1707 Report by the Florida Franciscans
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See also: Mission Provinces of Spanish Florida / Franciscan Friars of Spanish Florida, 1574-1763
Archivo General de Indias, Santo Domingo 864
Florida Franciscans to the Spanish Crown, May 7, 1707
Translation and transcription by John E.. Worth (diacriticals not added to transcriptions)
ENGLISH
[f. 311r]
The provincial minister and definitorio of this holy and apostolic province of Santa Elena de la Florida, located in these Western Indies of Your Majesty, placed at Your Royal Feet, ask and supplicate that Your Majesty be served to consider these indispensable representations.
This, the province of Your Majesty, in spiritual affairs, since early times, has always been administered in its conversions and administrations of the religious of our seraphic religion. The first workers in this evangelical vineyard, who opened the foundations to this church of Florida, were the sons of Our Holy Father St. Francis, who have continued, with many labors, discomforts, nakedness, and hunger, up to spilling their blood in the prayers that have been offered, sacrificing their lives in the apostolic labor of evangelical preaching, without being frightened by the tyrannies and rigors of the idolators and enemies of faith, continuing their labor in view of the rigors and threats with which they were terrorized, at the beginnings of the conversions, since in the years of fifteen ninety-seven and forward, in the province of Guale, one of those of this government, there died at the hands of the idolatrous Indians, and some of the recently converted who apostatized from the faith, in defense of the Catholic religion, five missionary religious, five priests and one lay brother, there having escaped with his life by Divine disposition another priest, son of that holy province of Castilla, although he had his prolonged martyrdom, since they held him as a slave, despoiled of his holy habit, making use of him for nearly two years in carrying water and wood to their buhios, which are their community houses, where they had their meetings, dances, and feasts, using him as a bench, near the hearth where the Indians made their cassina, which is their usual drink that they make from the leaves of a little tree that they toast, on a blazing fire within a pot, and they boil it. And this poor religious, and priest, next to the hearth on his knees, served as a bench, according to the tradition of the land, where he suffered intolerable hardships, which are left to the elevated comprehension of Your Majesty, until Divine Providence was served that he was liberated from such an awful and continuous hardship, who, already full of hardships and years, was brought to this province of Castilla, where he ended his life in one of its convents.
In the year of sixteen forty-seven, another three missionary religious priests in the province of Apalachee died a violent death at the hands of the pagans, and some recently converted who rose up against Spaniards and religious, at the beginning of the conversion of the said province, although in a brief time they were reduced to the yoke of the faith, and they have prevailed, although very depopulated on account of the many plagues and sicknesses that have consumed them, and the continuous invasions of the pagan Indians, their enemies, up until since the year of seventeen two and forward, the said province has been finished off with the continuous persecutions of the pagan enemies, and the few who have remained of the said province, some are sheltered in the environs of this presidio, which is the fewest; others to the shelter of the presidio of Pansacola; and others to that of Mobila, presidio of the Most Christian King, clear progenitor of Your Majesty; and others, according to what has been learned, live settled in the neighborhood of the pagan enemies, rendering obedience to force and violence, until the Divine Majesty is served to give them liberty. It has been learned from prisoners who have fled from Carolina and from towns of pagan enemies that many others of the said province, and of Timucua and Guale, have been sold and have passed to the islands of the domain of the Queen of England. In the year of sixteen ninety six, in the conversion of Orroro, the live of a religious priest, their minister, was taken by the rebels of those towns, of which an account has been given to Your Majesty.
In the past invasion of the enemy during the year of seventeen two, the English of Carolina and pagan Indians, their confederates, imprisoned three religious missionaries, who have been in the power of the said English for nearly three years, until they were returned to their liberty, where they suffered great punishment, some of them exercising mechanical tasks for their decent sustenance, according to what they relate.
