| Capitan Don Diego de Ospina Acosta |
Apellidado El Rey Chico.
Gobernador de las Provincias de Cimitarra, Neiva y Timana.
Regidor de Santa Fe.
Fundador de la ciudad de Neiva.
Justicia Mayor, Gobernador y Capitán General, y Alguacil, Mayor de la Real Audiencia y CancillerÃa del Nuevo
Reino de Granada.
1.627.- 27 de Mayo. El Gobernador Diego de Ospina y Medinilla, rinde el informe de la Encomienda del Capitán
Gregorio Fernández Rico, que estaba formada por los indios de Cosanza y por agregación, por los indios de
Totalco que tenÃa en sucesión, por muerte de su padre. Dice que en Cosanza quedan 50 indios y en Totalco 21, a
consecuencia de la peste de viruela que azota la Villa de Timaná, que todos están usando vestido y dedicados a la
agricultura. Que la arroba de coca esta valiendo de 3 0 4 pesos; la anegada (sic) de maÃz 3 patacones, 8 reales; que
los indios útiles tienen una tasación de 5 pesos de plata corriente de valor: un peso, 312 maravedÃes. (1)
1.628.- 22 de Enero. El Capitán Diego de Ospina practica visita a la Encomienda de Motanza, a cargo de Joseph
DÃaz de Valenzuela; hace llamar a su cacique Andrés Camuquen Caniabongo, quien rinde el siguiente censo de
población:
Indios útiles----------------------------------18
Indios reservados ---------------------------- 4
Indios y muchachos ------------------------- 23
Indios huidos --------------------------------- 4
Total-----------------------------------------49
Luego el cacique, en secreto, le informa que hace 8 años se cayó la iglesia; que no tienen armamentos; que
matanza queda desviado 2 leguas de Cálamo, donde vive el padre Ruales; que estos indios antes vivÃan en el sitio
de Caniabongo, al otro lado del rÃo Grande de Magdalena; por el camino que va para Popayán, que su antiguo
encomendero era Marcos de Valenzuela y su doctrinero el padre Maciel; que abandonaron el sitio, porque el
doctrinero quizo ahogarlos en el rÃo, a razón por la cual su cacique Pedro Odonen pidió su inmediato traslado y
desde entonces se despobló el pueblo de Totalco. Que los chapetones (sic) les robaron sus pertenencias, que las
indias prestaban el servicio a los encomenderos, les pagaban con una manta y una licra, cuando a él se le antojaba;
que los hacen trabajar en mingas todos los sábados y domingos. Los hechos fueran comprobados, y el encomendero
fue sancionado.
1.629.- 29 de Enero. El Capitán Diego de Ospina dice en su informe al Gobierno Central, que solo tienen campanas
el pueblo de Cálamo y Quinche; las Vueltas y la Chapa, a penas tienen vocación de doctrina porque tienen
diferentes leguas; que se comunican por la legua general del inga; luego dice que ordenó mediante acta, que se
reunieran en pueblos de españoles para que los doctrineros pudieran hacer una mejor labor, dándoles la
oportunidad de escoger los sitios de mejor clima y tierra. (1)
Muere en Neiva Don Diego de Ospina y Medinilla, gobernador de la provincia, cuando tenÃa 63 años de edad; es
enterrado en la capilla que él habÃa ayudado a construir y que aún no se habÃa terminado.
Hoy, sus restos reposan en la Iglesia del convento de Santo Domingo, en Bogotá, y se cumple asà la memoria y
exigencia testamental.
Inventory of the possessions of Captain Diego Hospina, High Constable of the Real Audiencia
and Governor of Timan and Neiva In the city of Santa Fé <Colombia> on June 20, 1623, Captain Diego Hospina...
make said inventory of all my possessions....
About the year 1592 I was made ...Captain Governor...of the provinces of Cimitarra...so that in said provinces I
would undertake the conquest and pacification of their natives who plagued the navigation of the Rio Magdalena with
their robberies and killings. About this same time I helped out and assisted with 60 men at my cost and expense in the
said province for nine months winning back the province from the assaulters of the navigation at a cost of more than
15,000 pesos of good gold without, …, taking anything in salary from the royal treasury....
About the year 1602 I began to serve in the office of Chief Constable of this Real Audiencia, which his Majesty
granted me for the 30,000 ducats… About the year 1606 I was charged...with a special commission...to take 600 or
700 Indians from the provinces of the city of Tunja to rebuild the silver mines of Las Lajas...
About 1607…I… accompanied <Juan de Borja> in the war that he waged,..., in the provinces of Pijaos, taking, ....
12 soldiers at my own cost....With them and with another 90 or so that were given to me, the president made me
captain.... I fought in the provinces of Maito and Deuni...until I left them tamed and finished. This occupied me seven
or eight months for which neither I nor my soldiers took any stipend nor payment from your Majesty.
