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Show , rm .. , "mum "W," "a; and Cruelties in the Weft-Indies, 22$ on the Prince. He that abufes his Title is not Wor- fubmit themfelves to the Government of a new King. This Praétice is almofl: as antient as the .- nor Md :1 Man neither owes Homage pOfl‘efs it: thy t0 Obedience to a Tyrant. 224 A Relation of the Spanifh Voyage: So that your Majefiy World, for ever fince Men began to fpread them{elves upon the face of the Earth, it has always been . ought in quality of Soveraign Lord of the People ; ofthe New World, to defend 'em, and do 'em the cultom of Princes to promife and {wear to "em to employ all their Power in preferving and defending 'em from Opprellion. Which evidently proves that your Majefty has not power to give up the Indians to the abfolute Dominion of the Spaniards, who - juftice, when they are wrong'd, and confequently to refcue 'em from the power of the Spaniards, that . they may enjoy their Liberty. 'Tis moreover a Cultom eltablilh'd by the hum have had the cruelty to deltroy fuch numerous Na: of Spain, That if the King grant any Privilege tions of 'em, without any legal Procefs, or leave to contrary to the Catholic Faith, 'tis null and void, as much as if it were contrary to the civil Good and Welfare of the Kingdom, or to the Rights of any make their Defence. For it would be to act contra- ry to the Law of God and Nature to expofe 'cm to fo many Miferies, which are as to many invincible Obftruétions to hinder 'em from turning Chrillians. Nor is there any Prince on Earth, who can juitly particular Perfons. And the fame account is to be made of any Privilege given contrary to the Law, of Nature: as for example, if a King lhould take away any private Man's Eftate, to b'eltow it on ano-A, pretend to «have fuch a Power: for Soveraign lPrinces have no Authority to do any thing that may ther. Therefore your Majefty cannot diveft the n24 provoke the Jul'rice of God, who has not fet "em ‘ tural Princes of the Indians of their Dominion over: ‘over their People for their ruin and del‘trufiion, or 'em, to inveft the Spaniards with it, who not only are for the overthrow of the Church'7 but on the con- Foreigners to 'em,but alfo treat 'em after a tyrannical trary has fet 'em in the World to defend the Church, manner. 'Tis therefore necefl'ary for your Majelty, ' to bring their People to efpoufe the true Faith, and to revoke fo unjuft a Privilege, deltruétive to the: People, and direftly oppofit to the Catholic Faith, edify 'em in it. ' Reafon and the Law of Nature direct that thofe as well as to your Majefty's Service, the advantage ‘who have made an ill ufe of the Privileges granted ‘ of your Kingdom in general, the good of many to 'em, fhould be depriv'd of 'em. Now the Jurif- ‘ Members of the Commonwealth in particular, and di€tion allow'd the Spaniards over the Indians was ‘ which is contrary to Reafon, and the Law of Nae, only on condition they would inflrué‘t 'emin Reli« gion, and defend 'em from their Enemies 5 and they have not only fallen lhort of this Engagement, b" ture. 'Tis farther conltituted by the Cuftoms of Spain; in conformity to the Imperial Laws of your Ma-V even barbaroufly abus'd thofe they were oblig'd to lefty, as well as thofe of the Church, that when a protect. 'Tis remarkable in the Laws of Spam, LPrivilege in procefs of time proves injurious, and that if a Mafter treats any one of his Slaves inhu- ‘ occafio‘ns more hurt than good, it ought to be, im~ manly, he is oblig'd to fellhim, becaufe 'tis but left mediatdy abolilh'd, without to much as confulting that he who tyrannizes over his Subjects {hould lofe the Prince that granted it; becaufe from that very his Jurifdiclion over "cm, which 'of right devolves on moment wherein this Privilege began to be, detri- ' , "1' or Q, mental |
