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Show 172 and 'Crueltz'e: in the Weft-Indies. A Relation of the Spanilh VOjnges 1 73 Slaves, becaufe all things ought to be common in a their Goods and Corn upon Ufury'; and when the time of extreme Neceffity; for the Law of Na- were not in a. condition to pay for what they had bought, they feiz'd 'em for Slaves. If he that ow'd the Sum, died before the Debt- was difcharg'd, and ture obliges us freely to give or lend to thofe that are under preffing want. Another occafion on which the Spaniards made- the Indians their Slaves was this; when any one had found an Indian with fome Ears of Corn which he had ftolen, he had Authority to make him his Slave. The Millionaries have obferv'd that fome of _'em would malicioufly fcatter Ears of Corn 1n the Highways, that they might feize thofe for Slaves that had innocently gather'd "em up. Befides this, the Parents and Relations of him that had. the Corn found upon him were made Slaves for this imaginary Theft, which is a very unjuit and criminal Artifice. They likewife had invented a fort of Play theCreditor, they became his Slaves. In time of Fa- min, Parents would fell one of their Children to ferve aMafter for a certain number of years; but indeed there was no end of this Servitude, for if the Matter dy'd, his Relations would take polleflion of his Slave. But the Bifhop of Mexico, who is a very pious and virtuous Prelat, has written an account in Latin of all the Tricks the Spaniards have us'd to inflave the Indians; by which 'tis eafy to fee with how much Which Cuitom obtain'd through- Injuitice they have abus'd the Simplicity and Necef- lity of thefe poor Wretches to reduce 'em to a milerable ftate of Bondage, . From what [have been relating it appears, that the Indians being Idolaters, and deftitute of the knowledg of the true God, and the Rules of Chriftianity, don't regulate their Aétions by fuch Motives as the fear of Hell, and the defire of Heaven, and the hepe of having their good Works rewarded hereafter: Therefore they are vicious and corrupt in many refpeéts; for initance, they don't obferve the Law of Nations in the Wars they make one up- among 'em, in which he that loll: was made a Slave; the belt Players would make as if they knew not how to play, to infnare tliofe that were ignorant into their Service. If any one whom they had thus caught, prefum'd to run away, his nearefl: Relations were forc'd to fu pply his place. When a Free-man had lain with a Woman that was a Slave, her Mafier had now to feize him, or hisWife, if he were married, and to oblige him to ferve him till {he was brought to bed. his Wife and. Children were not capable of paying OUt the whole Country. He that had a young Maid to on another; by Which one may well guefs there are his Slave, would inflave any one that lay with her, which was attended with great Inconveniencess many other injuft things done among 'em. But the Faith of Chrift, and the Precepts of the for the Mafters of thefe young She-Haves would put Gofpel are for preferving only good Laws and "em upon enticing Men to lie with 'em, on purpofc to catch ‘em in this Trap. If a Slave took any thing Culloms, and for abolilhing thofe that are bad, efpeclallly fueh as are oppofite to the Law of Nature, out of his Muller's Houi'e to give it to his Relation5, and prejudicial to Human Society. Therefore thofe "WY all immediately became his Mafter's SlavesWhen fevcral Merchants went into other Countries Indians that are converted, who have bin guilty of POIYgamy, are oblig'd to put aWay all their Wives for Slaves to fell irrNcm 31711.", where they had the but one, acc0rding to the prefcription of the Law heft trade for ‘em, they lent thofe that were Pk?" Of God, as well as to reflore all the Goodsdthey r en rave ' |
