The Spanish colonie, or Briefe chronicle of the acts and gestes of the Spaniardes in the West Indies, called the newe world, for the space of xl. yeeres: written in the Castilian tongue by the reuerend Bishop Bartholomew de las Cases or Casaus, a friar of the order of S. Dominicke. And nowe first translated into english, by M.M.S.

The Authour his wordes farder to king Philip, then at the time of writing thereof, Prince of Spayne.

THat which followeth hereafter immediatly: is a part of a Missiue or letter sent, written by one, who him selfe was a partie in these voiages: recounting the works the which a captayne did, and consented to the dooing in the countrey, all the way as hee passed. And albeit so, that the saide missiue being put to binding in one booke with other papers, the binder eyther forgot, or lost a leafe or two: not∣withstanding, forasmuch as the said missiue contayned things fearefull, euen to astonishement, the which one of them that had done them had giuen me: and that I had them all in my keeping: I thought good to present you therwithall, such as it is nowe, though without beginning or ending. For that this fragment remayning of the whole, is full of notable pointes: and therefore being resolued that it shoulde bee so printed, trusting that it will cause no lesse compass on and horror in your highnesse minde, then the other matters afore mentioned, with a desire forthwith to prouide for the re∣dresse.

The Missiue.

HEe gaue licence to put them to the Chaine and in bondage: That which they did: and the Cap∣tayne led after him three or foure droues of these persons enchayned: and in this doing, he procu∣red not y^t the countrey shoulde bee inhabited and peopled (as had been conuenient shoulde haue

been done) but robbing from the Indians all their victuals they had, the inbornes of the countrey were reduced to suche an ex∣tremitie, that there were founde great numbers dead of famine in the high wayes. And the Indians comming and going too and fro the coast, laden with the carriage of the Spaniardes, hee was the death by these meanes of about ten thousande. For not one that arriued at the very coast escaped death: by reason of the excessiue heate of the countrey.

After this following the same tract and way, by the whiche Iohn of Ampudia was gone, hee sent the Indians which hee had purchased in Quito, a day before him, to the ende they should discouer the bourges of the Indians, and shoulde pillage them, that when hee came with his maynie, hee might finde his boo∣tie readie.

And those Indians were his owne mates: of the whiche such a one had two hundred, such a one three hundred, and suche a one a hundred: according to the haggage that euery one of them had: which Indians came to yeelde them selues to their maisters with all y^t they had robbed. At dooing whereof they committed great cruelties towarde young children and women: and so had hee vsed before to doe in Quito, in burning the whole countrey, and namely the garners where the Lordes kept their Mahis in prouision.

Hee suffered to bee done great outrages, in slaying the sheepe with the which they nourished and entertayned for the most part, both the Spanishe, and the naturall inhabitauntes of the countrey. And onely to haue the braynes and the sewet hee permitted that there shoulde bee killed two or three hundred wethers, of the whiche the flesh was fayne to bee cast away. And the Indians friendes to the Spaniardes, and the whiche went with the Spaniardes, onely to eate the sheepes hearts, kil∣led a great number, for as much as they eate none other thing.

And two men in one prouince, named Purua, killed 25. we∣thers and sheep fit for carriage like our horse, & the which were worth amongst the Spaniardes twentie, and fiue and twentie duckates a peece, only to haue to eate the braines, and the sewet. So as by this disorder of exceeding slaughter of beastes, haue

been lost aboue an hundred thousande head of cattell. By occasi∣on whereof also, the countrey came into a great necessitie: the natiue of the lande miserablie dying of famine. And Quito, which was furnished of so great store of Mahis, that it can not bee well spoken, was by this meanes so assaulted with famaine, that a strike or bushell of Mahis, was raysed to the prise of 10. duckets, and a sheepe to as muche.

