Appendix C
Autos from AGI Mexico 618:
Decree: Don Joseph Sarmiento de Valladares, Conde de Moctezuma, Viceroy of Mexico …In view of the representation made on the 21st of February of this year by the military engineer of this kingdom, don Jaime Frank and the decree of the 15th of May and report of the same day from the Maestro de Campo don Andrés de Arriola and the reply of His Majesty's Fiscal of the 18th of said month, I have decided that because the little lorcha named Nuestra Señora de los Remedios which was leaving with supplies from Havana to go to the Bay of Santa Maria de Galve has been lost and because it is necessary to continue the aids to that Presidio, then it is also necessary to purchase a vessel not only for this objective but also to keep me informed of the reports from that Bay and for other urgencies of His Majesty's service there. [This vessel must be] of thirty-five to forty cubits of keel and be able to sail through two varas (sic) of water. Therefore, so that this has effect, by these presents, I command the Governor and Royal Officials of Veracruz that with the intervention of the Inspector of the Windward Fleet, they go to look for and purchase a frigate of the referred to size of thirty five to forty cubits of keel and which can sail in two varas (sic) of water. [However], they must give me an account of its cost beforehand so that in view of it, I can give the appropriate orders and so that it can be proceeded on in view of the appropriate or inappropriate things that can result from the actions that they take. This must be done with attention to the most favorable and greatest savings that can be possible for the Royal Estate. Mexico and May 25th of 1699. Don Joseph Sarmiento = By command of His Excellency = Don Francisco de Morales.
Auto: In the new city of Veracruz on the first of June of 1699, the Maestro de Campo don Francisco Lorenz de Rada, knight of the order of Santiago, Governor of the political and military administration of this said city and the Señores Official Judges of its Royal Hacienda and Coffer and placed [here] by His Majesty, the Accountant don Miguel Gonzales de Figueroa, and the Factor and Inspector Accountant don Francisco de la Carrada who serves in this position because of the absence, on the account of and at the risk of, its proprietary without the presence of the Señor don Joseph de Arizaga, Royal Official Judge Treasurer, companion of the said Señores because he was indisposed for health reasons. [They have] seen the order from the Most Excellent Señor Viceroy Conde de Moctezuma found on the folio corresponding to this one, dated the 25th of May just past, and countersigned by don Francisco de Morales which said Maestro de Campo received with the mail that arrived from Mexico City on the night of the 31st day of the referred to month of May. In this, His Excellency commands the said Señores Governor and Royal Official Judges that with the intervention of the inspector of the Windward Fleet, they pass to inspect and purchase a frigate of the port of 35 to 40 cubits of keel. [This must further] be able to sail in dos brazas of water in order to continue sending aid to the bay and port of Santa Maria de Galve. In addition, His Excellency must be given an account of this before the contract is struck so that in view of this, he may give the appropriate orders so that they proceed to do it.
Also, in obedience to and in compliance with his order, the said Señores ordered that the said dispatch be reported to the Señor don Domingo Rodríguez Dias, Inspector and Accountant of the Windward Fleet so that inasmuch as it concerns him, he assists in the actions that are taken by their Honors by virtue of it. Further, [he is to be told] that he is to notify the Captain Diego Sánchez Duran for them and also Melchor Bela, Senior Master Ship's Carpenter of the said Royal Windward Fleet and the Senior Caulker, Alonso de Utrera and Pedro de Ojeda, Senior Carpenter of the Flota and Armada anchored in this port under the command of don Juan Baptista Mascarua, knight of the order of Santiago and Antonio Faba and Juan Benitez, Senior Masters of the Carpentry and Caulking of the Royal Fleet of the squadron of the Carzera de las Indias anchored in this port under the command of the Señor General don Martin de Aranguren Zavala, knight of the same order; that they must make a declaration under oath about the vessels that are currently anchored in this port, belonging to individuals and which are the most suitable in terms of port and quality as are expressed in said order so that with their opinion, he may provide that which is most appropriate. Further, they signed it: don Francisco Lorenz de Rada = Miguel Gonzales = Francisco de la Carrada = before me, Thomas Sánchez de Lavandero, Notary Public and of the Cabildo.
