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Show .102 A Relation of the Spanilh Voyage: and Crarities in the Weft-Indies. 203 diam are now -, and the whole llniverl'e was pollu-‘ as their abfolute Property,and to do the Indian: what ted with this Sin before the coming of Chrilt, and mifchief they pleafe. Thus have they impos'd on the Confcience of the molt Catholic King; and ob- before the Apoltles had preach'd the Chriltian Faith. For God difpers'd them up and down the World to dillipate the darknefs that was fpread over the tain'd leave to carry away the Inhabitants of the Earth : and they did not employ violence and force of Arms to punilh Idolatry, or other Sins that were [Hands and Countries that lie near Hifpaniola, and ' have accordingly forc'd 'em out of their own Coun- try againlt all Law and Equity; fo that an innume- the Confequences of Infidelity; they rnade ul'e of nothing but the good Examples of their Virtue and rable multitude both of Men and Women that in- tain'd the Menaces and Promifes of the Word of God; and we ought to do that in the Indies, which they did in other parts of the World. This was the habited above fifty Illands, fome bigger than the Canaries, have been deltroy'd, infomuch that there are but eleven Perfons left. I have been an Eye-witnefs of this defolation, as well as Peter de Lifle, who is a man of honor and credit, and now a Monk of the Courfe which Chrill: himl'elf lirll: took, and then Order of St. Francis. He built a Brigantine, and oblig'd his Apoltles to follow his Example. The Son of God came to feek and to fave that which was loft. Which of our Anceltors could have been fav'd if they had been put to death for Crimes commit- man'd it with Sea-men to make a review of thofe once populous Iflands; and they found in all that ted in the time of their unbelief ? the exprefs Words 'Tis impolfible for me to exprel's to your Majel‘ty, on the one hand, the great meeknefs, goodnefs of Holinefs, together with their Doé'crin, which con- of the Gofpel are contrary to this Method; for Chrilt fays to his Difciples, Thus it is written, and thus it behaved Chrijt to [it]??? and to rife from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remiflion of Sin: [hauld be preach'd in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerufalem: And ye are VVitneflE: of theft things, Luke 24. 46, 47, 48. which evidently proves that the Gofpel ought to be at firll: preach'd to lnfio dels, by declaring of Peace, and the remillion of Sins that are pal't, fince Chrift has given no power or permiflion to men to punilh 'em. . mamto The Spaniard: have moreover prel'um‘d tain that the Indians were like brute Bealls, utterly uncapable of difciplin, and unfit to receive the light of Chriltianity. Your Majel‘ty has good reafon t0 vall; Country but eleven People (as has been faid) tho they fpent two years in making this Voyage. temper, and fincerity of the People of the New World, and on the other, what enormous Rava- ges and Cruelties the Chriftians have exercifed upon 'em. Your Bowels would be mov'd with Com- pallion, and your heart too much afl‘eited, if an ex- aét defcriptiOn of all this were made you. ‘Cruel Wars have been rais'd in divers rich Provmces, without any fair occafion, but only to gratify the covetous humour of the Spaniards .- At the fame tune they flatter themfelves that they have Authority from your Majelly to employ force and violence to Inflave thefe People. And all the difference they make between thofe Indian: they look upon as their Sub.» MR, and thofe whom they treat as Slaves, is, that punifh thofe that declare fuch notorious Fallhoods: For under this Colour they have obtain'd of your they fell the latter publicly, but uf'e a little more for» mality about felling the former, by feeking pretences Majelty a power to pollefsrthemfelvcs of the indie! I0 hide their Injul'cice. as In the unjufl: Wars they have made |