The tears of the Indians being an historical and true account of the cruel massacres and slaughters of above twenty millions of innocent people, committed by the Spaniards in the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, &c. : as also in the continent of Mexico, Peru, & other places of the West-Indies, to the total destruction of those countries / written in Spanish by Casaus, an eye-witness of those things ; and made English by J.P.

Tears of the Indies, or Inqui∣sition for Bloud: being the Relation of the Spanish Massacre there.

IN the year 1492. the West-Indies were discovered, in the follow∣ing year they were inhabited by the Spaniards: a great compa∣ny of the Spaniards going about 49. years agoe. The first place they came to, was Hispaniola, being a most fertile Island, and for the bignesse of it very famous, it be∣ing no less then six hundred miles in com∣pass. Round about it lie an innumerable company of Islands, so throng'd with Inha∣bitants, that there is not to be found a grea∣ter multitude of people in any part of the world. The Continent is distant from this about Two hundred miles, stretching it self out in length upon the sea side for above Ten thousand miles in length. This is already found out, and more is daily discovered.

These Countreys are inhabited by such a number of people, as if God had assembled and called together to this place, the grea∣test part of Mankinde.

This infinite multitude of people was so created by God, as that they were without fraud, without subtilty or malice, to their natural Governours most faithful and obe∣dient. Toward the Spaniards whom they serve, patient, meek and peaceful, and who laying all contentious and tumultuous thoughts aside, live without any hatred or desire of revenge; the people are most deli∣cate and tender, enjoying such a feeble con∣stitution of body as does not permit them to endure labour, so that the Children of Princes and great persons here, are not more nice and delicate then the Children of the meanest Countrey-man in that place. The Nation is very poor and indigent, posses∣sing little, and by reason that they gape not after temporal goods, neither proud nor ambitious. Their diet is such that the most holy Hermite cannot feed more sparingly in the wildernesse. They go naked, only hiding the undecencies of nature, and a poor shag mantle about an ell or two long is their greatest and their warmest covering. They lie upon mats, only whose who have larger fortunes, lye upon a kinde of net which is tied at the four corners, and so fa∣sten'd to the roof, which the Indians in their

natural language call Hamecks. They are of a very apprehensive and docible wit, and capable of all good learning, and very apt to receive our Religion, which when they have but once tasted, they are carryed on with a very ardent and zealous desire to make a further progress in it; so that I have heard divers Spaniards confesse that they had nothing else to hinder them from enjoying heaven, but their ignorance of the true God.

To these quiet Lambs, endued with such blessed qualities, came the Spaniards like most cuel Tygres, Wolves, and Lions, enrag'd with a sharp and tedious hunger; for these forty years past, minding nothing else but the slaughter of these unfortunate wretches, whom with divers kinds of torments neither seen nor heard of before, they have so cruel∣ly and inhumanely butchered, that of three millions of people which Hispaniola it self did contain, there are left remaining alive scarce three hundred persons. And for the Island of Cuba, which contains as much ground in length, as from Valladolid to Rome; it lies wholly desert, untill'd and ruin'd. The Islands of St. Iohn and Iamaica lie waste and desolate. The Lucayan Islands neigh∣bouring toward the North upon Cuba and Hispaniola, being above Sixty or thereabouts with those Islands that are vulgarly cal∣led the Islands of the Gyants, of which that which is least fertile is more fruitful

then the King of Spains Garden at Sevil, be∣ing situated in a pure and temperate air, are now totally unpeopled and destroyed; the inhabitants thereof amounting to above 500000. souls, partly killed, and partly forced away to work in other places: so that there going a ship to visit those parts and to glean the remainder of those distres∣sed wretches, there could be found no more then eleven men. Other Islands there were near the Island of St. Iohn more then thirty in number, which were totally made desert. All which Islands, though they amount to such a number containing in length of ground the space of above Two thousand miles, lie now altogether solitary without any people or Inhabitant.

Now to come to the Continent, we are confident, and dare affirm upon our own knowledge, that there were ten Kingdomes of as large an extent as the Kingdome of Spain, joyning to it both Arragon, and Por∣tugal, containing above a thousand miles every one of them in compass, which the un∣humane and abominable villanies of the Spaniards have made a wilderness of, being now as it were stript of all their people, and made bare of all their inhabitants, though it were a place formerly possessed by vast and infinite numbers of men; And we dare confi∣dently aver, that for those Forty years, wher∣in the Spaniards exercised their abominable

cruelties, and detestable tyrannies in those parts, that there have innocently perish'd above Twelve millions of souls, women and children being numbred in this sad and fa∣tall list; moreover I do verily believe that I should speak within compass, should I say that above Fifty millions were consumed in this Massacre.

As for those that came out of Spain, boasting themselves to be Christians, they took two several waies to extirpate this Nation from the face of the Earth, the first whereof was a bloudy, unjust, and cruel war which they made upon them: a second by cutting off all that so much as sought to recover their liberty, as some of the stouter sort did intend. And as for the Women and Children that were lest alive, they laid so heavy and grievous a yoke of ser∣vitude upon them that the condition of beasts was much more tolerable.

Unto these two heads all the other se∣veral torments and inhumanities which they used to the ruine of these poor Nations may be reduced.

That which led the Spaniards to these un∣sanctified impieties was the desire of Gold, to make themselves suddenly rich, for the obtai∣ning of dignities & honours which were no way fit for them. In a word, their covetous∣ness, their ambition, which could not be more in any people under heaven, the

riches of the Countrey, and the patience of the people gave occasion to this their de∣villish barbarism. For the Spaniards so con∣temned them (I now speak what I have seen without the least untruth) that they used them not like beasts, for that would have been tolerable, but looked upon them as if they had been but the dung and filth of the earth, and so little they regarded the health of their souls, that they suffered this great multitude to die without the least light of Religion; neither is this lesse true then what I have said before, and that which those tyrants and hangmen themselves dare not deny, without speaking a notori∣ous falshood, that the Indians neevr gave them the least cause to offer them violence, but received them as Angels sent from heaven, till their excessive cruelties, the torments and slaughters of their Country∣men mov'd them to take Armes against the Spaniards.

[illustration]

Of Hispaniola.

IN the Island of Hispaniola, to which the Spaniards came first, these slaughters and ruines of mankinde took their beginning. They took away their women and chil∣dren to serve them, though the reward which they gave them was a sad and fatal one. Their food got with great pain and dropping sweat, the Spaniards still consu∣med, not content with what the poor In∣dians gave them gratis out of their own want; One Spaniard consuming in one day as much as would suffice three families, every one containing ten persons. Being thus broken with so many evils, afflicted with so many torments, and handled so ignominiously, they began at length to believe that the Spaniards were not sent from Heaven. And therefore some of them hid their Children, others their Wives, others their Victuals in obscure and secret places; Others not being able to endure a Nation that conversed among them with such a boysterous impiety sought for shel∣ter in the most abrupt and inaccessible mountains. For the Spaniards while they were among them did not only entertain

them with cruel beating them with their fists, and with their staves, but presumed also to lay violent hands upon the Rulers and Magistrates of their Cities: and they arriv'd at that height of impudence and unheard of boldnesse, that a certain pri∣vate Captain scrupled not to force the Wife of the most potent King among them. From which time forward they began to think what way they might take to expell the Spaniards out of their Countrey. But good God! what sort of Armes had they? such as were as available to offend or de∣fend as bulrushes might be. Which when the Spaniards saw, they came with their Horsemen well armed with Sword and Launce, making most cruel havocks and slaughters among them. Overrunning Ci∣ties and Villages, where they spared no sex nor age; neither would their cruelty pi∣ty Women with childe, whose bellies they would rip up, taking out the Infant to hew it in pieces. They would often lay wagers who should with most dexterity either cleave or cut a man in the middle, or who could at one blow soonest cut off his head. The children they would take by the feet and dash their innocent heads against the rocks, and when they were fallen into the water, with a strange and cruel derision they would call upon them to swim. Sometimes they would run both Mother and Infant, being

[illustration]

in her belly quite through at one thrust.

They erected certain Gallowses, that were broad but so low, that the tor∣mented creatures might touch the ground with their feet, upon every one of which they would hang thirteen persons, blas∣phemously affirming that they did it in ho∣nour of our Redeemer and his Apostles, and then putting fire under them, they burnt the poor wretches alive. Those whom their pity did think fit to spare, they would send away with their hands half cut off, and so hanging by the skin. Thus upbrai∣ding their flight, Go carry letters to those who lye hid in the mountains and are fled from us.

This Death they found out also for the Lords and Nobles of the Land; they stuck up forked sticks in the ground, and then laid certain perches upon them, and so laying them upon those perches, they put a gentle fire under, causing the fire to melt them away by degrees, to their unspeakable torment.

One time above the rest I saw four of the Nobles laid upon these perches, and two or three other of these kinde of hur∣dles furnished after the same manner; the clamours and cries of which persons be∣ing troublesome to the Captain, he gave order that they should be hang'd, but the Executioner whose name I know, and whose parents are not obscure, hindred their Calamity from so quick a conclusion,

stopping their mouthes, that they should not disturb the Captain, and still laying on more wood, till being roasted accor∣ding to his pleasure, they yeelded up the ghost. Of these and other things innu∣merable I have been an eye-witnesse; Now because there were some that shun'd like so many rocks the cruelty of a Nation so inhumane, so void of piety and love to mankinde, and therefore fled from them to the mountains; therefore they hunted them with their Hounds, whom they bred up and taught to pull down and tear the In∣dians like beasts: by these Dogs much hu∣mane bloud was shed; and because the Indians did now and then kill a Spaniard, taking him at an advantage, as justly they might; therefore the Spaniards made a Law among themselves, that for one Spaniard so slaine, they should kill a hundred In∣dians.

Of the Kingdomes which the Island of Hispaniola did contain.

THE Island of Hispaniola had in it five very great Kingdomes, and five ve∣ry potent Kings, to whom the other

Lords, of which there was a very great number were for the most part subject; for there were some few Lords of peculiar Countries that did not acknowledge the ju∣risdiction of these Kings; one of these Kingdomes is called Maqua, which signi∣fies a plain. This Plain if there be any thing in the world worth taking notice, claims a very nice observation. For from the South to the North it is stretcht for∣ward fourscore miles in length; in breadth it takes up sometimes eight, sometimes five, and sometimes ten miles, on all sides it is shut up with very high mountains; it is watered by thirty thousand Rivers and Ri∣volets, whereof twelve are not lesse then either Duerus, Ebrus, or Guadalgevir: and all the Rivers which run from the Moun∣tains on the West side, whose number is twenty thousand, do all of them abound with gold. With which Mountain the Province of Cibao is bounded, where are the Mines of Cibao, that afford the most ex∣quisite and pure Gold which is so much valued among us. This Kingdome was go∣vern'd by Guarionex, who had under his jurisdiction as his vassals, Lords and Go∣vernors so potent, that every one of them was able to bring into the field for the service of Guarionex, above Sixteen thou∣sand men apiece. Some of which Lords I very well knew; this King was not mean∣ly

vertuous, by nature peaceful, and much devoted to the King of Castile. This King commanded his subjects that they should present to the Spaniards a bell full of Gold, which when they were not able to do by reason that the people had but little skill how to dig out the Gold, he thereupon commanded them to present the Spaniards with as much as they could fill.

Here a Cacicus or Governour offer'd him∣self to the service of the King of Castile, upon condition, that he would take care that all the Countrey from Isabella to St. Do∣mingo, being five hundred miles in length, might be till'd; which promises I am very confident he would cheerfully have perfor∣med; and then might the King of Castile have had a revenue of above Three millions of Castilian Crowns, and there had been still remaining in the Island above fifty Cities as large all of them as Sevill.

But what was the recompence which they afforded to this milde and bountiful Prince? they suffered one of the Spanish Captains unworthy of the name of a Christian to vitiate his Wife. He might have raised an army and endevoured a revenge▪ but he rather chose to leave his Kingdome and his dignity, and to live a banished person in the Province of Coquaios, where a potent vassal and subject of his inhabited. But the Spa∣niards hearing of his flght, resolved not to

let him lurk any where; but immediately making war upon him that had received them so liberally, they never rested till they had wasted all the Kingdome to finde him out, at length he fell into their hands; and no sooner had they taken him, but they fet∣tered him immediately, putting him into a ship that was bound for Spain; but the ship was wrackt by the way, many Spaniards perishing, and a great treasure of Gold be∣ing lost; God so taking revenge upon their enormities.

Another Kingdome was called Marien, where there is a port at one end of the plain that looks toward the North, being larger and more fertile then the King∣dome of Portugal, and which very well de∣serves to be better peopled; for it abounds with Mountains wherein are great store of Gold Mines. The name of the King that there ruled was Guacanagari, under whom there were many other potent Lords, some of whom I knew: To this place came the old sea Captain that first disco∣vered America, who was received with so much courtesie and friendship by Guacana∣gari, who gave him and his associates all the help and assistance that might be (for his ship was there sunk) that upon his return into Spain he would often affirm, that his own parents in his own Coun∣trey were never so friendly to him. This

King flying from the cruelty and enor∣mous murders of the Spaniards, being de∣priv'd of his Kingdome, died poorly in the mountains. The rest of his Nobles ended their lives in that servitude and slavery which shall be hereafter rela∣ted.

The third Kingdome was Maquana, a Countrey very temperate and fertile, where the best Sugar in that Island is made. In this Countrey at that time Canabao did reign, who for power, dignity, gravity, and the ceremonies which were used to∣wards him, far exceeded the rest. This King suspecting nothing lesse, was by the craft and subtlety of the Spaniards taken in his own house; whom when they had taken they put a shipboard to send him to Castile; but there being six ships in the Port ready to set sayle, the sea began to swell so high, and to be so unruly, that all the six ships with the Spaniards in them, together with King Canabao, who was la∣den with chains, all perished in the waves. The great God shewing the Judgements of his wrath upon these unjust and wick∣ed wretches as he had done upon the others. This King had three or four brothers stout and valiant men, who being offended at the Captivity of their Lord and King, hea∣ring of the devastations and rapines daily committed by the Spaniards in these Coun∣tries,

and understanding that their brother was dead, resolved to take armes for the reliefe of their Countrey; but the Spani∣ards meeting them with a certain number of horse, which are a very great terror to the Indians made such a slaughter among them, that they depopulated the greatest part of this Countrey.