Legal Notification:…By Lavandero to Rodríguez Dias on the 1st of June…He says he is ready to intervene in the purchase of the frigate that His Excellency assigns and orders by the cited dispatch and according to and in the form that it requires...
Notification:…Veracruz 1st of June…Duran, Bela, etc informed
Another…the rest are legally noticed
Declaration: In the new city of Veracruz on the 3rd of June of 1699, the Maestro de Campo don Francisco Lorenz de Rada, knight of the order of Santiago, Governor of the political and military administration of this said city and the Señores Official Judges of its Royal Hacienda and Coffer and placed [here] by His Majesty, the Accountant don Miguel Gonzales de Figueroa, and the Factor and Inspector Accountant don Francisco de la Carrada who serves in this position because of the absence, on the account of and at the risk of, its proprietary without the presence of the Señor don Joseph de Arizaga, Royal Official Judge Treasurer, companion of the said Señores because he was indisposed for health reasons:
Duran, Bela, Benitez, Ojeda and Utrera appeared before them and said under oath that they had seen and inspected all the ships belonging to individuals that were found fit with the port and quality that His Excellency expresses. These were first, the Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Joseph which is owned by don Alejandro Pott and whose Master is don
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 About 33 inches. The remainder of the document refers
to two brazas rather than two varas. The use of vara here is assumed to be an
error.
2 This is assumed to be a codo de ribera or shipbuilders cubit. 1 Spanish shipbuilders
cubit equals 23.37 inches. Therefore, the keel length would be from 68.125 feet
to 77.9 feet.
3 With a braza of 5.5 feet this would be 11 feet.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Antonio de Bustamente, which is of the size of 35 cubits of keel, 11½ cubits wide, 13 palmos of depth in its hold (vodega), Campeche built (fabrica Campechana) and six years old with two decks and a quarter deck up to the mast of 6½ palmos (alcasar asta el pie de palo de seis palmos y medio), the between decks and the quarterdeck of 7 [palmos] which fully loaded draws 17 palmos of water.
The frigate named the Santo Christo de Maracaibo, owner and master is Miguel Perez de Aranguibel, built in Maracaibo, 2 years old, of 36 cubits of keel, 11½ of width, of 2 decks, 10½ palmos in the hold and 6 between decks with its little cabin (camerita). Fully loaded it draws 14 palmos of water.
The frigate Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu, its master
is don Martin Celidonio de Ybieta, built in Campeche and on its first voyage,
of 38 ½ cubits of keel and of 2 decks and 13 palmo sof depth in the hold
and 8 between decks with its quarterdeck and stern castle as well as 13½
of width. Fully loaded it draws 20 palmos which will be 2½ brazas of
water. It needs replacement (de boda) of its masts and spars, artillery and
all its equipment and the hanging sails that it has, came from another old ship
and only the hull is useful because it is new. All the rest of the commercial
frigates fell outside the specifications that His Excellency expresses in his
order and even more, it has 30 cubits of keel. This is what they have said and
is the truth under the oath they have sworn and they sign and ratify it. They
further signed it with the said Señores and the said Melchor Bela with
a little seal that he uses. Don Francisco Lorenz de Rada, Miguel Gonzales, Francisco
de la Carrada, Pedro de Ojeda, Alonso de Ubera, Melchor Bela = With my intervention,
Domingo Rodríguez Diaz. Before me, Don Gaspar Francisco de Viera Senior
Notary of the Registry.