With the continuous invasions of the enemies from the said year of seventeen two and forward, apart from these fathers, there have suffered and died at the hands of the said enemies fray Juan de Parga Araujo and fray Manuel de Mendoa, religious, priests, and evangelical ministers, and apostolic missionaries, an account of which has been given to Your Majesty by the Maestro de Campo General don Joseph de Zúñiga y Cerda, who was governor of this province. The first of the said two religious was a son of the holy province of Santiago, and the second of the province of La Concepción in those kingdoms. This last one, having served in these conversions, administrations, and missions nearly twenty-six years, and the first nearly ten, both the one and the other having exercised great fervor in the preaching and instruction of the Indians, and in the invasion of the province of Apalache, animating and encouraging the soldiers and Catholic Indians, walking with much valor among them, until he [Parga] was killed by the enemies, and father Mendoza, animating and inciting the Indians of the mission at his charge, was wounded by a bullet, and half-alive, they burned him within the little friary where he lived. Of both, we are hopeful that according to their lives and religious practice they will be enjoying the Divine presence, and also fray Augustín Ponce de León, religious priest native to this presidio, who at the beginning of September of seventeen five, having gone forth in the company of captain don Joseph Begambre, who was an active [captain] of this presidio for Your Majesty, with a detachment of infantry and Christian Indians with their weapons, in pursuite of the enemy Indians who had imprisoned all the women with all their children, and others of minor age, from the town at the charge of the said fray Augustín Ponce. The said captain and his people having encountered the enemy before dawn on the third of September, they fought with them until with various bullet wounds he surrendered his soul to the creator, as was done by others of his party, who, fighting with all valor and effort, destroyed the enemy, although with the loss of their lives, by which means were freed the women and children, lacking only a few who did not have the fortune of escaping. And the said fray Augustín, who traveled animating the Spaniards and Indians of his party, attending where it occurred the need to administer the sacrament of penitence to the wounded, without being cowed by fear, they killed him with various woulds that they gave him, who as a good shepherd surrendered his soul in defense of his sheep, and the sons of the mission under his administration, because although he lost his life in the attempt and redemption of his children, by means of his warnings he achieved the rescue of the greater part of them, even though he could not achieve this for all of them.
Another three religious during the year of seventeen five walked through the woods, experiencing many discomforts, needs, hungers, and hardships in order not to leave the sheep at their charge, following wherever they wen the poor Indians, their sons, who wandered through the woods, fleeing the continuous invasions of the enemies, until one of them named fray Domingo Criado was captured, killing almost all the Indians of his town who were encamped in the woods at the bank of a copious river about ten or twelve leagues from this presidio, and they took him prisoner, and according to what was found out from some prisoners who fled from the enemy, despoiled of his holy habit, and performing many inhumanities and derisions on him at their town, where in a prolonged martyrdom, the enemy Indians making use of him as their slave, he died at the end of some months, according to news that has been had from Christian Indian prisoners who have fled from the said enemies, and returned to this presidio, who have given individual news.
The other two religious, seeing the continuous risks, and that they could not persevere in such a prolonged peregrination because of not having security in the most hidden woods, and in the dense undergrowth, they returned this past summer to this presidio with the few Christian Indians that they could gather, who are for now aggregated to the shelter of this presidio. These, Lord, are the hardships and punishment (compiled in a compendium) that the poor religious, sons of the stigmatized seraph, have suffered, and which those who currently are in this part of Florida suffer, if the enemy continues their invasions according to their obstinance. But always (Lord) all the chaplains of Your Majesty, fervorous and with unspeakable valor to suffer other, greater punishments and hardships, up to placing their lives at the risk of death, sacrificing themselves on the altar of obedience in service of Our God and Lord, and of Your Majesty, who with such charity protects, maintains, and sustains us from your royal earnings in these vast countries of your province of Florida, where the Catholic Kings, predecessors of Your Majesty, without recognizing any temporal utility, for the spiritual good of the poor natives of these provinces they have spent great portions of their royal earnings, and Your Majesty, imitating them continues in the maintenance and protection, both of the few native Indians who have remained and of the evangelical ministers, and in order to protect, foment, and aid both the ones and the others, spends a great portion in maintaining this presidio, of which we should all give God Our Lord due thanks, as we do, so that He conserves and guards Your Majesty long years, with all prosperity, conceding you happy succession for the consolation of all your vassals. And we give Your Majesty devoted venerations and deferential obedience as we should, offering ourselves anew to the protection of Your Majesty as humble and devoted vassals and chaplains, professing with all faithfulness that we will persist until the last moments of our lives, as we have done before now, in obedience to Your Majesty, and the administration and instruction of the few Christians who have remained, without being cowed by the rigors and tyrannies of the enemy, so that in the future, if the Divinie Majesty opens a door for new conversions and reductions, we will employ ourselves in them with the same fervor and charity as before. May Our Lord guard Your Majesty long years, as all Christianity has need of, and as we, your humble subjects and chaplains, desire, together and congregated in the Provincial Chapter meeting of this your apostolic province, in this convent of the presidio of St. Augustine, Florida, on the 7th of May of 1707.
