A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies: Or, a faithful NARRATIVE OF THE Horrid and Unexampled Massacres, Butcheries, and all manner of Cruelties, that Hell and Malice could invent, committed by the Popish Spanish Party on the inhabitants of West-India, TOGETHER With the Devastations of several Kingdoms in America by Fire and Sword, for the space of Forty and Two Years, from the time of its first Discovery by them.Casas, Bartolomé de las
History
A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies: Or, a faithful NARRATIVE OF THE Horrid and Unexampled Massacres, Butcheries, and all manner of Cruelties, that Hell and Malice could invent, committed by the Popish Spanish Party on the inhabitants of West-India, TOGETHER With the Devastations of several Kingdoms in America by Fire and Sword, for the space of Forty and Two Years, from the time of its first Discovery by them.
Casas, Bartolomé de las
Indians, Treatment of -- Latin America; Spain -- Colonies -- America
Among the Innumerable Flagitious Acts done by this Tyrant and his
Co-partners (for they were as Barbarous as their Principal) in this
Kingdom, this also occurs worthy of an Afterism in the Margin. In the
Province of _Cuztatan_ in which S. _Saviour's_ City is seated, which
Country with the Neighbouing Sea-Coasts extends in Length Forty or
Fifty Miles, as also in the very City of _Cuzcatan_, the Metropolis of
the whole Province, he was entertain'd with great Applause: For about
Twenty or Thirty Thousand _Indians_ brought with them Hens and other
necessary Provisions, expecting this coming. He, accepting their Gifts,
commended every single _Spaniard_ to make choice of as many of these
People, as he had a mind to, that during their stay there, they might
use them as Servants, and forced to undergo the most servile Offices
they should impose on them. Every one cull'd out a Hundred, or Fifty,
according as he thought convenient for his peculiar service, and these
wretched _Indians_ did serve the _Spaniards_ with their utmost strength
and endeavour; so that there could be nothing wanting in them but
Adoration. In the mean time this Captain requir'd a great Sum of Gold
from their Lords (for that was the Load-stone attracted them thither)
who answered, they were content to deliver him up all the Gold they had
in possession; and in order thereunto, the _Indians_ gathered together
a great Number of Spears gilded with _Orichalcum_, (which had the
appearance of Gold, and in truth some Gold in them intermixt) and they
were presented to him. The Captain ordered them to be toucht, and when
he found them to be _Orichalcum_ or mixt Metal, he spake to the
_Spaniards_ as followeth. Let that Nation that is without Gold be
accursed to the Pit of Hell. Let every Man detain those Servants he
Elected, let them be clapt in Irons, and stigmatiz'd with the Brand of
Slavery, which was accordingly done, for they were all burnt, who did
no excape with the King's Mark. I my self saw the Impression made on
the Son of the Chiefest Person in the City. Those that escap'd, with
other _Indians_, engaged the _Spaniards_ by Force of Arms, but with
such ill success, that abundance of them lost their Lives in the
Attempt. After this they return'd to _Gautimala_, where they built a
City, which God in his Judgement with Three Deluges, the First of
Water, the Second of Earth, the Third of Stones, as big as half a score
Oxen, all concurring at one and the same time, laid Level with its own
Ashes. Now all being slain who were capable of bearing Arms against
them, the rest were enslav'd, paying so much _per_ Head for Men and
Women as a Ransom; for they use no other servitude here, and then they
were sent into _Pecusium_ to be sold, by which means together with
their slaughters committed upon the Inhabitants, they destroy'd and
made a Desert of this Kingdom, which in Breadth as well as Length
contains One Hundred Miles; and with his Associates and Brethren in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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