Auto: list of those present omitted…Asked for a declaration of equipment
and work needed on the vessels mentioned above…asked for the masters and
owners to be informed to present inventories of what was on the ships…
Declaration:…list of people omitted…The Captain Diego Sánchez Duran, Melchor Vela, senior master of carpentry who is holding the office of captain of the dockyard of the Royal Windward Fleet, Juan Benites, etc… They said that in what they were able to examine about the 3 frigates which are mentioned in their first declaration, because their ballast prevented more as well as part of the cargo which they needed (leave in place in order) to sail, is the following:
The frigate named Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Joseph, its master Antonio de Bustamente, needs a main topmast for the foremast and another one for the bow (necesita del palo del trinquete vn mastelero mayor y otro de proa ) because those that it has are in bad shape and for the reasons expressed, it is not possible to know what kind of careening it needs although these that are making the declaration believe that since it has had a new bottom four months ago, it will be sufficient with an examination of it.
As concerns the frigate named Santo Christo de Maracaibo, owner Miguel Perez de Aranguibel, according to what has been examined it needs to be reinforced (fortalezer) with campasas from the sleeper (durmiente) to the keel because it has the most lumbres de acodo or wide spaces and at 3 palmas and also [needs] thicker planks placed from the poop to the prow (Por tener las mas lumbres de acodo o ancho y a tres palmas y asimismo hecharle palmejares de popa a proa), four on each side (quatro por cada vanda). This is because those that it has are very thin (delgado). Inasmuch as to the bottom, because it is new and because it has not been more than 2 years since it was constructed, they are thought to be good.
As concerns the frigate named Nuestra Señora de
Aranzazu of which Martin Celidonio de Ybieta is the master, as they have said
in their first declaration, only from the hull was it possible to make a judgement
because it was new and on the first voyage from Campeche where it was built,
to this port and it needs all the masts and spars, rigging, sails and artillery.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 This could also mean that it needs a foremast, a main topmast for the mainmast
and a replacement for the bowsprit.
2 May also mean sheathed.
3 The meaning is unclear, but it may mean particular types of boards made out
of campano, a Central American wood used in shipbuilding.
4 These may be boards or beams with a space of about 10 inches between them
if the palmo referred to here is 3 inches. On the other hand, if the palmo is
8.5 inches it is possible that there is a space of 25½ inches between
them, if indeed this refers to the spaces between the boards and not the boards
themselves.
5 This seems to indicate that the thicker boards were to be placed on the sides
of the ship rather than adjacent to the keel.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Further, they swear that what they have said is the truth under the oath they have sworn, on which they affirm and ratify and those that knew how, signed it with the said Señores and the said Melchor Vela with a little seal he uses…
Notification to the Shipmasters: In the New City of Veracruz on the 3rd day of June of 1699, I the senior notary of the Royal Hacienda legally noticed the auto provided for what it concerns, to Martin Celedonio de Ybieta, master of the frigate named Nuestra Señora de Aranzazuia, Antonio de Bustamente, master of the frigate Nuestra Señora del Rosario and to Miguel Perez de Aranguibel master of the frigate named the Santo Christo de Maracaybo in person. Who, having heard and understood it, said that they shall comply with what it orders them to do. I so attest. Don Gaspar Francisco de Biera senior notary of the Registry.
Inventory of the Frigate of the Sailing Master Antonio de Bustamente: List of what was on the Nuestra Señora del Rosario, San Joseph y las Animas.
First the hull with 36 cubits of keel
Item: 11½ cubits of width
Item: 12 palmos of depth in the hold
Item: 6 palmos between the decks
Item: 2 pumps (bombas) with 6 pump boxes (morteros) 4 upper boxes or spear-boxes
(guarniciones) of a pump, its pump-hook and another type of pump-hook (su sacanobo
y asador)
Item: Its new launch with its grapnel (reson = rezon) and oars (remos)
Item: Its new cooking-stove (fogon)
Item: Its crujia and everything it needs and its netting of agave fiber cordage
(jareta de Cauo de Jeniquen).
Item: Three regular anchors and a stream anchor with a fluke missing (tres anclas
y vn anclote con vna pata menos)
Item: 2 new cables and one used cable and another that is very old.
Item: 1 used laid rope (calabrote de media vida)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 It seems that there are two types of pump-hooks mentioned
here unless both of these words are referring to the same pump-hook.