About the year 1613 the señor president entrusted me with the title of justicia mayor, the discovery of the gold mines
of the Rio Saldaña, and,..., the delimitation of the provinces of the Pijaos for which I contributed 6 men, slaves, and
Indians at my expense. Afterwards...the señor President gave me the government of <Pijaos> with the addition of
the town of Timaná, <and> I agreed to bring in the number of slaves stipulated...for the benefit...of the said mines
<and> to keep clear and secure that pass of the Valley of Neiva in which I have settled Nuevo Pueblo for the security
of the royal road which before was traveled with a thousand difficulties from enemies. In this task I have spent eleven
years...with expenses of more than 18,000 pesos of my wealth without receiving any help for the expense except for
the 560 or so pesos, more or less, coming the quintos reales <royal fifth tax paid on precious metals> that resulted
from the gold mines by the slaves I put to work as well as from other persons in their labor and effort in the said
mines....
In...Remedios...I inherited a small encomienda...in which there are only four...Indians, who are taxed at four almudes
<ca. 4.625 liters> of sown corn whose value does not equal the stipend paid to the said doctrina, which is thirty pieces
of good gold. And in the said city I have also eleven black mining slaves, each one of which is worth -- sold on
installment over three years, as is the custom of selling such slaves in the city -- 400 pesos of 20 carat gold with the
mines and streams in which they work and their tools....Every year the said blacks will extract 1,500 pesos of gold
dust which would be 950 pesos of 20 carat gold.
I also have in the port of Honda eleven slaves that row in a canoe, that on contract transport goods on the Rio
Magdalena, and two black women in the service of the said blacks. All the said eleven slaves and two black women
together would each be worth sold 300 pesos of eight reales, and the said canoe another 250 pesos. They produce a
profit of 600 pesos of eight reales each year. ...I have in the Nueva Fundación...22 Duos Indians. At my cost and
expense I reduced <brought them out of> them from the mountains of that province to the service of our Lord God, to
God's law, and to his Majesty's obedience, on account of their being, as they were, rebels who besieged the royal
road of the trade and commerce of this Kingdom and Peru with robbery and assaults on its passengers. Which Indians
as a result of their being recently subdued are not taxed nor do they pay any tribute, except for a small corn and cane
field for part of the sustenance of the settlement of the said city.
I have in the said new settlement 37 male and female slaves, the greater part of which are involved in the labor and
development of the gold mines, which,..., I have discovered in the river of the Paes and their provinces....They would
produce 2,000 pesos each year of the said standard in rent and income....
Gobernador de las Provincias de Cimitarra, Neiva y Timana.
Regidor de Santa Fe.
Fundador de la ciudad de Neiva.
Justicia Mayor, Gobernador y Capitán General, y Alguacil, Mayor de la Real Audiencia y CancillerÃa del Nuevo
Reino de Granada.
1.627.- 27 de Mayo. El Gobernador Diego de Ospina y Medinilla, rinde el informe de la Encomienda del Capitán
Gregorio Fernández Rico, que estaba formada por los indios de Cosanza y por agregación, por los indios de
Totalco que tenÃa en sucesión, por muerte de su padre. Dice que en Cosanza quedan 50 indios y en Totalco 21, a
consecuencia de la peste de viruela que azota la Villa de Timaná, que todos están usando vestido y dedicados a la
agricultura. Que la arroba de coca esta valiendo de 3 0 4 pesos; la anegada (sic) de maÃz 3 patacones, 8 reales; que
los indios útiles tienen una tasación de 5 pesos de plata corriente de valor: un peso, 312 maravedÃes. (1)
1.628.- 22 de Enero. El Capitán Diego de Ospina practica visita a la Encomienda de Motanza, a cargo de Joseph
DÃaz de Valenzuela; hace llamar a su cacique Andrés Camuquen Caniabongo, quien rinde el siguiente censo de
población:
Indios útiles----------------------------------18
Indios reservados ---------------------------- 4
Indios y muchachos ------------------------- 23
Indios huidos --------------------------------- 4
Total-----------------------------------------49
Luego el cacique, en secreto, le informa que hace 8 años se cayó la iglesia; que no tienen armamentos; que
matanza queda desviado 2 leguas de Cálamo, donde vive el padre Ruales; que estos indios antes vivÃan en el sitio
de Caniabongo, al otro lado del rÃo Grande de Magdalena; por el camino que va para Popayán, que su antiguo
encomendero era Marcos de Valenzuela y su doctrinero el padre Maciel; que abandonaron el sitio, porque el
doctrinero quizo ahogarlos en el rÃo, a razón por la cual su cacique Pedro Odonen pidió su inmediato traslado y
desde entonces se despobló el pueblo de Totalco. Que los chapetones (sic) les robaron sus pertenencias, que las
indias prestaban el servicio a los encomenderos, les pagaban con una manta y una licra, cuando a él se le antojaba;
que los hacen trabajar en mingas todos los sábados y domingos. Los hechos fueran comprobados, y el encomendero
fue sancionado.
