1710. Carta de María Santos de Olalla para Magdalena de Zorrilla.

Letter from María Santos de Olalla to Magdalena de Zorrilla.

The author explains to Magdalena de Zorrilla what to say in case she is inquired.

This litigation was issued in 1710 by the Crown Prosecutor against Antonio Gallo and his partners for the escape of seven inmates from the prison of Valladolid. Antonio Gallo, a rural bailiff, was accused of several offences and frauds and also of making use of his position to make extortions and release some defendants. Several bailiffs were subsequently investigated and two other cases were opened: one against Santiago Caballero for unlawful treatment and another one against Juan Pedro Flores for cohabitation and injurious words. As a whole, 6 letters linking these two parts are contained in the process documentation: 4 of them are related to Santiago Caballero´s litigation (PS6245, PS6246, PS6247 y PS6250), and the other 2 letters (PS6248 y PS6249) belong to Pedro Flores´ litigation. Santiago Caballero was accused of having unlawful treatments in Valladolid with María Santos de Olalla, a widow from Haro (La Rioja) who became pregnant. He was also accused of giving her an abortive drink. Juan Pedro Flores, also a rural bailiff, was accused of cohabitating with several women (married and single); of causing disturbances and quarrels; and of having said injurious words against various people, Santiago Caballero among them.

The letter transcribed in here was seized to Santiago Caballero and it was used to prove his unlawful relationship with María Santos de Olalla. Being asked about the content of the letter, María Santos de Olalla explained that "la zamorana" was a maidservant who lived with her; that "Conce" was the post-office clerk´s daughter from the village of Haro; and that "la endemoniada" (the demoniac) was a neighbour from the village of Haro. In her statement, María Santos de Olalla argued she could not read or write and the letter had been written by a boy named Miguel de Prado following Magdalena de Zorrilla´s instructions. She also explained that the finality of the letter was to mock Santiago Caballero, therefore the letter was full of nonsense and lies and there was not a relationship between them. However, it was proved she lied in the statement, also that the unlawful relationship really existed and that she had been the brain behind the letter. In order to prove so two more documents were provided: the letter transcribed in here in which María Santos de Olalla tells Magdalena de Zorrilla about her statement and asks her to declare the same if the opportunity presented itself; and Miguel de Prado´s signed confession in which he explains the sentimental relationship between María Santos de Olalla and Santiago Caballero. Due to its interest for the context, Miguel de Prado´s confession is included hereunder (piece 4, fols. 4r-v):

«Although it is true I have sworn, it was because it seemed to me I was bound to keep the secret that no one else knew. But I see now it is a matter of public knowledge and my confessor has advised me to declare all I know. So, I repeat that it is true that María Santos de Olalla and Santiago Caballero corresponded and they wrote each other infinite letters. She used to send her maidservant, who was accompanied by Gallo, with two letters. She also sent Batista with another letter and asked him to go and collect certain money. The man said it was not true that the reason for him to return halfway was because he did not want the remittance to be lost, but because he was afraid that any harm could come to him. It is true I was present when the letter included in the case was written. In respect of the remedy mentioned in the letter, it was not me who added it, but her. I thought that could not be good, so I talked about it to someone who advised me to denounce it to avoid missing a soul, since that remedy seemed to be a feticide. And it was through the discernment of letters she received in which he held not having hope of seeing her again, that she would be better off dead and that it was sickening not being able to see the eyes he so desired. And she said there was a spell upon her, because she could not look at anyone else but Santiago Caballero. She told me so sometimes and she also told me he had given her the fabric for a blue dress and another green-striped droguett cymar. She also told me he had asked for two hundred reals to the secretary in order to give it to her but he got nothing. She also told me that in Santo Domingo he asked again for two doubloons to send it to her [...]. All those things were gifts to María Santos de Olalla from Santiago Caballero. And she told all this to Magdalena de Zorrilla. She also said she did not like talking to the major, but only to Santiago Caballero. She mentioned she was once serving him at the table and when everyone was gone to bed, he would stay and the maid servant had suspected something. [...] Magdalena de Zorrilla can also confess these facts. I swear and state that all of this has been told after [...]. And you can also take a testimony from Antonia de Ubago for her to manifest the truth».