2 This seems to be some sort of anchor, probably shaped like a grappling iron.
3 This might be a gangplank
4 Patija means fluke of an anchor.
5 May be some sort of wooden separator for the rigging, covered in hemp to reduce
friction.
6 Probably the main-tack and the fore-tack.
7 Could also be a small crank.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Item: Its principal masts and spars, 4 topgallants and 4 jib booms: The mast
of the launch and its boom, all of pine (sus palos principales y masterleros:
quatro juanetes y quatro botalones: El palo de la lancha y su vota vara, todo
de pino).
Item: Sus tablas de Jarcia de cañamo with their stays made of hemp
Item: The rigging (aparejo) on all the ship of agave fiber.
Item: 2 tacks (amuras) and 1 half piece of new rigging made of agave fiber and
another half of hemp
Item: One mainsail, 1 foresail, 1main topsail and one mizzen sail, all used
(vna vela mayor: vn trinquete y vna vela de gavia y vna mesana: todas de media
vida)
Item: 1 fore topsail and sprit-sail from a voyage from Campeche (vn belacho
y sevadera (=cebadera?) de vn viage de Campeche)
Item: 4 good topgallants (quarto juanetes buenos)
Item: 4 old main-top studding-sails (quatro alas viejas)
Item: 3 awnings for the ship's waist (tres toldos de combes)
Item: 2 old flags, 1 for the prow and the one for the quarterdeck? (dos vanderas
viejas, vna de proa y la de quadra)
Item: 1 flag
Item: 3 Gimbaletes for the pumps.
Item: Its rudder with 5 rudder pintles, its tiller and 2 whip-staffs and its
gooseneck of the tiller (su timon con cinco machos su caña y dos pinsotes
y su zigiñuela = cigüeñuela).
Item: Its binnacle (bitacora)
Item: 10 cannons, 8 of them 4-pounders and 2 6-pounders with 8 new gun carriages
and 2 good ones. With each cannon there is a rammer of wood and another of cauo
and its gunners ladle and its linstock and its cartridge case, priming horn
and gimlet (guarda cartucho su chifle y abuja), 10 balls to each one.
Item: 41 linen gunpowder cartridges and 3 earthen jugs (votijas) [of gunpowder]
Item: 21 iron grenades
Item: 6 bunches of fuse (mazos de cuerda)
Item: 4 blunderbusses or wall guns, 6 flintlock muskets, 3 shotguns and 12 pikes
(quatro esmeriles, seis mosquetes de chispa y tres escopetas y doze chuzos)
Item: 4 block and tackles, 2 of them for working the spars and sails and the
other 2 small (quatro quadernales dos de arbolar y dos chicos)
Item: 2 dozen pulleys in reserve
Item: 12 ceramic jugs for taking on fresh water (botijas de aguada)
Item: 4 barrels for taking on fresh water (pipas de aguada)
Item: 2 binas and 2 collapsible ringed leather buckets? (dos binas y dos baldes
rizos medollar).
Item: 2 axes, 1 chisel (escoplo), 1 Azemucho, 1 drill (barrena)
Item: 1 lantern (lanterna)
Antonio de Bustamente
Inventory of the Frigate of Sailing Master Miguel Perez de Aranguibel: List of what was on the Santo Christo de Maracaibo, owner Miguel Perez de Aranguibel.
First a mainmast with its main yard and its 2 year old rigging, 2 topmasts with rigging and 2 main topsails and their rigging (Primeramente vn palo mayor con su verga mayor y su Jarcia de dos años dos masterleros de Jarcia y dos vergas de gavia y su jarcia) = A main topgallant sail with its topgallant yard and a main stay, 2 main sails, one brand new and the other old, an almost new topgallant sail, a half used up topgallant sail (vn juanete mayor con su verga de juanete y vn estae mayor dos velas maiores la una nueva de la abuja y la otra vieja una bela de gavia casi nueva; vn juanete mayor de media vida)
More, a foremast with all its hanging rigging with its foremast yard (Mas vn palo de trinquete con toda su jarcia pendiente con su verga de trinquete)
More, 2 fore-topmasts with their 2 yards and all their hanging rigging (Mas dos masterleros del velacho con sus dos vergas y toda su jarcia pendientes)
More. the fore-topgallant sail with its yards and hanging rigging (Mas el juanete de proa con sus vergas y Jarcia pendiente)
More, 2 half used up foresails (Mas dos trinquetes de media vida vida (sic))
More, a brand new fore-topsail (Mas vn velacho nuebo de la abuja)
More, a half used up fore-topgallant sail (Mas vn juanete de proa de media vida)
Item: More, the bowsprit with its sprit-sail yard and fore sprit-sail, the fore sprit-sail with its yard, a half used up sprit-sail, a new fore sprit-sail (Mas el baupres con su verga de la seuadera y juanete la sobre sebadesa con su verga; vna vela de la seuadera de media vida; vna vela de huanete nueva de sobre sebadera)
Item: A mizzenmast and all its hanging rigging and with its yard and cat-head yard?, more its topsail and its yard with all its hanging rigging (vn palo de la mesana y toda su jarcia pendiente y con su verga y verga de gata mas su juanete y su verga con toda su jarcia pendiente)
More, an old mizzen sail (Mas una vela de la mesana vieja)
More, the mizzen topgallant sail which is new (Mas la vela del juanete la sobre mesana nueva)
More, a flagstaff for the quarterdeck with its 2 flags (Mas vna hasta de vandera de la quadra con sus dos vanderas)
More, 2 pennons for the prow (Mas dos vanderolas de proa)
Item: 2 anchors and a kedge anchor (dos anclas y un anclote)
More, 3 cables, 2 of them good and one of them old, one of them made of hemp (Mas tres cables las dos buenos y el vno viejo, el vno de cañamo)
More, 2 laid ropes, one of them new and the other old, the new one is made of hemp (Mas dos calabrotes el uno nuevo y el otro viejo, el nuevo de cañamo)
Item: more, 10 pieces of artillery of 4 pounder caliber, each one with its gun carriages and equipment (mas diez piezas de artilleria de a quatro libras de vala cada vno con sus cureñas y aparejos)
Item: more, 8 breech loading boarding guns with their 2 chambers apiece (mas ocho pedreros con sus dos camaras cada uno)
More, 180 iron balls for the said artillery with more, 11 bar shots (Mas ciento y ochenta valas de fierro de la dha artilleria con mas, onze palanquetes)
More, 14 flintlocks with their leather powder bags (Mas catorce escopetas con sus garnieles)
More, 14 [struck through] 12 arrobas of lead balls (catorce doze Arrobas de valas de plomo
Item: More, 10 sponges and 2 gunners ladles with their wormers for the said artillery (Mas diez lanadas y tres cucharas con sus sacatropos para la dha artilleria)
More, 16 linstocks and 10 priming horns in order to fire the said artillery (dies y seis votafuegos y dies chifles para seuar dha artilleria)
More, 5 cartridge cases (Mas cinco guarda cartuchos)
More, 5 goat's foot levers (Mas cinco pies de cabra)
More, 5 quintals of gunpowder (Mas cinco quintales de polvora)
More, a cauldron (Mas un caldero)
More, an axe and a hatchet and a hammer and a saw (Mas una hacha y una hachuela y un martillo y una zierra)
More, 300 ceramic jugs for taking on fresh water (Mas trescientos votijas para la aguada)
More, the ship's launch (Mas la lanche (sic) del navio)
Miguel Perez de Aranguibel
Inventory of the Frigate of Sailing Master Martin (sic): List of what was on the Frigate Nuestra Señora de Aranguren, San Fermin y San Francisco Xavier. Martin Celidonio de Ybietta.
Firstly, the hull with its masts, the mainmast is not good enough to sail with without a great deal of repair and topmasts which are not the right size for the hull (Primeramente el casco con sus arboles, el mayor insuficiente para viage sin mucho aliño y masteleros fuera de la quenta que le corresponden al casco)
Its half used up hanging rigging which was made for a smaller vessel as were the topmasts (Sus jarcias pendiente de media vida y de embarcacion de menos porte como son los masterleros)
Its yards, the greater part [are] the wrong size (Sus vergas, la mayor fuera de la quenta rejular (?) que le corresponde)
Its half used up sails without any reserve sails more than only some used as awnings to cover the waist of the ship (Sus velas de media vida sin ningunas de respecto mas de tan solo algunas de toldos de combes)
Item: 10 cannons, 6 are 4 pounders and 4 are 2 pounders (Diez cañones, los seis de a quatro y quatro de a dos libras de valas)
Item: 3 gunners ladles and 4 sponges (tres cucharas y quatro lanadas)
Item: 3 quintals of gunpowder, 2 of them for cannons and the other fine gunpowder (tres quintales de polvora, los dos de basta y el otro fina)
Item: A portion of cannon balls for the artillery (porcion de valas de la artilleria)
Item: A double-tackle on each cannon, with 2 being needed with their pulleys (vn palaquin en cada cañon siendo necesario dos con sus montones (montones = motones))
Item: 25 flintlock muskets both Spanish and foreign and a blunderbuss (veinte y cinco escopetas españolas y extrangeras y un esmeril)
Item: Some musket balls and a quintal of lead (alguna valeria de escopetas y vn quintal de plomo)
Item: 2 new cauldrons for cooking (dos calderos nuevos para the vsso de hacer de comer)
Item: a jack for arming and disarming (un gato de armar y desarmar)
Item: 2 new ship's lanterns (dos faroles nuevos del vsso dela fregata)
Item: 2 new lanterns for saying mass (dos faroles nuevos de decir missas)
Item: Beyond the 10 new gun carriages for the artillery, another 6 that are used (fuera de las diez cureñas de la Artilleria nuevas, otras seis vssadas)
Item: An new unused main topmast (un mastelero mayor nuebo sin usar)
Item: A new unused bowsprit (vn baupres nuebo sin usar)
Item: Topgallants without sails, their rigging and their yards (los masteleros de juanete sin velas , su jarcia y sus vergas)
Item: 2 small reserve yards and a small topmast (dos vergas pequeñas de respecto y vn mastelero pequeño)
Item: Its launch with 10 new oars (su lancha con diez remos nueba)
Item: an new anchor probably shaped like a grappling iron for the launch (vn reson de ella nueba)
Item: for 3 large kedge anchors (por tres anclas grandes)
Item: For 2 sisal hemp cables of 15 and 16 inches (por dos cables de jeniquen de quinze y diez y seis pulgadas)
Item: for 2 laid ropes of 6 to 7 inches, each one of twisted thread sisal hemp (por los dos calabrotes de seis a siete pulgadas cada uno de jeniquen de ybietta)
Auto: In the New City of Veracruz on the 6th of June of 1699, the Señor
Maestro de Campo don Francisco Lorenz de Rada…list of attendees omitted
They looked over the current actions and the previous ones on the purchase of a frigate of 35 to 40 cubits of keel and which can sail in 2 brazas of water in order to continue sending aid to the Bay of Santa Maria de Galve. [They found] that by the declarations that the various ships masters, carpenters and the like had made it is evident that the one that best fits the size and condition set out in the order that is found at the beginning of these autos, are the above mentioned frigates. Therefore having seen inventories that have been presented concerning the equipment of the said frigates, the said Señor Governor and Judges ordered that the said masters of the frigates be legally summoned to appear before their Honors to tell and declare the price that each one has to be given for his said frigate in case that His Excellency may be pleased to make the selection of anyone of them in order to purchase it on His Majesty's account for the effect stated in the said order. This was done with the intervention of the Señor don Domingo Rodríguez Diaz, inspector and accountant of the Royal Windward Fleet as was ordered in it and thus they so provided, ordered and signed. (omit signatories)
Notification to the shipmasters: 6th of June, Perez, Bustamente and Celedonio de Ybietta were noticed.
