St. Augustine, Fla., November 30th, 1708.
Letter of the Governor of Florida to His Majesty.
A. D. 1709.
Sire:
I write to give you an account of the Friars of San Francisco. Fray Francisco, Teacher of the Gospel at Santa Maria de Guale, and the guardian of this Convent, Fray Martin de Molina, have been trying to get up lawsuits and have had disputes with the Pastor of this Parish, Don Pedro Lorenzo Acevido. These Friars are opposed to having the Pastor marry the soldiers or any Spaniard to the Indians or mixed Indians, wishing themselves to administer this and the other sacraments to them and their children. For this they have drawn up Autos and presented them to me that I might grant them justice. I referred them each to your Majesty, suggesting that they draw up their testimony and I am to reserve the right of informing you on the subject. I therefore call to your Royal attention how these law suits, occurring daily, only tend to disturb the peace. This is all done, because these Friars, to obtain the fee, wish now to administer these sacraments, which have been administered for the last thirty years by the parish priest of this parish, who has performed the marriage ceremony and had them watch (velar) from the fathers down to the grandchildren, without once interfering with the rights of these Friars to administer to their own people, the Indians in the towns they have charge of, and whose language they understand, and as is customary, if a soldier or any one wishes to marry an Indian or mixed Indian they must do so in the Parish and church to which the Indian belongs—thus, by degrees, leaving off all Heathen customs. Your Majesty after seeing the Autos and receiving this information will decide as he thinks best and most desirable for the good of all. May God preserve your Royal person that you may show justice.
Francisco Córcoles y Martinez.
St. Augustine, Fla., September 12th, 1709.
A. D. 1722.
Sire: