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preserve and bless him with Renown and a happy Life in his Imperial State, and<br />
prosper him in all his Attempts, that he may remedy <strong>the</strong> Distempers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christian<br />
Church, and Crown him at last with Eternal Felicity, Amen.<br />
After I had published this Treatise, certain Laws and Constitutions, enacted by his<br />
Majesty <strong>the</strong>n at Baraclona in <strong>the</strong> Month <strong>of</strong> December, An. Dom. 1542, promulgated<br />
and published <strong>the</strong> Year ensuing in <strong>the</strong> City <strong>of</strong> Madera, whereby it is provided, (as <strong>the</strong><br />
present Necessities requir'd) that a period be put to such great Enormities and Sins,<br />
as were committed against God and our Neighbours, and tended to <strong>the</strong> utter Ruine<br />
and Perdition <strong>of</strong> this New World. These Laws were published by his Majesties Order,<br />
several Persons <strong>of</strong> highest Authority, Councellors, Learned, and Conscientious Men,<br />
being assembled toge<strong>the</strong>r for that purpose, and many Debates made at Valedolid<br />
about this weighty Affair, at length by <strong>the</strong> unanimous Consent and Advice <strong>of</strong> all those<br />
who had committed <strong>the</strong>ir Opinions to Writing, <strong>the</strong>y were made publick who traced<br />
more closely <strong>the</strong>rein <strong>the</strong> Laws <strong>of</strong> Christ and Christianity, and were judged Persons<br />
pure, free from and innocent <strong>of</strong> that stain and blemish <strong>of</strong> depriving <strong>the</strong> Indians <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
Treasures by Theft and Rapine, which Riches had contaminated and sullied <strong>the</strong><br />
Hands, but much more <strong>the</strong> Souls <strong>of</strong> those who were enslav'd by those heaps <strong>of</strong> Wealth<br />
and Covetousness, now this obstinate and hot pursuit after Wealth was <strong>the</strong> Original <strong>of</strong><br />
all those Evils committed without <strong>the</strong> least Remorse or Check <strong>of</strong> Conscience.<br />
These Laws being thus promulgated, <strong>the</strong> Courtiers who promoted <strong>the</strong>se Tyrants, took<br />
care that several Copies should be transcribed, (though <strong>the</strong>y were extremely afflicted<br />
to see, that <strong>the</strong>re was no far<strong>the</strong>r hopes or means to promote <strong>the</strong> former Depredations<br />
and Extortions by <strong>the</strong> Tyranny aforesaid) and sent <strong>the</strong>m to several Indian Provinces.<br />
They, who took upon <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> Trouble and Care <strong>of</strong> Extirpating, and Oppressing by<br />
different ways <strong>of</strong> Cruelty, as <strong>the</strong>y never observed any Method or Order, but behav'd<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves most inordinately and irregularly, having perused <strong>the</strong>se Diplomata or<br />
Constitutions, before <strong>the</strong> new made Judges, appointed to put <strong>the</strong>m in Execution,<br />
could Arrive or be Landed, <strong>the</strong>y by <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> those (as 'tis credibly rumour'd,<br />
nor is it repugnant to truth) who hi<strong>the</strong>rto favour'd <strong>the</strong>ir Criminal and Violent Actions,<br />
knowing well that <strong>the</strong>se Laws and Proclamations must necessarily take effect, began<br />
to grow mutinous, and rebel, and when <strong>the</strong> Judges were Landed, who were to Execute<br />
<strong>the</strong>se Mandates, laying aside all manner <strong>of</strong> Love and Fear <strong>of</strong> God, were so audacious<br />
as to contemn and set at nought all <strong>the</strong> Reverence and Obedience due to <strong>the</strong>ir King,<br />
and so became Traytors, demeaning <strong>the</strong>mselves like Blood-Thirsty Tyrants, destitute<br />
and void <strong>of</strong> all Humanity.<br />
More particularly this appear'd in <strong>the</strong> Perusian Kingdoms, where An. Dom. 1542, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
acted such Horrid and Stupendous Enormities, that <strong>the</strong> like were never known or<br />
heard in America, or throughout <strong>the</strong> whole World before that time: Nor were <strong>the</strong>y only<br />
practised upon <strong>the</strong> Indians, who were mostly destroy'd, but upon <strong>the</strong>mselves also, God<br />
permitting <strong>the</strong>m by his just Judgement to be <strong>the</strong>ir own Executioners, and sheath <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
Swords in one ano<strong>the</strong>rs Bowels. In like manner <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r parts <strong>of</strong> this New World