Writing A Letter To The King Of Spain

Writing a Letter to the King of Spain

by Lynn Galvin

In 1728 a Native American, Francisco Jospogue, leader of the Native people living at

Little Nombre de Dios Mission near St. Augustine, La Florida, had a major problem to solve. He decided to write to the King of Spain.

Writing a letter to the King of Spain involved special considerations. First, letters to

Spanish kings must be written in a particular format. The letter was a “formula” letter, and had to include certain polite phrases. Most people did not know how to compose such a special letter, so they hired a scribe to write the letter for them.

At the top of the letter there was often the word “Senor,” (Lord) with a simple sign of the Cross inscribed, indicating the writer was both professional and a Catholic. Only

Catholics could hope to receive help from the King. In later years scribes often wrote “J

M J” which stood for “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” a further notation of Catholic piety.

The letter from Francisco Jospogue was a petition. It asked for assistance. An interesting fact is that Francisco did not receive an answer to his petition for six years.

Letters did not go directly to the King. Testimonies to support the petition from people who could verify Francisco’s truth and Catholic status had to be collected before

Francisco’s letter was sent. People in Spanish colonial America, by choice or by assignment, often moved. That meant Francisco might have to gather testimonies from the Caribbean or even Mexico or South America, which involved mail by ship, a slow and unpredictable method of delivery. Once testimonies were gathered, they were attached to the letter and could then be sent to Spain, again by ship. The formula ending for a letter to the King of Spain was, “May God safeguard your majesty and I kiss your hand.” If a Queen had been receiving the letter, it would have read: “May God safeguard your majesty and I kiss your feet.”

After the letter was written and the scribe identified himself as the writer, the petitioner signed the document. Many people in colonial Spanish America were unable to write, and marked a Catholic cross (which became an “X” when they did not write it straight) as a signature. Francisco Jospogue was able to write his name in a firm, clear hand, which shows he was probably schooled at the mission. A letter was rolled and tied with formal words of address on its outside, and sometimes sealed with wax.

Francisco’s situation, in requiring the services of a scribe, emphasizes that history truly relies on those who can write. In 1728 (as well as today) people who could not write, or find a way to have someone write on their behalf, were at a disadvantage in life.

Francisco’s petition was finally granted in 1734. As a loyal Catholic subject, his sacrifices were accepted by the King, and a pension of two reales a day, were awarded.

Francisco never saw his first family again. However, he did remarry and have more children. When the Spanish left St. Augustine in 1763, Francisco was probably already deceased. (Historians estimate he was born between 1660-1665.) However, his second wife’s name was listed as being transported to Cuba and eligible for continuing to receive her husband’s pension. She received it for a year or two, and then her name no longer appeared on the pension list.

340 years after the settlement of the mission, Francisco’s letter is a window into New

World Spanish social inclusion in colonial society. The letter shows that he considered himself a Spanish Catholic citizen, and the King’s award shows that the King agreed.