The people in this place are very few, and all labor without anything given to us. We gain nothing but labor and exhaustion. They say that in this manner, they do not want to labor without any reward, and neither do I want that they work for nothing. Sir, this is what the Lord Governor had said to me. "Lend me the land; afterward, leaving the government, it will be returned to you." This was said to me, but now, they say to me that it is all the land of the King. If I were in Apalachee, where there are many people that would serve him, I would serve him too, if he were far away. Always do we serve His Grace, the law of God, and what the King commands. We would not abandon it. For the love of God, Your Grace, who is principal man and is in place of the King, I humbly request that I be pardoned this land which God has given me, even though it is bad. Fearing that Your Grace would be irritated, that to not offend him, it was lent, and under no circumstances was it sold. Your Grace would know this. Sir, I humbly pray that you hear me. God give Your Majesty good health. I have health thanks to God. San Miguel de Asile. I, the Cacique Manuel, say this.
I certify, as the friar Alonso Escudero, guardian of the convent of Santa Cruz de Tari, that this copy of the letter agrees with the original written by the Cacique Manuel of Asile in his language, which was delivered to me for its translation by the sergeant-major Don Pedro Benedit Horuytiner, governor and captain general of these provinces. I did it well and faithfully to the best of my knowledge and understanding. And it is certain and true, in San Agustín de la Florida on the ninth of December of the year one thousand six hundred and fifty-one.
Fray Alonso Escudero.
