They have destroy"d all the _Lucayans_ by this intolerable or rather Diabolical exercise, for the accustomary emolument or gain of lucre, and by this means gain"d the value of fifty, sometime one hundred Crowns of every individual _Indian_. They sell them (though it is prohibited) publickly; for the _Lucayans_ were excellent Swimmers, and several perished in this Isle that came from other Provinces.
_Of the River_ Yuya Pari.
This River washeth the Province arising from its head or fountain in another Region, Two Hundred miles off and better, By this a wretched Tyrant entred it and laid waste the Land for the s.p.a.ce of many miles, and murder"d abundance of them by Fire and Sword, _&c._ At length he died violently, and all his Forces moldred away of themselves, many succeeded him in his iniquity and cruelty and so dayly destroy them, sending to h.e.l.l the Souls redeemed by the blood of the Son of G.o.d.
_Of the Kingdom of _Venecuela.
Our Sovereign Lord the King in the Year 1526, over-perswaded by fallacious appearances (for the _Spaniards_ use to conceal from His Majesties knowledge the dammages and detriments, which G.o.d himself, the Souls and state of the _Indians_ did suffer) intrusted the Kingdom of _Venecuela_ longer and larger then the Spanish Dominions, with its Government and absolute Jurisdiction to some _German_ Merchants, with power to make certain Capitulations and Conventions, who came into this Kingdom with Three Hundred Men, and there found a benign mild and peaceable people, as they were throughout the _Indies_ till injured by the _Spaniards_. These more cruel then the rest beyond comparison, behav"d themselves more inhumanely then rapacious Tygres Wolves and Lyons, for they had the jurisdiction of this Kingdom, and therefore possessing it with the greater freedom from controul; lay in wait and were the more vigilant with greater care and avarice to understand the practical part of heaping up Wealth, and robbing the Inhabitants of their Gold and Sliver, surpa.s.sing all their Predecessors in those indirect ways, rejecting wholly both the fear of their G.o.d and King, nay forgetting that they were born men with reasonable Faculties.
These incarnate Devils laid waste and desolate Four Hundred miles of most Fertile Land, containing vast and wonderful Provinces, most spatious and large Valleys surrounded with Hills, forty Miles in Length, and many Towns richly abounding in Gold and Silver. They destroy"d so many and such considerable Regions, that there is not one supernumerary witness left to relate the Story, unless perchance some that lurkt in the Caverns and Womb of the Earth to evade death by their inhumane Swords embrew"d in Innocent _Indian_ blood, escaped. I judge that they by new invented and unusual Torments ruinated four or five Millions of Souls and sent them all to h.e.l.l. I will give a taste of two or three of their Transactions, that hereby you may guess at the rest.
They made the supream Lord of the Province a Slave, to squeeze his Gold from him, racking him to extort his confession who escaping fled into the Mountains, their common Sanctuary, and his Subjects lying absconded in the Thickets of the Woods, were stir"d up to Sedition and Tumult or Mutiny. The _Spaniards_ follow and destroy many of them, but those that were taken alive and in their power were all publickly sold for Slaves by the Common Crier.
They were in all Provinces they came into entertained and welcomed by the _Indians_ with Songs, Dances and Rich Presents but Rewarded very ungratefully with bloodshed and Slaughter. The German Captain and Tyrant caused several of them to be clapt into a Thatcht House, and there cut in pieces; but some of them to avoid falling by their b.l.o.o.d.y and merciless Swords, climb"d up to the beams and Rafters of the House, and the Governour, hearing it (O cruel Brute?) commanded Fire to be put to it and burnt them all alive, leaving the Region desert and desolate.