The Fourth Kingdome was called Xa∣raqua, being in the centre and middle of the whole Island, for eloquence of lan∣guage, as also for good government and gentile customes, it excels all the rest, there was in it a great company of Lords and noble men, and for the people them∣selves they were the most comely in the whole Island. The King of this Coun∣trey was called Behechio, who had a sister who was called Anacaona. Both the Bro∣ther and the Sister were very bountifull to the Spaniards, for they had freed them from the dangers of imminent death, shew∣ing great kindnesses to the Kings of Ca∣stile. Behechio being dead, the Kingdome was solely govern'd by his Sister. Now it happened one day, that the Governour of the Island with sixty Horse, and three hundred Foot (though the Horsemen were sufficient not only to wast the Island, but al∣so the whole Continent) cal'd to him about three hundred of the Peers and Lords of

the Nation, the greatest part whereof who were the more powerful, having by craft got them together in a straw Cottage, he cause to be burnt alive together with the house, the rest with an infinite sight of people he caused to be put to death by the Souldiers, who murdred the poor people like dogs with their Swords and Launces. As for Anacaona the Queen, that he might seem to be more courteous to her, he caused her to hang her self. And if it happened that any who were either moved with com∣passion, or covetousnesse, thinking to make lacqueys or servants of the Children, had set them behinde their horses, another would come behinde them, and either run them through, or cut off their legs if they hung down upon the horse sides. And when certain of the Indians, who escaped this furious massacre fled into an Island distant from them about some eight miles, they were by the Governour condemned to perpetual servitude.

The fifth Kingdome was called Hiquey, where an ancient Queen, by name Hiqua∣nama, governed, who was afterward cruci∣fied by the Spaniards: and there was an infinite number of those whom I here saw partly burnt alive, partly torne to pieces, partly put to other tortures, or re∣deemed from death, to a worse misery and

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captivity. Now there is so much to be said concerning the slaughters and devastati∣ons made by the Spaniards, so many stories to be reckoned up, as would be hardly con∣tained in writing, it being impossible to set down one thing of a hundred: for a conclusion of what I have said before, I will only adde one thing more, affirming upon my conscience, that for all the fore rehearsed enormities and villanies com∣mitted by the Spaniards, yet the Indians gave them no more occasion to perpetrate so many detestable cruelties upon them, then the most religious persons living in the most reformed Monasteries give to the Nations where they dwell, to extirpate them; and they had as little reason to condemn to a perpetual slavery that poor remnant that escaped alive. And this I shall further adde, that I do verily believe, that at that time when the Spaniards began this horrid persecution, they had not com∣mitted the least crime against the Spaniards that could merit any revenge. And this I also dare affirm, that the Indians had al∣waies just reason to raise warre against the Spaniards, and that the Spaniards on the contrary, had never any legall cause of quarrel against them, but only alwaies an intention to exercise a fury on them greater then the most consuming and pro∣digal

rage, that ever made the worst of ty∣rants in famous.

The wars being now at an end, and the inhabitants all killed up, the women and children being only reserved, they divi∣ded them among themselves, giving to one thirty, to another forty, to one a hun∣dred, to another two hundred, and those that had most, received them on this con∣dition, that they should instruct them in the Catholick Faith, though commonly their Masters were a company of stupid, ignorant, and covetous fellowes, and de∣filed with all manner of vices. But the main care was to send the men to work in the Gold Mines, which is an intolera∣ble labour, and to send the women to manure and till the ground; an exercise fit only for the stoutest men. These they fed with nothing but roots and hearbs, so that the milk of women with childe be∣ing dried up, by that reason the poor lit∣tle infants died. And the men being se∣parated from the women, there was no more issue to be expected from them. The men perished in the Gold Mines with hunger and labour, the women perished in the fields, being tired out with the same calamities: and thus was a vast number of the inhabitants of this Island wholly ex∣tirpated. Besides all this they caused them

to carry great burdens of a hundred and fourscore pound, and to travell with it a hundred or two hundred miles. They were also forc'd to carry the Spaniards up and down in their Hamechs, using them in manner of beasts to carry their burthens and the necessaries of their journeys. And as for the blows which they gave them with whips, cudgels and their fists, wherewith they continually tormented them in their labour, I could be hardly able to finde ei∣ther time or paper to make a narration large enough of those things.

Now it is here to be noted that the deso∣lation of these Islands and Provinces hap∣pened after the death of Queen Isabel, who deceased in the year 1504, for before that time few of the Provinces were intrenched upon by any unjust war, or over-flowed with this deluge of devastation; or if any thing was before that time done, it was conceal'd from the knowledge of the Queen, for she was alwayes zealous and solici∣tous for the safety and prosperity of this poor people.

And this may be also a generall rule, that the Spaniards to what ever part of the Indies they did come to, after that time ceased not to exercise their abomina∣ble slaughters, tyrannies, and execra∣ble oppressions upon the poor people,

and being delighted with new kindes of torments, daily encreased their cruelty and rage.

Of the Islands St. John and Jamaica.

IN the year 1509. the Islands of St. Iohn and Iamaica that look'd like fruitful gar∣dens, were possessed by the Spaniards, with the same bloudy intentions, as the other were; for there they also exercised their accustomed cruelties, killing, burning, roasting men, and throwing them to the dogs, as also by oppressing them with sun∣dry and various torments in the Gold Mines, as if they had come to rid the earth of these innocent and harmelesse creatures, of whom above six hundred thousand were murthered in these two Islands, so lavish were the Spanish swords of the bloud of these poor souls, scarce two hundred more remaining; the rest perished without the least knowledge of God.

Of the Island of Cuba.

IN the year, 1511. they went over in∣to the Island of Cuba, which extends as far in length as it is from Valladolid to Rome, in which there were many fair Pro∣vinces, inhabited with an infinite number of people, where the humanity and cle∣mency of the Spaniards was not only as lit∣tle as it had been in other places, but their cruelty and rage much greater. In this Island many things were done worthy ob∣servation. A certain Lord of great power among them by name Hathvey, who had fled over to Cuba, that he might avoid ei∣ther death or perpetual captivity, hear∣ing by some of the Indians that the Spaniards were also come into this Island, having as∣sembled the Indians together, he began as followeth:

Countrymen and Friends, you are not igno∣rant of the rumour by which we understand that the Spaniards are come among us, nei∣ther am I now to tell you how they have used the inhabitants of Hapti (so the call Hispa∣niola, in the Indian language) you know it by a sad experience: nor can we hope to finde

them more merciful then they did. Then quoth he, Countreymen do you know the Errand which brings them hither? To whom they re∣plyed, that was unknown to them, yet they fur∣ther replyed, that that they were well assured of the cruel nature of the Spaniard. Then quoth he, Ile tell ye the cause of their coming. They do worship some covetous and unsatisfied Deity, and to content the greedy worship of that Celestial Power, they require many things from us, using all their endevour to murther and en∣slave us. Which having said, taking up a little Chest filled with Gold, he proceeded in these words: Behold here the God of the Spaniards, and therefore if you think fitting, let us daunce and sing before this their God, Perhaps we may thereby appease his rage, and he well then command the Spaniards to let us alone: Who with an unanimous shout cryed out all, Well said, well said; and so they went to dauncing round this box, not ceasing till they had sufficiently wearied themselves. Then the Lord Hathvey going on with his speech, quoth he, If we do keep this God till he be taken from us, we shall be surely slain, and therefore I think it expedient for us to cast it in∣to the River; so his counsell being fol∣lowed, the Chest was cast into the Ri∣ver.

When the Spaniards had landed in this Island, this noble man that had sufficient

tryal of their manner, avoided them as much as he could, still flying from them and defending himself by force of armes upon all occasions. But at length being taken, for no other reason, but because he fled from those that sought his life, and defended himself that he might not be tor∣mented to death, he was by the Spaniards burnt alive. While he was tyed to the stake, there came to him a Monk of the Order of St. Francis, who began to talk to him of God and of the Articles of our Faith, telling him, that the small respite which the Executioner gave him was suffi∣cient for him to make sure his salvation if he believed. Upon which words after Hathvey had a little while paus'd, he asked the Monk if the door of heaven was open to the Spaniards, who answering, Yes, to the good Spaniards. Then replyed the other, Let me go to Hell that I may not come where they are.

It happened once that the Citizens of a very fair City distant about twelve miles from the place where we were, came forth of the City to do us honour, and to sub∣mit themselves to the King of Castile, but they being returned home, the Governour of the Spaniards about the middle of the night as they were sleeping in their bed, and least suspecting any such thing, sent a

company who came suddenly upon them, and set fire upon their houses, burning up both men, women and children, here some they murthered, others whom they spared, they tormented to make them tell where they had hid their Gold, after which they made them their slaves, having first marked them in the body: and immediately as soon as the fire was spent, they ran to finde out the Gold. At that time the Spa∣niards got above ten hundred thousand Crowns of Gold, out of which the King scarce had three hundred thousand sent him; there were slain in this place eight hundred thousand people; and those other Tyrants that came afterwards, emptied the Island of those that remained.

Among all the notorious enormities committed by the foresaid Governour, there is one not to be omitted: a certain noble Indian presenting him, perhaps more for fear then love, a present of above nine thousand Crowns, the Spaniards not con∣tent with this, tied him to a stake, and stretching out his Legs, put fire to them, re∣quiring a greater sum of Gold, who not able to endure the torment sent home for three thousand more; notwithstanding the Spaniards with a fresh rage began to torment him again, but seeing that he was able to give them no more, they kept him so long

over the fire till his marrow dropt from the soles of his feet, whereof he died. These were the torments wherewith they murthered not only the common People, but the Peers and Lords of those Na∣tions.

Sometimes it would happen, that a Band of Spaniards ranging abroad would light upon a mountain where the Indians were fled for protection from their cruelty, where they immediately fell upon the Indians, killing the Men, and taking the Women and Virgins captive; & when a great company of the Indians pursued them with weapons for the recovery of their Wives and Chil∣dren, they resolving not to let go their prey, when the Indians came near them, immedi∣ately with the points of their swords ran the poor Women and Children through the bodies. Upon which the wretched Indi∣ans beating their brests for grief would now and then burst forth in these words, O per∣verse men, O cruel Spaniards, What will ye kill helplesse women?

There was the house of a Noble man distant from Panama above 15. miles; he was by name called Paris, and he was very wealthy in Gold; to him the Spaniards came, and by him they were entertained like Bro∣thers, he giving to the Captain, as a Present, fifteen thousand Crowns; who by that

perceiving that he must of necessity have a very great treasure, feigned a departure, but about the middle of the night returning again entred the City, set it on fire, sacri∣ficing the poor people to the flames. Hence they took away about fifty or sixty thou∣sand Crowns▪ The Noble man escaping, gathered together what force he could and made after the Spaniards, who were gone away with no lesse then a hundred and forty thousand Crowns of his own Trea∣sure; when he had overtaken them, he fell upon them, and having slain above fifty of the Spaniards, he recovered his Gold again. The rest saved themselves by flight. But not long after the Spaniards retur∣ned with greater force upon the Noble man and having routed him, made slaves of all his people.

Of the Province of Nicaraqua.

IN the year 1522. the foresaid Gover∣nour went to subdue the Province of Nicaraqua. There is no man that can suffici∣ently expresse the fertility of this Island, the temperateness of the air, or the multitude of the people that did inhabit it. There was a vast number of people in this Province, for it contained divers cities above four mile in length: and for plenty of fruits (which was the cause that it was so ex∣treamly well habited) without compare. This people because their Countrey was all plain and level, had not the shelter of the Mountains, neither could they be easily perswaded to leave it, so pleasant was their habitation. And therefore they endured far the greater misery, and persecution, and underwent a more unsufferable slavery, be∣ing the lesse able to bear it, by how much they were of a milde and gentle nature. This Tyrant vex'd and tormented these poor creatures with so many continual in∣juries, slaughters, captivities and cruelties, that no tongue is able to expresse them. Into this territory he sent above fifty horse, who totally extirpated the people of this

Province by the Sword, sparing no age nor sex, not for any wrong they did them, but sometimes it came not so speedily when they called as they expected, or if they brought not such quantities of corn as they imposed, or if they did not bring a sufficient quantity of Indians to their ser∣vice: for the Countrey being in a plain there was no avoiding the fury of the Horsemen.

He commanded these Spaniards to go pil∣lage and depopulate other Countreys, per∣mitting to these Robbers, and Hangmen, to bring away and enslave what number of these poor people they pleased: whom they laded with chains that weighed above sixty or fifty pound, that they might not have the opportunity of escaping, so that it seldome hapned that above four in four thousand returned home; and if either through the weight of their chains, or for hunger or thirst they did chance to faint by the way, because they would not hin∣der their journey, they cut off their heads immediately, throwing the head in one place and the body in another. And the poor captive Indians when they saw the Spaniards preparing for such journeys, at their departure would weep and fall into these kinde of sad expressions, These are the journeys that we have often gone, to serve

the Christians, and then we could return home again to visit our Wives and Chil∣dren, but now all hope is cut off from us, and we must never see them more.

It happened also, by reason that it came into the Governors minde to change the Indians from one Master to another, pre∣tending to take away force from some that he saw began to envie him, that there was no seed time nor harvest for a whole year; now rather then the Spaniards would want, they took it from the Indians, by which means there perished no lesse then thirty thousand people; which caused one woman for hunger to eat her own childe.

And because these Cities and other pla∣ces were such pleasant abodes, therefore the Spaniards took up their habitations in these places, dividing the possessions among themselves; and as for the Indians, both old and young they lived in the houses of the Spaniards, drudging day & night in a perpe∣tual captivity, who spared not the smallest children, but impos'd on them burdens as much as they were able to bear, and some∣times more; & by this means allowing them neither houses nor any thing else proper to themselves, they destroyed them daily, and do daily destroy them: so that they excee∣ded the cruelties which they had committed in Hispaniola.

They hastned also the death of many of these poor people, by forcing them to carry timber and planks for shipping to the port that was distant about thirty miles from this place; compelling them also to fetch honey and wax from the Mountains, where they were many times devoured by the Tygres. Neither were they ashamed to lade and burthen Women with childe, as if they had been only beasts for carri∣age.

But there was no greater plague that depopulated this Countrey, then a liber∣ty granted by the Governour to the Spa∣niards, for the requiring of slaves and cap∣tives from the Nobles and potent men of the Kingdome; who as often as the Spa∣niards obtained leave to demand them, which was every four or five moneths, and sometimes oftner, gave them constantly fifty servants, whom the Spaniards still threatned, that if they would not be obedi∣ent, they would either burn them alive, or throw them to the dogs. Now because the Indians have but few servants, for it is a very great matter to see above three ser∣vants in that place waiting upon a Noble man; therefore the Nobility were fain to come to their subjects, from whom first they took all the Orphans, then coming to those that had many children, from them

that had two they took one, and from those who had three they demanded two; and thus they were fain to make up the Num∣ber which the threatning Tyrant required, while the poor people wept and deplor'd the sad misfortune of their Children, over whom they are very tender. Which being done for a daily continuance, in ten or twelve years they made a clean riddance of the inhabitants out of this place. For every foot there came five or six ships which returned full of Indians into the Regions of Panama and Peru, where they were sold, and ended their daies in capti∣vity. For experience hath taught us this, that when ever the Indians are removed from their accustomed habitations into other climates, they quickly die; the Spa∣niards neither affording them sufficient food, nor in times of sicknesse diminishing their labour, for which end they were on∣ly bought. And thus the number of peo∣ple hurried from the enjoyment of their freedome into a sad and laborious captivi∣ty, amounted to five hundred thousand souls, of which above fifty or sixty thou∣sand are already perished, and more daily perish. All these Massacres were commit∣ted within the space of fourteen years. There may be now remaining in the Pro∣vince of Nicaraqua perhaps some four or

five thousand men, though they daily di∣minish through the immoderate oppressions of the Spaniards. Notwithstanding in for∣mer time for number of people, it was the most flourishing place in the whole world.