Most powerful Lord
We kiss the Royal Feet of Your Majesty, your devoted subjects and chaplains,
fr[ay] Claudio de Florencia
Provincial Minister
fr[ay] Simon de Salas
Father of the Province
fr[ay] Manuel de Uriza
Definitor
fr[ay] Antonius de los Angeles
Definitor
fr[ay] Domingo Vazques
Custodian
fr[ay] Fran[cis]co de Leon
Definitor
fr[ay] Andres de Oramas
Definitor
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SPANISH
[f. 311r]
El M[inist]ro Pro[vinci]al i difinitorio de esta s[an]ta y apostolica pro[vinci]a de S[an]ta Helena de la Florida cita en estas Indias Occidentales de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d puestos a V[uest]ros Reales Pies, piden, y suplican, sea V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d servido, de pasar la considerazion por estas indispensables, representasiones =
Esta su pro[vinci]a de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d en lo espiritual, desde lo primitivo, ha sido siempre, administrada en sus conversiones, y administrasiones de los religiosos, de n[uest]ro relig[io]n seraphica; los primeros cultores d esta evangelica viña, los primeros operarios, que abrieron los simientos a esta iglesia de la Florida, fueron los hijos de N[uestro] S[anto] P[adre] S[an] Francisco q[ue] han continuado, con bastantes travajos, incomodidades, desnudes, hambres hasta derramar su sangre, en las orasiones q[u]e se han ofresido, sacrificando sus vidas, en el apostolico empleo, de la predicasion evangelica; sin acobardarlos las tiranias, y rigores de los idolatras, y enemigos de fee; continuando su empleo, a la vista de los rigores, y amenasas, con q[u]e fueron aterrorisados, a los principios de las conversiones: pues por los años de quinientos, y noventa, y siete, en adelante en la pro[vinci]a de Guale, una de las de esta governazion, murieron a manos de los indios idolatras, y algunos de los recien convertidos, que apostataron de la fee, en defensa de la religion Catholica, sinco religiosos missionarios, quatro sacerdotes y un lego, aviendose escapado con la vida, por disposision Divina, otro sacerdote, hijo de esa S[an]ta Pro[vinci]a de Castilla, aunq[u]e tubo su prolongado martirio, pues lo hubieron por esclavo, despojado del s[an]to avito, sirviendose de el, serca de dos años, en cargar agua, y leña, a sus bujios, que son sus casas de comunidad, donde hacian sus juntas, vailes, y fiestas, sirvien[f. 311v]dose de el de banco; serca de la candela quando hazian su casina los indios, que es su usual vevida, q[u]e se hazen de unas ojas de un arbolillo que las tuestan a fuego violento, dentro de una vasija; y lo llerven, y este pobre religioso, y sacerdote, pegado a la candela de rodillas servia de banco, segun la tradizion de la tierra donde padezedia intolerables travajos, que se dexa, a la alta comprehension de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d hasta que fue servido la Div[in]a Providensia que se librase de tan penoso, y continuo trabajo; quien lla lleno de travajos, y años, se trujo, a esa pro[vinci]a de Castilla, donde acavo su vida en uno de sus conventos =
El año de seiscientos, y quarenta, y siete otros tres religiosos sacerdotes missionarios, en la pro[vinci]a, Apalache, murieron a muerte violenta, a manos de los infieles, y algunos recien convertidos, que se amotinaron, contra españoles, y religiosos, al principio de la conversion de d[ic]ha pro[vinci]a; aunq[u]e en breve, se reduxeron, al iugo de la fee, y han prevalecido, aunq[u]e mui acavados, por las muchas pestes, y enfermedades, que los han consumido, y las continuas invasiones de los indios infieles sus enemigos hasta q[u]e desde el año de setecientos, y dos, en adelante, se ha acavado d[ic]ha pro[vinci]a, con las continuas persecusiones de los enemigos infieles, y los pocos q[u]]e han quedado de d[ic]ha pro[vinci]a, unos estan guaresidos, en la sercania de este precidio, que son los menos, otros al abrigo del presidio de Pansacola, y otros al de la Moila, presidio de Rey Christianisimo, clarissimo progenitor de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d, y otros segun