliation,
two or three days before, between her father and myself.
Auditor Martinez--who, as I informed your Grace, had charge of the
lawsuit, in virtue of the commission which the aforesaid former
governor, Marqués de Torre Campo, gave him for that function--as
soon as the news reached this city that the present governor was
coming in the galleon, made on his part incredible efforts to have
this affair settled. He eagerly endeavored, with especial activity,
not only that this settlement should be effected, but that all the
official acts should be burned--a proceeding which every one here
[dis]approved; [59] for without doubt the purpose that more than any
other directed him was, that, knowing his own guilt in the mad acts
which in his passion he had committed, he desired to repair it, or
[rather] cover it up, by this means--fearing that if this business
were not completed before the governor arrived here, the latter would
do with it what was right; moreover, almost the same idea had been
entertained on account of what concerns the preceding governor, by
means of its having been known or found out in the same manner. The
auditor exerted remarkable activity in the settlement [of the lawsuit]
from the time when the said galleon usually met very little delay in
reaching these islands, and did so with far more briskness as soon as
he learned that the galleon, with the present governor, was already
within them; and in fact, if the latter had arrived in this city before
this affair had been settled, it is not to be doubted that he would
have given them much trouble, by means of it and the knowledge which
with great precision he obtained, from the time when he entered the
islands, of the outrages and wrongs which had been practiced against
me to judge by the great pain which he felt at these, and hinted to
me on the first occasion when I went to see him. This was immediately
after he arrived outside the walls of this city, where he was obliged
to remain until he took possession of the government, in consequence
of the custom which prevails here in this regard.
The director whom my wife's father had for the [business of the]
lawsuit, or for drawing up his allegations in court [escriptos],
took refuge in one of the churches near the city, as soon as he knew
that the governor had arrived here. The latter, having understood the
many wicked acts which this man had committed, besides those that
he practiced in that affair [of mine], desired that--since for the
present he could not be punished in proportion to what he deserved,
on account of his being in that asylum--he be sent to some military
post, not only in order that this might serve as a correction to him,
but with the intention that this community be freed from a person
of so utterly perverse practices, and that he be not given the
opportunity to continue in them. He therefore held a consultation
in regard to this point with the archbishop, who, having the same
knowledge as the governor, in regard to the perversity of this man,
and the great expediency of sending him to a military post, and assured
that the sanctuary which he enjoyed would not be violated by another
punishment, very readily agreed to the plan, and caused that man to
be removed from that sanctuary in order to secure him (as he did)
in the prisons of the archbishop. [There he remained] until he was
carried thence, some two months ago, by command of the same governor,
to the military post that is most remote in this jurisdiction. The
efforts which this knave made to see whether he could escape being
sent away from here were many; and they were so singular, unusual,
and culpable that they seem incredible--as your Grace will recognize
from one of them. This is, that he feigned that he was sick, and so
skilfully that, the governor having sent two physicians to examine him,
they were persuaded at seeing him that really he must be very ill. At
that time he practiced the stratagem of having acted the part of a
dying man, so skilfully that they even tolled the passing bell for him;
but the fact is, that a little while after this had been done--when
the physicians had gone away, as also had a religious who had been
summoned and had hastened to him--it was learned that he ordered the
women to bring him some food, and that he performed his part as well
as a good gravedigger could. This trick caused much amusement here as
soon as it was discovered, as might be expected from its singularity.
