1618. Carta de Francisco Ortiz para Juan de Baños, mayordomo.

Letter from Francisco Ortiz to Juan de Baños, a butler.

The author informs the butler of how he conducted himself for collecting the money the count needed and the difficulties he had.

In 1618 Arias Gonzalo Dávila, count of Puñonrostro, brought a lawsuit against his mother, Hipólita de Leyva y Cardona, seeking age leave. The count was 21 years old and was already married and he considered it was time for him to rule and administrate his properties. In order to put an end to his mother´s guardianship, he presented witnesses who verified his maturity and capability. Once the leave was granted, the countess claimed from her son a payment for her livelihood. This petition consisted in 2000 ducats per year from the properties in Casasola and 800 bushels of bread per year from the property in Alcobendas. Although the count argued it was excessive and also the fact that his mother was capable of supporting herself with the rents she had, the Council of Castile made him comply with the aforementioned payments. The count tried to avoid the obligation and argued the non-payment of his mother during her time as an administrator. Among those non-payments there were certain amounts that had to be paid to Juan de Silva, the canon of the church of Toledo. However, 10 letters proving the payments were presented, as well as two other letters mentioning those transactions addressed to Juan González, the count´s butler. In a different docket from the Council (33116) there are the rest of the pieces from the proceeding. In the seventh piece there are two other letters discharging the countess from the obligation of paying the aforementioned rents. These two last letters written on January the 5th and July the 6th 1618, were from Francisco Ortiz, the butler from the property of Chichón. Throughout the letters there are references to the payments made to the count of Puñonrostro that had hindered the compliance with the contracted obligations.