Of New Spain.

IN the year 1517. New Spain was disco∣vered; after the discovery of which they did nothing first or second, but immedi∣ately sell to their old practises of cruelty and slaughter: for in the following year the Spaniards (who call themselves Chri∣stians) went thither to rob and kill; though they gave out that they went to people the Countrey. From that year un∣to this present year 1542. the violence, injustice and tyrannies of the Spaniards came to their full height; and now quite forgetting their humane natures, they laid aside all fear of God or of their King. For the slaughters, massacres, cruelties, deva∣stations of Countreys, destructions of Ci∣ties, violences, tyrannies, and rapines of the Spaniards, which they did commit in

these so many several and so large King∣domes, are so numberlesse, and strike the minde with such a horror, that those which we have before related, are nothing in respect of these which we are to relate, being all perpetrated in the year 1518. and continued to this very moneth in a most sad and dreadfull manner; so that what we said before holds very true, that the Spaniards still went on from bad to worse, themselves striving to exceed themselves in wickednesse.

And thus from the first entry of the Spa∣niards into New Spain, which happened up∣on the tenth day of the moneth of Aprill, continuing from the eighteenth year untill the thirtieth, in which space of time are contained twelve years compleat, there hath been no end of the bloudy massacres and cruel slaughters of the Spaniards, perpetra∣ted in the continent of Mexico and the parts adjoyning, which contained four or five large Kingdomes, that neither for com∣passe nor fertility gave place to Spain. All this region was more populous then either Toledo, Sevill, Valadolid, Augusta Caesarea, or Faventia; nay I may affirm that there is not at this present, neither was there when those places were at the highest of their flourishing estate, so many people as in those parts, which take up the space of

above a thousand and eight hundred miles. In these ten or twelve years, what with Men, Women, Youths, and Children, above four millions were by the Spaniards consu∣med part by fire, part by the sword in these destructive wars; wars more unjust and more condemn'd both by the Law of God and men, then any invasion of the Turk against the Catholique Religion. Neither do we now reckon those that died under the intolerable yoke and burdens of their captivity.

There is no language, no art or humane science, that can avail to recite the abomi∣nable crimes and bloudy actions commit∣ted by these enemies not only of Common-wealths, but of all humane societies; nei∣ther can any diligence, or time of writing sufficiently aggravate the circumstances of these detestable deeds. Notwithstanding something I shall say of every one of them; though I do seriously protest, that I con∣not rehearse one thing of a thousand in re∣spect of all that were done.

Of New Spain in particular.

AMong other grand murthers of theirs, they committed one more notorious in the City Cholula, which did contain above thirty thousand families. All the potent men of that Region, with the Priests who brought along with them their chief Priest also, came to meet the Spaniards; and that their reception and entertainment might be the more honourable, they agreed to entertain the Spaniards in the houses of the greatest Noble men; but here the Spa∣niards consulted how to begin their mas∣sacres, or as they call'd them, chastisements of the people, that they might keep in awe every corner of the Countrey with the terror of their cruelties. For this was their common custome, that they no soo∣ner had set sooting in any place, but they committed immediately some notorious violence upon the people, that the rest might stand in the greater fear of them. They sent therefore to the supreme Lord of the City, as also to all the other Lords and Governours, that they should give them a meeting, but they were no sooner come to parley, but they were all imme∣diately

laid hold on, leaving none to car∣ry back these bad tidings to the rest; first they demanded of them six thousand In∣dians, to carry the Luggage which they had with them, which when they were brought together they shut up in their houses. It was a sad spectacle to behold this poor people preparing themselves to carry those burthens. They came naked, covering on∣ly their secret parts, and at their shoulders hung a little Net wherein they kept their food; and thus while they stooped under their burthens, they lay open to all the cuts and blowes of the Spanish weapons. Now being in this manner gathered toge∣ther in a great and wide place, part of the Spaniards all in armes, stood at the door to keep the rest out, while others with Swords and Launces kill'd the innocent Lambs, so that not one escaped. After three or four daies were expired, some that had hid themselves among the dead bodies all over besmeered with bloud, came with all submission imploring mercy and compassi∣on from them; but they not at all regar∣ding their tears, nor moved with their lamentations, immediately hew'd them to pieces. All the Lords and Noble men, were kept a while in chains, and after∣ward at the Commandement of the Spanish Captain, tied to stakes and burnt to death.

But the King of the whole Countrey esca∣ped, with about thirty or forty men, be∣taking himself to a Temple which was like a Castle, and in their language called Quu; there defending himself a good part of the day; but the Spaniards out of whose hand few of them, especially the souldiery escap'd, setting the Temple on fire, burnt them all that were within alive, who as they were dying, brake forth into these lamentations: O wicked men, how have we injured you, that you should thus tor∣ment us? Away, away to Mexico, where our chief Lord Montenchuma will revenge our quarrel. This is also reported that while the Spaniards were busily acting this blou∣dy Tragedy, killing and destroying above six thousand innocent creatures, their chief Captain in sport sung these verses:

One flame the Roman 'City now de∣stroyes, And shrieks of people made a dismal noyse, While Nero sung, and moved with de∣light, From Tarpey Hill beheld the wofull sight.

Another butchery was by them commit∣ted in the City of Tepeaca, which was a

much larger City then the former. Here they put to the sword an infinite num∣ber of people, with many additions of cruelty.

Departing from Cholula they came to Mexico, the King whereof Montenchuma sent the Peers and Nobles of this Realm with innumerable presents to meet them, who all the way testified by several sports and solemnities, the joy which they had for their arrivall; When they approached neer the wal of the City, the Kings Brother came forth with many Noble men to meet him, who brought many gifts of Gold and Sil∣ver, to present them with. Coming to the entry of the City, there stood the King himself with all his attendants, who being carried in a golden Litter accompanied them to the Palace which was prepared for them. But that very day, as was told me by some that were there, they seised upon the King, little suspe∣cting any such matter, setting a guard up∣on his person of above eighty Souldiers: after that they put him in chains. But here passing by many things which might be said; I will relate one thing worthy ob∣servation. The Governor being call'd away to quell one of his Captains that had taken armes against him, and having left Montenchuma with a guard of above a

hundred, it came into the mindes of the Spaniards to do something which might render them dreadful and terrible to the Indians; which was a policy, as I said before, they did often use. In the mean while all the Nobility and commonalty of the Ci∣ty minded nothing else but to exhilarate the minde of their captive King with se∣veral varieties of sports and recreations. Among which there was none that they used more then dancings and revellings, which they performed all night long in the streets. These exercises they in their lan∣guage call'd Mirotes, but the Islanders Areytos. To these recreations they bring together all their wealth and richest garments, and what ever they do esteem precious; using them as the greatest testimonies of glad∣nesse. The Nobles also and Princes of the Royal bloud every one according to their degree, were busie in these sports in those places which were nearest the houses where the King was detained captive. Not far from the Palace there were above two thousand youths, being all the children of the Nobility, and indeed the flower of the Nobility which were in Mantenchuma's Kingdome. To these came the Captain of the Spaniards with a small party of Soul∣diers, sending other Troops to other parts of the City, as if they only came to be

spectators. But the Captain had given com∣mand that at a certain hour they should fall upon them; and he himself being about to lead the way, cry'd out, St. Iago, let us rush in upon them. The word being thus given, the Souldiees all fell on, and with their swords began to hack and hew those delicate bodies, spilling that generous and noble bloud with such an unheard of malice, that they left not one alive. And doing thus to others in other places, there fell a dismal fear and amazement up∣on the whole Countrey. Nor will these poor creatures doubtlesse ever forget as long as the world stands, to lament and bewail in their solemnities the sad cala∣mity and ruine of the whole seminary of their Nobility, of which they were wont so much to boast.

The Indians beholding this unheard of cruelty and injustice committed upon such a number of innocent souls, having with long patience endured the captivity of their King, who had charg'd them to be quiet, now ran all to their arms, and falling upon the Spaniards, wounded many, the rest narrowly escaping: at length the Spa∣niards putting a Dagger to the brest of the King Montencuma threatned to kill him unlesse he would look through the win∣dow and command his subjects to lay down

their armes. But the Indians at that time contemning the commands of their King, chose them a Captain whom they made chief Commander of all their Forces. By this time the forementioned Governour was returned from subduing his enemy, bringing with him a greater number of Spaniards then he carryed away with him. Whereupon the Indians desisted from do∣ing any thing more untill he was en∣tred into the City. But then gathering together very great Forces, they fought so vigorously, that the Spaniards despai∣ring of victory resolved to retreat in a tempestuous night and to leave the City. Which being known to the Indians, they cut off abundance of them upon the bridges of the Lakes: neitheir can any man de∣ny but that they did it justly, for the rea∣sons above rehearsed. Afterwards the Spa∣niards having recollected more forces, there followed that great contention in the Ci∣ty, wherein they committed so many se∣veral butcheries upon the Indians, by killing and burning both the Commonalty and the Nobility in a most barbarous man∣ner.

Having committed so many detestable slaughters upon the Indians in Mexico, and other places distant ten, fifteen and twenty miles from thence, this tyrannical plague

proceeded to infest and depopulate the Ci∣ty of Panuco. There was a wonderful fre∣quency of people in that Countrey, nei∣ther were the slaughters, that were there committed, lesse remarkable. In the like manner they laid waste the Provinces of Tatepeca, Ipilcingonium, and Columa, every one of which is of as large a compasse as the Kingdomes of Legiona and Castile. It is a very hard thing, if not altogether impossi∣ble, to recite all the murthers and cruelties there committed; besides that, it would cloy the reader.

Here we must observe, that they entred into these Kingdomes and territories, (which for the abundance of people ought to have been the joy of all true Christians) upon no pretence, but as they said to re∣duce them to slavery. For at their first entrance they commanded them to swear fealty and obedience to the King of Spain, & those that would not come in and sub∣mit themselves to the will of such unjust and cruel men, they proclaimed rebels, and and accus'd them of that crime to the King. The blindnesse of the chief Gover∣nours of the Indies not permitting them to discern, that no man can be called a Rebell who is not before a Subject.

This cruel Tyrant leaning upon this pretence, sent two other Captains excel∣ling

himself in fury, and impiety to Guati∣mala the most fertile and most flourishing Kingdome both for men and fruit of any that were situated southward. They had also received commands to visit the King∣domes of Naco, Honduras, and Guaimara looking toward the north, and being di∣stant from Mexico above three hundred miles; the one was sent by land, the other by sea, being both of them well furnished with men and ammunition for Horse and Foot.

And this I dare affirm, that the enormi∣ties committed by these two Captains, and by him especially that was sent to Guatimala (for the other dyed an evill death in good time) are enough to fill a parti∣cular volume, so many were the slaughters, violences, injuries, butcheries, and beastly desolations which they perpetrated, as do not only amaze the present, but must of necessity strike a horror into future ages: for in this place their abominations and devastations were more fatal then in any place before.

As for him that went by sea, he vex'd all the shore with his incursions and cruelties, to whom there came certain out of the Kingdome of Yucatan, which lies in the way to the Kingdomes of Naco, and Nay∣mura, whither he was then marching, and

brought him many presents, yet he was no sooner come into the Countrey, but he sent the souldiers to depopulate and waste the same, who ceased not to com∣mit many abominable outrages. Among the rest, a certain seditious rebel entring into a region bordering upon Guatemala, burnt up their City, killing the Inhabi∣tants, and laying waste all the Countrey, which he did on purpose, that if he should be pursued by his enemies, they might be liable to the revenge of the Indians as they passed along; which happened accor∣dingly, for there the chief Commander from whose power the foresaid Captain had rebell'd, was slain; but he was suc∣ceeded by many other fell tyrants, who with their wonted cruelties and captivity destroyed the people, selling them to those that brought garments and other pro∣vision, and by that kinde of servitude, which they practised from the year 1524. to the year 1535. they depopulated and made desert the provinces of Naco and Honduras, which seemed to be the Elysium and Paradise of the world in every re∣spect. And I have lately seen them so de∣stroyed, that it would move the most stony heart to compassion. In these eleven years there prrished in this Countrey above two millions, scarce two thousand now re∣maining,

who daily diminish through the hardnesse of their servitude.

But as for that abominable tyrant that exceeded all that were before in tyranny, and is equall to all that remains behinde, let us now finde him out in Guatimala.

He going through the Provinces adjoy∣ning to Mexico toward Guatimala, which are above four hundred miles in length, minded nothing else all the way he went, but slaughters, rapines, burnings, depo∣pulations, compelling all upon the fore∣said pretence to submit themselves to their cruelties, in the name of the King of Spain, whom they had never seen nor heard of, and whom they could not but think more unjust and cruel then his Ministers and Officers, yet giving them no time to deli∣berate, they wasted all before them with fire and sword.

Of the Kingdome and Province of Gua∣timala.

AT their first entrance into this King∣dome they committed a very great outrage. But for all that their chief Lord and Governor carried in a Litter came forth to meet him with Drums and Trum∣pets, and great joy; attended by many of the Nobles of the City of Vtlacan the greatest Mart Town of that Kingdome, where they gave him provisions in abun∣dance, with all that he could desire. That night the Spaniards lodg'd without the City, not thinking themselves safe in a Town so well fortified as that was. The next day he called to him the chief Lord with a great number of the Nobles, de∣manding of them a very great quantity of Gold. They returning him answer, that they could not satisfie his request by reason that their Countrey afforded not Gold, were immediately by his command, without any cause or form of proceeding, all burnt alive. The rest of the Nobles of these Provinces, seeing that all the chiefest of them, who had the power and govern∣ment of the Kingdome in their hands, were

for no cause put to death, but because they were not able to give them gold, fled to the mountains for safety, charging their subjects to submit themselves to the Spani∣ards, but not to tell them where their sculking places were, nor to give them no∣tice of their flight. Whereupon an infi∣nite number of the Indians came to the Spaniards requesting that they might be their subjects, and that they might serve them. The Captain made answer, that he would not receive them, and that more∣over he would kill them all unlesse they would declare whither their Lords were fled: the Indians replyed, That they knew no∣thing of it, but their Wives and Children they said were ready to serve them, adding, that they were at home in their houses, whi∣ther they might goe, and either kill them or use them as they pleas'd; which offers they made to them again and again. But strange to tell, the Spaniards demanded their Cities and Towns, killing these poor crea∣tures, who as they thought were secure at their work. They came to a very large Town, which being confident of their own innocence, thought themselves safer then the rest; but in two hours space they brought such a desolation upon it, kil∣ling all ages and sexes, that there was not a person left alive, but what saved them∣selves

by flight. The Indians perceiving that with all their humility, their patience, and their presents, that they were not able to asswage the fury of these inhumane creatures, and that they were daily killed up like dogs, began to think of taking armes; for they thought it better, since an evill death could not be avoided, rather to die fighting and taking revenge upon their enemies, then to be killed like beasts by them. But when they saw their want of armes, their feeblenesse, their nakednesse, and that they were utterly unskilfull in the management of horses, that they might have some way of prevailing upon their enemies, it came in their minds to dig certain ditches in the waies, that so the horses as they went along might fall into them: at the bottome of these pits they had driven in stakes sharpned at the top, and they had covered them over with clods of earth that they might not be discove∣red; twice or thrice the Spaniards fell into these ditches, but afterwards by their care they easily avoided them. And therefore they made a Law among themselves, that all the Indians which they took, of what ever sex or degree, should be thrown into those pits which they had made: Into these pits they threw women big with childe, and all the aged persons that they

could light upon, till the pit was full. It was a sad sight to behold women with child goar'd through the body with these stakes; while others that lay uppermost were kil∣led with swords and launces; those that would not in were cast to their dogs. They burnt a very potent Peer of the Nation in a great fire, saying that he was much honou∣red with that kinde of death.

