[fo. 239r.]

[…] 

Response to Licenciado Cerrato /

  
  r

                           The Prince /               

Licenciado Cerrato, audit judge of the Española /
island, I saw your letter or 17 of September of the /
past year of one thousand and five hundred and forty and four /
and in this one / I will mandate that it is responded to /

[…]

[fo. 239v.]

[fo. 240r.]

[fo. 240v.]

[fo. 241r.]       6

                   7

  r

  r

I saw what you say that his majesty made a grant to /
that city of Santo Domingo of  the third /
of the cows that he had in that island, and /
that the oidores and officials felt that /
it was very great inconvenience that someone /
had in that island the iron and mark /
of his majesty’s cows, because anybody/
who may have it with that [   ] is master /
of all the herds of his majesty and that, /
due to this cause, the city wanting to sell  /
this third of the caws, since others offered /
more for them, gave them to the officials /
for two thousand and seven hundred castellanos /
and fifty young bulls, which are /
to be paid out from what they [the cows] may rent /
and in no other manner, and that it seems that /
this was convenient, because it should not be more nor /
less cost with the two thirds than with all, /
and also that also twenty blacks /
had been purchased for his majesty’s constructions /
that cost one thousand and two hundred and fifty /
castellanos, and that one of these died /
and another one left to the cattle ranches of /
his majesty where he is a cowboy, and that the eighteen /
have served in the constructions and  that because /
you thought they were an expense with no benefit /
you ordered them to be sold and they were sold /
on credit for a year in that city for one thousand /
and seven hundred and three castellanos / and /
all of it, both the purchase of the cows as /
the sale of the blacks has seemed to me /
well,  you will be careful that when the time comes /
the one thousand and seven hundred and three castellanos /
that you say they give for the eighteen blacks /
are collected from the city / 

I has pleased me that the [matter] of the /
maroon blacks is left in good state, and it is /
good what you say that to capture /
the two captainships of theirs that wandered in that /
island a captain was sent with fifteen men /
and he found one and destroyed it completely, /
so that some were killed and others imprisoned  and /
others returned to their masters, and that later he found /
the other and he destroyed it as well, so /
they killed some of them and apprehended /
others to whom justice was done, and that out of thirty /
and seven that wandered in that captainship /
only fifteen were left, in chase of whom /
has also gone the captain of the fifteen /
Christians. /  So that from here on not /
so many rebel you will do some good /
ordinances in the way you deem, about /
the treatment that their masters must give /
to the blacks / 

[fo. 241v.]

                        8

9

  r

  r

As to what you say that, in regards to this [matter] /
of the blacks, you think one thing that should be /
done, which you have discussed with /
some denizens and men of experience of that /
island, and they agree on it, and that is that no /
chance is allowed that there be many ladino slaves /
born in the land, because this is a  /
bad nation of people and very daring /
and badly inclined, and that from experience it /
has been seen that all those who incite those /
blacks and make themselves captains of them have /
been and are ladinos, because the bozales /
do not have that ability, and that also /
this was seen in the matter of Enriquillo, and that /
so it seems that it would be convenient or freeing them /
since they do not yearn but freedom, /
or expelling them from that island.  You must discuss it with /
the city council members and the most important of that land /
and with their advise you will decide /
on it what you see as convenient. / 

It is good what you say that you sent /
Cacique Garci Hernández in pursue of/

[fo. 242r.]

of cacique Murcia, who was rebelled /                        ccxxli  /
in some mountain chains though he did no ill, /
to reduce him to the service of his majesty /
and so he be peaceful, and that he did not /
found him, given that he found trace of where /
he and his people had been, and that  of /
the said Garci Hernández it was known that all /
that area of  the island was safe /
of blacks / you will always be careful  /
of deciding in  these things what you see /
is convenient /

[fo. 242v.]

[fo. 243r.]

[fo. 243v.]

[fo. 244r.]

[fo. 244v.]

                                       21               

  r

[…] in Valladolid on XXIII of /
April of one thousand and five hundred forty and five years /
I the Prince, certified by Samano /
signed by the cardinal of Seville and Bernal /
and Velazquez, Gregorio López /