They also came to another stately Province, bordering on St. _Martha_; whose inhabitants did them many egregious and notable services, bestowing on them innumerable quant.i.ties of Gold besides many other gifts, but when they were upon departure, in retribution of their Civil Treating and Deportment the German Tyrant, commanded that all the Indians, with their Wives and Children if possible, should be taken into Custody; inclosed in some large capacious place, and that there it should be signified unto them, whosoever desired to be set at Liberty should redeem himself at the Will and Pleasure (as to price;) of the unjust Governour, or at a certain rate imposed upon himself, his wife and every Childs head; and to expedite the business prohibited the administration or allowance of any food to them, till the Gold required for Redemption was paid down to the utmost grain. Several of them sent home to discharge the demanded price of their Redemption, and procur"d their Freedom, as well as they could by one means or other, that so they might return to their Livelihood and profession, but not long after he sent other Rogues and Robbers among them to enslave those that were Redeemed.
To the same Gaol they are brought a second time, being instigated or rather constrained to a speedy Redemption by hunger and thirst; Thus many of them were twice or thrice taken, captiv"d and Redeedmed; but some who were not capable of Depositing such a sum, perished there.
Farthermore this Tyrant was big with an itching desire after the discovery of the _Perusian_ Mines, which he did accomplish. Nay should I enumerate the particular Cruelties, Slaughters, _&c._ committed by him though my discourse would not in the least be contrariant to the Truth, yet it would not be beleived and only stupifie and amaze the Reader.
This course the other Tyrants took who set sail from _Venecuela_ and St. _Martha_ (with the same Resolution of detecting the _Perusian_ Golden, Consecrated Houses as them they esteemed) who found the fruitful Region so desolate, deserted, and wasted by Fire and Sword, that those Cruel Tyrants themselves were smitten with wonder and astonishment at the traces and ruins of such prodigious Devastations.
All these things and many more were prov"d by Witness in the _Indian_ Exchequer, and the Records of their Testimony were entred in that Court, though these execrable Tyrants burnt many of them that there might be little or nothing prov"d as a cause of those great Devastations and Evils perpetrated by them. For the Minister of Justice who have hitherto lived in _India_, through their obscure and d.a.m.nable blindness, were not much sollicitous about the punishment of the Crimes and Butcheries which have been and are still committed by these Tyrants, only they may say possibly because such a one, and such a one hath wickedly and barbarously dealt with the _Indians_, that is the reason so great a summ of Crowns in Money is diminished already or retrenched from His Majesties Annual Revenue, and this general and confused proof is sufficient (as they worthily conceive) to purge or repress such great and hainous Crimes. And though they are but few, are not verified as they ought to be, nor do they attribute and lay upon them that stress and weight as they ought to do, for if they did perform their Duty to G.o.d and the King; it could not be made apparent as it may be, that these _German_ Tyrants have cheated and rob"d the King of Three Millions of Gold and upward; and thus these Enemies to G.o.d and the King began to depopulate these Regions and destroy them, cheating his Majesty of Two Millions of Gold _per Annum_, nor can it be expected, that the Detriment done to his Majesty can possibly be retriev"d, as long as the Sun and moon endures, unless G.o.d by a Miracle should raise as many Thousands from Death to Life, as have bin destroy"d. And these are the Temporal Dammages the King suffers. It would be also a Work worthy the inquiry into, to consider how many cursed Sacriledges and Indignities G.o.d himself hath been affronted with to the dishonour of his Name. And what Recompence can be made for the loss of so many Souls as are now tormented in h.e.l.l by the Cruelty and Covetousness of these Brutish _German_ Tyrants. But I will conclude all their Impiety and Barbarisme with one Example, _viz._ That from the time they entred upon this Country to this very day, that is, Seventeen Years, they have remitted many Ships fraighted with _Indians_ to be sold as Slaves to the Isles of St. _Martha, Hispaniola, Jamaica,_ and St. _John_, selling a Million of Persons at the least, I speak modestly, and still do expose to Sale to this very Year of our Lord 1542, the King"s Council in this Island seeing and knowing it, yet what they find to be manifest and apparent they connive at, permit and countenance, and wink at the horrid Impieties and Devastations innumerable which are committed on the Coasts of this Continent, extending Four Hundred Miles in Length, and continues still together with _Venecuela_ and St. _Martha_ under their Jurisdiction, which they might easily have remedied and timely prevented.
