A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

Christians or Men, gifted with Reason, but absolute Devils; hence it is, that the
Indians, perceiving these Actions committed by the Heads as well as Members, who
are void of all Compassion and Humanity, do judge the Christian Laws to be of the
same strain and temper, and that their God and King are the Authors of such
Enormities: Now to endeavour to work upon them a contrary perswasion is to no
purpose; for this would afford them a greater Latitude and Liberty to deride Jesus
Christ and his Laws. Now the Indians who protect and defend themselves by force of
Arms, think it more eligible, and far better to dye once, than suffer several and many
Deaths under the Spanish Power. This I know experimentally, Most Invicible Casar,
&c. And he adds farther, Your Majesty is more Powerful in Subjects and Servants, who
frequent these Kingdoms, then you can imagin. Nor is there one Soldier among them
all, who does not publickly and openly profess, if he robs, steals, spoils, kills, burns
His Majesties Subjects, 'tis to purchase Gold: He will not say that he therein does your
Majesty great Service, for they affirm they do it to obtain their own Share and
Dividend. Wherefore, Most Invincible Casar, it would be a very prudential Act for your
Majesty to testifie by a rigid Correction and severe Punishment of some Malefactors,
that it is disservice to you for your Subjects to commit such Evil Acts, as tend to the
Disobedience and Dishonour of the Almighty.
What you have read hitherto is the Relation of the said Bishop of St. Martha,
Epitomized and Extracted from his Letters, whereby it is manifest, how Savagely they
handle these mild and affable People. They term them Warlike Indians, who betake
themselves to the Mountains to secure themselves from Spanish Cruelty; and call
them Country Indians, or Inhabitants, who by a dreadful Massacre are delivered up to
Tyrannical and Horrible Servitude, whereby at length they are become depopulated,
made desolate, and utterly destroy'd; as appears by the Epistle of the praementioned
Bishop, who only gives us a slight Account or Essay of their persecution and
Sufferings. The Indians of this Country use to break out into such Words as these,
when they are driven, loaded like Brutes through the uncouth wayes in their Journeys
over the Mountains, if they happen to faint through Weakness, and miscarry through
extremity of Labour, (for then they are kicked and cudge'd, their Teeth dasht out with
the Pummels of their Swords to raise them up again, when tired and fallen under
weighty Burthens, and force them to go on without Respiration, or Time to take
Breath, and all this with the following increpation, or upbraiding and taunting words,
O what a wicket Villain art thou?) I say they burst out into these Expressions, I am
absolutely tir'd, kill me, I desire to dye, being weary of my Life as well as my Burthen
and Journey: And this not without deep Heart-breaking Sighs, they being scarce able
to draw or breathe out their words, which are the Characteristical Notes, and infallible
of the Mind drowned in Anguish and Sorrow. My it please our Merciful God to order
the discovery of these Crimes to be manifested to those Persons, who are able and
oblig'd to redress them.