The father of Doña Maria Josepha frequently came to our house after we
were reconciled, and consequently I went to that in which he lived,
and on my part showed to him the same kindness as before--not only
because my good-will had forgiven him, but on account of the promises
that we had given each other on the occasion when the previous governor
made us friends, or rather reconciled us, that we would go on in the
future without the least change. Notwithstanding this, [he acted
strangely]--I know not whether it were because his perverted mind
was, as a result of the ill-success of his evil designs, permanently
impaired; or because he had formed the opinion that I had some share
in the removal of the above-mentioned director of his from the church,
in order to banish him to the military post. This [latter] idea was
contrary to the facts in the case; for it is certain that I had not
even the slightest shadow of complicity in that incident. It is he
[i.e., my wife's father] who (at the time when the said his director
was in the aforesaid archiepiscopal prison), coming on foot through a
street in which I was riding in a forlon [60] on the opposite side
[from him], began when I approached close to him to fling himself
about like a madman, and to utter such insulting terms that,
although I could not, on account of the noise made by the forlon,
distinguish what he meant by them, they compelled me, notwithstanding
that I was going forth on pressing business, to order that the forlon
halt, in order to ascertain what was the cause of that outcry, or
what was the matter with him. Immediately he advanced like a wild
beast to the side of the forlon, where he began, with the same wild
behavior as before, to break out in extravagant utterances, such as
"What knavery and wickedness is this?" with others that were equally
or even more disrespectful. When I saw this, although I could not
help growing hot within [at conduct] so unusual, discourteous,
and besides without cause, I maintained outwardly a countenance
without the least change; and in that attitude I expostulated with
him--saying that he should tell me what caused him to act thus, since
I was ignorant of the cause; and that he must endeavor to moderate his
behavior, and not apply such language to me, but must use such terms
as were proper. With these and other arguments, and the mild way in
which I stated them to him, it was to be expected that he would,
unless he were blind with passion, cease from his mad behavior;
but he was so contrary that he displayed even much more excitement,
and broke out into even wilder utterances. Notwithstanding that so
great provocation was enough to have made me alight without the least
delay from the forlon in order to obtain satisfaction from him, I was
so patient that I again expostulated with him aiming therein to avoid
all violence, and for my part to keep the promise which at the time
of the reconciliation we had each given to the governor and also to
the archbishop, in order that there should not be the least trouble
between us. The return that he made for this was, to tell me, still
more angrily, to alight from the forlon, and that down there I would
find out what I wanted to know. At this new and extreme provocation,
[given] in his evil and malicious manner, my patience was exhausted
and I sprang out of the forlon; but before I had set my feet on the
ground he came toward me with a naked short sword [espadin] which he
wore, with a blade of the size prescribed for a sword, as was afterward
found. At this I drew my own sword (which is one of the regular style);
but as it was necessary for me to make unusual exertions in using it,
as it was quite rusty, he wounded me at this time with his weapon,
in two fingers of the left hand. We made thrusts at each other several
times, during which--either through the blindness in which his furious
passion kept him, or for some other reason, I know not what--he several
times afforded me sufficient opportunity to have taken his life, if
I had chosen to do so. Notwithstanding this, as I had drawn my sword
with no other intention than to defend myself, and not to injure him
seriously, I behaved toward him accordingly; so I proceeded to disarm
him, and, throwing him to the ground, I drew my own short sword, in
order that he might more clearly recognize the kindness that I was
doing him. At this point different persons came up to separate us;
and the governor, when he heard of this occurrence and the excessive
provocation which I had had, gave orders to the sargento-mayor to
convey my antagonist to the castle of this city. As for me, on account
of the legal formalities [necessary] until the judicial investigation
of the affair was made, he sent me a message directing me to remain
under arrest or detention at home. Before the said sargento-mayor
could reach him [i.e., my wife's father] to conduct him to the castle,
the professor of laws who is an honorary auditor--a native of Leganès,
of whom I told your Grace in my previous letters, and who was a great
friend of his--carried my wife's father, half-covered with mud as
he was, to the presence of the governor; and he pleaded so urgently
that in place of sending him to the castle they should transfer his
prison to his own house, that the governor had to comply with his
request. [Santisteban's account of the settlement of this affair is
too prolix to be repeated here in full. The substance of it is, that
an investigation was made by Auditor Martinez, and by him referred
to the Audiencia, where it was decided that the difficulty should be
smoothed over, and the parties again reconciled to each other; the
governor is obliged to agree with this decision, but remains the firm
friend of Santisteban. The latter is willing to forgive his assailant,
but wishes to avoid the recurrence of such troubles; he confers thereon
with the archbishop, who promises to arrange matters with the governor,
but dies before he can attend to this matter. Later, Santisteban and
his father-in-law are nominally reconciled, but with the proviso that
they do not go to each other's houses; but Santisteban is obliged to
be on his guard against the secret machinations of the other.]
