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Show 218 and Crucltie: in the Weft-Indies. 'A Relatim of the Spanifh Voyage: But on the contrary, they have frankly and volun: tarily fubmitted themfelves to your Majel'ty. And yet they have bin hitherto not only neglected, but treated by the Spaniards, as wild Beaits are by Hunters, tho they never did any thing to deferve fuch ill ufage. They have yet feen nothing to convince 'em of your Majelty's Grandure, Jul'tice, Goodnefs, and Magnificence, having found nothing but Tyranny, Violence, Iniuftice and Cruelty from the Spaniards your Subjects, whofe ill Actions and bad 2I9 lion given 'em on any account to blafpheme the Name of God, which would be an Obll-acle to the great end of their Converfion. Nothing lhonld be left undone, that may make 'em love your Majefty, and induce 'em to prail‘e God on finding themfelves under a Government f0 eafy and commodious. They deferve in fome refpeét to be dealt with after this manner, becaufe of the freedom of their birth, which makes it unjufl: for any to violate their Liberty. 'Tis neceflhry for the Honor of the Chi-iftian Religion, that they embrace it voluntarily, Examples render 'em infamous; fo that the Indians look upon 'em as the vileft of Men. And this makes 1 becaufe God himfelf will have men make a free choice in matters of Religion; nor is any man 'em think upon the Kings of Spain with horror, wh‘atfoever to be treated with violence in this cafe, who yet never gave "em occafion to entertain fuch and forc'd to embrace 3 Religion againlt his Will. thoughts of 'em. But they fancy your Majelly perAnd temporal Princes commit a great piece of in- fectly knows all the ill treatment they endure, and ]ullice, if they put a force on the minds of their that 'tis by your Confent and Approbation; they believe 'tis all done by your order, and that you give your Proteéiion and Favour to thofe that infult Subjeéls in a bufinefs wherein they ought to have an The Title your Majel'ty has to the Indians is entire liberty of Confcience: they ihould rather obferve the Rules which God, the UniverfalSove‘ {align of all his Creatures, has conltituted. There founded only on the Obligation you have taken , IS no Power or Authority on Earth that has a right upon your felf to have 'em inl'truéled into the true Faith, as appears by the Apollolic Briefs granted to violate the Liberty of any People, becaufe his the molt valuable thing they poll‘efs, and preferable ‘ to all other things in the World. Hence it is there over 'em. onthis account: which ought to engage your Ma- jefl‘y to moderate your Government fo much the more, and to treat 'em with the greater tendernefs are fuch advantageous Conflitutions in the Civil Law in favor of Liberty. And the particular Cuf- The Kings of Spain lhould lignali'ze toins of the Kingdom of Spain prefcribe that no- the Firit-fruits of their Soveraignty over the Indies, Ehlng be determin'd in prejudice of a Man's Liberty by the tokens of Peace and Love to thefe PCOPIC, Neighbors and natural Subjects, for fear the com- "1 doubtful things, nor the leafl‘ force or conftraint P"t up011 men that are free. And when their conlimo any thing is violently extorted, it ought not t0 be imputed to 'em, becaufe 'tis an infringement million of any lnjullice or Cruelty among 'em (hould 0f the _Law of Nature. and kindnefs. and by taking care to furnilh 'em with good Examples: In a word, they ought to treat 'em as their prejudice :Cm againll: the Chriil‘ian Faith, and in: 'tls unlawful to feize on the Goods of Men that difpofe 'em to receive the Counlils and Maxims Of "Te free without caufe, much more is it to offer our Religion. Y1°1°HC€to their Perfons, and to inflave 'em, which is There lhould not be the leafl 0?? tor} |