Among other abominations committed by this Captain and his followers, who were not at all more gentle then their leader, this was one more memorable then the rest. Into the Province of Cuzcatan, where the City of our Saviour is situated, being a Countrey, which together with the neigh∣bouring sea coast is extended about forty or fifty miles in length; and also into the City of Cuzcatan it self, which is the Me∣tropolis of the whole Countrey, he was received with very great joy, the Indians expecting his coming, laden with a pre∣sent of above thirty thousand Turkies and other things necessary for their refreshment. But he having received their gift, comman∣ded the Spaniards every one of them to take as many Indians as they pleased, and to keep them for service as long as they should stay there. Whereupon every one took a hundred lesse or more, according as his oc∣casions required. And as for the poor

Captives they served them with so much zeal and affection, that they could require nothing more then adoration it self. Af∣ter this the Captain required of the peo∣ple a great quantity of Gold, who re∣turned him answer, that they would give him all the Gold they had. Where∣upon the Indians brought together a great company of spears which were guilt with Orichalcum, so that they seemed to be gold; but the Captain causing them to be touched, and not finding them to be gold, spake thus to the people, All curses light up∣on such a Region as this, wherein there is no Gold; and then commanded all those that had taken servants, to keep them in chains, and to mark them with the mark of servi∣tude, which was immediately done, the Kings mark being burnt into their flesh; which I saw also done to the son of the chiefest man in all the City. Those In∣dians that escaped with the rest of the in∣habitants of the Countrey, gathered them∣selves together, resolving to hazard a war with the Spaniards, but alas with small prosperity, there being an infinite number of them slain. After this they returned to Guatimala, where they built a City, which God in his justice destroy'd, overwhelming it, first with earth, then with stones of a vast bignesse, and lastly, letting in upon it

a great deluge of waters. Now after that they had slain all that were able to make resistance against them, they carried away the rest into captivity, or forced them to give away their children as tribute due to the Spaniards, for they use the service of no other creatures. And thus part being sold into the Countreys of Peru, and part destroyed by the sword, they made a wil∣dernesse of one of the most happy and po∣pulous Countreys of those parts, stretching out in length and bredth above a hundred miles. This the tyrant himself confessed, writing that this County was more po∣pulous then the County of Mexico, as in∣deed it was. This man in the space of fifteen years, which was from the year 525. to 540. together with his associates, mas∣sacred no lesse then five millions of men, and do daily destroy those that are yet re∣maining. It was the custome of this Ty∣rant, when he made war upon any Town or Countrey, to carry along with him as many as he could of the subdued Indians, compelling them to make war upon their Countreymen, and when he had ten or twenty thousand men in his service, be∣cause he could not give them provision, he permitted them to eat the flesh of those Indians that they had taken in war: for which cause he had a kind of shambles in his

Army for the ordering and dressing of mans flesh, suffering Children to be killed and broyled in his presence. The men they killed only for their hands and feet, for those they accounted dainties. Which be∣ing understood by the neighbours, they were all struck with astonishment.

Moreover, he destroyed not a few by compelling them to carry ships from one shore to another, causing them to bear great vessels, together with their Anchors of an extraordinary weight from the North sea to the South, being distant one from the other a hundred and thirty miles. And thus, also they carryed their Artillery from one place to another, putting them upon their naked shoulders, whereby be∣ing oppressed with the monstrous weight of those burdens, they sunk down often of them in the way, of which I was many times an eye-witnesse. He divided and se∣parated families, taking women from their husbands, daughters from their parents, which he gave to the Sea-men and Soul∣diers. All his ships he filled with Indians, where they died for hunger and for thirst. And truly if I should relate all his parti∣cular cruelties, I should make a book only to scare and affright men. He had two great Navies, wherein like light∣ning from heaven he consumed these poor

[illustration]

wretches. Oh how many children did he deprive of their parents, how many men of their wives, how many wives did he make widowes, how many widowes did they vitiate, how many marryed women adulterate, how many virgins did they ra∣vish, how many did they enslave, how many did he cause to languish in calamity, how many tears, how many sighs did he pro∣voke, upon how many did he bring de∣solation in his worldly pilgrimage, and endanger their damnation in the world to come? and this not only to the Indians that suffered, but to the Spaniards whom he encouraged in wickednesse, and who assisted him in the committing so many hainous and abominable murders. I do beseech God that he would be merciful to him, and let his wrath be satisfied with that judgement which he hath already inflicted on him.

Of New Spain. As also of Panucon, and Xalisco.

THese horrid murders and massacres be∣ing committed, besides others that I have omitted, in the Provinces of New Spain, there came another cruel and furious Tyrant into the Provin∣ces of Panucon, who having perpetrated many hainous iniquities, and sent great numbers of the Natives to be sold in the Countreys of Spain, laid waste all this Kingdome: and once it hapned that they used eight hundred of the Indians in stead of a team to draw their carriages, as if they had been meer beasts and irrational creatures. He was afterwards made Presi∣dent of the City of Mexico, and with him many other his fellow tyrants advanced to the office of Auditors; which Offices they contaminated with so many impieties and abominations, that it is hardly to be imagi∣ned. And as for this Countrey it self, they so far destroyed it, that if some of the Franciscan Friers had not strenuously op∣posed him, and that the Kings Councel had not provided a sudden remedy for it, in two years space they had wholly depopulated

New Spain, as they had done in Hispaniola. One of the Associates of the President that he might enclose his Garden with a wall, used the service of eight thousand Indians, and because he afforded them neither food, nor wages, they all perished after a most sad and lamentable manner.

After the first Captain, of whom we spake before, had put an end to the de∣struction of Panucon; and that there came newes to him that the Kings Councell was coming into these parts, he went fur∣ther into the Countrey, that he might exercise his cruelties with more liberty, and caused fifteen or twenty thousand of the Indians to follow and carry the bur∣thens of the Spaniards, of whom scarce two hundred returned alive, the rest be∣ing all destroyed; at length they came to the Province of Machuaca which is distant above forty miles from Mexico, and is no∣thing at all inferior to the other either for plenty of provision, or number of peo∣ple; the king coming to meet him with all shewes of respect and honour, they put in prison because he was repor∣ted to be very rich: which that they might get from him, they thus tormented him; having put his feet in a kinde of stocks, and stretching out his body, they tyed his hands to a stake, and then put∣ting

fire to his feet, while a boy was set to baste them with oyle, that they might roast the better; there stood another also with dogs behind him, threatning to set them upon him; which if he had done, they would have soon put an end to his life: and with these torments they vexed him, to make him bring his treasures to light. At length there came a Franciscan Frier who freed him from his torments, but not from death, which immediately ensued. With this kinde of torture they put to death many other of the Princes and Noble men of the Countrey.

About this time a certain man who came to visit their purses rather then their souls, knowing the Indians to be adorers of Idols, for the Spaniards had not taught them better, kept them captive till they had delivered all their Images, for they thought that they had been all of Gold, but when they found themselves deceived, he inflicted upon them punishments as if they had committed some great offence, and because he would not utterly lose their hopes, caused them to redeem their Idols with Gold, to adore them; and thus did the Spaniards procure the worship of God among the Indians.

This Tyrant out of the Province of Pa∣nucon, went to Methuaca and Xalisco, which

were Countreys fruitful both in men and money, and no small glory of the Indian Nation, having Cities that were in length above seven miles. When he came into these Countreys, the Indians, as they were wont, met him with accustomed signes of joy and gladnesse; but he immediately brake forth into his wonted cruelties, to attain his usual scope, which was the hea∣ping up of Gold, the only God which they adore. The Cities they burnt to the ground; Their Princes, having first tor∣mented them, they carried away captive, binding them in chains. Women with childe, without any consideration of their weaknesse, they oppressed with tedious la∣bours and hunger, that they dy'd by the way. And as for their Children, because they could not carry them, they were forc'd to throw them away, by which a number of Infants were destroyed.

There being a certain Christian who went about to defile a virgin, her mother interposed her self, and would have taken the daughter from him; the Spaniard draw∣ing forth his dagger, cut off her hand, and af∣terwards slew the virgin, because she would not give consent to his lustful desire.

Among other things also this was most unjust, that they caused to be marked with the mark of slavery above four thousand

five hundred of the Indians that were all as free born as themselves; among which they also caused to be thus marked chil∣dren of two, three or four years old, though they were all such as came forth to meet him with great acclamations of joy; other things without number I passe by in si∣lence.

All these above mentioned abominati∣ons being done, they reduced the rest to a tyrannicall subjection, for which cause they thought that they were only sent thither. In which regions the said Governour gave liberty to all the Spaniards, especially to his Stewards and Officers, to exercise what tor∣tures they pleased upon the Indians to draw out of them the knowledge where their trea∣sure lay. His Steward in times of peace kill'd many Indians, burning some, and casting other to his dogs, cutting off others hands, legs, and heads, that thereby their minds being totally subjected they should never deny where their Gold or treasure lay hid. All these things were done, the Tyrant himself beholding and consenting; and not only so, but they oppressed them and continually abused them with stripes and blowes of their canes and fists, lea∣ving no cruelty unexercised toward them. In this Kingdome of Xalisco they consu∣med by fire six thousand villages, upon

which the Indians growing desperate, see∣ing the remainder of those that escaped daily destroyed; they made an insurre∣ction against the Spaniards, and killing some of them, as they well deserved, they betook themselves again to the Moun∣tains. But the cruelties and injuries of the Tyrants that went from these parts to depopulate (which they called disco∣ver) other Regions overtaking them; ma∣ny Indians were by them slain, while they sought to defend themselves in the rocks: and to this present there are a thousand Butcheries committed upon them; where∣by there are hardly left any people in the whole Countrey. And thus the Spa∣niards being blinded and forsaken by God, and given over to a reprobate sense, con∣sidered not how unagreeable both to the Law of God and nature were their pro∣ceedings against the Indians, how unjust∣ly they went about to destroy them by force of armes, and not only to cast them out of their Countrey, but to torture them and cut them in pieces: nor do they see how impious their violences and ty∣rannies are over these poor people; they do believe and do affirme both in deed and word, that those victories which they have obtained and used to

the destruction of the Indians, as if their unjust wars were of right, and are so impudent as to give God thanks for them: like those theeves of whom Zachary speaks in the eleventh Chapter, the third and fourth Verses. Feed the flock of the slaughter, whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty, and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich.

Of the Kingdome of Yucatan.

IN the year 1526. a vile and impious man through his sawning and lying, was made Governour of the Kingdome of Yucatan; which was the manner that other tyrants used for the obtaining of their pre∣ferments and offices; for by their authori∣ty they had greater opportunities to do mischief. This Kingdome did abound with people both because of the temper of the air, and for the plenty of provision, in which it excelled the Countrey of Mexico. But those things for which it is chiefly fa∣mous are Hony and Wax, which it affor∣ded to all the Countreys of India, which have been hitherto discovered. It is three hundred miles in compasse. This Nation either as to policy and good government, or as to their way of living and conversa∣tion, excelled all the rest; and well de∣served to have had more knowledge of the true God. There there might have been erected by the Spaniards many brave and large Cities where they might have liv'd as in a Paradise, had they not rendred them∣selves totally unworthy of any such be∣nefits through their own enormities and

impieties. This Tyrant with three hun∣dred men made war upon these innocent Indians living peaceably in their houses, and offering injury to none, destroying many people. And because the Countrey hath no Gold, for if it had they had soon en∣ded the lives of the inhabitants, by dig∣ging in the Mines, making a gain of those bodies and souls for which Christ died, therefore those that they left alive, they made slaves of, sending whole ships away fraighted with people, bartering them for Wine, Oyle, Vinegar, Pork, Horses, and other things which they stood in need of. Out of fifty or a hundred Virgins which he had chosen out, he exchanged the best of them for the smallest vessell of Wine, Oyle, Vinegar or Pork: and once it chanced that a youth who was the Son of a Prince, was exchanged for a Cheese, and a hundred persons for a horse. This was his imploy∣ment, from the year 26. to 33. till newes was brought of the Regions of Peru, whi∣ther the Spaniards going put an end to their villanies here for a small time. But after some daies were past over, they returned again to their former rapines and disho∣nouring of God by their wicked courses; neither have they yet made an end, so that now three hundred miles of Land lie un∣till'd and void of inhabitants. The par∣ticulars

of their cruelty are not to be remembred, only two or three that come into my minde I will relate.

While the Spaniards were hunting after the Indians with their dogs, they met with an Indian Women, who being sick and seeing that she was not able to escape them, taking a rope hang'd her self, hanging al∣so her childe of a year old about her waste by the feet; but the dogs immediately fell upon the childe, only he was bap∣tized by a religious person before he died.

When the Spaniards departed out of the Kingdome invited the son of a certain Noble man, Governor either of a City or great Province, that he would go along with him, who answering that he was un∣willing to leave his native Countrey, they threatned to cut off his ears unlesse he would go along with him; notwithstan∣ding all which, he persevered in his resolution; whereupon they cut off his nose and the upper part of his lip, with as little remorse as if they had been paring their nailes.

This Furcisur carried himself obscen∣ly toward a deserving religious person, boasting to him, that he had got as many Indians as he could with childe, that they might yeeld the more profit in the sale of

them. In this Kingdome, or else in some province of new Spain, it hapned that a Spaniard being a hunting, his dogs seemed to him to be a hungry, whereupon he took a little Infant out of the mothers armes, and cutting off the thighs and armes of the Childe, cast it to his dogs, and when they had devoured those, he cast the whole bo∣dy to them. Thus we see how they were delivered over to a reprobate sense; and what a value they put upon these creatures formed after the Image of God. But now worse things follow.