Declaration of the prices of the purchase of each Frigate; In the Contaduría of Veracruz on the 8th of June of 1699…omit attendees…
The said Antonio de Bustamente said that although he was found without an order from don Pedro Alejandro Pott, vecino of Campeche and owner of the said Frigate of which he is the master, to be able to sell it, that in case His Excellency was pleased to command it be purchased, he must be paid for its hull, masts and spars, rigging and hanging sails (velamen pendientes) and the rest that is evidenced from the inventory and he has presented, fifteen thousand pesos.
The said Captain Miguel Perez de Aranguibel said that for doing a service for His Majesty, he would sell his Frigate if such is the selection of His Excellency, he will sell it with all of the masts and spars pendiente and the rest that is evidenced from the inventory presented, for twenty six thousand pesos.
The said Captain Martin Celedonio de Ybieta said that for making the same service to His Majesty, if His Excellency selects his frigate, he will sell it with all the masts, spars and rigging on it and the rest of the materiel that is evidenced from its inventory, for thirty thousand pesos.
This was seen by Their Honors and they commanded the said owners and masters not to dispose of their ships nor any of the materiel belonging to them and that is evidenced by the inventory until His Excellency has an opportunity to choose…
Letter: Transmittal letter for the above of the 17th of June of 1699. Miguel Gonzales and Francisco de la Carrada.
…it is evident that of the frigates that there are in this port, the ones best fitted for this purpose are …..
Decree: Mexico 21st of June of 1699. To the Señor Fiscal so that with the assistance of the Maestro de Campo don Andrés de Arriola, he informs me what is most appropriate. Rubricated by His Excellency
Reply of the Fiscal: Most Excellent Señor: The Fiscal has gotten together with the Maestro de Campo don Andrés de Arriola and examined the autos sent by the Royal Officials of Veracruz with the measures and inventories. It appears that the best one for the reconnoiter that must be made of the Gulf of Mexico is the one named the Santo Christo de Maracaibo not only by being the one that draws the least water for the referred to objective but also by being better supplied as it appears from its inventory. Further, although the senior masters assigned it the work because it had a space from timber to timber of a cubit (acodo) and at 3 palmos and to put in thick boards from poop to prow because the ones that it had were thin, the Maestro de Campo thinks that all this could be excused for now respective of the fact that this vessel is new and has no more than 2 years and it shall be (possible) to reinforce it with timbers and stop the movement (y sera cargarla de madera y quitarle el andar) . In case due to the high price they ask for this one, it is decided not to make the agreement, then of the other two proposed by the Royal Officials, the one named the Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Joseph appears the most sufficient despite the fact that it needs equipping in all its rigging because it is of sisal fiber (henequen) and also to re-mast it with the new foremast and the 2 topmasts. In this knowledge, the Fiscal agrees with the opinion of don Andrés de Arriola. He is of the opinion that Your Excellency may order the Royal Officials and the Governor to have the masters that examined the said frigates appraise those that are selected with their legitimate value according to the shape they are in and how old they are and make an evaluation which they secretly give the Governor and Royal Officials at the agreement and contract and they an account to Your Excellency of what results with the warning that the price that shall remain must not be paid until don Andrés de Arriola sees the vessel and it is of his satisfaction. Your Excellency shall decide on all of this, that which Your Excellency is pleased to. Mexico and June 22 of 1699. Licentiate Baltasar de Tovar
Decree: Mexico and June 22, 1699, to the Junta General. Rubricated by His Excellency
Junta General: In the Junta General held the 22nd of June of 1699…omit names of attendees…
Having seen in this Junta General the letters and autos
written to His Excellency by the Royal Officials of Veracruz on the 17th of
the current month…They are to look at the two vessels and then follow the
advice of the Fiscal and report everything back to the Viceroy.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 May be some sort of wooden separator for the rigging, covered in hemp to reduce
friction.
2 Probably the main-tack and the fore-tack.
3 Could also be a small crank.
4 About 300 pounds.
5 May mean that the space between the timbers is a cubit in width and 3 palmos
in depth.
6 Meaning unclear
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________