_Of the Provinces of_ FLORIDA
Three Tyrants at several times made their entrance into these Provinces since the Year 1510, or 1511, to act those Crimes which others, and two of these Three made it their sole business to do in other Regions, to the end, that they might advance themselves to higher Dignities and Promotions than they could deserve, by the Effusion of Blood and Destruction of these People; but at length they all were cut off by a violent Death, and the Houses which they formerly built and erected with the cement of Human Blood, (which I can sufficiently testifie of these three) perished with them, and their memory roten, and as absolutely washed away from off the Face of the Earth, as if they had never had a being. These Men deserted these Regions, leaving them in great distraction and confusion, nor were they branded with less notes of infamy, by the certain Slaughters they perpetrated, though they were but few in number than the rest. For the Just G.o.d cut them off before they did much Mischief, and reserv"d the Castigation and Revenge of those Evils which I know, and was an Eye-Witness of, to this very Time and Place. As to the Fourth Tyrant, who lately, that is, in the Year 1538, came hither well-furnished with Men and Ammunition, we have received no account these Three Years last past; but wer are very confident, that he, at his first Arrival, acted like a b.l.o.o.d.y Tyrant, even to extasie and madness, if he be still alive with his Follower, and did injure, destroy, and consume a vast Number of Men (for he was branded with infamous Cruelty above all those who with their a.s.sistants committed Crimes and Enormities of the first Magnitude in these Kingdoms and Provinces) I conceive, G.o.d hath punished him with the same Violent Death, as he did other Tyrants: But because my Pen is wearied with relating such Execrable and Sanguinary Deeds (not of Men but Beasts) I will trouble my self no longer with the dismal and fatal Consequences thereof.
These People were found by them to be Wise, Grave, and well dispos"d, though their usual Butcheries and Cruelties in opressing them like Brutes, with heavy Burthens, did rack their minds with great Terror and Anguish. At their Entry into a certain Village, they were welcomed with great Joy and Exultation, replenished them with Victuals, till they were all satisfied, yielding up to them above Six Hundred Men to carry their Bag and Baggage, and like Grooms to look after their Horses: The _Spaniards_ departing thence, a Captain related to the Superiour Tyrant returned thither to rob this (no ways diffident or mistrustful) People, and pierced their King through with a Lance, of which Wound he dyed upon the Spot, and committed several other Cruelties into the bargain. In another Neighboring Town, whose Inhabitants they thought, were more vigilant and watchful, having had the News of their horrid Acts and Deeds, they barbarously murdered them all with their Lances and Swords, destroying all, Young and Old, Great and Small, Lords and Subject without exception.
The Chief Tyrant caused many _Indians_ (above Two Hundred as "tis noised abroad) whom he summon"d to appear before him out of another town, or else, who came voluntarily to pay their Respects to him, to have their Noses and Lips to the very Beard, cut off; and thus in this grievous and wretched Condition, the Blood gushing out of their Wounds, return"d them back, to give an Infallible Testimony of the Works and Miracles wrought by these Preachers and Ministers baptized in the Catholick Faith.
Now let all Men judge what Affection and love they bear to Christianity; to what purpose, or upon what account they believe there is a G.o.d, whom they preach and boast of to be Good and Just, and that his Law which they profess (and indeed only profess) to be pure and immaculate. The Mischiefs acted by these profligate Wretches and Sons of Perdition were of the deepest die. At last this Captain devoted to Perdition dyed impenitent, nor do we in the least question, but that he is overwhelmed and buried in Darkness Infernal, unless G.o.d according to his Infinite Mercy and boundless Clemency, not his own Merits, (he being contaminated and poison"d with Execrable Deeds,) be pleas"d to compa.s.sionate and have Mercy upon him.
_Of the_ Plate-River, _that is, the _Silver-River.
