This collection of historical materials presents Fred B. Perkins’ translation of Narratio; fifteen letters (1561-1566) written by Philip II of Spain, Charles IX and Catherine de Medici of France, the Spanish ambassador in England, and Pedro Menéndez of Florida; the biography of Dominique de Gourgues, avenger of the Frenchmen killed in Florida, and the translation of an account of the revenge, both by the late Jeanette T. Connor; the Menéndez will; and a list of Florida governors. The book is illustrated with Jacques Le Moyne’s engravings of Indians around Fort Caroline (1564-1565), originally published in Brevis Narratio (1591) and in color in Charles de la Roncière, La Floride française (1928). This material is well chosen and contains several “firsts.” Connor’s meaningful essay to her translations of three Menéndez letters, the translation of Queen Catherine’s letter, the Charles IX letter, and the Gourgues biography make their debut in print. The English translation of the revenge narrative is the only complete one extant.

Unfortunately, serious errors of fact or omission plague the compiler’s introduction. Estevanico was a member of Pánfilo de Narváez’ group, not an expedition leader (p. xii). The black rebellion was not the cause of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón’s failure (p. xiii). Describing Florida correctly as north and east of the Río Grande (p. xiii) still prompts a frown. In September 1561, Philip ordered the viceroy of New Spain (p. xiii) to recommend measures for proceeding with or desisting from settlement in Florida (p. 128). The report of March 1562, missing here, recommended exploration above 35° latitude, but no settlement below that latitude. The report became irrelevant because after January 1562 the Spanish knew that the French were sailing for Florida. To Philip, the French challenge to his claim was more important than the threat to Spanish commerce (p. xiv). Before being blown south by a hurricane (p. xv), Jean Ribault had attempted an attack on St. Augustine. Pánfilo de Narváez camped probably back of Piney Island in Apalachee Bay in 1528, not at Pensacola (p. 241).

The governors’ list includes men who held tenure prior to permanent settlement or who never took possession or whose governorship did not include present-day Florida. It excludes Royal Treasury officials who were indeed acting governors. Thus the criteria seem capricious. Spanish St. Augustine was never the capital of all of present Florida (p. 242). West of the Apalachicola River, the Pensacola (later West Florida) governorship was always a separate jurisdiction.

Still, this book ’s value lies in making important documentary material available again or for the first time.