First Blacks in The Americas

[fo. 7r.]

Response to the oidores and / officers /

[…]
                                   The King /

Our oidores of our royal audiencia and cancillería /
Of the Indies that reside in the Española island /

[fo. 7v.]







vi

r

and our officers of the said island. I saw your letter of /
august fifth of last year and I consider it a service /
the care you took to alert me in such a lengthy
and particular manner about the things of those regions and so /
I entrust to do always /

[…]

the Report that, according to what you were told /
to order, you received from the denizens of that island /

[fo. 8r.]

and about the quality of each of them, in regards to the distribution /
that is to be done of the slaves that have /
corresponded to that island from the four thousand for which we have /
given license to be transferred to those regions, was /
received. And since, in view of what that city and the other /
islands have written to me imploring for an order to be given /
so that they ship the four thousand Blacks that /
have been distributed for those regions, I have mandated /
that it be dealt with and soon an order will be given so that /
they arrive to the largest advantage possible for the denizens /
of that island. And the Report about the slaves that /
have been shipped by virtue of the license of the governor /
of Bresa both to those islands as well as to the Tierra Firme /
and New Spain, you will send it to me on the first /
dispatch as I have written to you many times. If /
by the time you receive this one you have not done /

[…]  

[fo. 8v.]

ix

r

[…]

it has seemed well to me what you say that has been /
decided in that island so that there are in it /
no free Blacks nor ladinos because these are the ones /
who alter the land and induce the others /
to run away and do other things that damage  /
the land, and so that you suspend what I order /
to be mandated that you discussed whether it would be good that, /
by giving twenty marcos of gold, a Black man and his children /
may become free, because of the inconveniences that in  /
your letter you mention. Also I order you to enforce /
what has been ordered by that audiencia /
regarding the safety of the said Blacks /

[…]  

[fo. 9r.]

xiii

r

[…]

The Report and appraisal that I ordered they write to you /
for you to send me about the farms and cattle  /
and mares and houses and slaves that we have in that /
island was received, and with another courier I will /
mandate that they order you what to do with the said /
properties and houses that we have in that /
city of Santo Domingo /

[…]

[fo. 9v.]

xix

r

[…]

I have been informed that in appraising and evaluating /
the Blacks, merchandises and things that /
are carried to that island in order to collect from them /
the duties that belong to us from our /
almojarifazgo the appropriate care and diligence /
is missing, especially as to the merchandizes /
and the things belonging to persons who are friends and /
relatives of us[1] my officers who conduct /
the said appraisal and for other reasons / 

[fo. 10r.]

appraise the said merchandizes in much /
less than what they are worth, and others are hidden /
and covered by the persons who carry them /
of out of which we receive much disservice /
and our treasury much damage. And since despite that/
I have already written to you about this you do not /
mention in your letters the order you follow in this, /
therefore, whenever an appraisal were to be done /
of merchandises and things that go to the port /
of Santo Domingo of that island, one of you /
the oidores must be charged with getting together with /
[crossed out: one of  ] the said our officers and one of the /
city council members, and all [of you] will do the appraisal./
And we mandate that you the said officers of ours /
do not do it without all being present to it, /
and the same order you will keep in the naming of the /
guard that there must be for the merchandises /
until they have paid our duties and everything /
you must do before a notary public. And you will send to /
my Counsil of the Indies proof of the appraisal/
of what every ship is worth in [    ] so that /
the value of the Revenues is known /.

[…] /

[fo. 10v.]

Forward nothing be entered without being /
recorded as it is mandated by us, and that /
whatever is entered off the Record be taken /
for us as lost.  In Burgos, on fifteen days of the /
month of February of one thousand and five hundred and twenty eight /
years.  I the King.  Per mandate of his majesty, Francisco /
de los Covos.  Signed by the afore said ones.

[…]