First Blacks in The Americas

Date: 1528, April 6.  Madrid, La Española.
Theme: While the fleeing by enslaved Blacks away from the mines and farms of La Española generated great concern to the Spanish Crown, in the colony an acrimonious dispute erupted between the colonial Governor Diego Colón and the oidores of the Audiencia of Santo Domingo about the need for a constable to prosecute the “Blacks”
Source: Archivo General de Indias, PARES, Portal de Archivos Españoles, Archivo General de Indias,PATRONATO, 295,No.89.

In the noble city of Santo Domingo of this La Española island /
of the Indies of the ocean sea on Tuesday twenty /
first of the month of July of fifteen twenty /
eight, before the honorable licenciado Gaspar de Espinosa /
and Alonso Zuazo, oidores of the audiencia and cancillería of his majesty who /
reside in these parts, and in the presence of me, Diego Caballero, notary of /
the said royal audiencia, appeared present Juan Ruiz, attorney /
in this city, in the name of and on behalf of the honorable doña María /
de Toleto, vicereine of these parts, as guardian and manager /
of the person and assets of admiral don Luis Colón, her /
son, viceroy and governor of these parts per his majesty, by /
virtue of his power presented by her in this royal audiencia /
for certain businesses and lawsuits that in the said name /
she litigates, and are pending. I, the said notary, certify that a petition /
was presented and a [   ] cédula of his majesty, signed of his royal name /
[   ] by Francisco de los Covos, his secretary /
according to [   ] which, one after the other /
is as follows:

-Very powerful gentlemen

[…]

[fo. 1v.]

[…]

[fo. 2r]

The King/
our president and oidores of our royal audiencia and cancillería /
of the Indies that reside in the Española island /

[…]

and because it is convenient to our service and good /
and peopling of those islands that no change is made /
in how the set admiral left it at the time he departed from that island, /
while we mandate for it to be studied and decided upon in /
the most convenient manner. And thus it is our will that it is complied with, therefore /
I order you to make sure that the persons the said admiral left /
so that on his behalf they use the said offices of admiral /
viceroy, and governor, may use the said offices and posts /
according to and in the way, and form and manner in which it has been used since /
the said admiral left for these kingdoms by virtue of /
his powers and privileges. Also do not provoke or consent /
that any change is made in this nor in any part of this, instead /
use the persons that the said admiral had appointed before he /
passed away. As to the said offices, while and until, /
as it has been said, I order to decide what is just and convenient to my /
service, you must get doña María de Toledo his /
wife, as tutor and guardian of the children of hers and the said /
admiral, with all the revenues and rights and benefits and other /
things pertaining to the said admiral, according to and in the manner /
that he had it and enjoyed it and was granted to him during his life without /
missing none […]

[fo. 2v.]

[…]

[fo. 3r.]

[…]

[fo. 4v.]

[…]

[fo. 5r.]

[…]

It has been reported to me that, in that island and in the others, there are some /
Blacks that are run-aways and of wicked life and wiles that are not domestic /
nor do they work as they are obliged, and [they] induce and call the other /
Blacks that are peaceful and working to leave and rebel  and /
do other crimes and ills, from which it results that the said Blacks that /
are in the mines and other farms and businesses rebel /
and commit other crimes.  Therefore I order you to inform yourselves /
and learn how many of these Blacks are there in that island and in the others /
and to decide how their owners may take them out of [the islands] and other /
parts or may have them shackled and under surveillance, so that they have no/
chance to do damage. In Madrid on April sixth of fifteen hundred and twenty eight. /
I the King. Per his majesty’s order,  Francisco de los Covos /

[…]

[fo. 5v.]

[…] done in the city of Santo Domingo on twenty /
seventh day of the month of October of one thousand and five hundred and /
twenty eight. [The document] is corrected where it said “everything” /
[and this] should not invalidate it [the document] /

[Rubric?] Diego [Canallo?] notary of his majesty /

+

Testimony of the request that was submitted /
to the oidores about the appointment /
of judge of the Blacks /