A little while after the governor took possession of his dignity,
the necessity arose for making a change in one of the offices in the
regiment, for a reason which rendered such a change unavoidable. On
this occasion the governor directed that I should propose three
names of meritorious persons whom I should find to be suitable tor
that position, in order that from these he might select the one whom
he thought best--determining that in future this practice should be
observed in regard to all the military offices to which he had to make
appointments. Although this regulation is so eminently proper--not
only because it had been the usage here until, in the last few years,
the inexperience and despotism of some of the governors broke up this
method of procedure; but because it is in all countries the inviolable
usage that the masters-of-camp or the colonels (which is the same
thing) have always proposed [appointments for] the vacant posts
in their organizations--it caused much surprise (or, to speak more
correctly, envy) in the licentiates or auditors. For, as soon as they
heard of it, they went to see the governor, and with as much energy
and eagerness as if some great advantage could thus result to them,
addressed him, endeavoring to dissuade him from the observance of this
method--availing themselves, in order to incite him not to allow this
regulation to take effect, of the artful argument that it was opposed
to his own authority. But the governor, knowing their good intentions
and how very proper are those proposals of names (as above stated),
sent them away more offended than they were when they came into his
presence, on account of his answer to them that he could not permit the
appointments to be made as they wished, since it was the prerogative
of all masters-of-camp to propose them--saying that no one could have
a better knowledge than these officers have of the merits and fitness
of persons for their command, in order that those who were necessary
for military employments might be judiciously selected. From this your
Grace will understand how far the prejudice of these licentiates can
extend, and their exceeding ill-will, and that I shall find myself
badly off and can ill remain here with these and other knaves, who are
in more than abundant numbers in this goodly land, and of so evil, or
even worse, intentions; and the good intentions of those licentiates
not stopping at this only, I will relate to your Grace another case
in which they show no less their proved enmity.
The former bishop of the province of Zebu in these islands, Don
Fray Sebastian de Foronda, had done me the favor of lending to
me six thousand pesos for the payment of a debt. That gentleman
having died, the licentiates began to make arrangements for the
collection of his expolios, [61] in this usurping the governor's
jurisdiction; for it appears that this business belongs to the control
of the superintendency of the royal treasury, which exercises [that
control]. They issued an edict directing that I, making acknowledgment
of the promissory note which they found, which I had made in favor of
the said bishop, must immediately make the payment of this amount. I
replied to this that the note was made by me, but that, as I had not
the funds, it was not possible for me to pay the note then, but I
would do so as soon as I could. At this, they issued another mandate
in which their ill-will in regard to this affair (which, in general,
has existed a long time) began to make itself fully visible--which
contained these expressions: "We command you, every official with
appointment as deputy of the alguazil-mayor of this court, that when
you see this present you proceed immediately and without any delay
to require General Don Manuel de Santistevan to deliver up the sum
of six thousand pesos, which he is owing to the goods of the expolio
of the very reverend master in Christ Don Fray Sebastian de Foronda,
deceased, late bishop of Calidonia, and apostolic ruler of Zebu; and
if he shall not pay the said sum, you shall proceed to levy on his
person and goods up to the quantity necessary to make up the said
six thousand pesos, the tenth, [62] and the costs of collection,
in the usual form. For this command is given by an edict issued by
us, on the past fifteenth of September in this year." Such are the
expressions in the decree. When the friend who on other occasions,
as I have informed your Grace, has directed me in all my lawsuits
(whom, before replying, I consulted on this affair) comprehended the
artful manner in which this mandate was worded--for while my office
was stated therein as "general" (which, although I was one, I was
not accustomed to style myself, as others do here), the document said
nothing of my office of master-of-camp; and, as it was more important
to misrepresent the former judicial point than to set aside the latter,
it was a consequence that whenever such [word illegible in MS.] should
come to be seen here, it would follow that the auditors could arrest
me with this title, and without recourse to the governor, who is the
one authorized to do so, when cause arises--this friend thought it
best to attack them with a counter-mine. This was to reply to them
(as was done) that the said decree or mandate could not concern me,
because not only on account of my noble rank I could not be imprisoned