After that the sayde Captaine was returned from the coast, hee determined to depart from Quito, and to goe seeke the Cap∣tayne Iohn de Ampudia, leauing thereto moe then two hundred of foote men and horse men, amongst whome were a great many inhabitauntes of the citie of Quito. Vnto those inhabitaunts the captaine gaue licence to carrie with them the Cacikes, that were escheated them in sharing, with as many Indians as they would. That which they did: and Alfonso Sanches Nuita caried forth with him his Cacike, with moe then an hundred Indians besids: and in like maner Peter Cibo and his cousin: and they led out more then an hundred and fiftie with their wiues: and sundrie al∣so sped out their children, because that in a maner euery one died for hunger. Also Moran inhabitant of Popaian, caried out moe then two hundred persons. And the like did all the rest, citizens and souldiers, euery one after his abilitie: the souldiers crauing that they might haue licence giuen them to captiue those Indi∣ans men and women, which they carried forth: the which was graunted vnto them vntyll the death of the sayde captiues, and those deceased, to take as many more: for if the Indians were subiectes of his Maiestie, so likewise were the Spaniardes that died in the warres as well as they.

And after this maner departed the sayde Captayne of Qui∣to, going to a citie called Otaba, the which he held at that houre for his share: and demanded of the Cacike, that there shoulde bee giuen him fiue hundred men to lead to the warres: which were giuen him with certayne principall persons of the Indians. Hee departed some of those people amongst his souldiers, and ledde forth the rest with him, some laden, and some chayned, and some vnbounde to serue him, and to bring him meate.

Thus carried hee his souldiers some pinniond in chaynes, and some in coardes. When they departed out of the Prouince of Quito, they carried out moe then sixe thousande Indians, men and women, and of al those there neuer returned home into their countrey twentie persons. For they dyed all thorough the great and excessiue trauell, which they made them endure in those br••••∣ling countreys contrary to their nature. It happened at that tyme that one Alfonso Sanches, whom the saide Captayne sent for chieftayne ouer a certayne number of men into a Prouince there, met with a good company of women, and young boyes laden with victuals: who stayed wayting for them without mo∣uing from the place to giue them of that which they had, and ha∣uing so done, the captaine commaunded that they should bee put to the sharpe of the sworde. There happened here a mayuailous thing: which was, that a souldier striking an Indesse woman, his sworde brake a two in the middest, at the first blowe, and at the seconde blowe there remayned nought in his handes, but the pomell hauft without that the woman was hurt. And an other souldier, willing to strike another Indesse woman, with asquare dagger he had, the dagger brake at the first choppe, the length of foure fingers, and at the seconde, there remayned vnto him no more saue the hauft.

At the same tyme the sayde Captayne yeeded foorth of Qui∣to, and drewe out a great number of the naturall inbornes, vn∣marriyng them, and giuing their young wiues vnto his Indians whom hee ledde along, and the others wiues hee gaue to others which remayned in the citie, for that they were too olde.

There followed out of Quito a woman with a litle childe in her armes, crying after him, and entreating him, that her husbande might not bee forced to goe with him, for that shee had three little children, the whiche shee coulde not nourishe but were ready to dye for hunger:

And as the Captayne gaue her a churlishe answere at her first sute, shee returned the seconde time with greater cries, say∣ing, that her children dyed for hunger.

And seeing that the Captayne gaue her the repulse, and that hee woulde not restore her, her husbande: shee beat the childes head agaynst the stones, and slue it.

It came to passe also, that at the tyme that the sayde Captayne came into the prouice of Lili, to a towne called Palo neere vnto the great riuer, where hee founde the Captayne Iohn de Ampudia, which was gone before to discouer, and pa∣cifie the countrey: the saide Ampudia kepte a citie by him pro∣uided of a garrisō in the name of his maiesty, and of the marques Frauncis of Pizarro: and had set ouer them for gouernours or∣dinarie, one Petre Solano of Quennoues, and 8. counsellours, & all the rest of the countrey was in peace & shared out amongst them. And as he knew that the sayd captaine was in the said ri∣uer, he came to see him with a great number of the inhabitantes of the countrey, and peaceful Indians, laden with victuals and fruites. Shortly after also all the neighbour Indians came to see him, bringing him food. There were the Indians of Xamun∣di, and of Palo, and of Soliman, and of Bolo.

Nowe because that they brought no Mahis which he would haue, hee sent a great number of Spaniardes with their Indi∣ans, to go search for Mahis: commaunding them to bring some wheresoeuer they founde any. So went they to Bolo, and to Pa∣lo, and founde the Indians men and women in their housen in peace: and the sayd Spaniards with those that were with them, tooke them and robbed their Mahis, their golde and couerings, and all that they had, and bounde many.