Some Captains since the Year 1502 to 1503 undertook Four or Five Voyages to the River of Plate, which embraceth within its own Arms great Kingdoms and Provinces, and is peopled by rational and well-temper"d Inhabitants. In the general we are certified, that they were very injurious and b.l.o.o.d.y to them; but they being far distant from those _Indians_, we frequently discourse of, wer are not able to give you a particular account of their Transactions. Yet beyond all Controversie, they did, and still do go the same way to work, as others in several Regions to this present time do, and have done; for they are the same, (and many in number too) _Spaniards_ who went thither, that were the wicked Instruments of other Executions, and all of them aim at one and the same thing, namely to grow Rich and Wealthy, which they can never be, unless they steer the same Course which others have followed, and tread the same paths in Murdering, Robbing and Destroying poor _Indians_.
After I had committed to Writing what I have prementioned, it was told me for a great Truth, that they had laid waste in those Countreys great Kingdoms and Provinces, dealing Cruelly and Bloodily with these harmless People, at a horrid rate, having a greater Opportunity and Convenience to be more Infamous and Rigid to them, then others, they being very remote from _Spain_, living inordinatly, like Debauches, laying aside, and bidding farewel to all manner of Justice, which is indeed a Stranger in all the _American_ Regions, as is manifest by what hath been said already. But among the other Numerous Wicked Acts following this is one that may be read in the _Indians_ Courts. One of the Governours commanded his Soldiers to go to a certain Village, and if they denyed them Provisions, to put all the Inhabitants to the Sword: By Vertue of this Authority away they march, and because they would not yield to them above Five Thousand Men as Enemies, fearing rather to be seen, then guilty of Illiberality, were cut off by the Sword. Also a certain number of Men living in Peace and Tranquillity proffered their services to him; who, as it fell out, were call"d before the Governour, but deferring their appearance a little longer than ordinary, that he might infix their minds with a remark of horrible Tyranny, he commanded, they should be deliver"d up, as Prisoners to their Mortal _Indian_ Enemies, who beg"d with loud Clamours and a Deluge of Tears, that they might be dispatcht out of this World by their own Hands, rather than be given up as a prety to the Enemy; yet being resolute, they would not depart out of the House wherein they were, so the _Spaniards_ hackt them in pieces Limb by Limb, who exclaim"d and cryed aloud, "We came to visit and serve you peaceably and quietly, and you Murder us; our Blood with which these Walls are moistned and sprinkled will remain as an Everlasting Testimony of our Unjust Slaughter, and your Barbarous Cruelty. And really this _Piaculum_ or horrid Crime deserves a Commemoration, or rather speak more properly, the Commiseration of all Persons."
_Of the vast Kingdoms and Spatious Provinces of _PERUSIA.
A notorious Tyrant in the Year 1531, entred the Kingdoms of _Perusia_ with his Complices, upon the same Account, and with the same pretences, and beginning at the same Rate as others did; he indeed being one of those who were exercised, and highly concern"d in the Slaughters and Cruelties committed on the Continent ever since the Year 1510, he increased and heightned the Cruelties, Butcheries, and Rapine; destroying and laying waste (being a False-hearted Faithless Person) the Towns and Villages, and Murdering the Inhabitants, which occasion"d all those Evils, that succeeded in those Regions afterward: Now to undertake the Writing of a Narrative of them, and represent them lively and Naturally to the Readers view, and perusal, is a work altogether impossible, but must lie concealed and unknown until they shall more openly and clearly appear, and be made visible to every Eye, at the day of Judgement. As for my part, if I should presume to unravel, in some, measure the Deformity, Quality and Circ.u.mstances of those Enormities, I must ingenuously confess I could by no means perform so burthensom a Task, and render it compleat and as it ought to be.
At his first admission into these parts, he had laid waste some Towers, and rob"d them of a great quant.i.ty of Gold, this he did in the Infancy of his Tyrannical Attempts, when he arriv"d at _Pugna_ a Neighbouring Isle so called, he had the Reception of an Angel; but about Six Months after, when the _Spaniards_ had spent all their Provisions, they discover"d and opened the _Indians_ Stores and Granaries, which were laid up for the sustenance of themselves, Wives and Children against a time of Dearth and Scarcity, brought them forth with Tears and Weepings, to dispose of at pleasure: But they rewarded them with Slaughter, Slavery and Depopulation as formerly.
