12. The grave

Port of Veracruz, 12 of July of the year 1681 of our Lord
My respected Mrs Celia,
I am Benedicto, the nefew, of your friend Mariano the warrior. I found your leters in between his things and my friend that signs below put them in Cristian for me. I belive that you will want to know what hapened to him. He arrived to our town some years ago. He had a bad leg and he luked very old. He was very well recived by his family. The first thing he did was ask for his fathers. We took him to their grave in the family grave. He stood looking at their graves for much time. He did not crai. He talked to them. He said I am bak father mother. I never thot I was going to see you again. I pray the Lord has you in His Glory. He worked in our fields for some years. He marryed and had children. They were litle when he died. He told us about his travels. It was very interesting. We were many nights listening his stories with very atention. He never told us about you. We did not knew about you until I found your leters. He died with the consolations of the religion and we pray our Lord has him in His Glory.
This leter was writen for me by my friend the merchant Jose Maria Pintado y Gancenia and the escribano Jose Manuel Miranda y Martinez. He knows English very good and he is a very good friend.
I say goodbye your sure servant, I pray God keeps you.
Benedicto de las Mercedes Garcia y Bernal
Escribano Jose Maria Pintado y Gancenia
Jose Manuel Miranda y Martinez, Merchant