A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

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 bloody 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 quantities 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.