Thence they betook themselves to the Isle _Tumbala_, scituate on the firm Land, where they put to Death all they met with. And because the People terrified with their abominable Sins of Commission, fled from their Cruelty, they were accused of Rebellion against the _Spanish_ King. This Tyrant made use of this Artifice, he commanded all that he took, or that had bestowed Gold, Silver and other rich Gifts on him, still to load him with other Presents, till he found they had exhausted their Treasures, and were grown naked and incapable of affording him farther supplies, and then he declared them to be the Va.s.sals and Subjects of the King of _Spain_, flattering them, and proclaiming twice by sound of Trumpet, that for the future he would not captivate or molest them any more, looking upon it as lawful to rob, and terrifie them with such Messages as he had done, before he admited them under the King"s protection, as if from that very time, he had never rob"d, destroy"d or opprest them with Tyrannical Usage.
Not long after _Ataliba_ the King and Supreme Emperor of all these Kingdoms, leading a great Number of Naked Men, he himself being at the Head of them, armed with ridiculous Weapons, and wholly ignorant of the goodness of the _Spaniards_ Bilbo-Blades, the Mortal Dartings of their Lances, and the Strength of their Horse, whose Use and Service was to him altogether unknown, and never so much as heard of before, and that the _Spaniards_ were sufficiently weapon"d to rob the Devils themselves of Gold, if they had any, came to the place where they then were; saying, Where are these _Spaniards_? Let them appear, I will not stir a foot from hence till they give me satisfaction for my Subjects whom they have slain, my Towns they have reduc"d to Ashes, and my Riches they have stoln from me. The _Spaniards_ meet him, make a great Slaughter of his Men, and seize on the Person of the King Himself, who was carried in a Chair or Sedan on Mens Shoulders. There was a Treaty had about his Redemption, the King engaged to lay down Four Millions of Crowns, as the purchase of his Freedom, but Fifteen were paid down upon the Nail: They promise to set him at Liberty, but contrary to all Faith and Truth according to their common Custom (for they always violated their promises with the _Indians_) they falsly imposed this upon him, that his People were got together in a Body by his Command; but the King was made answer, That throughout his Dominions, not so much as a Leaf upon a Tree durst move without his Authority and Pleasure, and if any were a.s.sembled together, they must of necessity believe that it was done without his Order, he being a Captive, it being in their power to deprive him of his LIfe, if any such thing should be ordered by him: Notwithstanding which, they entred into a Consultation to have him burnt alive, and a little while after the Sentence was agreed upon, but the Captain at the intreaty of some Persons commanded him first to be strangled, and afterward thrown into the fire. The King understanding the sentence of Death past upon him, said; Why do you burn me? What Fact have I committed deserving Death? Did you not promise to set me free for a Sum of Gold. And did I not give you a far larger quant.i.ty than I promised? But if it is your pleasure so to do, send me to your King of _Spain_, and thus using many words to the same purpose, tending to the Confusion and Detestation of the _Spanish_ Injustice, he was burnt to Death. And here let us take into serious Consideration the Right and t.i.tle they had to make this War, the Captivity, Sentence, and Execution of this Prince, and the Conscience wherewith these Tyrants have possessed themselves of vast Treasures, which they have surrept.i.tiously and fraudulently taken away from this King, and a great many more of the Rulers of these Kingdoms. But as to the great number of their Enormities committed by those who stile themselves Christians in order to the extirpation of this People, I will hear repeat some of them, which in the very beginning were seen by a _Franciscan_, confirm"d by his own Letters, and signed with his Hand and Seal, sending some of them to the _Perusian_ Provinces, and others to the Kingdom of _Castile_: A Copy whereof I have in my Custody, Signed with his Hand, as I said before; the Contents whereof follow.