for debts, but I was also excepted therefrom by being master-of-camp,
so that in no case could this seizure of my person be made without
the consent of the governor. It seems that they had, before his eyes,
issued another decree, saying that this measure should be duly carried
into execution--with the statement that it must be ascertained whether
in the office of the court notary of that same Audiencia my title was
registered, or there was evidence that I was such master-of-camp;
and that in the latter case the governor should be notified before
they proceeded to carry out the decree, in order that he might give
the orders which would prevent perplexity among the soldiers whom I
keep as my guard. The governor was sorry for these attacks on me, and
partly on this account, and because he desired that such a precedent
should not operate generally, and partly in order to avoid on that
occasion the disturbance that might arise from his defending his own
jurisdiction in the aforesaid matter of the expolios, which these
subordinate officials were usurping from him, and seeing that I had
not the means for paying this amount, he showed me the special favor
of furnishing to me five thousand four hundred pesos--part in the
salary which to that time was due me, and the rest in cash, which he
ordered his steward to give me. With this, and six hundred pesos more
which I obtained in other ways, the whole of that debt was paid into
the royal treasury; from which it resulted that, as the auditors had
not been able to secure the execution of this last decree, in so far
as concerned my person, on account of this deposit or payment, which
forestalled their attempt to compel me to have experience in the court
of justice, when they heard of it those fine snobs [buenas alajas] of
licentiates were left more than amazed; and the grievous vexation which
they experienced through the fact that their malicious cunning and
procedure had been frustrated was increased no little by their learning
that the greater part of the amount furnished had been given by the
governor, who will send to the king or to the Council of the Indias,
on this occasion, or when the galleon shall sail for Nueva España,
an admirable document--which has been prepared by the friend who,
as I have already stated, has directed me in my legal business--in
which, relating this action, he proves by forcible arguments that
those auditors acted illegally therein, and makes it very clear that
they could not and ought not to meddle in that business.
I am fully informed of the reasons which made your Grace regard it
as not expedient to present in the Council the sworn statement which
I sent you, in the year 725, of what had been done up to that time in
regard to the affair of the jurisdiction of the small fort. Considering
that, although the governor has known and knows the injury that was
done me in that matter it will please him that the revocation of the
sentence which, ill-advised, his predecessor pronounced should come
from there [i.e., Madrid], I trust that your Grace, on receiving this
letter, will be pleased to arrange for presenting in the aforesaid
Council the sworn statement of the whole of this lawsuit which I sent
you in the year 727; and make all possible endeavor to secure that,
if the affair result as is just, the decree which I mentioned on that
occasion be sent here. Also such measures should be taken as will lead
to Auditor Martinez, who was the chief cause of so unjust a sentence,
being given the condign punishment that corresponds to his fault;
and that the same be done as concerns Alcalde Vermudez, on account
of his having thrust himself into usurping the jurisdiction of another.
In regard to the subject of boletas, [63] it is also important to
continue [our] importunity, so that (as I hope) a decree may come,
assigning me definitely at least ten toneladas in each galleon,
which are eighty piezas or boletas. This is a number so moderate
as may be understood from the fact that it is hardly half of the
amount with which in the past it was usual for my predecessors to
compensate themselves out of what was allowed in the galleons by the
latest regulation of his Majesty to the entire body of citizens, [and]
was that which was commonly assigned to them on those occasions. This
arrangement will be very desirable, so that the prejudice arising from
differences in the persons who are associated in the distribution
of space [repartimiento] each year cannot, with what each one will
have, attempt to change the allotment of what should be given to
me; also because the governor, although he may desire to favor me
in this particular, cannot do so by himself alone, as he has only
one vote. Besides, if we consider former instances, it will not be
strange if the plebeians [64] with their arts induce him to do what
they wish. [A note on the margin, evidently added as an afterthought,
reads: "If this matter of boletas proves difficult to secure (although
it is so ordinary an affair that even to a half pay sargento-mayor
named Don Franzisco de Cardenas a decree came last year, which
decreed that they should provide for him here with fifty boletas),
and the favor of the government can finally bring it about (if on
the other hand it does not turn out as I hope), your Grace need not
trouble yourself over this question of boletas."]
