Summary

Petition for redhibitory action filed by Juan Baptista Richard against Joseph Rou, or Roth, for the sale of Maria and her daughter, also named Maria. Richard claims redhibitory action (i.e. “useless” or “defective good”) due to deception in the sale by both Rou and Widow Pery. The suit states that Maria (hija) is “baldada,” or “crippled,” and that the mother shares in the same unnamed disability. At the time of the purchase, Maria (madre) had been in jail for helping “negros cimarrones,” and that within a month and a few days of the sale, the mother ended up in back jail for going maroon.

Transcription
Translation

Transcription (Spanish, diplomatic)

[folio 3 recto] [digital 6]

[Marginalia:]

Señor D.ⁿ Luis de Unzaga
y Amezaga, Brigadier De[rasgado]
R.^s Ex.^s Du S.M. Gov.[rasgado]
y Capitan General de La
Provincia de La Luisiana
&^a__

[Cuerpo:]

Señor
Juan Buap.^ta Richard: puesto ã los piés de V.[rasgado]
Con el Devido Respecto, expone muy humildem[rasgado]
que havra un mes y medio que Compró De M.^r Ro[rasgado]
una Negra Con una Negritta su hija y Baldada; h[rasgado]
dose el Supp.^te en aquel entonces en Su habitacion
La Costa De los Acadiens; el Dhõ M.^r Rou se la ven[rasgado]
p.^r el precio de 350 p.^s y en la Venta que hizo ala
Supp.^te se la Dió; por no tenér La Dhã esclava nin[rasgado]
nas males Costumbres ny Defectos Diciendo que tenia
orden De venderla por pertenecer ãla Viuda Pery
que se hallava necessitada De Dineros para pagar
Deudas; Ei Supp.^te supo Luego el Contrario, porque el
S.^or Rou Compró La Dha Esclava de M.^a Pery halla
dose en la Carcel De esta Villa por haver Dado a[rasgado]
ãlos Negros Cimarrones y ella tambien ã tenido el mis[rasgado]
Defecto, el Dhõ S.^or Rou La Compró por el precio De
250 p.^~ Deviendo valer mas si fuera un buen Suj[rasgado]
Pero La Dha Viuda Pery La Dio ã este precio para

[f. 3 verso] [dig.7]

Deshacer De ella.
El pobre Supp.^te que es un pobre habitante y y[rasgado]
De Edad necessitando De una esclava para su ayuda y
que hazeres, Se fió ãl Dhõ S.^r Rou diciendole y Dandole
de palabras y por escritto que solo por la necessidad De Dhā
Viuda Se vendia La esclava que un buen Sujetto buena
tanto p.^a La Casa Como p.^a el Campo falsedad porque
ãdemas de ser Suya y ya no De la Dha Viuda, Gano
en venta cien pesos y enganó al pobre Supp.^te porque
al Cavo de mes y Dias se fue Cimarrona y esta hoy
en Dia en la Carcel de esta Ciudad.
A este fin el Supp.^te Supplica my Rendidamente
ã VS.^a Se digne attendér ã Lo arriba espressado; porque,
el Supp.^te presenta estos Renglones ã VS.^a Solamente, para
que De V.S.^a Reciba La Justicia q.^e fuere Recta
no Cessara De Rogar ã Dios que la Vidadé VSM.^a
Dilatados anõs. Nueba Orleans y 7 Henero >de 1774
Por presntado el documento Frula-
do. _______

[Firmado:] Unzaga [Rubrica, Unzaga]

Proveio ha S.^r D. Luis de Unzaga
y Amezaga a Brig.^r de los rr.^~ ex.^~ y Gov.^or

~

[f .4r] [dig.8]

3
Grãl de esta Prov.^a por S.M. q lo Firmo
en catorze de Henero demil Sett.^e seten[rasgado]
y quatro______

[Firmado:] Andres Almonester

y Roxas s.^no pu.^co
[Rubrica, Almonester]

N.^n~ Enel mizmo dia hise saver eldecreto q
antecede a Juan Bãpta Richard doyfee___

[moderno, círculo, a lápiz] 3

[Firmado:] Almonester

s.^no

[Rubrica, Almonester]

[f. 4v] [dig.9]

[en blanco]

[f. 5r] [dig.10]

[Marginalia:]

Lopres.^to
la parte
exprerando
no saver
Firmar,
15 de Hen^o
de1774_
Doy fee__

[Firmado:] Almonester

s.^no
[Rubrica, Almonester]

[Cuerpo:]

4-
Juan Bãpta Richard enlosautos q. sigl[rasgado]
contra Jph Roth sobre él engaño conq hapro-
cedido en la Venta de una negra nom.^da maria
con una neg.^ta su hija delmizmo nře, y lodemas
oy digo q.^e deimdemanda se ledio travado, y sin
embargo q.^e ei vo P. de esta fue.^a y q. tiene aqui
su familia hapando al Puesto de Manchac
dena hab.ⁿ mia p.^a estar en ella álgⁿ tpo.^~ y p.^r
el perhucio q.^e le me sigue entre demore se
ha aservir los. mandar libran boleta de
comparendo connetiva del Com.^te de dho Puesto
p.^a q.^e hagacomparecer ádho Roth en este
tribunal porsi o su poder instruid yex-
pentado p.^a elreg.^to de esta Causa por tanto___
AVs. sup.^co sevirba proveher como pido con he[rasgado]
conas y Juro lones.^o. &.^a____
Como lo píde con termino de quin-
ce dias cometida su Yntimascion
qualq.^a Persona habil._

[Rubrica, Unzaga] [Rubrica, Odoardo de Sayas]

Proveio lo el S. d. Luis de[rasgado]

[f. 5v] [dig.11]