The Indians seeing that they entreated them so euill, went to complaine vnto the sayde Captayne, requesting that all which had been bereft them, might be restored them: But the Captain woulde restore them none, and forbidde them to come at him any more. Notwithstanding foure or fiue dayes after the Spani∣ardes estsoones returne to fetche Mahis, and to pil∣ladge the Indians natiue of the soyle as before time. Wherefore, they seeing that the Captayne kepte no faith with them: all the Countrie arose and reuolted from the Spanishe, whereof ensued greate dammage, and GOD and the

kings maiestie offended: and by this meanes the countrie re∣mained dispeopled: for y^t the Olomas & the Manipos their ene∣mies which are moūtaine people, & warlike, descended dayly to take and rob them, when they perceiued the citie and places of their abode left destitute. And amongst them, hee who was the stronger, did eate vp his fellowe, for all dyed for famine. This done, the captaine came to the citie of Ampudia, where hee was receiued for generall, and seuen dayes after from thence hee de∣parted to goe towards the harbour of Lili and Peti, with more then two hundred horsmen and footemen. After this, that saide is, the saide chiefe gouernour sent his captaines of one side and other, to bid cruell battayle to the natiue Indiās: staying a great number of them as wel men as women: burning also their hou∣ses, and spoiling their goods. This indured a good many dayes. And the saide captaine was gone towardes a citie named Yee, withall the Indians whome they had taken in Lili, without re∣leasing any one: and beeing come to the saide Yee, hee sent in∣continent Spaniardes to pilladge, take and stay all the Indians men and women, that they coulde take: thus they burned moe then an hundred. From this place they goe to a Citie called Tukilicui, from whence the Cacike of the place yeeded foorth incontinent in peace, a number of Indians going before him. The captaine demaunded golde of him and of his Indians. The Cacik told him that hee had but a small deale, and that whiche he had should be giuen him: & immediatly al began to giue him all that they had. Whereupon the sayde captaine gaue vnto euery of them a ticket, with the name of the saide Indian for a testimoniall that hee had giuen him golde: affirming that hee which shoulde haue neuer a ticket, should bee cast to the dogs to bee deuoured, because hee gaue him no golde. Whereupon the Indians for feare y^t they were put in, gaue him all the gold that they were able: & those which had none fled into the moun∣taines and other townes for feare to be slaine. By reason where∣of perished a great number of the natiue inhabitants of the coū∣trie. And shortly after the said captaine commanded the Cacike to sende two Indians to another citie named Dagna, to will them that they shoulde come in peace, and bring him golde in a∣boundance

bundance. And comming to another citie, he sent that night ma∣ny Spaniardes to take the Indians, and namely of Tulilicui. So as they brought the next morrow aboue an hundred persons: and all those which could beare burdens, they tooke them for thē selues, and for their souldiers, and put them to the chaine, wher∣of they dyed all. And the saide captaine gaue the little children vnto the said Cacik Tulilicui that hee should eate them: and in truth the skinnes of those children are kept in the house of the saide Cacik Tulilicui full of ashes: and so departed hee from thence without an interpreter, and went towardes the Prouin∣ces of Calile, where he ioyned himselfe vnto the captaine Iohn de Ampudia, who had sent him to discouer another way, dooing both of them great outrages, and much mischiefe vnto the inha∣bitants of the countrie where they became. And the said Iohn de Ampudia came vnto a Citie, the Cacik and Lorde whereof called Bitacur had caused to make certaine ditches to defende himselfe, and there fell into the same two horses, the one of An∣tonie Rodondos, the other of Marc Marquesis. That of Mar∣cos Marquis died, the other not. For which cause the said Am∣pudia commaunded to take all the Indians men and women that might be: And therupon tooke & laid together more then an hundred persons, whome they cast aliue into those ditches and slue them, and brent withal more then an hundred houses in the said citie. And in that maner met in a great Citie, where with∣out sommoning (the Indians being at peace, and without anye spokesman to goe betweene them,) they slue with their speares a great number of them, making on them mortall warre. And as it is said, soone after they were met, the saide Ampudia tolde the Captaine what hee had done in Bitaco, and howe hee cast so many into the ditches: and the sayd captaine aunswered, that it was well done, and that he for his part had done as much at the riuer of Bamba when hee entred the same, which is in the Pro∣uince of Quito, and that hee had flong into the ditches moe then two hundred persons, and there they stayed warring on all the countrie. Soone after hee entred into the Prouince of Bitu, or Anzerma: in making cruell warre with fire and blood till they