Many cruelties, and indeed innumerable which were never before heard of, I doe omit, only I shall adde this one. These ambitious, blinde and execrable tyrants going out of this Region to seek more riches, there went with them four Monks of the Order of St. Francis together with Father Iames, to keep the Countrey in peace, and to bring the remainder of those that were left by their preaching to the knowledge of Christ. I do beleeve that these were they that in the year thirty four were solicited by the Indians to come into their Countrey, and to preach to them the knowledge of the true God. To which purpose they gathered assem∣blies and congregations together, that they might know what sort of people these

were that call'd themselves Fathers, and Fryers, who differed so much from the rest of the Spaniards, that vex'd them with so much affliction and torment. At length they receiv'd them, but on conditi∣on that they would come alone and not let any other of the Spaniards enter in among them, which those religious per∣sons promis'd, for they had not only a liberty, but a command from the Gover∣nour of New Spain, that they should so promise them, and that the Spaniards should do them no harm or injury. Upon which they began to preach the Gospel among them, and to declare to them the holy in∣tention of the King of Spain, of which things they had not yet received any knowledge, nor that they had any other King then him who oppressed them with so much ty∣ranny. The religious persons had not been there above forty daies, when they began to bring in all their Idols, and to commit them to the fire; and afterwards they brought their children, whom they loved as dearly as the apples of their eyes, to the religious persons to be instructed. And thus being perswaded by these religious persons they did more then ever had been done in the Indies before (for what ever the Tyrants that had oppressed them were wont to tell them they only spoke in con∣tempt

and derision on the Indians) for above twelve or fifteen Kings of large Provinces, together with their subjects by their Councell and consent, all of them acknow∣ledged the King of Castile to be their supe∣riour Lord of their own accord, and re∣ceived him for their Emperour, as he was King of Spain. In test••mony whereof I have a writing in my own custody signed by those persons.

Thus not without the great joy of those devout persons, an entry was made, for the bringing of those inhabitants that were remaining in these Countreys to the know∣ledge of Christ; but in the mean while by another way there entred in among them about eighteen Spanish Horsemen and twelve footmen, bringing with them great loads of Idols, which they had brought out of other Countreys. The Captain of the fore∣said Spaniards called to him one of the Noble men of this Countrey, and comman∣ded him to take these Idols and to distribute them among his people, and bring in ex∣change an Indian man or woman for every Idol, otherwise threatning to make war up∣on him; the foresaid Lord out of fear took those Idols, giving every one of them to his subjects, commanding them to worship them, and also to send back in recompence to the Spaniards some of their people to

serve them. The Indians terrifi'd delivered their children after a certain proportion, those that had two giving one, and those that had three delivering two; and thus they ended this sacrilegious merchandize, and so the Cacique gave satisfaction to the Spaniards; I dare not call them Christians. One of these sacrilegious Robbers, Iohn Garcia by name, being very sick and like to die had under his bed two burthens of these Idols, who when the Indian woman that looked to him was with him, com∣manded her that she should not deliver those Idols at a small rate, because they were of the best sort, and therefore that she should not sell them, but for an Indian man or woman in exchange, and as he was ma∣king this kinde of will he expired. And who can now question but that his soul is now tormented in the flames of Hell▪ Consider by this what was the progresse of Religion; and what examples of Christia∣nity the Spaniards did shew, when they came into America, how they honour'd God themselves, or how much they car'd that the Indians should know the right wor∣ship of him; Judge which is the greater crime, that of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin, causing two golden Calves to be set up, and to be worshipt by the people, or of

the Spaniards, who caused the Indians to buy their Idols, and made merchandize of them. These are the deeds of the Spa∣niards, who most often, out of a desire of heaping up gold, did sell and do yet sell, did deny and do yet deny Christ their Re∣deemer.

The Indians seeing that the Promises of the religious persons, that the Spaniards should not enter into their Countrey, were not performed, and that the Spaniards brought Idols out of other places to sell them into their Countrey, whereas the religious persons had made them to burn all theirs, that there might be but one worship of one God, came and spoke to them in this manner. Why have you told us so many untruths, promising so faith∣fully to us that the Spaniards should not come into our Countrey? Why have you burnt our gods, when as they do bring and sell others among us? are the gods of other Countreys better then our own? The Friers, although they had little to say, yet they made a shift to pacifie their mindes, and immediately went to the Spaniards declaring to them the evill which they had done, humbly beseech∣ing them to depart. Which the Spaniards not only utterly denyed, but also, which

was more wicked and abominable: they perswaded the Indians that they were cal∣led by the Friers: which being believ'd, they took councell to kill the religious persons, who being admonished by cer∣tain other Indians, avoided that danger and fled. But after their departure, know∣ing the falshood and treachery of the Spaniards, they sent messengers fifty miles after them, craving pardon in the name of the Indians, and intreating them to return.

The religious persons, as upright ser∣vants of God and zealous for the souls of those poor people, gave credit to the mes∣sengers and returned, and were entertai∣ned as if they had been Angels sent from heaven, and remained with the Indians for five moneths, receiving a thousand cour∣tesies from them. But when the Spaniards would not depart from thence, although the Viceroy used all his endevours to re∣call them; he declared them Traytors and guilty of high Treason; and moreover, when the persevered in their tyranny and oppression, the religious persons seeing, that though revenge came late, that yet they would not go unpunished, and fear∣ing lest that revenge might fall upon their own heads, and besides not being able to

preach the Gospell in quiet, by reason of the incursions of the Spaniards, resolv'd to leave the Kingdome, which now remains destitute of all knowledge, the souls of these poor Indians remaining in their past miseries of ignorance and Heathenisme, all the streams of divine knowledge being taken from them, by these cursed Spani∣ards, as when water is taken from the young plants; for at the time when they went away, the Indians were very covetous after the knowledge of our Religion.

Of the Province of Sancta Martha.

THE Province of St. Martha by reason of the Golden Mines & the fertility of the place wa•• a brave Island; wherefore from the year 1528. to 1542. many tyrants went thither by sea, with their incursions wasting and spoyling all the Island, after a strange manner destroying the inhabitants, and robbing them of all their Gold. And so the whole Countrey was wasted by them, especially all the coast and the places adjoyning, untill the year 1523. And because it was a fruitfull Countrey, there went thither at severall times seve∣rall Captains, succediug one another in cruelty, so that every one striv'd to out∣vie his predecessor in the inventions of ex∣quisite torments to afflict the poor people. And thus also in this place they confirm'd our foresaid Axiome. In the year 1529. there went thither a very great tyrant ac∣companied with many Troops, with an intention to exceed all the rest of his pre∣decessors in cruelty, who took away abun∣dance of treasure from the people in the space of seven years; in which exile he dying without repentance, into his place

other tyrants succeeded, where with their bloudy hands and impious points of their swords they destroy'd all the rest that their predecessors had spared. And such a desola∣tion they brought upon many provinces by their accustomed waies of cruelty, and in∣flicted so many torments upon the Princes and people to force them to declare where their treasure lay, that from the year 1529. to this day they depopulated above four hundred mile of land, the number of peo∣ple in these parts slain being not inferior to those who had been slain in other places.

If I had decreed to reckon up the impie∣ties, slaughters, cruelties, violences, rapines, murders, and iniquities, and other crimes committed by the Spaniards against God, the King, and these innocent Nations, I should make two large a volume: yet I shall do my endevour, if God grant me life. For the present I will rehearse a part of those things which the Bishops of these Provinces wrote to the King our Soveraign Lord. These were letters dated the 25. of May, in the year, 1541. In which these words are written.

I tell your sacred Majesty, that there is no remedy to ease this afflicted Nation, but to deliver it out of the power of these step-fathers, and to give it into the power of a loving hus∣band,

which may use it with more gen∣tlenesse as befits it, and that as soon as may be; for if there be any delay, it must of necessity perish.

And a little after he proceeds thus.

By which it shall be ap∣parent to your Majesty, how deservedly the Governors of these Provinces ought to be deprived of their dignity, that the Provinces may be eased; which if it be not suddenly done, these provinces will ne∣ver be eased. This also your Majesty may further take notice of, that they are not men that live here but Devils, that there are no servants of God or the King to be found, but traytors both to the Law and King.

Now certainly there is nothing more destructive to the peace of the Nation, and that hinders more the con∣version of those that live there in peace, then the cruel and hard usage which the Spaniards afflict those innocent people with∣all, which bred in them such a loathing of the Spanish name, that nothing is more odious and detestable. For the Indians call them Yaes, which in their language signifies Devils. And truly not without reason, for the actions of these people have been more like the actions of Devils, whereby it happens that the Indians seing such crimes committed by the Spaniards both of high and inferiour conditions, so void of

pity and compassion, cannot chuse but think amisse both of God, the King, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Christians; and to labour to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them to the contrary, is a vain and fruitlesse labour, and whereby a grea∣ter advantage is given them to laugh at Christ and his Law. And as for the Indians that take armes to defend themselves they think it better to die once, then to fall into the hands of their enemies, and to be affli∣cted with many deaths. These things, most invincible Caesar, I have learnt by ex∣perience. He addes further, Your Majesty hath in these Countreys more friends and servants then you are aware of; for there is no souldier of all those that serve in these parts, who does not publick∣ly and openly professe, whether he rob, steal, kill or burn the subjects of your Majesty, for the obtaining of gold, but that he does it to do your Majesty service. Wherefore most invincible Caesar it would be requisite, that you should signifie by the severe correction of some, how displeased you were with such services, whereby they shew themselves so disobedient and refractory to God himself. Which words are taken from the writings of the said Bishop of St. Martha, out of which it is manifest, what strange things have been committed, and are daily committed by them. They

call the Indians Warlike, that continually flie to the Mountains to avoid the cruelty of the Spaniards, and they call those the Indians and Inhabitants of the Countrey, whom they have subjected to the hard∣ship of a perpetual slavery by the terror of their massacres: by which they have been depopulated and wasted, as appears out of the letters of the foresaid Bishop, who recites but a very few of those things that were committed. The Indians of these Regions us'd to break forth into these ex∣pressions, when they are forc'd naked through the craggie passages of the moun∣tains, if at any time they chanced to faint with wearinesse (for then they are constant∣ly beaten with canes, sometimes their teeth knockt out with the hilts of their swords, to make them rise and proceed on in their journeys without any rest) then were they wont I say to break forth into these expressions, Oh how envious art thou▪ I faint, kill me, and put an end to my daies: this they sigh forth, scarcly able to draw out their words, the certain signs of an inward anguish and deep distresse; but who can comprehend in words the hundredth part of these calamities and afflictions wherewith the Spaniards do torment the poor Indians; God of his mercy bring them to the know∣ledge of those who are able to remedy and prevent them for the future.

Of the Province of Carthagena.

THis Province is distant from the Island of St. Martha toward the West 50. miles, and is situated upon the confines of the Kingdome of Cerusia, being stretched upon the sea coast to the Bay of Vraba a hundred miles in length, South ward it is also stretch∣ed to a very great length. These Provinces from the year 1498. to this present year were handled after a most cruel manner, and depopulated with several kindes of slaugh∣ters, as it happened in the Islands of St. Martha: but that I may come to a quick con∣clusion I shall cease to speak of every par∣ticular, that I may make hast to the rehear∣sal of those detestable crimes which they committed in other Countreys.

Of the shore of Pearls, of Paria, and of the Island of the Trinity.

FRom the shore of Paria, to the Bay of V••necuela, which takes up above two hundred miles in length, the Spaniards com∣mitted most wonderful depopulations; for they gave themselves wholly to their wont∣ed Robberies, enslaving also infinite num∣bers of men, on purpose to sell them for money, against all the faith and pledges which they had given them for their secu∣rity (for those were things which they ne∣ver observed) though they were entertained by these innocent creatures with all civi∣lity, and softered in their houses like their parents, or children, serving them in all things to the utmost of their power, and making them masters of all that was in their possession. It can hardly be said or ex∣pressed, with how many injuries and unjust actions they used to afflict the poor Indians in these Countreys from 1510. untill this present year. Two or three of their most hainous crimes I will rehearse, whereby the reader may judge of the wickedness of those which remain untold.

Into the Island of the Trinity being larger

and more fertile then Sicily, and stored with Inhabitants, according to their quality, more ingenuous & vertuous then any other Nation of the Indians, a certain Robber went in the year 1510. accompanyed with fifty or sixty other fellow theeves, who pre∣sently proclaim'd an edict that all the In∣dians should come into the Island to live with him. The Indians received them as their natural Countreymen, both Princes and subjects yeelding obedience to them with much chearfulnesse, bringing provi∣sion to them every day as much as would have sufficed to have served a far greater number; for this is the custome of the In∣habitants of this new world, to afford all necessaries to the Spaniards in great abun∣dance. A little while after the Spaniards built a great house for the Indians to dwel in, for they would not that all of them should have more then one house, where they might all dwell together, that they might with more convenience execute that which they had in their resolutions; which they did accordingly: for when they had thatched it over, and raised it to the height of two men, they shut up abundance of them in the said house upon pretence to hasten the work; but in truth, that those within might not be seen by those with∣out; then a part of them compass'd the

house with their weapons that none might enter in or go forth; after that others of them went in, and unsheathing their swords, they threatned death to the naked Indians if they stir'd, and then bound them. And if any of them went about to flye, they were in the place immediately cut in pieces; some few that escaped, part wounded, and part whole, joyning themselves with those who stood without, being about two hun∣dred in number, with bowes and arrowes retreated to another house, who being all at one end stoutly defending the entry of the house, the Spaniards set fire to the other end, and so they all there perished by fire. Hence they departed with their prisoners, all they could lay hold on, be∣ing about a hundred and eighty, to the Island of St. Iohn where the sold half, and from thence also to the Island of Hispaniola, where they fold the rest. Now when I taxed the Captain for his wickednesse, af∣ter he came to the Island of St. Iohn? He gave me this answer, Pray sir be patient, for I was commanded by those that sent me, that those that I could not take by fair means, I should seize by force: yet the said Captain had related to me for cer∣tain, that in the Island of the Trinity he found them both fathers and mothers to him, which he spoke to his greater con∣fusion

and the aggravation of his crime. Infinite of other things they did, taking captive these poor people against all faith given. Let these actions be well considered, and whether the Indians so taken may be justly enslaved or no. Once the Fryers of the Order of St. Dominick consulted about sending some of their Order to this Island, to spread the light of the Gospel among the Indians, for the salvation of their souls; Whereupon they sent a Licentiate, famous for his sanctity with a lay man, to accom∣pany him, to visit the Countrey, converse with the Inhabitants, and to seek out fit places for the the building of Monasteries. The religious persons being arriv'd were re∣ceived as Angels from heaven, ear being giv'n to their words with all attention, alacrity and affection, that they were able at that time, for they were ignorant of our lan∣guage; it happened afterwards when the religious persons were gone, that there came a band of Souldiers, who accor∣ding to their wonted customes of fraud and impiety, carried away captive the Prince of the Province, who (either because that name was given him by the Religi∣ous persons, or by the other Spaniards) was call'd Alfonsus; for they delight to be cal∣led by the names of the Christians, and therefore before they are informed of any

