Copper mines newly found in Cuba. and haue made proofe thereof: wherein there hath bene more spent, then I was willing there should haue bene, because I haue gotten no fruit thereof: I know not the cause, but that it is not done effectually by those that haue the working thereof. Therefore I beseech your Maiestie to send me that same founder which I wrote to your Maiestie heretofore of. Our Lord keepe your Maiestie many yeeres. From Hauana the 20 of October, 1590.
Your Maiesties seruant, whose royall feete I kisse,
Iohn de Trexeda gouernour of Hauana.
A letter sent to Don Petro de Xibar one of his Maiesties priuie Counsel of the West Indies, from Don Diego Mendez de Valdes Gouernour of S. Iuan de Puerto Rico the 20 of Nouember 1590, touching the state of that Citie and Island.
I receiued your honours letter the 20 of Februarie, whereby I
receiued great content, to heare that your honour is in good
health.
Pedro de Valdes, prisoner in England. As touching the imprisonment of our cousin Don Pedro de Valdes, it doeth grieue me to the very soule. I beseech God to send him his libertie: and likewise the imprisonment of Diego Flores de Valdes grieueth me very much: I pray God to send good iustice.
Iohn Baptista Antonio the generall Ingenour of the West Indies. The M. of the fielde Iuan de Texela, and the M. workeman Iuan Baptista Antonio arriued here in safetie, and haue viewed this Citie with all the circuite round about and the situation as I haue informed his maiestie thereof. They haue marked a place to build a strong fort, whereat the countrey remaineth very well contente.
A strong fort newly builded in S. Iuan de puerto Rico. And it standeth in a good situation, and in a conuenient place on a high mount which doeth lye vpon the entering in of the Harbour, and so cutteth ouer to a point of land, leauing in the Fort as much space as wil containe 3000 persons, without ioyning thereunto any part of the coast. So the M. del campo hath named the fort Cita della.[1] He left me great store of yron work, tooles, eight workemen, and 200 Negros, which are the kings. And the Island doth finde 400 pioners which are continually at worke. His maiestie hath sent me a warrant to spend the
- ↑ Sic in original. Probably intended to be "Cita bella."
