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Show 16 A Relatirm of the Spanifli Voyages fons to make War with the Spaniards, tho thefe had no reafonable pretence to treat them as they did withabarbarity equal to that of the mod favage and inhuman Tyrants. and Cruelties in the Well-Indies. ipace of a few Years. is} The Spaniards oblig'd thefe poor Creatures to carry Burdens of fourfcore or a hundred pound weight for a hundred or two him;dred Leagues. And that they might travel the more at eafe, they would make thefe Indians carry them in Chairs and Horfeditters on their Shouldersi They us‘d 'em like Bealts of Burden to 'carry their Utenlils, and what they pleas'd either for their PFC". After this unjul‘t War was ended with the De.i'truétion and Mallacre of all the Inhabitants of thele Countries, having referv'd few befides the Women and Children, they divided thefe among themfelves, fome keeping 30 of them, others 40, others 100, fome zoo, according to the Interefc they had in the Tyrant of the Illand, whom they honour'd with the by the great weight of their Burdens. Title of Governor; for 'twas he that gave 'em credible Fatigues did not fecure 'em from Blows thefe Indians, on condition they would caufe 'em to be infiruéted in the Maxims of the Catholick Religion, tho the Perfons to whofe Care he committed "cm were the molt ignorant, cruel, covetous, and vitious of all Mankind; Thefe (as might well have been expeéted) took no care to inftruét 'em', but confined the men to the Mines to get: out Gold with incredible Toil and Labour ', they us'd the Women with Cudgels and Whips, accompanied with Curfes, nor from a great many Other Puniihments. But 'twould be endlefs to defcribe all the Miferies thefe unfortunate People were made to fulfer, it would require whole Volumes, and the reading bf fo decplorable a Story would deeply affeét and {often eve-‘ry' Mind not quite divelted of Humanity. It is to be obl‘erv'd that the Deltruétion and Defolation of thefe ProVinces began fince the Death of the moft ferene (been Ifahella, who departed this for Husbandry and Tillage, tho this 12111: was a La- bour hard enough for men of the molt robufl: and fit or Pleafure, fo that the Backs and Shoulders of thefe poor Slaves were black with Bruifes occafion‘d Life in the Year 1304.. Thefe in: Before this time the Spam Vigorous Conliitution. They fed 'em only with Iderbs, or fuch like Food, that had but little Sub‘ niards never durft exercife their Cruelties on the ltance or Nouril‘nment in it : So that the Milk dry'd People of this Ifland, nor deftroy their Country : if Up in the Brealts of the Women that gave fuck, and they offer'd "em any Violence, 'twa‘s as it were by their Children in a little time pin'd away and dy€d flealth, and with great Precaution. with Faintnefs and Hunger. The Men having no Lonverlation with the \Nomen, but dwelling in fe- Death of this Princefs, the Defolation became geneé ral. Before this fatal time, they took great care to c0nceal whatever Hardlhips they made thefe People parate lloufes, there could be no farther propagation of Children by 'em. Thus at lenoth the Men b . a ‘ s~ 1‘) l. d in peril es Wit h Hunger and Labour, the the nhn Women dyed under the preliiire of their fervitude But after the endure, becaufe the Queen was marVelloufly zealous both to promote the Inltruéiion and Salvation 0f the Inhabitants of this new World, and to advance their pulous llland were extern'iinated in a [hort time- Temporal AdVantages; and accordingly {he gave us 'many Examples of her Piety and Zeal, And indeed if the fame courfe were taken every , In whatever part of America the Spaniards fet where elfe, all Mankind would be dellroy'd in the their Feet, they perpetrated the fame abominable 1" the fields; to that all the Inhabitants of this p0" G Villaé |