thing else they desire to be baptized. By these souldiers was Alfonsus craftily seduced a shipboard under pretence that they would give him a Banquet; with their Prince there went seventeen other persons, for they had a confidence that the Fryers would keep the Spaniards from doing them any injury, For otherwise the said King would not have trusted them so far; but they were no sooner on shipboard, but the Spaniards hoysed up their sailes for Hispaniola, where they sold all the Indians for slaves; Now all the Region being troubled for the losse of their King and Queen, flockt to the Reli∣gious persons, and had like to have slain them; who perceiving the injustice of the Spaniards were very much troubled; and I do beleeve, that they had rather have lost their lives, then that the Indians should have suffered such an injury to the hinderance of their salvation; but the Indians were satis∣fied with the promises of the religious per∣sons, who told them, that as soon as any ships came to the Island, they would take the first opportunity to go to Hispaniola and endevour to get their King and Queen set at liberty. Providence sent a ship thither to confirm the condemnation of those that go∣vern'd, by which these religious persons sent to the religious persons of Hispaniola, but got no redress, for the Spaniards there

were receivers of the prey. When the religi∣ous persons, who had promised to the Indians that their King should return within four moneths, saw that he did not come in eight moneths, they prepared themselves for death, and to give up their lives to Christ to whom they had offer'd them be∣fore their departure out of Hispaniola; and so the innocent Indians reveng'd themselves upon the innocent Friers. For the Indians, believed that the religious persons were guilty of the said treachery, partly because that their promises concerning the return of their King in four moneths had prov'd so vain, partly because the Indians make no distinction between the religious persons and the theeving Spaniards. It hapned also that at another time, through the great ty∣ranny and oppression of the evil Christians, that the Indians slew two religious persons of the order of St. Dominic, of which I was a very real witnesse, as being one of those who escaped the same fate by a great mira∣cle, which I had resolved not to have men∣tioned, lest the horror of the fact should de∣ter others. Wherefore to avoid prolixity, I shall say no more concerning these things, leaving them to be revealed at the day of judgement, when God shall pour his ven∣geance down upon these robbers and de∣stroyers of mankinde. In these Provinces in

the Bay of Coderat, there was a City, the Lord of which was called Higueroto, a name com∣mon either to the persons, or to the officers of the place. He was a person so milde and gentle, and all his subjects endued with such vertue using the Spaniards that arriv'd there with that civility, that they thought nothing too much for them, bestowing all things needfull either for sustenance or de∣light that their Countrey afforded. This Lord had saved many from death, who had escaped out of other Provinces, from the murthers and slaughters of the Spaniards, be∣ing a kind of a sanctuary for the sick and half famished persons that came into his Countrey, and when they were recovered sent them back again to the Island of pearls where the Spaniards liv'd, though he had an opportunity to have slain them, there be∣ing none to regard or misse them; in brief, the Spaniards had all the houses of the inha∣bitants in common, and all the subjects of Higueroto they called their own subjects; but a perfidious Spaniard took councel how he might destroy this Region which seem'd it self so safe and secure; presently therefore he sayl'd thither, and invited a great number of men to come a shipboard, who giving cre∣dit to the Spaniards, came willingly to them; but they were no sooner entred the ship, but the Spaniards hoysed sayl for the Island

of St. Iohn where they sold them all. At the same time I arriv'd at this Island, where I saw this tyrant, and was told the relation of what he had done. He wholly destroyed the City it self, which the other Spaniards who were wont to harrace all the sea coast, were notwithstanding much trou∣bled at, abominating actions so hainous committed against them who had been so courteous and liberal to them, and where they had been entertain'd as in their own houses.

I will not recite the infinite wickednesses which have been committed by them, and are daily committed among them.

These Spaniards departed from the sea coast to the Islands of Hispaniola and St. Iohn, carrying with them above two milli∣ons of men to the said Islands, which they afterwards destroyed through hard labour and continual bad usage; those that be∣fore liv'd in this Island, being not reckned into their number, who were an infinite and unspeakable number, and it is a most sad thing to consider, and that which would move the most cruel hearts, to see all this fertile shore lie desert and depopulated. This is also a known thing, that they ne∣ver do transport Indians from these places, but in their voyage they do pay the third ••art of them as a tribute to the waves, be∣sides

those that are murthered in their own houses. The cause of all these things are their own wicked purposes; that is to say, by the sale of the Indians to heap up trea∣sure, yet furnishing the ships not with half provisions for the sustenance of those that they transport, because they would not be at too much charges; and sometimes there are hardly provisions enough to suf∣fice the Spaniards themselves, so that the Indians ready to die for hunger and thirst, are immediately thrown into the sea. And it was related to me for certain, that a ship going from Hispaniola to the Island of Lu∣cayos, sayl'd thither without any compasse, only by the Carkasses that floated up and down the sea. Afterwards when they are landed, where they are carried to be sold, there is no man that would not be mov'd with compassion, to see both old and young, men and women, naked and hungry, drop and faint as they goe along. Afterwards they divide them like sheep, separating sons from fathers, wives from their husbands; and then making up a company of ten or twenty, those that set out the ships, and fitted them with necessaries, present∣ly cast lots for their shares. And when the lot fell upon a company that had an old or a sick man, he to whom the lot fell, was wont to break forth into these ex∣pressions,

Cursed be this old fellow, why do you give him me? to bury him? why do you give me this sick man? to be his keeper? And thus let us consider, in what estimation the Indians are among the Spaniards, and how the pre∣cept of Charity on which the Law and the Prophets depends is observed among them.

There is nothing more detestable or more cruel, then the tyranny which the Spani∣ards use toward the Indians for the getting of pearl. Surely the infernall torments cannot much exceed the anguish that they indure, by reason of that way of cruelty; for they put them under water some four or five ells deep, where they are forced with∣out any liberty of respiration, to gather up the shels wherein the Pearls are; some∣times they come up again with nets full of shels to take breath, but if they stay any while to rest themselves, immediately comes a hangman row'd in a little boat, who as soon as he hath well beaten them, drags them again to their labour. Their food is nothing but fish, and the very same that contains the Pearl, with a small por∣tion of that bread which that Countrey affords; in the first whereof there is little nourishment; and as for the latter, it is made with great difficulty, besides that they have not enough of that neither for suste∣nance; they lye upon the ground in fet∣ters,

lest they should run away; and many times they are drown'd in this labour, and are never seen again till they swim upon the top of the waves: oftentimes they al∣so are devoured by certain sea monsters, that are frequent in those seas. Consider whe∣ther this hard usage of the poor creatures be consistent with the precepts which God commands concerning charity to our neighbour, by those that cast them so un∣deservedly into the dangers of a cruel death, causing them to perish without any remorse or pity, or allowing them the benefit of the Sacraments, or the knowledge of Re∣ligion; it being impossible for them to live any time under the water; and this death is so much the more painful, by reason that by the coarctation of the brest, while the lungs strive to do their office, the vi∣tall parts are so afflicted that they dye vomiting the bloud out of their mouthes. Their hair also, which is by nature black, is hereby chang'd and made of the same co∣lour with that of the sea Wolves; their bodies are also so besprinkled with the froth of the sea, that they appear rather like monsters then men. By this intole∣rable labour, or rather diabolical exercise, they have consumed all the Lucayans, for their particular gain; out of every Indians labour gaining above fifty or a hundred

Crowns. They sold them also against all justice; only because Lucayans were most skil∣full swimmers. There perished also many of the Inhabitants of other Provinces in this place.

Of the River of Yuya Pari.

THrough this Province runs the River of Yuya Pari which rises in other Countreys about two huudred miles di∣stant. Into this River entred a perfidious Tyrant, wasting many miles of Land, com∣mitting many slaughters, consuming ma∣ny by fire, and putting an infinite number of these poor Indians to the sword, that liv'd peaceably in their own houses without any suspicion of making disturbance. At length he dy'd an evill death, and all his forces came to ruine, though he were suc∣ceeded by many others, not inferiour to him in impiety, who daily destroy the souls of the poor Indians, for whom the bloud of Christ was spilt.

Of the Kingdome of Venecuela.

IN the yeare 1526. our Soveraigne Lord the King through the false perswasions of some evil Counsellours made over to cer∣taine Dutch Merchants the Kingdome of Venecuela, being more large and long then Spain, giving to the Governour a full and plenary jurisdiction over the said People upon certain conditions. They entered this Region with about 30. men, where they found the people affable and courteous as they were in other Countries of India before they were killed up by the Spani∣ards. They by many degrees crueller then the rest of whom we have spoken shewed themselves more fierce and greedy then Tygers, Wolves or Lyons; for having a jurisdiction over the Land, and therefore possessing it more freely, they bestirred themselves with greater fury and covetous∣nesse in the heaping up of Gold and Silver, then any of their Predecessors had done before them; laying aside all feare of God, or of the King, and forgetting all huma∣nity.

These incarnate devils laid waste and

spoiled above 400. miles of most fertile land, containing very great Provinces, fruitful Vallies forty miles in length; and an infinite number of Villages abounding with Gold and Silver. So many, and so many several regions they so utterly depo∣pulated, that they hardly left a Messenger of these sad tydings, but those which hiding themselves in the Caverns and Bowels of the Earth escaped the thirst of their enraged swords. With new and unusual sorts of torments they destroyed above four or five millions of people; Neither do they yet put an end to their abominable crimes and enormities: Three or four of their mad actions I will rehearse, whereby the reader may judge of the rest.

The chiefe Lord of the Province they took captive, putting him to several tor∣ments to squeeze his Gold from him; but he escaping fled to the Mountaines, and thereupon his Subjects that lay hid among the Woods and Bushes began to raise a tu∣mult; The Spainards followed destroying abundance of the people; and as for those who were taken alive, they were publickly sold for slaves. In many Provinces, and indeed in most Provinces where they came before the captivity of the chief Lord, they were still welcom'd by the Indians with Songs and Dances and great Presents of Gold; though the thanks which they

gave them was alwayes with the points of their swords, still recompensing them with Massacres. One day when they came forth to meet the Spaniards, the German Tyrant and Captaine caus'd an infinite number of them to be shut up in a house made up with straw, where he commanded that they should be all cut in pieces. Now by reason that there were beames in the house whither the Indians got up to avoid the fury of the German swords; therefore (O cruel beasts) the Governour sent certaine men to set fire upon the house, and so burnt them alive: So that now the whole Region lay waste and desolate, the inhabitants being all fled to the Mountaines for safety.

They came afterwards to another large Province neere to that of St. Martha, where they found the Indians in their houses and Cities very peaceably employed about their occasions, where they liv'd a good while at the charges of the inhabitants, the Indians serving them like men in whose power their lives and safeties were, induring beyond imagination their continual importunities and daily oppressions, which were almost intolerable. This being added, which I said before, that one Spainard consumes in one day as much as would suffice to serve an Indian family consisting commonly of ten persons for a whole month. At that time the Indians presented them with several

great summes of Gold, doing many other kindnesses for them. At length when they were about to go away, as a recompence for all their courteous entertainment, they resolv'd to leave them after this manner. The German Tyrant gave command that all the Indians with their wives and chil∣dren if possible, should be gathered together and shut up in one large place; which done, they were also commanded to signifie to them, that whoever desired to be at li∣berty, must redeeme themselves with their wives and children at a certain Ransome, impos'd upon them at the discretion of the Governour; & to hasten them the more and bring them to a greater necessity, he com∣manded that no sustenance should be given them, till they had pay'd the sum required. Hereupon many sent home for the price of their Redemption, that they might be at li∣berty to seek for Victuals: But they had not been long at home ere they were brought back again by the Robbers, and shut up in the same place, that being oppressed with hunger and thirst they might be forc'd to redeem themselves once more; and thus were many of them three or four times faine to ransom themselves. And in this manner a Country abounding with Gold and peo∣ple was totally destroy'd; in which there was a Valley forty miles long, where they burnt a Village that contained above a

thousand houses. This Governour went further, having a great desire to see the lower parts of Perue; for which journey he pro∣vided an infinite number of Indians, lading them with chaines and heavy burthens; and if any of them fainted by the way, because they would not stand to loosen the chaines, they cut off their hands and heads, casting the head one way, and the body another, and their burdens were divided and impos'd upon others. And now should I reckon the Provinces which he laid desert, the Cities which he burnt, for all their houses are of straw, besides the particular slaugh∣ters which they made, though I am confi∣dent of the truth thereof, yet should I scarcely be beleeved, by reason that so much cruelty could not be suppos'd in man.

This course took other Tyrants that de∣parted from Venequela and the Province of St. Martha, with a resolution to make a further discovery of the Divine Gold of Perue: But they found that glorious Coun∣try so desert, so depopulated, so wasted and destroyed, that they themselves though a crew of blood thirsty Tyrants, were amaz'd and wondred to behold such ruines and depopulations.

These and many other things were prov'd before the fiscal of the Indian Council, and the several proofes are kept by the said Council; though tis most certain that they

never put to death any of those cursed Ty∣rants, as if all the devastations and murders by them committed had not been at all to be regarded. For hitherto the Ministers of Justice in India through their extraordinary and damned blindnesse, have never been very solicitous to inquire after the crimes and slaughters which those Tyrants have committed, or daily do commit. Onely they tell you slightly, that because such and such a one did ill and handled the Indians so cruelly, that therefore the Treasury of the King was much diminished; and this is all they do toward the suppression of so many hainous actions. Neither are those, which are prov'd, verifi'd to any purpose, neither is there that credit given to them as indeed there should be; for if they would but do their duty both to God and the King, they would soon finde the King to have been cheated by the German Tyrants of above three millions of Gold; for the Region of Venecuela being about 400. miles in length, for the happinesse of the soile and the abundance of Gold is not inferiour to any of the rest: and thus in the space of seventeen years wherein these enemies of God and the King, have done nothing else but destroy'd and wasted these Countries, they have, as I said before, defrauded the King not of lesse then three millions of Gold. Neither is it to be hop'd that these

losses can be repaired as long as the World stands, unlesse God by some miracle should raise from the dead so many people as have been slaine; besides the blasphemies and curses wherewith they have been bold to provoke even God himselfe. But what re∣compence can be made for the destroying of so many soules, which through the cruel∣ty and tyranny of so many blood-sucking Tyrants are now tormented in hell? This also may be added by way of conclusion to the rest of their Crimes, that from the time that they first enterd this Region, which is now seventeen years agoe, they never ceas'd to send whole Ships laden with Indian Captives to the Islands of St. Martha, Hi∣spaniola, Iamaica, and St. Iohn, having sold at the least a million of men; neither do they yet forebeare in this yeare 1542. that abominable practice; the Royal Council of the King taking no notice there∣of: and that, which they cannot choose but see, they not onely dissemble, but suffer and uphold them that do it. And as for the rest of their Crimes and infinite devastations, which they spread all along this part of the Con∣tinent, for a matter of 400. miles in length, together with Venecuela which is under their jurisdiction, they shut their eyes, when they might have remedi'd them. The reason why they did captivate the Indians was onely this; out of a perverse, obstinate

and blinde desire of heaping up Gold and riches, which is common to all that have gone into America. For these quiet lambes, they drew them by violence out of their houses, carrying them, together with their wives and children into Captivity, afflicting them in those horrid manners as abovesaid, and burning them with the marke of Slaves.

Of the Provinces of the Country of Florida.