1.629.- 29 de Enero. El Capitán Diego de Ospina dice en su informe al Gobierno Central, que solo tienen campanas
el pueblo de Cálamo y Quinche; las Vueltas y la Chapa, a penas tienen vocación de doctrina porque tienen
diferentes leguas; que se comunican por la legua general del inga; luego dice que ordenó mediante acta, que se
reunieran en pueblos de españoles para que los doctrineros pudieran hacer una mejor labor, dándoles la
oportunidad de escoger los sitios de mejor clima y tierra. (1)
Muere en Neiva Don Diego de Ospina y Medinilla, gobernador de la provincia, cuando tenÃa 63 años de edad; es
enterrado en la capilla que él habÃa ayudado a construir y que aún no se habÃa terminado.
Hoy, sus restos reposan en la Iglesia del convento de Santo Domingo, en Bogotá, y se cumple asà la memoria y
exigencia testamental.
Inventory of the possessions of Captain Diego Hospina, High Constable of the Real Audiencia
and Governor of Timan and Neiva In the city of Santa Fé <Colombia> on June 20, 1623, Captain Diego Hospina...
make said inventory of all my possessions....
About the year 1592 I was made ...Captain Governor...of the provinces of Cimitarra...so that in said provinces I
would undertake the conquest and pacification of their natives who plagued the navigation of the Rio Magdalena with
their robberies and killings. About this same time I helped out and assisted with 60 men at my cost and expense in the
said province for nine months winning back the province from the assaulters of the navigation at a cost of more than
15,000 pesos of good gold without, …, taking anything in salary from the royal treasury....
About the year 1602 I began to serve in the office of Chief Constable of this Real Audiencia, which his Majesty
granted me for the 30,000 ducats… About the year 1606 I was charged...with a special commission...to take 600 or
700 Indians from the provinces of the city of Tunja to rebuild the silver mines of Las Lajas...
About 1607…I… accompanied <Juan de Borja> in the war that he waged,..., in the provinces of Pijaos, taking, ....
12 soldiers at my own cost....With them and with another 90 or so that were given to me, the president made me
captain.... I fought in the provinces of Maito and Deuni...until I left them tamed and finished. This occupied me seven
or eight months for which neither I nor my soldiers took any stipend nor payment from your Majesty.
About the year 1613 the señor president entrusted me with the title of justicia mayor, the discovery of the gold mines
of the Rio Saldaña, and,..., the delimitation of the provinces of the Pijaos for which I contributed 6 men, slaves, and
Indians at my expense. Afterwards...the señor President gave me the government of <Pijaos> with the addition of
the town of Timaná, <and> I agreed to bring in the number of slaves stipulated...for the benefit...of the said mines
<and> to keep clear and secure that pass of the Valley of Neiva in which I have settled Nuevo Pueblo for the security
of the royal road which before was traveled with a thousand difficulties from enemies. In this task I have spent eleven
years...with expenses of more than 18,000 pesos of my wealth without receiving any help for the expense except for
the 560 or so pesos, more or less, coming the quintos reales <royal fifth tax paid on precious metals> that resulted
from the gold mines by the slaves I put to work as well as from other persons in their labor and effort in the said
mines....
In...Remedios...I inherited a small encomienda...in which there are only four...Indians, who are taxed at four almudes
<ca. 4.625 liters> of sown corn whose value does not equal the stipend paid to the said doctrina, which is thirty pieces
of good gold. And in the said city I have also eleven black mining slaves, each one of which is worth -- sold on
installment over three years, as is the custom of selling such slaves in the city -- 400 pesos of 20 carat gold with the
mines and streams in which they work and their tools....Every year the said blacks will extract 1,500 pesos of gold
dust which would be 950 pesos of 20 carat gold.
I also have in the port of Honda eleven slaves that row in a canoe, that on contract transport goods on the Rio
Magdalena, and two black women in the service of the said blacks. All the said eleven slaves and two black women
together would each be worth sold 300 pesos of eight reales, and the said canoe another 250 pesos. They produce a
profit of 600 pesos of eight reales each year. ...I have in the Nueva Fundación...22 Duos Indians. At my cost and
expense I reduced <brought them out of> them from the mountains of that province to the service of our Lord God, to
God's law, and to his Majesty's obedience, on account of their being, as they were, rebels who besieged the royal
road of the trade and commerce of this Kingdom and Peru with robbery and assaults on its passengers. Which Indians
as a result of their being recently subdued are not taxed nor do they pay any tribute, except for a small corn and cane
field for part of the sustenance of the settlement of the said city.
I have in the said new settlement 37 male and female slaves, the greater part of which are involved in the labor and
development of the gold mines, which,..., I have discovered in the river of the Paes and their provinces....They would
produce 2,000 pesos each year of the said standard in rent and income....