Page:Jesus Maria letter (1651).djvu/4

Rh Then, my honored Lord, the white man's chief said this to me. “Lend me some land. After I stop being chief, I will be without it,” was said to me. But now, “It is the King’s land”, is said to me; “All of this is the King’s land.” In Apalachee, where there are villages of many people that have been lived in, they work for Your Honor, if I will say I work too. Those who live far away will not fail in laboring, serving, and honoring Your Honor. I will not forsake serving the word of God and the King. ___ And by the lack of working, this labor I would not do towards as well. And I would not want that by that they make it good. And by the honored love of God, may I be forgiven. Because of the one in place of the King, being the chief and principal man, may I have mercy, I beseech of your Honor. Yes, then: this land that God let me have is not good, and yet I will not divide or provide it: and by the emissary of the King who lives here, it will not be done. And it being done and arguing with me, and from what I would have been told, and from fear of His Honor, it was lent to him; but wholeheartedly, I did not provide the land but lent it to His Honor. This would be known, my Lord.

Continually returning to have mercy on me, may this happen for me, being granted mercy by Your Honor. Having mercy on me, may my words be heard. Humbly I speak to Your Honor, serving Your Honor and living here. And from what Your Honor has let me have, being granted much mercy by Your Honor, I live here, and this is written. May you live a good life from God.

I live the life that God has given me, completing this.

The chief of San Miguel de Asile, Manuel, speaks.