came as farre as vnto the salt houses. And from thence hee sent Frauncis Garcia before him to pilladge, who made cruel warre on the naturall inhabitants of the Countrie as hee had done be∣fore him. The Indians came vnto him two and two, making signes, that they demaunded peace on the behalfe of the whole Countrie: alleadging that they woulde afoord him, all that hee coulde reasonably demaund, were it golde, or women, or victu∣als, only that they woulde not kill them, as indeede it was a troth. For themselues afterwardes confessed it to be so. But the saide Frauncis Garcia, bid them get them packing: Telling them moreouer that they were a sort of drunkardes, and that he vnder stood them not, and so returned hee to the place where the saide Captaine was, and they made a complot, to ouerrunne all the Prouince, making cruell warre on all the Countrie, in spoi∣ling, robbing, and slaying all: and with the souldiers, which hee brought with him drewe thence moe then two thousand soules, and all those dyed in the chaine. Before departing the place which he had peopled, they slue moe then fiue hundred persons. And so returned to the Prouince of Calili. And by the way if any Inde or Indesse were weary, in such sort that they could not passe any further, they did incontinently head them, paring it off from the shoulders euen with the chaine, to the ende not to take the paines to open the locke thereof: and to the end that others which went the same way shoulde not make wise to be sicke, and by this meanes dyed they all: and in the high wayes were lefte all those people which he made his purchase of out of Quito, & of Pasto, and of Quilla Cangua, and of Para, and of Popayan, and of Lili, and of Cali, and of Anzerma, and a great number of people dyed. Also immediately vpon theyr returne vnto the great Citie, they entred into it, staying all that they could: taking in that day moe then three hundreth persons.

Hee sent from the Prouince of Lili, the saide Captaine Iohn de Ampidia, with very manye souldiers vnto the lod∣gynges and peopled places of Lili: to the ende that they shoulde take all the Indes and Indesses they coulde: And that they shoulde bring them vnto him to serue for loadyng:

for because that al those which he brought him before time from Anzerma & from Alli, were dead, whiche were great numbers. And the saide Iohn de Ampudia brought moe then a thousande persons, and siue very many. The captaine thus tooke as many as he needed to serue his turne, and gaue the rest vnto the soul∣diers, which confined them to the chayne in whiche they dyed. So dispeopling the said citie of Spaniardes and inbornes of the countrie, both in so great a number, as appeareth by the few∣nesse of the folke, that are remanent: he departed thence to goe to Popayan, & left in the way a Spaniarde named Martine A∣guirr, who was not able to follow the rest. And beeing come to Popayan, he placed there a garrison, and began to root out and rob those Indians there, in the order that he had kept elswhere. And hee erected there a mynt royall, melting all the golde hee coulde come by, with all that, that Iohn de Ampudia had before he came vnto him, and without keeping any other audit or recko¦ning, and without giuing any part to any souldier, taking the whole to his owne vse, except a little as came in his head to giue vnto such as had lost theyr horses. And this done, bereauing the kings Maiestie of his fift part, said he went to Custo, there to giue in his account and audit vnto the gouernour. But in deede he went to Quito, taking by the way very many Indians, men and women, which all dyed by the way, or at the place at Quito. Ouer and besides that, he altered the coyne royall of the mynt, which he had made. Here is to be remembred a word, which this man spake of himselfe, as one not ignorant of so many euils and mischieues, which he wrought. Fiftie yeres hence, those the which shall passe by this way, and heere speake of these things, shall say, This way went a Tyrant

Your highnes may know and be well assured, that these entries and assaults made vnto these realmes, and this maner of visiting the Indians, which liued in securitie in their regions, and the vngraciousnesse which he did in those same, haue been practised and executed by the Spaniards, which haue alwayes followed the same traine and maner of doing, from the time that they first began to discouer vnto this present day, throughout all the I••∣de••.