I Frier _Marcus de Xlicia_, of the _Franciscan_ Order, and Praefect of the whole Fraternity residing in the Perusian Provinces, one of the first among the Religious, who arriv"d with the _Spaniards_ in these parts. I decalre with incontrovertible and undeniable Testimony, those Transactions, which I saw with my own Eyes, and particularly such as relate to the usage of the Inhabitants of this Region. In the first place I was an Eye-Witness, and am certainly a.s.sur"d, that these _Perusians_ are a People, who transcend all other _Indians_ in Meekness, Clemency, and Love to _Spaniards_; and I have seen the _Indians_ bestow very liberally on them Gold, Silver, and Jewels, being very serviceable to them many other wayes. Nor did the _Indians_ ever betake themselves to their Arms in an Hostile manner, till by infinite Injuries and Cruelties they were compell"d thereunto: For on the contrary, they gave the _Spaniards_ an amicable and honourable Reception in all their Towns, and furnished them with Provisions, and as many Male and Female Servants as they required.
I can also farther testifie, that the _Spaniards_, without the least provocation on their part, as soon as they entred upon these Territories, did burn at the Stake their most Potent _Caciq Ataliba_, Prince of the whole Country, after they had extorted from him above Two Millions of Gold, and possessed themselves of his Province, without the least Opposition: and _Cochilimaca_, his Captain General, who with other Rulers, came peaceably into them, follow"d him by the same fiery Tryal and Death. As also some few days after, the Ruler of the Province of _Quitonia_, who was burnt, without any Cause given, or Crime laid to his Charge. They likewise put _Schapera_, Prince of the _Canaries_ to the same Death, and in like manner, burnt the Feet of _Alvidis_, the greatest of all the _Quitonian_ Lords, and rackt him with other Torments to Extract from him a discovery of _Ataliba"s_ Treasure, whereof as appear"d after, he was totally ignorant. Thus they treated _Cocopaganga_, Governour of all the Provinces of _Quitonia_, who being overcome with the Intreaties of _Sebastian Bernalcarus_, the Governours Captain, went peaceably to pay them a Visit; but because he could not give them as much Gold as they demanded, they burnt him with many other _Casics_ and Chief Persons of Quality. And as I understnad, did it with this evil Intention, that they might not leave one surviving Lord or Peer in the whole Countrey.
I also affirm that I saw with these Eyes of mine the _Spaniards_ for no other reason, but only to gratifie their b.l.o.o.d.y mindedness, cut off the Hands, Noses, and Ears, both of _Indians_ and _Indianesses_, and that in so many places and parts, that it would be too prolix and tedious to relate them. Nay, I have seen the _Spaniards_ let loose their Dogs upon the _Indians_ to bait and tear them in pieces, and such a Number of Villages burnt by them as cannot well be discover"d: Farther this is a certain Truth, that they s.n.a.t.c.hed Babes from the Mothers Embraces, and taking hold of their Arms threw them away as far as they would from them: (a pretty kind of barr-tossing Recreation.) They committed many other Cruelties, which shook me with Terror at the very sight of them, and would take up too much time in the Relation.
I likewise aver, That the _Spaniards_ gathered together as many _Indians_ as fill"d Three Houses, to which, for no cause, (or a very inconsiderable one) they set fire, and burnt every one of them: But a Presbyter, _Ocana_ by Name, chanced to s.n.a.t.c.h a little baby out of the fire, which being observ"d by a _Spaniard_, he tore him out of his Arms, and threw him into the midst of the Flames, where he was with the rest, soon burnt to Ashes, which _Spaniard_ the same day he committed that Fact, returning to his Quarters, dyed suddenly by the way, and I advised them not to give him Christian Burial.
