Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO

Columbus had evidently received the news from a public source, and felt mortified that
Diego should not have written him a special letter.
Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, December 3,
1504.
"VERY DEAR SON,—I wrote you at length day before yesterday and sent it by
Francisco Pinelo, and with this letter I send you a very full memorandum. I am very
much astonished not to receive a letter from you or from any one else, and this
astonishment is shared by all who know me. Every one here has letters, and I, who have
more reason to expect them, have none. Great care should be taken about this matter. The
memorandum of which I have spoken above says enough, and on this account I do not
speak more at length here. Your brother and your uncle and Carbajal are going yonder.
You will learn from them what is not said here. May our Lord have you in His Holy
keeping.
"Done in Seville, December 3.
"Your father who loves you more than himself.
.S.
.S.A.S.
XMY
Xpo FERENS."
Document of COLUMBUS addressed to his Son, DIEGO, and intended to accompany
the preceding letter.
"A memorandum for you, my very dear son, Don Diego, of what occurs to me at the
present time which must be done:—The principal thing is, affectionately and with great
devotion to commend the soul of the Queen, our Lady, to God. Her life was always
Catholic and Holy and ready for all the things of His holy service, and for this reason it
must be believed that she is in His holy glory and beyond the desires of this rough and
wearisome world. Then the next thing is to be watchful and exert one's self in the service
of the King, our Lord, and to strive to keep him from being troubled. His Highness is the
head of Christendom. See the proverb which says that when the head aches, all the
members ache. So that all good Christians should entreat that he may have long life and
health: and those of us who are obliged to serve him more than others must join in this
supplication with great earnestness and diligence. This reason prompts me now with my
severe illness to write you what I am writing here, that his Highness may dispose matters
for his service: and for the better fulfilment I am sending your brother there, who,
although he is a child in days, is not a child in understanding; and I am sending your
uncle and Carbajal, so that if this, my writing, is not sufficient, they, together with
yourself, can furnish verbal evidence. In my opinion there is nothing so necessary for the
service of his Highness as the disposition and remedying of the affair of the Indies.