1745. Carta de Diego Rojas de Vera para Domingo Rolis Machado.

Letter from Diego Rojas de Vera to Domingo Rolis Machado.

The author asks Domingo Rolis Machado to travel to Ceuta in order to help him to obtain certain quantity of gold and silver.

In the documentation of this process, there were three letters and a writ with instructions to perform a spell. These instructions read as follows:

Once all the paraphernalia is set on a table: a candle with a lid and a base; the thirty ounces of gold (exact, weighed and excluded in case of doubt); an ounce of silver (also exact); three rings without a scratch or missing a stone; a basin of common salt; a brazier with embers; a sheet of paper; two cloaks and two hats. Both Mister Domingo and Pedro shall wear the cloaks and the hats and Mister Domingo will take the candle and leave the lid and the base on the table. Firstly, he will throw three hints of salt from the basin and the thirty ounces of gold into the concave part of the candle. Then Pedro will throw three hints of salt and the ounce of silver. Then Mister Domingo will throw again three more hints of salt and the three rings. Then, either one or the other will finish filling the concave part of the candle with the remaining salt until it is properly filled and pressed and the objects inside do not move. And then, either one will heat the lid with the embers and seal it making sure it is fixed. Once finished, the second note will be opened.

Second stage. 2. Now Mister Diego will take the candle and place it on the palm of his right hand and the base on the palm of his left hand. And then, shoulder-to-shoulder and being Mister Diego on the right-hand side, they will walk three natural steps at the same time and compass, firs forward and then backwards. After it is finished, Pedro will take the candle and will carry out the exact same thing. These actions must be repeated by both Pedro and Mister Diego, although this time they must perform it using the left hand instead. Once they finish, the third note will be opened.

Third stage. 3. Now Mister Domingo will take the candle and put it in the jacket or justacorps´ pockets on the side the sword is sheathed in and the base in the pocket of the other side. And then, shoulder-to-shoulder and being Mister Domingo on the right-hand side, they will walk three natural steps at the same time and compass, firs forward and then backwards. Once it is finished, Pedro will take the candle and the lid and will carry out the exact same thing. Once they give the last three steps backwards, they will stop and take the candle and the base out of the pockets at the same time and make them fit together. Then, the candle must be wrapped in the paper sheet and handed over to Mister Domingo; and he will keep it wherever he thinks is suitable. Then they must go separate ways for three hours, fifteen minutes or half an hour. A moment before the three hours have passed, they must be reunited in the same house, they will go to the same room. They must wear the cloaks and the hats, throw more embers in the brazier, Mister Domingo will take out the candle and remove the paper sheet and the base. And then, either one, with the help of a blade will remove the lid very carefully not to damage the candle or the lid. The content must be emptied into the basin making sure the concave part of the candle is clean. Then Mister Domingo will take the thirty ounces of gold and the three rings, Pedro will take the silver ounce and the fourth note will be open.

Fourth stage. 4. Now Mister Domingo will take the candle leaving on the table the lid and the base and from the salt basin he will put three hints into the concave part of the candle and then the thirty ounces of gold. Then Pedro will put five hints of salt and the ounce of silver and Mister Domingo will put five more hints and the three rings. After this, either one will finish filling up the concave part of the candle until it is filled and pressed like in the previous time. And then, either one will heat the lid with the embers to seal the candle with, making sure it is fixed. Now the same ceremony from the previous stage must be repeated. (…)After it is finished, they will take off the cloaks and the hats if they wish and leave three calendar days go by. A moment before the three days are gone, they will meet again wherever Mister Domingo thinks is suitable and from there they will go to the place that Pedro knows. Mister Domingo must carry the candle wrapped in the paper sheet and Pedro will take the necessary gear to light a fire: a flint, a striker, tinder and kindling. Mister Domingo might bring to the place the people and sacks he considers necessary and once they are there the fifth note will be open.

Fifth and last stage. 5. Once in the place, Mister Domingo will take out the candle and unwrap it from the paper. Then Pedro will light the straw with the gear and either one of them will light the candle, which must be placed where Pedro knows. Marvellously after three minutes, without noise, din or vision and without leaving on the ground any red sign or hole; the attendants will watch in amazement how on the ground three thousand ounces of gold, one thousand ounces of silver and the jewellery will appear. The instant everything is out, our candle will light off itself and anybody there will break it and hand it to Mister Domingo together with his 30 ounces of gold, his ounce of silver and the three rings. Having taken everyone the correspondent part, everything will be counted by Mister Domingo and my servant will bring me word of it.