Farthermore I saw them send to several _Casics_ and Princ.i.p.al _Indians_, promising them a protecting Pa.s.seport to travel peaceably and securely to them, who, no sooner came, but they were burnt; Two of them before my Face, one at _Andonia_, and the other at _Tumbala_, nor could I with all my perswasions and preaching to them prevail so far as to save them from the Fire. And this I do maintain according to G.o.d and my own Conscience, as far as I could possibly learn, that the Inhabitants of _Perusia_ never promoted or raised any Commotion or Rebellion, though as it is manifest to all Men, they were afflicted with Evil Dealings and Cruel Torments: And they, not without Cause, the _Spaniards_ breaking their Faith and Word, betraying the Truth and Tyrannically contrary to all Law and Justice, destroying them and the whole Country, inflicting on them great Injuries and Losses, were more reay to prepare themselves for Death, than still to fall at once into such great and irrecoverable Miseries.
Nay I do declare, according to Information from the _Indians_ themselves, that there are to this day far greater Quant.i.ties of Gold kept hid and concealed than ever were yet detected or brought to light, which by means of the _Spanish_ Injustice and Cruelty, they would not then, nor ever will discover so long as they are so barbarously treated, but will rather chose to dye with the Herd. Whereat the Lord G.o.d is highly offended and the King hath very ill Offices done him, for he is hereby defrauded of this Region, which was sufficiently able to furnish all _Castile_ with Necessaries, the Recovery whereof can never be expected without great difficulty and vast Expenses.
Thus far I have acquainted you with the very words of this Religious _Franciscan_, ratified by the Bishop of _Mexico_, who testifieth that the said Frier _Marc_ did affirm and maintain what is above-mentioned.
Here it is to be observ"d what this said Frier was an Eye-Witness of; for he travelled up in this Countrey Fifty or a Hundred Miles, for the s.p.a.ce of Nine or Ten Years, when as yet, few _Spaniards_ had got footing there, but afterward, at the noise of Gold to be had there in great plenty, Four or Five Thousand came thither, who spread themselves through those Kingdoms and Provinces the s.p.a.ce of Five or Six Hundred Miles, which they made wholly desloate, committing the same, or greater Cruelies than are before recited; for in reality they destroyed from that time to these very days, above an Hundred Thousand poor Souls more than he gives an Account of, and with less fear of G.o.d and the King, nay with less Mercy have they destroyed the greatest part of Mankind in these Kingdoms, above Four Millions suffering by violent Death.
A few days after they darted to Death with Arrows made of Reeds a Puissant Queen, the Wife of a Potentate, who still sways the Imperial Scepter of that Kingdom, whom the _Spaniards_ had a design to take, which instigated him to raise a Rebellion, and he still continues a Rebel. They seized the Queen his Consort, and contrary to all Law and Equity murdered her, as is said before, who was then, as report, big with Child, only for this Reason, that they might add fresh Affliction and Grief to her Husband.
_Of the New Kingdom of_ Granada
Many Tyrants there were, who set Sail from _Venecuela_, St. _Martha_, and _Carthagena_, hastening to the Conquest of _Perusia_, Anno Dom.
1539. and they accompanied with many more going farther from this Region, endeavored to penetrate into the Heart of this Countrey, where they found about Three Hundred Miles from _Carthagena_ and St.
_Martha_, many admirable Provinces and most fruitful Land, furnished with an even-tempered or meek-spirited People, as they are in other parts of _India_; very rich in Gold and those sorts of precious Stones known by the name of Emralds: To which Province they gave the Name of _Granada_, upon this account, because the Tyrant who first arrived in these Regions, was born in the Kingdom of _Granada_ belonging to these parts; now they that spoiled these Provinces with their rapine being wicked, cruel, infamous Butchers, and delighting in the effusion of Humane Blood, having practically experimented the piacular and grand Enormities perpetrated among the _Indians_; and upon this account their Diabolical Actions are so great, so many in number, and represented so grievously horrid by circ.u.mstantial aggravations, that they exceed all the villanies committed by others, nay by themselves in other Regions, I will only select and cull out a few out of so great a number which have bene transacted by them within these three years, for my present purpose.
A certain Governour, because he that went to commit depredations and spoils in the Kingdom of _Granada_, would not admit him, as a Companion in his Robberies and Cruelties, set up an Inquisition, and produced proofs confirmed by great evidence, whereby he palpably lays open, and proves the Slaughters and Homicides he committed, and persists in to this very day, which were read in the _Indian_ Courts of Judicature, and are there now Recorded.
