Source: A. M. Brooks and Annie Averette, The History of Old St. Augustine
(St
Augustine, 1909), 5-10. Transcribed by Melanie Forehand.
To His Catholic Royal Majesty Pedro Menendez says:
That what he sends your
Majesty is what he declares to know of the coast and lands of Florida,
and of the corsairs whom it is said have gone to populate it and seize
the vessels coming from the Indias- and the damage they may do, and the
remedy to be used in cases where they should have settled. Give them
no quarter, and appropriate the coast and lands so that they can be the
more easily turned out- that your Majesty can send to spread the Gospel,
prevent the damages that can be done the vessels coming from the Indias
is as follows: That while in Sevilla last May, he knew and understood positively
from persons coming from the Canary Islands that they had been on the Island
of Teneriffe and Port Garachico with a Portuguese named Mimoso, who is
a pilot on the run of the Indias, and has a wife and home in France, that
he has become a pirate, seizing the vessels of your Majesty. He carried
four men of war, and it was said he was going to settle the coast of Florida;
that two other large vessels were awaiting him, as soon as he took on water
and provisions in that port, and he saw them there in a small vessel without
disembarking for five or six hours, where some of the people who wish to
be under them came to speak to them. He then returned to his vessel
and set sail to return to the Indias. Also, that he heard in Sevilla
and in this court of your Majesty that the English had gone out with a
fleet to the coast of Florida to settle and to await the vessels from Indias-
and about a month ago he learned that five large English galleons with
heavy artillery had passed about the end of December along the coast of
Gaul and the tempest had driven them into the harbor of Ferrol, where they
were anchored for a day and a half without landing, but the fishermen had
gone on board to speak to them, and he says: If the above be true, and
the English, French or any other nation should feel disposed to go and
settle any part of Florida, it would be very damaging to these kingdoms,
because on said coast of Florida and in said strait of the Bahamas, they
could settle and fortify themselves in such a way, that they could
have galleons and vessels of war to capture the fleets and other private
vessels that came from the Indias, and pass through there, as they would
run great risk of being captured.
Also, that if last summer
the French and English went to Florida as we are certain they did, and
should have settled and built a fort in any port, and summered there, giving
notice to their home government as to how they are situated, and should
they be supplied this summer before we can raid upon them, and turn them
out, it would be very difficult to do so on account of the friendship formed
by them with the natives who would help them in such a way as to cause
serious difficulty, and even should we finally succeed the natives would
remain our enemies, and this would be extremely disadvantageous.
Should they be supplied this summer the merchantmen which we expect from
the Indias would also run great risk of being captured. Also, that
it would be very annoying to have the above mentioned or others settle
in Florida. Considering the proximity of the Islands of Santo Domingo,
Puerto Rico and Cuba, where there are such vast numbers of negroes and
mulattoes of bad disposition, there being in each of these islands more
than thirty negroes to each Christian. And it is a land in which
this generation multiplies with great rapidity. In the power of the
French and English, all these slaves would be freed, and to enjoy their
freedom would help them even against their own masters and lords and there
would be an uprising in the land, and with the help of the negroes it would
be easy to capture us. As an example of this, take Jaques de Soria,
France, which in the year fifty-three, with one boat of a hundred tons
and eighty men, by simply freeing the negroes, took and plundered the Islands
of Margarite and Saint Martha, and burned Carthagena, plundered Santiago
de Cuba and Havana, although at the time there were two hundred Spaniards
there. They took the Fort with all it contained, and twelve pieces
of bronze artillery and carried them all off. I consider these negroes
a great obstacle to having the French or English settle in Florida or to
have them so near, even though they should not be in favor with these two
nations, there is danger of an uprising as there are so many cunning and
sagacious ones who desire this liberty that I feel sure the design of those
who should settle in Florida is to domineer over those islands, and stop
the navigation with the Indias, which they can easily do by settling in
said Florida. Also he says: That on account of these dangers and
many others, it seems to him it would be to the service of God Our Lord,
and your Majesty for the general good of your Kingdoms the Indies it would
be well for your Majesty to try and domineer over these lands and coasts,
which on account of their position, if other nations should go on settling
and making friends with the Indians, it would be difficult to conquer them,
especially if settled by French and English Lutherans, as they and the
Indians having about the same laws, they would be friendly, and being near
could rule and each year send out a thousand vessels to easily treat and
contract with these lands which are said to be fertile and prolific for
sugar plantations, which they so much need and are supplied from these
Kingdoms. There might also be many cattle good for their tallow and
wool and other necessities. What seems to him that your Majesty should
do in the service of God and your Majesty’s and for the salvation of so
many souls, and the aggrandizement of your kingdoms and your royal estates,
is as follows:
As there are neither French
nor English nor any other nation to disturb them, that your Majesty should
send five hundred persons, sailors, laborers, etc., and that among them
should be one hundred master carpenters, blacksmiths, plasterers and builders
of mud walls, all with their implements and appurtenances for every thing,
with their arms of defense, such as arquebuses, cross-bows, etc. That among
this number of five hundred people should be four Friars, four teachers
and twelve Christian children, so that the principal Indians would send
their children to school to learn to read and learn the doctrine of Christianity.
There should be three surgeons who would go about in small boats, canoes
or row boats with supplies for one year- go straight to Santa Elena and
from there find all the paths, rivers and ports most suited and best, by
land and water. See the condition of the land for planting and settle
two or three towns in the best vicinity, build their fort, to be able to
defend themselves against the Indians, that each of these forts should
have artillery and ammunition. All this supply with the cost of the
voyage will amount to eighty thousand ducats or more. There will
be left vessels enough to carry a number of cattle. These must be
sent from Spain, because in the Indias we could not find suitable vessels
nor head workmen of the necessary qualification and it could not give the
desired results, besides the delay would cause much damage. It would
be difficult to find the proper kind of people, and even if found the cost
would be very much greater, as head workmen gain very large wages in those
parts, as do also laborers and sailors. From Havana it would be still
more impossible to bring them, as there are none to be obtained, and if
they have to settle they must go a long way ‘round, as they cannot enter
the mouth of the Bahama Channel, it being as easy and quick to come from
Spain as from Havana. It would be more important that your Majesty
do this at your own cost and as briefly and with as secret a diligence
as possible, and if your Majesty is not well served in this, find some
one in whom your Majesty can place more confidence, confer with them and
let them take charge of affairs- although it would be far better for your
Majesty to do this at your own cost, and with all brevity and secrecy which
is the most important thing. Also, he says: That should there
be French in this land or on the sea awaiting the merchant vessels from
the Indias, it would be necessary to increase this squadron to four more
galleons and one thousand men, principally marines- the cost of which for
six months would be five hundred thousands ducats more or less.