Severino Mausaneda.
Havana, March 17th, 1690.
A. D. 1691.
Your Highness:
Don Diego Quiroga y Lorada, Governor and Captain-General of the Province of Florida, in a letter dated January 8th, 1690, gives you an account of the general review which he passed on the soldiers of infantry and militia of that Garrison. He proposed the advantages and security occurring to the City by building a wall from the Fort, the whole length of the City along the sea, seeing the danger in which it now is of being ruined by floods from the sea (which already comes up to the houses) when we have the slightest storm. The soldiers seeing the necessity of it, immediately offered what they could, the citizens of the Province doing likewise, that the work might advance. I send a certificate showing that the amount of the offering they have made is ten thousand dollars, and that they will use every effort to build the wall, and they have commenced to get out the stone and other necessary things. I implore your Highness to designate a sum to help build this wall, which is so important and that these poor soldiers and citizens may feel encouraged to give more, seeing that your Majesty helps them in such needed work, since nothing less depends upon this wall than the preventing a flood of the place and separating the Castle, losing all that has been spent in the building of it. The Board is obliged to represent you. What the voluntary contributions of the soldiers and citizens of the Province is for the building of this wall, estimate the cost of it, and how much will be needed to continue the work, and with this and what you order, the Count of Galva, Viceroy of the New Spain, must send to Florida the sum of two thousand dollars, that the Governor may apply it to this work, and that he inform the Board of the size, latitude and thickness, the design of it, that they may better understand it. And that the Royal Officers certify that said portion of the two thousand dollars was spent on this work, sending an exact account and cause. Then, the soldiers and citizens of Florida seeing that your Majesty takes an interest in them and helps them, will feel encouraged to continue subscribing. You will decide as most convenient.
The King.
To the Field Marshal Don Diego Quiroga y Losada—My Governor and Captain-General of the City of St. Augustine, in the Province of Florida, or to the Person or Persons in Whose Care His Government May Be:
In a letter of June the 8th, 1640, it refers, among other things, that you have sought the means of spending the money assigned for the purchasing of canvas and provisions for the Indians of the Pass of the River Salamototo, as was evident by the certificate and agreement that together with the Royal Officers of that city you made. Seeing all in my Council of War of the Indians—how special attention was called to the new tax imposed for the canoes that serve as transports at the referred river, I have resolved to order and command you (as I do) that the moment you receive this order, that you revoke the one by which you have distinguished yourself together with the Royal Officers, as the agreement of the 1st of February, of 1698, being worthy of reproof, the one that you and they are working in this matter, without any orders whatsoever from me—as should always be the case in questions of this nature especially when my royal soul is so moved towards the Indians, my desire so great, that they should be civilized and treated not alone as my vassals, but as my own children subjugating them and attending to their wants and comfort. Thus you will proceed to revoke what you have done. Advise my Royal Officers by dispatch of the date that they take note of this resolution in the books under their charge—so that at all times it shall be evident. And I also command that you immediately have published and posted proclamations to this effect in all public places in the city and Province inserting to the letter in the proclamation the contents of this dispatch, and sending to the board by the first opportunity presenting itself, testimony of having executed this procedure. A fine of a thousand reals imposed upon you, to be remitted if you do not execute this order immediately in the form that I have imposed and commanded. And that the canoes remain and be paid as they have been up to the present, and as they were up to the date when you imposed the above expressed tax. And you shall advise me clearly and plainly what has been the amount of these taxes up to the date of receipt of this dispatch, and if there be any portion of it, you have it placed at once in my Royal Chest in that city, to remain there until receiving my further orders. So does it suit me and my Royal service.