In this Inquisition the Witnesses depose, that when all these Kingdoms enjoy"d Peace and Tranquillity, the _Indians_ serv"d the _Spaniards_, and got their living by contstnat day-labour in Tilling and Manuring the Ground, bringing them much Gold, and many Gems, particularly Emeralds, and what other Commodities they could, and possessed, their Cities and Dominions being divided among the _Spaniards_, to procure which is the chiefest of their care and pains; and these are the proper measures they take to obtain their proposed ends, to wit, heaping and treasuring up of Gold and Riches.
Now when all the _Indians_ were under their accustomed Tyranny: A certain Tyrant, and Chief Commander, took the King and Lord of the whole Countrey, and detain"d him Captive for six or seven moneths, demanding of him, without any reason, store of Gold and Emeralds. The said King, whose name was _Bogoca_, though fear, promised him a House of Gold, hoping, in time, to escape out of his clutches, who thus plagu"d him, and sent some _Indians_ for Gold, who frequently, and at several times, brought him a great quant.i.ty of Gold, and many Jewels; but because the King did not, according to his promise, bestow upon him an Apartment made of pure Gold, he must therefore forfeit his Life.
The Tyrant commanded himto be brought to Tryal before himself, and so they cite and summon to a Tryal the greatest King in the whole Region; and the Tyrant p.r.o.nounced this Sentence, that unless he did perform his Golden Promise he should be exposed to severe Torments. They rackt him, poured boiling Soap into his Bowels, chain"d his Legs to one post, and fastened his Neck to another, two men holding his Hands, and so applyed the scorching heat of the Fire to his Feet; the Tyrant himself often casting his eye upon him, and threatning him with death, if he did not give him the promised Gold; and thus with these kind of horrid torments, the said Lord was destroy"d; which while they were doing, G.o.d being willing to manifest how displeasing these Cruelties are to His Divine Majesty, the whole City, that was the Stage on which they were acted, was consumed by fire; and the rest of the Captains following his example, destroy"d all the Lords of that Region by Fire and f.a.ggot.
Once it fell out, that many _Indians_ addressed themselves to the _Spaniards_ with all Humility and Simplicity, as they use to do, who thinking themselves safe and secure, behold the Captain comes into the City, where they were to do their work, and commands all these _Indians_, sleeping and taking their rest, after Supper, being wearied with the heavy drudgery of the day, to be slain by the Sword: And this stratagem he put in practice, to make a greater impression of fear on all the minds of the Inhabitants; and another time a certain Captain commanded the _Spaniards_ to declare upon Oath, how many _Casics_ and _Indians_ every individual person had in his Family at home, who were presently lead to a publick place, and lost their Heads; so there perisht, that bout, four or five hundred Men. The Witnesses depose this of a particular Tyrant, that by beating, cutting off the Hands and Noses of many Women as well as Men, and destroying several persons in great numbers, he exercised horrid Cruelties.
Then one of the Captains sent this b.l.o.o.d.y Tyrant into the Province of _Bogata_, to inquire who succeeded that Prince there, whom he so barbarously and inhumanely Murder"d, who traveling many miles in this Countrey, took as many _Indians_ as he could get, some of which, because they did not tell him who was Successor of this Deceased Prince, had their Hands cut off, and others were exposed to hunger- starv"d Currs, to be devour"d by them, and as many of them perished miserably.
Another time about the fourth Watch, early in the morning he fell upon several _Casics_, n.o.blemen and other _Indians_, who lookt upon themselves to be safe enough, (for they had their faith and security given, that none of them should receive any damage or injury) relying upon this, they left the Mountains their lurking places, without any suspition or fear, and returned to their Cities, but he seized on them all, and commanding them to extend their hands on the ground, cut them off with his own Sword, saying, that he punished them after this maner, because they would not inform him what Lord it was, that succeeded in that Kingdom.