May God guard you for many years as a true Christian.
LETTER OF THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA TO HIS MAJESTY.
The continued coming of the enemy who took up quarters at San Francisco Garrison, caused the natives to retire to this Garrison to seek protection under the Royal arms. From the same fear, the palisade castle of Salamototo having been attacked, the few natives withdrew, running from the cruel ravages of these enemies. About eight or nine persons having called a meeting to discuss the matter of evacuating these Garrisons, the board decided that for the safety and better security of these natives it would be best to evacuate them. A more extensive account is given you in the testimony of each thing that I remit with this information, so that you may be well notified of the reasons for retiring from these two towns and others near them, that had already been deserted. We have assigned them land near by, in line of the cannon of this Royal Fort, and we are maintaining them and helping with the best we can at your expense and from the Royal warehouses so that they may not perish until they can till the land and raise a crop to help support themselves, until things take a better turn. I hope your Majesty will approve and accept in good faith the step taken by the Board and that I am working and maintaining these natives for the best and greatest service of your Majesty. May God guard you as a Christian.
St. Augustine, Fla., November 30th, 1708.
LETTER OF THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA TO HIS MAJESTY.
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.