INto these Countries there went two seve∣ral Tyrants at several times, from the year 1510. or eleven, that they might perpetrate the same abominable actions as the rest had done; that by the blood and destruction of the people, they might obtaine Offices and dignities which they were no way wor∣thy of. But at length they were taken a∣way by an evil death, the houses also which they had built them (this I witnesse of all the three) at the cost of humane blood perish'd with them, the memory of them va∣nishing from the face of the Earth, as if they had never been. They left these Countries very much troubled and confused, having incurr'd no small infamy by reason of the

Crimes which they committed, though they were not many: for God cut them off at the beginning, leaving the revenge of those evils, which I know, and have seen done in the Indies, to be poured forth upon this place. Of the fourth Tyrant that came well instructed lately in the yeare 1538. we have had no news these three yeares. This we are sure of, that at the beginning he carried himselfe very cruelly; and if he be alive, most assuredly he hath destroy'd an infinite number of people; for he among all those who have done most mischeife in ruining both Provinces and Kingdoms, is famous for his Savage fury; wherefore I am apt to believe that God hath put the same end to his life, as to the others.

Three or four years after these things happened which I have related, the other Tyrant that went along with him who there ended his dayes, departed out of that Country; whose cruelties and rapines while the chiefe Captaine liv'd, and after his death were so many, as we since under∣stood, that what we said before, may still stand for an Axiom, that the further they went, the more exorbitant was their fury and iniquity. But because it is so irksome to me to rehearse these Execrable and bloo∣dy acts not of men but of beasts, I will no longer dwell upon them, but go to those things which followed after.

They found a numerous people, wise and well moralliz'd, over whom they ex∣ercis'd their wonted tyrannies, seeking to strike an awe and dread into them, with the anguish and the burdens wherewith they oppressed them. And if they fainted by the way, they would not take the pains to open the fetters, but came to the fain∣ting person, and cut off his head or his hands, and so left them. Once entring into a certaine Village, they were with great joy and exultation received by the Spaniards, who gave them provision till they were satisfied, allowing them also six hundred Indians to carry their burdens, and to look to their horses. But the Spa∣niards being departed, a certain Captain, of Kin to the chiefe Tyrant, returned to spoile them that mistrusted nothing; who there slew the King of the Province with his Lance, and committed many o∣ther cruelties. In another Village, whose Inhabitants seem'd to be more vigilant, by reason of the horrid iniquities which, as they heard, the Spaniards were wont to commit, they put all to the sword, young and old, little and great, Lord and subject, sparing none that came in their way.

The chief Tyrant, with a nose and lips down to his beard, having call'd together a great number of Indians, reported to

have been about two hundred, caused them all to have their members lopt off, lea∣ving them in this sad and painful condi∣tion, the blood streaming forth, to be wit∣ness••s of the mercy of these persons baptiz'd in the Catholike Faith.

Now let us judge of the love which such kinde of men beare toward Christianity, or after what manner they beleeve in God, whom they boast to be good and just, and whose Law is without blemish. Most per∣nicious have been the evils committed by these wicked men, the sons of perdition. At length this wretched Captaine dyed without any repentance▪ neither can we doubt but that he now lies fetter'd in the shades of Hell, unlesse God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse, not according to his deserts, have taken compassion on him.

Of the River of Plate, or the Silver River.

ABout the yeares one thousand five hundred and two or three, some four or five Captaines undertook a journey to the River of Plate, which containes many Provinces and Countries, which flourish

with people very rational, and of hand∣some dispositions. In general we can say that they did there commit many horrid mischiefes and execrable murders. But being at a very great distance from those Indians, of whom we have talked more at large, we can relate nothing singular or particular; onely we doe not question, but they do employ themselves in the same works of darknesse as hath been hitherto practised in divers other places; for they are Spaniards still, and many of them the very same who were present at the other Massacres, and having the same intention to become rich and potent, which they can∣not obtaine but by the same courses as they formerly took, following the bloody footsteps of those who have already de∣stroyed and slain so many Indians.

After I had written what I have above mentioned, it hath been related to me for certaine, that they have depopulated and laid waste many Provinces and Kingdoms in those Regions, rendring themselves so much the more exquisite and devilish in their oppressions, slaughters, and mas∣sacres of those people, by how much they are at a farther and more conveni∣ent distance from Spaine; and laying aside all thoughts of Justice, which in∣deed was never practis'd in those Regions of America, as doth sufficiently appeare by

what we have above writtrn. Among all the Enormities which shall follow after, this one was read in the Councel. A cer∣tain Gouernour had given in charge to his souldiers, that into whatever Village they came that should deny them provisi∣on, that they should there put all the In∣habitants to the sword. Upon which Warrant the souldiers went, and because the Indians would not submit to them as to enemies, fearing rather to come into their sight, then that their Liberality or Store would be defective, they immediatly put to the sword above 5000. of them. A certain number of men also living in peace, offer'd their service to them; they after∣wards were by chance summon'd by the Governour, and because they came not so suddenly as his fury expected, he there∣upon commanded that they should be de∣livered to those Indians that were their e∣nemies. With tears and outcries they be∣seeched him that he would rather permit them to die by their hands, then deliver them up to the mercy of their foes; and when they would not come out of the hou∣ses where they were, they were all torne lim-meale, crying out, and saying, We come in peace to serve you, and you now kill us, may our blood sprinkled upon these walls be a testimony of our unjust death, and of your cruelty. Certainly this was a deed not

only to be bemoaned, but also to be bewaild and pity'd.

Of the great Kingdomes, and large Provinces of Peru.

IN the yeare 1531. a great Helluo and de∣vourer of men went into the Kingdoms of Peru, upon the same pretences, and with the same intention as the rest; and being one of those who had been present at the murders and slaughters committed in o∣ther places, in the year 1510. therefore he proceeded with a greater hardnesse of heart in his outrages and robberies; and being a man of no faith or truth, he laid waste Cities and Villages, slaying all the Inhabi∣tants; and was the cause of all those mis∣chiefes that followed afterward in those Kingdomes; to undertake the Narration of which, and to represent them all to the Reader, is a thing impossible, until they shall perfectly and clearly appear at the day of judgement before all men. And for my selfe, I doe confesse, should I goe about to describe the deformity, the qua∣lity and circumstances of their actions, it would be a task too difficult for me.

At his first enterance he wasted certain Villages, and plundred the Country of a great quantity of Gold: And one time coming into an Island adjoyning to these Regions, which was known by the name of Pagna, being a fertile Island and full of people: he was receiv'd by the Prince and the inhabitants thereof as if he had been an Angel sent from heaven. But after that six months were past, in which time the Spani∣ards had consum'd all their provision, they then brought forth the corn which they had reserv'd against times of barrennesse for themselves their wives and children, in places under the ground, offering it to them with tears in their eyes, desiring them to do what pleas'd them with it. But they ill re∣warded them in the end, killing a very great number of them with their swords and lances, and those whom they took a∣live they carri'd away into Captivity, emp∣tying and destroying the Country, with many other cruelties.

From thence they went to the Island of Tumbala, which is situated in the Continent, where he kill'd all that fell into his power; and because the people being astonished at their barbarism fled away from them, they accus'd them of Rebellion against the King of Spain. This Tyrant us'd also this kind of subtilty toward the Indians. He comman∣ded those whom he took, and others which

brought him presents, still to bring him more, till he saw that they were quite de∣stitute; telling them that he recev'd them now as Vassals and Subjects of the king of Spain; flattering them also and telling them that he would neither take them, nor do them any other injury. As though it had been a thing lawful for him to rob & spoile them, and to terrifie them with such kinde of strange news before he had receiv'd them into the protection of the King of Spain; or as if after he had so receiv'd them to pro∣tection, he had never done any injury or laid any oppression upon them. After this the King and Supreame Emperour of all these Regions, Acaliba by name, brought against the Spainards a great power of pit∣tiful naked Creatures, and arm'd with most ridiculous weapons, not knowing the sharp∣nesse of the Spanish Swords and Lances, nor the strength of their Horses; to the place where they lay approach'd the Spaniards, who certainly would rob the devils of Gold if they had it; This King resolv'd to call the Spaniards to an account, for the slaughters of his people, the destruction of his Country, & the robberies which they committed upon his Treasures. But the Spaniards met him, kill'd an infinite number of his people, and seiz'd upon his person, which was carried in a kind of Litter. Now they come to Capi∣tulations about his redemption; He promi∣ses

ten millions of Crowns, and numbers down fifteen; they promis'd to release him, but never stood to their words, falsify∣ing all the protestations which they made to the King; telling him how that his Subjects were gathered together again by his com∣mand. To whom the King made answer, that there could not be a leafe of a tree moved without his will and authority; but if they were now assembled any where together, it was not by his power; who was now their captive, for they might take away his life if they pleas'd. Notwithstanding all which they consulted whether they should burn him alive or no, which sentence they afterwards passed; but by the intreaty of some, that sentence was mitigated and he was commanded to be strangled. The King understanding that he was to dye, spake to them in these words; Why do you kill me? Did you not promise to set me at liberty, so I would give you Gold? I gave it you, and more then you requir'd; yet if it be your will that I must dye, send to your King of Spain: But ere he could ut∣ter more, the flames prevented him. Con∣sider here the equity of this war, the Cap∣tivity of this Prince, the sentence of his con∣demnation, and the execution of that sen∣tence, the conscience of the Spaniards, which nothing deterr'd them from consuming and taking away by violence the great Trea∣sures

of this great King and of his Nobles, how they all concur to aggravate their de∣villish iniquity. Concerning the foule and enormous cruelties wherewith they wholly extirpated the people of these Re∣gions, I will here relate a few, seen by a Friar of the Order of St. Francis, and confirm'd and committed to writing under his own hand and seale, and disperc'd not onely in these Provinces, but in the King∣dome of Castile. A copy of which I can produce signed with his own hand, where∣in these things following are contain'd.

I Brother Mark of Cilicia, of the Order of St. Francis, cheif Governour of all the Bro∣therhood of that Order, in the Provinces of Peru, being one of the first religious persons that went into those parts, speak this for a certain truth, testifying those things which I have seen, and which properly concern the inhabitants of these Countries. First I am an eye-witnesse, and do affirme upon my knowledge that the inhabitants of Perue were a Nation very courteous, affable, and loving to the Spaniards; and I have seen Presents of Gold, Silver, and precious Stones, given by those people to the Spani∣ards in great abundance, besides many other offices of service which they daily did for them. Neither did the Indians ever move war till they were forc'd to it by the contumelies and injuries of the Spaniards:

But on the contrary, the Spaniards being received by them with all the shews of respect and freindship, were continually fur∣nish't both with men and women for their service.

I am also a witnesse, that upon no occa∣sion given them by the Indians the Spani∣ards did enter their Country, and burnt to death their great Emperour call'd Ataliba, after they had receiv'd from him as a ran∣some from his captivity above two millions of Gold; His whole Kingdome having submitted themselves to him without any resistance: With the same cruelty was Cochilimacha his Captain General put to death, who came with other Noble men of the Country to the Spaniards in peace. The same Fate also follow'd another po∣tent Lord of the Province of Quitonia, whom they also burnt without any occa∣sion given, or injury done them: As un∣justly did they burne also Schapera, Prince of the Canaries: They also burnt the feet for Aloides the most potent Lord in all the Provinces of Quitonia, afflicting him with many other torments to make him confesse where the Gold of Ataliba lay, though as afterwards it appear'd, he knew nothing of it. They also kill'd Quitonius Cocopa∣gauga, Governour of all the Provinces of Quitonia, who at the importunities of Se∣bastian Barnaclacanus Captain of the Go∣vernour

came in peace to the Spaniards, be∣cause he could not give them the sum which they demanded; thus they put to death divers other of the Noblemen of the Coun∣try; and as I understand, it is the intention of the Spaniards not to leave one of the Lords and Noblemen of that place alive.

I do also affirme that I have seen the Spaniards for no other cause, but to satisfie their own wills, dismember the Indians both men and women, cutting off their eares, noses, and hands, and that in so ma∣ny places and regions, that it would be a tedious thing to relate them. I have also seen the Spaniards set their dogs upon the Indians to devour them; and such a num∣ber of houses and villages burnt by them, that it would be over long to rehearse them: This is also a truth, that they would snatch young Infants out of their mothers bellies, and cast them as far as they could throw them; besides many other cruelties which they committed, which did not a little a∣maze me, though they are too many to be numbred.

I do also affirme that the Spaniards got together as many of the Indians as possibly they could croud into three houses, and there, upon no occasion given, burnt them to death. At that time it chanc'd that a cer∣tain Presbyter, by name Ocaena snatch'd an Infant out of the fire, which one of the

Spaniards beholding, immediately took the child out of his hands, and threw it into the fire; which Spaniard, the same day that he did this vile act, as he returned to his Quarters, fell down dead by the way, whom I perswaded the rest to leave un∣buried.

I have also seen them send to the Noble∣men and chief Rulers of the Indians to come to them, engaging to secure them, and to let them return in peace; but when they came, they caused them to be immediately burnt. Two they burnt while I was present, one be∣ing the Lord of Andonia, the other of Tumba∣la; neither could I by any perswasions prevail with them to take them out of the fire; and this I speak in the presence of God, and according to my own conscience, that I never knew of any commotion or rebellion raised by the Indians of Peru a∣gainst them, though it was apparent to all how they did torment and massacre them. Which had they done, considering how the Spaniards broke their faith and promi∣ses to them, how against all Law and Right they practis'd nothing else but their desolation and destruction, certainly they had done well, chusing rather noble a death, then to endure such tedious miseries.

I doe also affirme out of the mouths of the Indians themselves, that greater quan∣tities of Gold lie hid then are yet disco∣vered,

which because of the cruelties and injustice of the Spaniards, they are loath to reveale, nor will reveale, till the ty∣rannical hand of the Spaniards shall be taken off them, rather chusing to dye, as others have done. Whereby God is offen∣ded, and the Affaires of the King many times impeded: For he hath been defrau∣ded of more then would serve to main∣tain Castile, the recovery of which cannot be performed without much difficulty and large expences.

And thus far I have related the very words of this religious person, confirm'd by the Bishop of Mexico, before whom he justified all that is here written.

Here we must consider these things to be such as this Religious person was an eye∣witnesse of, having traveld long in those parts for the space of above nine or ten yeares, and had compassed above fifty or a hundred miles of that Country, when there were but few Spaniards that liv'd in those parts; though afterwards to the noise of the Gold there flockt thither above five thou∣sand, who scattered themselves through those large Provinces, that contain'd in length above five or 600 miles, which they totally laid waste, committing rather more and greater cruelties then they had done in any other Countries; and to say truth, from that time until this present year, they

destroy'd a thousand times more persons then he makes mention of, and with lesse feare, either of God, or of the King, and with lesse pity they massacred the greatest part of mankind of those that inhabited those Regions, killing above four millions of people.

