Pedro Menendez, as part of his contract with the king, was entitled to claim an immense area 25 leagues on a side-more than 5,500 square miles, by Lyon’s calculation. He was also privileged to give out large tracts (caballerias) to gentlemen and smaller ones (peonias) to foot soldiers. Although many of these grants were in Santa Elena, when the two presidios were combined the settlers from Santa Elena were given lands in and near St. Augustine as though they had been there from the start. (Bushnell KC)