Unzaga y Amezaga Brig.^a de los rr^~
ex.^~ y Gov.^or Grãl de esta Prov.^a por S
M. q lo rubrico conn Asesor Grãl
en quunze de Henero demil sett^~
settenta y quatro____

[Firmado:] Andres Almonestér

y Roxas s.^no pu.^co

[Rubrica, Almonester]

Nⁿ Enelmizmo dia hizesavor el
decreto q. antecede a Juan
B^ta Richard doyfee_______

[Firmado:] Almonestér

s.^no

[Rubrica, Almonester]

Librece la Boleta q Demande
y la entregué alap.^te doy fee___
[Rubrica, Almonester]

En la ciudad Dela nueva orleans en nueve
de febrero demil sietecientos setentay
quattro Haller.^no hizesaver del aras laso dado
a Jph [rasgado] enpersoner doy fee_____

[Firmado:] Almonestér

[Rubrica, Almonester]

Translation (English, modern)

[page # 1] [digital 6]

[Marginal note:]

Lord *Don *Luis de Unzagay Amezaga, Brigadier [General] of the Royal Armies of His Majesty, Governor, and Captain General of the Province of Louisiana, etc.

[Body:]

Sir, Juan Baptista Richard comes before Your [Lordship] with all due respect, [and] humbly lays forth that there has been a month and a half since he purchased from Mr. Rou, a negra with a negrita, her child, [who is] disabled, [and that] the supplicant then at that time was at his plantation on the Acadian Coast [when] the said Mr. Rou sold them to him [Richard] for the price of 350 pesos. In the sale that was conducted, the supplicant gave it [the price asked], [yet] for not having the said slave [before him], [and] was [promised that the slave] had no bad habits or defects [of body or quality], [Rou] claiming [also] that he had orders to sell her because she belonged to the Widow Pery who had needed the money to pay her debts. The supplicant [Richard] found out later that, to the contrary, Señor Rou bought the said slave from Ms. Pery, [which she] found in the jail of this village for having given assistance to the negros cimarrones, and she [the slave] also had the same defect [as her child]. The said Señor Rou bought her for [only] the price of 250 pesos, being that she would be worth more if she were a good subject. But the said Widow Pery gave her at this price to

[p. #2] [dig.7]

get rid of her. The poor petitioner, who is a poor resident and of an [older] age, is in need of a slave to aid and help him with his chores. She [the Widow Pery] had confided in the said Mr. Rou, telling him and giving him her word and in writing that only for the necessity of the said widow, the slave was sold as a good subject, good for the house as well as for the field, [which is a] falsehood. Besides, being his [Richard’s] and no longer that of the said widow, he [Rou] earned in the sale 100 pesos and deceived the poor petitioner, because within a month and a few days she went cimarrona [again] and is now today in the jail of this city. To this end, the supplicant begs humbly [in submission] to Your Lordship, to give consideration to the above expressed, because the supplicant presents this written testimony to Your Lordship only so that, from Your Lordship, [he may] receive the justice that is righteous,[and he] will not stop praying to God that the life of Your Excellency is expanded by [many] years. [At] New Orleans, [on the] 7th [of] January, 1774. To be filed: The document has been translated.

[Signed:] Unzaga [Rubric, Unzaga]

Thus ordered: [By] Lord Don Luis de Unzaga y Amezaga, Brigadier [General] of the Royal Armies, and Governor

[p. #3] [dig.8]

3 General of this Province by His Majesty, which he signs on [the] 14th of January of seventeen-and four.

[Signed:] Andres Almonester y Roxas, Notary Public

[Rubric, Almonester]

On the same day, I made known the decree that precedes to Juan Baptista Richard. I attest,

[modern, circled, in pencil] 3

[Signed:] Almonester

Notary

[Rubric, Almonester]

[p. #4] [dig.9]

[blank]

[p. #5] [dig.10]

[Marginal note:]

I present [for] the party, expressing [that he does] not to know [how to] sign. 15th of January of 1774 I attest,

[Signed:] Almonester Notary [Rubric, Almonester]

[Body:]

4- Juan Baptista Richard in the actions taken against Joseph Roth [Rou] concerning the deception with which had occurred in the sale of a negra named Maria, with a negrita, her daughter of the same name, and for the rest today I state that the lawsuit was filed, and yethe [Rou] is from abroad and [only]his family lives here at Manchac Post, [and] of course I wish not to be in a situation in which I subject to harm amidst delays, [so that] if it serves [Your Lordship] order, extricated [without any problems], the written subpoena to the commander of the said postso that he can force the aforementioned Roth [Rou] appear in this court by himself or under your authority, as in the manner provided under the law for this cause, thusly.To Your Lordship, I beg you serve and provide what I ask with due Justice, and I swear as is necessary, etc. As requested, within fifteen days after the notification has been made by any qualified person.

[Rubric, Unzaga] [Rubric, Odoardo de Sayas]

Thus ordered: [By] the Lord Don Luis de

[p. #6] [dig.11]

Unzagay y Amezaga, Brigadier [General] of the Royal Armies, Governor General of this Province by His Majesty, which is signed with the Advisor General on [the] 15th of January of seventeen-hundred seventy four.

[Signed:] Andres Almonestér y Roxas, Notary Public

[Rubric, Almonester]

Notarized: On this same day, I made known the decree which precedes to Juan Baptista Richard. I attest,

[Signed:] Almonester

Notary

[Rubric, Almonester]

Authorized: the petition which was demanded and delivered to the party. I attest,

[Rubric, Almonester]

In the City of New Orleans, on [the] 9th of February of seventeen-hundred and seventy- four, I made known to the other side, to Joseph [Rou] in person. I attest,

[Signed:] Almonester

[Rubric, Almonester]