se save, viven poblados en la sercania de los infieles enemigos, dando obediensia, a la fuersa, y violensia, hasta que la Mag[esta]d Div[in]a, sea servido de darles libertad. Otros muchos de d[ic]ha pro[vinci]a, y de la Timucua, Guale, se ha savido por prisioneros, que han juido de la Carolina, y pueblos de infieles enemigos, los han vendido, y pasado a las islas del dominio, de la Reina de Inglaterra, el año de seiscientos, y noventa y seis, en la converz[io]n de Orroro, quitaron la vida a un religioso sacerdote, su ministro, los amotinados de aquellos pueblos de que esta dado quenta a V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d =
En la pasada invaz[io]n del enemigo por el año de setecientos y dos aprisionaron los ingleses de la Carolina, e indios infieles sus confederados, a tres relig[ioso]s doctrineros, quienes serca de tres a[ño]s han estado en poder de d[ic]hos ingleses, hasta que fueron reducidos a su libertad, donde padezieron bastantes penalidades, exercitandose algunos de ellos para su decente sustentaz[i]on de oficios mecanicos segun lo cuentan = [f. 312r]
Con las continuas invasiones de los enemigos de d[ic]ho año de setecientos y dos, en adelante han padesido, y muerto, a manos de d[ic]hos enemigos, fuera de los padres, fr[ay] Joan de parga Araujo, y fr[ay] Man[ue]l de Mendosa, religiosos, sacerdotes, y m[inist]ros evangelicos, y misionarios apostolicos, de que esta dado quenta a V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d por el M[aest]ro de Campo Gen[era]l D[o]n Joseph de Suñiga y Serda, gov[ernado]r q[u]e fue de esta prov[inci]a el primero de d[ic]hos dos religiosos, fue hijo de la Santa Pro[vinci]a de Santhiago, y el seg[un]do de la pro[vinci]a de la Concepz[io]n en esos reinos. Este ultimo, aviendo asistido, en estas converziones, administrasiones, doctrinas, y conversiones, serca de veinte y seis a[ño]s y el primero serca de diez, aviendose exercitado, asi el uno, como el otro, con mucho feror, en la predicaz[io]n, y enseñansa a los Indios, y en la invaz[io]n de la pro[vinci]a de Apalache, fervorizando, y animando, a los soldados, e Indios Catolicos, andando con mucho valor entre ellos, hasta q[u]e fue muerto de los enemigos, y el p[adr]e Mendosa, animando fervorisando a los Indios de la doctrina de su cargo fue herido de un valaso y medio vivo lo quemaron dentro del conventico de su avitaz[io]n de que ambos estamos, esperansados, q[u]e segun su vida, y proceder religioso, estaran gosando de la Div[in]a presensia, como tambien fr[ay] Aug[usti]n Ponse de Leon religioso sacerdote natural de este presidio q[uie]n por principio de Septiembre de setec[ient]os y sinco, aviendo salido en compañia del capp[ita]n D[o]n Joseph Vegambre q[u]e lo fue actual de este presidio por V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d con porcion de infanteria, e indios Christianos, con sus armas, en seguim.to de los indios enemigos, q[u]e llevaban prisioneros, todas las mugeres con todos sus hijos, y otros de menor edad, del pueblo del cargo de dho fr[ay] Aug[usti]n Ponse aviendo encontrado d[ic]ho capp[ita]n y su gente dia tres de septiembre, por la madrugada con el enemigo, peleo con el, hasta q[u]e con diferentes valasos rindio su alma al criador, como tambien lo hizieron los mismos otros de su comitiva, quienes peleando con todo valor y exfuerso destrosaron aunque con perdida de sus vidas al enemigo por cuio medio, se pudo librar la presa de las mugeres, y criaturas, menos unas pocas, que no tubieron fortuna de escaparse; y a d[ic]ho fr[ay] Aug[usti]n que andaba animando a los españoles, y indios de su comitiva, acudiendo adonde ocurria la necessidad para administrar, el sacram[en]to de la penitencia a los heridos, sin que le acobardase el temor lo mataron, con diversas heridas que le dieron quien como buen pastor rindio su alma en defensa de sus obejas e hijos de la doctrina de su administra[cio]n porq[ue] aunq[ue] perdio su vida, en la demanda y redemz[io]n de sus hijos por medio de sus amonestaziones logro el resgatar la maior parte de ellos, lla q[u]e no pudo conseguirlo en todos.
