The Royal officers of that City have given me an account in different letters of their having arrived at that Garrison ten remaining negroes, eight males and two females, from St. George. That they asked for the waters of baptism, it was given them, after which a Sergeant-Major from St. George came to claim them. Not appearing to be the proper thing to return them after becoming Christians, it was agreed upon with the Sergeant-Major to buy them with the money from my Royal exchequer for the sum of sixteen hundred dollars, granting a writing to that purpose, to pay said sum at a stated time specified. To satisfy this I sent to the new city of Vera Cruz for this sum of money which was brought and deposited in my Royal coffers of that city, advising the Governor of St. Augustine and notifying the Governor of St. George to send for it. It seems they came for it at the time the Governor was distributing aid to the soldiers. He had notified me of the receipt of this money, but not receiving a reply, he supposed I was not satisfied with the transaction, imploring I should tell him what to do with the negroes. The men had been put to work on the Fort, and the women the Governor had retained as servants in his household. He paid the cost of them, and he only awaited my orders. In view of all that he asks, through the judge of my Council of the Indias, it occurs to me to say to you that Don Diego Quiraga was wanting in his duty by not sending to pay the money deposited in the Royal coffers for the purchase of said negroes and in the word he had given the English. He should have considered that in refusing to deliver them to the English, it was done to protect the religion; this alone would have sufficed, being as I am such a Catholic. For any excess expended in their purchase, notwithstanding my failure in replying to him on this point, and so, it appears strange what this Governor has done. And so, that you perfectly understand what I order you, as I do order you, that of the first money which comes into my Royal coffers of that City you immediately pay up the whole amount, and give the Governor of St. George perfect satisfaction for the 1,600 dollars agreed upon for the sale. The defraying of this to be done as quickly as possible. And as a reward for having come to these provinces to live under the laws of the Gospel and become Catholics, I order that immediately upon receipt of this, you give them all their liberty in my name, giving each one, males and females, a document to that effect, so that seeing their example others may do likewise. As soon as you have accomplished this you are to send me a full account, as this is my will. I, the King, sent by the King our Lord, DON JUAN DE LA VEA, _Chairman of the Council_. CHAPTER XIV. A. D. 1689-1698.