A few dayes after, with darts made of reeds, they shot at the most potent Queen, who was the Wife of Elinguus, in whose hands the whole Administration of the Go∣vernment of these Kingdomes remain'd, which occasioned him to rebel against them, and to this day he holds out against them: At length they took his Queen, and contrary to all right and equity, they put her to death, though it was reported that she was great with child, for no other cause but that they might afflict her hus∣band. But if I should goe to particula∣rize the murders and slaughters committed in that Region, the Reader would finde them so horrid and so numerous, that in both respects they would far exceed what hath been said touching the other parts of India.

Of the New Kingdome of GRANATA.

IN the yeare 1539. many of these Ty∣rants departing from Venecuela, Santa Martha and Carthagena, met together to make a Conquest of Peru. And many others comming out of the same Regions, having a desire to make a further Progress, they found many pleasant Countries, a∣bout some 300. miles from Carthagena, & divers gallant Provinces, well stored with courteous and affable Inhabitants like to other places in India, abounding also in Gold and Precious Stones, which are cal∣led Emraulds; which Provinces by a new name they called New Granata, because that the Tyrant that first came into these parts was borne in the Kingdome of Gra∣nata. And because those that robb'd and spoil'd these Countries, were cruel men, and perverse Stewards, famous butchers and spillers of humane blood, therefore are their diabolical actions so great and so many, that they farre surpassed those which were done before them in other Countries, of which, some of the most se∣lect ones I will rehearse.

A certain Governour, because he that destroy'd those parts would not admit him to share with him in his gettings, made certain Inquisitions and proofes, which he got prov'd by many witnesses, by which are apparent the murders and ho∣micides which the other committed; in the committing whereof he perseveres unto this day; There were read in the Councel, and stand these recorded.

In the said Examinations the witnesses depose, that when all these Kingdomes were peaceful, the Indians serv'd the Spa∣niards, getting their living by painful la∣bours in the tillage of the Earth, bring∣ing them what quantity of Gold or Gems they had or could get, having also divided their houses and their habitations among them, of which they are not a little co∣vetous, as being a means for them to obtain their Gold the more easily.

But when all the Indians were labouring under their accustomed tyranny, the Chief Captain and Tyrant of the Spaniards took the King and Lord of the Country, and kept him a prisoner for the space of six or seven moneths, for no other reason then to squeez from him what Gold and precious Stones he could. The said King, whose name was Bogata, through fear promised him that he would give him a golden house, hoping by that meanes to be set at

liberty; and so he sent his Indians, who brought back great sums of Gold and Precious Stones. But because the King gave them not a golden house, therefore they told him that he must be put to death, because he did not stand to his word. Whereupon the Tyrant commanded that he should be brought before him; and thus they presum'd to call to judgement one of the greatest Kings of the Land. Whereupon sentence was given that hee should be tormented, because he had not given the gold'n house. Whereupon they tortur'd him, dropping hot sope upon his belly; then they fetterd his two feet to two posts or stakes, and bound his neck to another; then two men holding his hands, they set fire to his feet, the Tyrant com∣ming now and then to him, and threat∣ning death to him, unlesse that he would tell them where his treasure lay; But that could not be done, for with torments they soon ended his life. Which things, while they were doing, the displeasure of Heaven fell upon the City for their sakes, whereby it was immediately consum'd with fire. The other Captaines of the Spaniards, re∣solving to walk in their Leaders footsteps, because they knew no Art but that of dis∣membring the poor people, were not less guilty of the same crimes, with divers and most horrible torments afflicting both the

Nobles and the Commonaly which sub∣mitted themselves unto them, though they would faine have bought their peace with great presents both of Gold and Precious Stones. They tormented them onely that they might obtaine from them the greater Sums of Gold and Silver; and thus all the Noble Blood of that Country was spilt in a most barbarous and shameful man∣ner.

One time it happend that a certain num∣ber of the Indians, full of innocence and simplicity, came to proffer their service to the Spanish Captain; But while they thought themselves safe under the prote∣ction of their own humility, a Captain at that instant came to the City where they serv'd their Masters, who, after he had sup'd, commanded all the Indians, who were sleeping and resting from the hardnesse of their labours, to be all put to the sword. Which slaughter he made with intention to make himselfe the more dreadful to all the Country. Once the Captain comman∣ded all the Spaniards that they should bring forth as many of the Indian Lords or common people, as they had in their houses, into a publick place, and there kill them; and thus they slew above four or five hundred men. This the witnesses affirme of a certain particular Tyrant, that he exercis'd very great cruelties, by cut∣ting

off the hands, noses, and feet both of men and women.

Another time it happend that the chief Captain sent an Officer into the Province of Bogata, to enquire who had succeeded the Prince that was so cruelly murdered; who riding many miles into the Country, took the Indians captive, cutting off the hands and ears of many of them, onely because they would not tell who was their Kings Successor; others they threw to their dogs to be torn to pieces; and thus they kill'd and destroy'd great numbers of the Indi∣ans in these parts.

Upon a certain day, about the fourth watch of the night, they fell upon many Princes, Peers, and other men who thought themselves in safety; for the Spaniards had made promise to them that they should not receive any injury; upon which promise they came out of their lurking holes in the mountaines, returning without any fear or suspition to their houses; all these this Tyrant took, and causing them to lay their hands upon the ground, with his own sword cut them off, telling them that he would chastise them for not declaring where their King was.

Another time, because the Indians did not bring a chest of Gold to the Captain which he required, he therefore sent for∣ces to make war upon them, in which

war so many were slain, so many dismem∣bred, that the number was hardly to be reckond; besides others that they cast to their dogs, bred up and fed with humane flesh, who were immediately devoured by them.

Another time the Inhabitants of another Province, seeing that they had murderd about four or five of their chief Princes and Rulers, fled in fear to a certain moun∣tain for shelter against their inhumane ene∣mies, where there were got together above foure or five thousand Indians, as hath been proved by witnesses: But the Cap∣tain, or Governour of the Spaniards, sent a notorious Tyrant with a company of Souldiers to reduce, as he said, those re∣bellious Indians, that had fled from their slaughters and cruelties; and to chastise them for it, as if they had done an unlaw∣ful action; or as if punishment had been due to the Indians, and not rather more deser∣ved by themselves, to have bin us'd without all pity, who had shewd themselves so mercilesse to others. The Spaniards scale this Mountain by force, for the Indians were weak and unarmed, telling them that they desired peace if they would lay down their Armes; whereupon they all immediately threw away their weapons, which when the chief Tyrant beheld, he sent to certain of the Spaniards to possesse

themselves of the cheife places of strength in the Mountaine; and then commanded them to fall upon the Indians. Whereupon they fall upon them as Wolves or Lyons fall upon a flock of sheep, till they were wearied with murdering; but they had no sooner taken breath, but he commanded them again to renew their fury, and caus'd them to precipitate the rest which were re∣maining from the top of the Rock which was very high and steep. And the wit∣nesses affirm that they have seen a cloud of Indians falling down from the Mountain, which were all bruis'd to peices.

And to finish his cruel enterprise, he caus'd the Indians that had hid themselves among the thickets to be searched out and put to the sword, and then thrown down from the tops of the high mountaines. And not satiated with these cruelties, that their horrible abominations might be the more notorious, he gave command that all the Indians that were reserv'd alive should be kept by his particular souldiers as their slaves, a custome which they constantly ob∣served; as for the women, those excepted whom they thought most fit for their ser∣vice, they were all thrust together into a house made of straw and there burnt to death, to the number of above four or five hundred.

The same Tyrant came to the City of

Cota where he took an infinite sight of peo∣ple, and cast fifteen or sixteen of the Nobles and Lords of the Kingdom to his dogs, cutting of the hands of many of the Indians both men and women, which he hung upon a perch for the Indians to behold; in this manner were seen hung together above seventy paire of hands. This is also to be added that they cut off the noses both of Infants and their Mothers.

No man can rehearse the cruelties com∣mitted by this man, the enemy of God; They are innumerable, neither heard of nor seen before, especially those committed in Guatimala, which were their chiefe master∣peices in this art of destruction which they have been so long practising.

The witnesses do moreover adde this, that the cruelties and slaughters committed in the said new Kingdome of Granata by the said Captain and his accom∣plices the destroyers and Abaddons of mankinde, who are with him, and to whom he gives the power to exercise these strange abominations, are so many and so great, that if his Majesty do not stop the deluge of evils which they bring along with them (for the slaughters of the Indians are made onely through the desire of their Gold, though it be all in their own hands already) in a very short time the Kingdom will be ruin'd & laid desolate, and the land

when all the Inhabitants are destroy'd must of necessity lie untill'd.

In this place we must noe passe by a most pernicious cruelty of these Tyrants which was so violent, that in the space of two or three years (for no longer time there was between the desolation and the discovery of this Kingdom which was the most popu∣lous Country in the whole World) they totally ruin'd and depopulated the whole Country, shewing themselves so void of compassion, so empty of grace, so regard∣lesse of the Kings honour, that they had not left a person living, had not his Majesty a little stopt the current of their cruelty: which I the more easily believe, because I have seen my selfe in a few dayes several great Kingdomes and Countries destroy'd and desolate. There are some large Pro∣vinces adjoyning to the Kingdom of new Granata which are call'd Popagan and Cali, and three or four others which stretch them∣selves in length above 500. miles, which they destroy'd in the same manner as they did the other, and by their foresaid Massa∣cres brought down to the lowest degree of desolation, and this some who return'd out of these Countries & came to us relate; But if there were ever any thing to be be∣wailed by man, they were the stories which they told of large Cities ruin'd and buri∣ed in their own ashes; scarce fifty houses

remaining where before there were above a thousand, or two thousand; and the sad narrations which they brought, of large Countries and Regions that lay desolate and spoil'd of their inhabitants.

At length there went out of the King∣domes of Perne through the Country of Quitonia into the Regions of Granata and Popaganum, many very cruel Tyrants, who march'd through the Carthagenians, and Vrabia, to reach Calisium, while others stay'd to assaile Quitonium it selfe. But these at length joyn'd toge∣ther, depopulating above sixe hundred miles in length, with an infinite waste of men, to the remainder whereof they are at present no lesse cruel.

And thus what I set down as a rule, still holds good, that the violence and cruelty of the Spaniards, by continuance still wax∣ed more and more furious and bloody. But among all these Crimes, which are one∣ly worthy of fire and sword, that have been perpetrated in these Countries, this which followes is worthy the taking notice of.

When the heate of Massacring and kil∣ling is over, they carry captive away some∣times two hundred, sometimes three hun∣dred men apeice; and when their master pleases, he commands a hundred at a time to be brought before him, to whom when

they come like meek and patient lambs, he commands thirty or forty of them to be put to death; telling the rest that thus they shall all be us'd unlesse they prove diligent in his service.

Consider I beseech you, all that read, or shall read these few papers, whether an act so horrible, so detestable, so inhumane, do not exceed all the iniquities and cruelties that the imagination of man can compre∣hend; and whether such Spaniards may not be deservedly called Devils; or whether it be not a thing almost indifferent whether the Indians should be in the hands of Spaniards, or of the Infernal spirits. Neither will I forget to relate one barbarou's action, which as I think doth exceed the cruelty of beasts.

The Spaniards which are among the Indians do breed up a sort of fierce dogs, which they teach and instruct to fall upon the Indians and devour them. Now let all men, judge whether Christians or Turks, in this it much imports not, whether so much cruelty ever peirc'd their eares before. These dogs they take along with them in all their ex∣peditions, carrying also divers Indians in chaines for the sustenance of those dogs. And it was a common thing for them to say one to another; Give me a quarter of your Indian for my dogs, and too morrow when I bill one I will pay it you again; As if they

were no more to be accounted of then the offals of a hog or sheep. Others were wont to go a hunting in the morning, and being ask'd how they had sped: Oh very well reply'd the other, my dogs have kill'd fifteen or sixteen Indians this morning; These have been all proved in the impeachments made by one Tyrant against another. Could there be any thing more horrible or more cruel?

But I will here stay, until there shall come news of greater impieties (if greater there can be) or till we shall return to behold these things which for the space of above forty years we have already seen. And now I do protest according to my consci∣ence and in the sight of God, that the losses of the Indians were so great, and so many their subverted Cities, the cruelties and massacres so horrible, the violences and iniquities so in human, that though I have done my utmost to relate what I could, and to paint them in their own lively colours, yet have I not been able to rehearse one thing done among a thousand, either as to the quantity or the quality of the Crimes.

And now that all true Christians may be mov'd with the greater compassion to∣wards the poor creatures, that their losses may appeare the more deplorable, that they may with a greater indignation de∣test the ambition, cruelty, and covetousness,

of the Spaniards, to those which I have abovesaid, I will also adde this for a truth, that, from the time America was first dis¦covered unto this present, the Indians ne∣ver were the men that ever shewed the least disaffection, or offer'd the least inju∣ry to the Spaniards, but rather ador'd them as Angels of immortality come to visit them from Heaven, till their owne actions betrayd them to a far worse cen∣sure.

This I will also adde, that from the beginning to this day, the Spaniards were never any more mindful to spread the Gos∣pel among them, then as if they had been dogs; but on the contrary forbid religious persons to exercise their dutie, deterring them by many afflictions and persecutions from preaching and teaching among them, for that they thought would have hinde∣red them in getting their Gold, and kept the people from their labours. Neither had they any more knowledge of the God of Heaven, as to say whether he were of wood, brasse, or iron, then they had above a hun∣dred years before. New Spaine being onely excepted, whither the Religious persons had most liberty to go: So that they all dy'd without Faith or Sacraments, to the willing destruction of their souls.

I Frier Bartholmew Casaus, of the Or∣der

of St. Dominic, who went to these parts through the mercy of God, desiring the salvation of the Indians, that so many pre∣cious soules redeemd with the blood of Christ might not perish, but wishing with my whole heart, that they might through the knowledge of their Creator live eter∣nally: Because of the care also and com∣passion which I beare to my Country, which is Castile, fearing lest God should destroy it in his anger for the sins which it hath committed against his divine Majesty, the faith and the honour of divers great per∣sons in the Court of Spaine, zealously re∣ligious, and who abominate these bloody and detestable actions, after many hinde∣rances of businesse, did at length put an end to this brief Tractate at Valentia the eighth day of December 154••. when the Spaniards (though they were in some pla∣ces more cruel, in some places lesse, after the end of all their torments, violences, ty∣rannies, desolations and oppressions, were at length come to Mexico, which enjoyes a gentler usage then other parts; for there is an outside of Justice, which doth something restrain their cruelty, though not at all the immoderate tributes which they lay upon them. And now I have a real hope, that Charles the Fifth our So∣veraign Lord and Prince, Emperor & King of Spaine, (to whose eares the wickednes∣ses

and impieties of these tyrants do daily come, which are committed against the will of God in these Countries, for they have hitherto conceal'd these things from him) not lesse subtilly then maliciously, will extirpate the causes of so many evils, and apply fitting remedies to the calami∣ties of this New World delivered by God to him as to a Lover of Justice and Mercy. Which God we doe beseech to grant him happinesse in his life and in his Imperial dignity, and to bless his Royal soule with eternal happiness. Amen.

FINIS.

The Historical Relation of the Spanish Massacres in the West Indies.