(Worth SGC) DOCUMENT 5: ORDERS REGARDING THE PROVINCE OF GUALE ORDER 4: GUERRA Y VEGA TO ARGUELLES, MARCH 4, 1665 The order which follows evidently stems from political difficulties within the province of Guale, specifically relating to a pair of Indians who disobeyed the mico of Mission Santa Catalina (probably Don Alonso Menendez). It seems doubtful whether an incident of this kind alone would motivate the caciques of Guale to ask for help from the Spanish Governor of St. Augustine, but Guerra's statement that the actions of these two Indians resulted in the "general admiration" of the rest of the Indians in Guale suggests that the caciques of Guale considered these rebels as a real threat to their power. Viewed in this light, the disobedience noted in the introduction to this order may only have been the tip of the iceberg, perhaps reflecting a deeper social unrest. The causes for this are unclear, but the fact that the caciques of Guale asked Governor Guerra for assistance reveals the degree to which aboriginal leaders depended upon Spanish legitimization and support in retaining political control over their own societies. Interestingly, the governor seems to have arrived at the conclusion that certain unnamed female leaders had prompted the disobedience through their inability to govern effectively, and thus Captain Arguelles was instructed to replace them with more capable leaders. This might suggest some sort of political split within the leadership of Guale, with the female leaders somehow involved in a general decline of respect for the mico of Santa Catalina. The fact that these cacicas were mentioned first in the Governor's order (prior to any discussion of the delinquent Indians) implies that this might have been the underlying motive in the petition for Spanish military assistance. Indeed, only two years earlier Captain Arguelles was sent to Santa Catalina to investigate and correct a decline in respect for the mico of Guale (Aranguiz y Cotes, 1663c). The 1665 trouble may have prompted a more effective solution to the same recurring problem. [f.7] Order to send Captain Antonio de Arguelles to the provinces of Guale, year of 1665. Don Francisco de la Guerra y de la Vega, governor and captain general of this city, presidio, and provinces of St. Augustine, Florida, for the King our lord. Inasmuch as the caciques of the province of Guale have come to inform me of the disobedience which two Indians displayed in the village of Santa Catharina with its mico and lord, and the destruction(31) NOTE 31. The term used here is desmantelo, which literally refers to dismantling, but which in this case probably refers to a loss of prestige or power of the mico of Santa Catharina. which they did with their evil conduct, and going to the village of San Phelipe, doing things which have caused in all that province general admiration among its natives, since they have obligated its principals to come and give me notice; and because a case of so much consequence demands a brief and effective remedy, I have determined to send a person who will arrange and adjust it; and it is suitable that this [person] is of the experience, capacity, and sufficiency which are required in similar cases; and attentive that all the necessary [qualities] coincide in the [person] of Captain Antonio [f.7, vto.] de Argfielles,(32) NOTE 32. Captain Antonio de Arguelles was a 45-year-old soldier with substantial experience in the mission provinces, and particularly those of Guale and Mocama. Serving as capitan reformado, or inactive, since 1650, he had been dispatched on many occasions for duty in the interior, including a trip to mission Santa Catalina in January of 1663, relating to the lack of proper respect among the Indians for the its mico (Arguelles, 1663c). Indeed, this earlier incident might have been directly related to this order of 1665. who is a reformado in the presidio of this city, and [attentive] to the good that on other occasions of similar consequence he has given entire satisfaction, leaving all those provinces in tranquil peace, I have deemed it appropriate to name him, as for the present I elect and name him, to whom I order that as soon as he receives this [order] he leave from this city with the infantry which I have commanded to be indicated and go to the province of Guale, where having arrived, he will endeavor to inform himself of what happened, and being [informed] about everything with clarity and distinction, if it is suitable, he will place in possession of the caciquedom the heir or those deserving, because they have informed me that the women who are governing are not sufficient, and that these [women] have caused the disturbance, endeavoring with all [f.8] wisdom to adjust this matter of so much consequence, and to capture the delinquents who cause similar disturbances, and imprisoning them; and to bring them to this city so that I can order them punished as indicated by the reports which he brings me; and if he finds other discord to adjust in all those provinces, I give him complete faculty to arrange, adjust, settle, and conform them according to what he sees suitable, and I trust in his person, and in that which both Majesties have in his service. And I order and command the micos, caciques, mandadores, and remaining principals of all that province to give him all the support and aid which is necessary for the better fulfillment of this order, on pain that I will order anyone who does the contrary to be punished with demonstration, by thus being suitable to the service of His Majesty [f.8, vto.] and to the universal peace of all those provinces. And in order to expedite this order, Juan Moreno y Segobia, governmental notary, will take the copy, since I ordered it dispatched signed by my hand, sealed with the seal of my arms, and endorsed by the undersigned secretary. Given in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, on the fourth of March, sixteen sixty-five. Don Francisco de la Guerra y de la Vega. By order of the governor and captain general, my lord, Bernave de la Trinidad, secretary. The copy of the above order by the senior governor and captain general remains in the governmental secretary's office of this province, and I turned over the original to the aforementioned for its execution. To this I swear, Juan Moreno y Segobia, public and governmental notary. Agrees with the order previously inserted, according to how the copy is taken in one of the governmental books of the archive under my charge, to which I refer. And by verbal order of the senior Colonel Don Manuel de Montiano, governor and captain general of this post and its provinces, I present the above in Florida on the fifth of August, seventeen thirty-nine. In true testimony, Francisco de Castilla Governmental Notary