A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

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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 God, 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 God 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 compassionate 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 bloody 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."
Page 1 and 2: A Brief Account of the Destruction
Page 3 and 4: mind with desires and contrivances,
Page 5 and 6: extream Transports. And to conclude
Page 7 and 8: Of the Island HISPANIOLA. In this I
Page 9 and 10: Of the Kingdoms contained in Hispan
Page 11 and 12: Indians) made such havoc and slaugh
Page 13 and 14: But here is is observable, that the
Page 15 and 16: Eternal Glory and Repose, if he tru
Page 17 and 18: Of the CONTINENT. In the Year 1514,
Page 19 and 20: dyed; Thus they often murder'd the
Page 21 and 22: It hapned also, that the same Presi
Page 23 and 24: Of New Spain in Particular. Among o
Page 25 and 26: Soldiers, and sent others to the re
Page 27 and 28: Commander whose order the abovesaid
Page 29 and 30: and fixing therein purposely sharp
Page 31 and 32: A farther Discourse of New Spain: A
Page 33 and 34: Of the Kingdom of _JUCATAN. An Impi
Page 35 and 36: which they tendred as the apple of
Page 37 and 38: Of the Province of St. _MARTHA. The
Page 39 and 40: Of the Province of CARTHAGENA. This
Page 41 and 42: injustly and impiously captivated.
Page 43 and 44: Sea Wolves, their shoulders and bac
Page 45 and 46: many of them, but those that were t
Page 47: Of the Provinces of FLORIDA Three T
Page 51 and 52: Use and Service was to him altogeth
Page 53 and 54: Farthermore I saw them send to seve
Page 55 and 56: Tyrant pronounced this Sentence, th
Page 57 and 58: places, and laid them absolutely wa
Page 59 and 60: preserve and bless him with Renown
Page 61 and 62: Then he proceeded farther to anothe

A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

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