This gentleman, the governor, has told me that your Grace gave him
the duplicates (which he has brought here) of the reports which I
made and sent to you in regard to the absurd speeches which have been
habitually made here. I have been much pleased at this precaution
(which was a very proper one), not only that he might come here
with full knowledge and information about affairs, and because of
the benefit which he has derived from them (which he has personally
acknowledged to me), but because since his coming he has proved the
truth of all that is contained in them.
I am very thankful to your Grace for the news which you send me in
regard to the condition in which affairs are there [i.e., in España]. I
cannot express my feelings at the death of the Count, not only because
I know the same things that you mention, but on account of the especial
circumstance of the personal favor and affection for which I owe him
the gratitude for which I shall always be under obligation; and I am
equally grieved that it happened thus, in the prime of [his] life, on
account of what concerns Don Pedro his nephew. For the present, then,
since for lack of time it is not possible for me to write, your Grace
will please present my condolences for both these casualties to the
lord Count Mozo, and to my lady Doña Ge[r]trudes, assuring them that
I sympathize with them very sincerely. Will your Grace please also
convey my kind remembrances to the other acquaintances and friends
who favor us, as also to all our relatives--and especially to our
Don Matheo, and to my lady Doña Antonia, telling them how sorry I am
for the impaired health that they have suffered, and that I shall be
exceedingly delighted if they regain their health.
A little while ago, God took away the eldest child of Don Luis and Doña
Rosa, after a tedious and lingering illness with diarrhoea. They are
exceedingly grateful to your Grace for your expressions of kindness,
which they very cordially reciprocate; and Don Luis places at the
disposal of your Grace [whatever he can do for you in] the new office
which he holds, that of chief notary (in proprietary appointment)
of the cabildo of this city, with accompanying rights of privilege
therein. In order to secure this purchase (which he made here from the
crown), he was aided by a schedule of properties which he owns in this
same city, [amounting to] some twelve or fourteen thousand pesos, for
the post cost him that amount. Although it is certainly an excessive
price, it is compensated by the advantageous circumstances attending
it: he has authority to select a deputy who can exercise the office in
his name, as is the case at the present time--the latter to be paid,
according to what they say, 3,000 pesos each year--and it is a place
of much honor and esteem, just as it is in all the cities of these
kingdoms. These advantages he had borne in mind, for without them he
would not have undertaken this office, even if it had been worth much
more; [another consideration was], that whenever he may choose to quit
it he can do so, assured that he will find some one else here to whom
he can make it over, at very nearly the same amount which it cost him,
since that office is sought for by many persons.
