1754. Carta de Francisco de Espina, cura, al licenciado don Bernardo Ramírez de Arellano, corregidor de Villarcayo.

Private letter from Francisco de Espina, priest, to Mr. Bernardino Ramírez de Arellano, mayor of Villarcayo.

The author informs the recipient about the circumstances of his sister, the former maid of the mayor.

In 1754, an impeachment trial was instructed against Don Bernardino Ramírez de Arellano, mayor of Villarcayo. Among the charges, there are those of not having a book with the register of all the condemnations and the legal expenses while he had been in office, and of taking too much time to deal with the litigants. A different charge was the one related to this letter, which accused him of misconduct with his maid, María Antonia de Espina, which resulted in her pregnancy and the birth of a child. Don Bernardino's defense presented a letter written by the brother of María Antonia, in which he informed the mayor about the delicate situation she was in. Since this was the first news that Don Bernardino had about the circumstances of María Antonia, they could hardly have been caused by him. The letter does not suggest that he was responsible for the facts, rather it is a call for help, with the intention of making him take charge of mother and child. This letter, as well as the various testimonies presented, besides the non-appearance of the maid in court, resulted in the acquittal of the mayor regarding this particular charge.