Otros tres relig[ioso]s d[ic]ho año de setec[ient]os y sinco andubieron por los montes pasando muchas incomodidades, necessidades hambres, y pena[f. 312v]lidades por no dexar las ovejas de su cargo, siguiendo por donde ivan, los pobres indios sus hijos, quienes vagueaban por los montes, huiendo de las continuas invasiones de los enemigos, hasta q[u]e el uno de ellos llamado fr[ay] Domingo Criado, lo aprisionaron matando casi todos los indios de su pueblo, q[u]e estaban rancheados, en un monte a la orilla de un caudaloso rio, como cosa de diez, a dose leguas de este presidio, y lo llevaron prisionero, y segun se supo de algunos prisioneros q[u]e se huieron del enemigo, despoxado del s[an]to abito, y haziendo muchas inhumanidades, y irrisiones en el, a su pueblo, donde en prolongado martirio sirviendose de los indios enemig[o]s como de su esclavo murio al cavo de algunos meses, segun se ha tenido noticia, de indios Christianos prisioneros, q[u]e se han juido de dhos enemigos, y restituidose a este presidio quienes han dado individuales noticias.
Los otros dos relig[ioso]s, viendo los continuos riesgos, y que no podian perseverar, en tan prolongada peregrinaz[io]n por no tener, seguridad en los mas ocultos montes, y en las mas intrincadas malesas, se reduxeron el verano pasado a este presidio con los pocos indios Christianos q[u]e pudieron recoxer, quienes al abrigo de este presidio, estan por aora recogidos. Estos son señor los trabajos, y penalidades (recopilados a compendio) que los pobres religiosos, hijos del seraphin llagado, han padezido, y padezeran, los q[u]e actualm[en]te existieren, en esta parte de la Florida, si continua sus invasiones el enemigo, segun su obstinaz[io]n; pero siempre (señor) todos los capellanes de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d fervorosos, y con indezible valor, para padezer otras maiores, penalidades, y trabajos, hasta poner sus vidas al riesgo de la muerte, sacrificandose en las aras de la obediensia en servisio de N[uest]ro Dios y S[eño]r y de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d quien con tanta charidad nos protexe, mantiene, y sustenta de sus reales haveres, en estos vastos paises, de su pro[vinci]a de la Florida, donde sin reconoserlos Catholicos Reies predessesores de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d ninguna utilidad, temporal; por el bien espiritual, de los pobres naturales de estas pro[vinci]as, han gastado muchas porsiones de sus reales haveres, y V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d imitandolos, continua en manutenz[io]n y proteccion, asi de los pocos indios naturales q[u]e han quedado como sus ministros evangelicos, y para protexer, fomentar, y amparar a unos, y a otros, gasta mucha porzion, en mantener este presidio, de q[u]e todos devemos dar a Dios N[uestr] S[eñor] devidas graz[ia]s como se las damos, para q[u]e a V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d nos conserve y gu[ar]de dilatados años, con toda prosperidad, concediendole felis susesion, para el consuelo de todos sus vasallos: y a V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d damos rendidas venerasiones, y obsequiosas obediensias, como devemos ofreciendonos de nuevo a la proteccion de V[uest]ra [f. 313r] Mag[esta]d como humildes, y rendidos vasalllos, y capellanes, protestando con toda fidelidad, q[u]e permaneceremos, hasta los ultimos transes de la vida, como hasta aora lo hemos echo, en la obediensia de V[uest]ra Mag[esta]d, y administraz[io]n y enseñansa de los pocos Christianos q[u]e han quedado, sin q[u]e nos acobarden los rigores, y tiranias del enemigo, y para en lo de adelante si la Div[in]a Mag[esta]d avriere camino para las nuevas conversiones, y reducciones, emplearnos en ellas con el fevor, y charidad q[u]e hasta aora. N[uestro] S[eñor] gu[ar]de a V[uest]ra Magestad dilatados a[ño]s como necessita toda la Christiandad y deceamos todos sus humildes subditos, y capellanes juntos, y congregados en el [Capitu]lo Pro[vinci]al de esta su appostolica pro[vinci]a, en este conv[en]to del presidio de S[a]n Aug[usti]n de la Florida en 7 de Maio de 1707 a[ño]s =
M[uy] P[oderoso] S[eñor]
B[esamos] L[as] R[eales] P[ies] de V[uestra] M[a]g[esta]d sus rendidos subditos y capellanes =
fr[ay] Claudio de Florencia
M[inist]ro Prov[incia]l =
fr[ay] Simon de Salas
P[adr]e de Prov[inci]a
fr[ay] Manuel de Uriza
Diff[inid]or
fr[ay] Antonius de los Angeles
Diff[inid]or
fr[ay] Domingo Vazques
Cust[o]d[i]o
fr[ay] Fran[cis]co de Leon
Diff[inid]or
fr[ay] Andres de Oramas
Diffin[ido]r