I render to your Grace the grateful thanks which I owe you for the
diligent efforts that you made in order that the post of governor here
might be conferred on me; and I now see how, on account of the reasons
which you state, you could not gain the result that was desired--for
which it is necessary to resign ourselves and be patient. By my
previous letters your Grace will have learned the object to which
my mind is directed, since learning that [my hope of securing] this
office has been disappointed, and the other motives that I stated
therein. Every day increases, if that be possible, my desire to
indemnify persons here; and moreover I am certain that, instead of
securing advancement [here], I can regard it as certain that I shall,
on the other hand, become more embarrassed at every step--considering
that I cannot hope in any direction for the least gain of [pecuniary]
profit; and that my salary is so limited that, as I have stated on
other occasions, it is not enough even for the absolutely necessary
expenses of my decent living, moderate [as that is]. For all these
reasons, I cannot help repeating at this time my urgent requests
to your Grace in regard to this subject, entreating with almost the
same energy which I could employ to escape from purgatory, if I found
myself there--that you will, as also friend Arce (to whom also I have
written at this critical time), continue your efforts until one of
the posts of governor which I have mentioned to your Grace can be
secured for me, either in the kingdom of Peru or in that of Nueva
España. I suppose that the [door to such a] purchase is now closed;
but if through a little good-fortune there is opportunity for one,
you can render assistance in securing one for me, from the money which
will remain from what I have sent, since all of it is now on the
road thither [i.e., to España], according to the information which
they have sent me from Nueva España. If this shall not be enough, I
trust, in the great loyalty and affection which I owe to your Grace,
that you will make up the remaining sum that shall be necessary,
in such way as you shall find most convenient--[what is needed]
not only for this purpose, but tor the rank of field-marshal; or,
that failing, for the rank of brigadier. I will repay the amount
that may be needed, with more than its proceeds amount to, as is
just--assuring your Grace that the favor of aiding me to secure (as I
hope) this relief will be so exceeding a kindness that 1 have no words
to express suitably my inmost appreciation of it, nor, consequently,
to show the gratitude for it which I shall always feel toward your
Grace--whose life I beseech our Lord to preserve for me for many years,
with all prosperity. Manila, January 28, 1730.
Cousin and Sir:
I am very sorry that the articles which I sent by Fathers Buena Ventura
Plana and Joseph Bobadilla were lost, through an accident; for this
has deprived me of the pleasure which I would have felt if they--as
being things from this country, although of little value--had reached
the hands of your Grace and other gentlemen to whom my gratitude and
affectionate good-will had addressed them.
I think that the aforesaid fathers are now in Nueva España, on their
return journey, and I do not doubt that in passing by way of the
court there [i.e., Madrid], on their return from Rome, they exerted
whatever good offices they could in my favor, on account of the special
affection which I owe them, and [which], your Grace is pleased to
declare, they displayed. And although I take into consideration the
fact that at present the other fathers who reside at that court cannot
accomplish much, for the reasons which you give me, I persuade myself
that it will do no harm if your Grace will please to preserve (if you
can do so without special trouble) communication with all those to
whom you caused the letters that went from here to be delivered; for
they will not fail to render aid in whatever may arise. Nevertheless,
even without their aid I have entire confidence that your Grace will
employ the other means which you have obtained through your great
ability, and such others as you may find convenient, if one alone do
not prove sufficient for the attainment of one of the governorships
which I have mentioned. Again I assure your Grace--to say nothing of
the fact that this hope itself affords me some pleasure--that it will
be a favor so praiseworthy, and so great a kindness, for me to be
able to escape as soon as possible from this chaos, this deep well,
that (as I have already said) I shall not have words with which to
express it, and therefore to manifest to your Grace sufficiently the
gratitude which I shall always feel toward you. I flatter myself
that at the same time there may come an order to the governor to
give me the command of the galleon in which I shall have to make
my voyage, for the reason which I have already explained to your
Grace on other occasions, in order that in this way I can perform
it with more convenience, and without so great expense. In case the
granting of such order be refused (although I imagine that there will
be no obstacle that can arise in the way of issuing it), it will be
desirable to obtain letters from the secretary (present or future)
in the general office of state who has charge of matters concerning
the Indias, recommending to this gentleman [i.e., the governor of
Filipinas] to be sure to grant me this favor; it would even be worth
while for Señors Legarra and Maturana, and likewise Sargento-mayor
Castro of the Guards, also to write to him on this subject.
[At this point the writer indulges in various half-anxious reflections
on the uncertainty of his future, the delay in obtaining the benefits
of a governorship even if he secure the appointment to one, and
the possibility that all this delay may be time wasted; but he
endeavors to bear these things in patience. He states that he has
also written to one Patiño [65] on these matters, and he hopes that
these representations will lead to measures by the home government
that will check the arrogance of the Manila auditors; and he urges
his cousin to push his claims to a better post than he now has.]
I kiss your Grace's hands, as your cousin and sincere servant and
friend, who earnestly desires to see you again,