More on New Spain: Some Details About Panuco and Xalisco

After the perpetration of all the Cruelties rehearsed in New Spain and other places, there came another Rabid and Cruel Tyrant to Panuco, who acted the part of a bloody Tragedian as well as the rest, and sent away many Ships loaden with these Barbarians to be sold for Slaves, made this Province almost a Wilderness, and which was deplorable, Eight Hundred Indians, that had Rational Souls were given in Exchange for a Burthen-bearing-Beast, a Mule, or Camel. Well, He was made Governour of the City of Mexico, and all New Spain, and with him many other Tyrants had the Office of Auditors confer'd upon them: Now they had already made such a progress toward the Desolation of this Region, that if the Franciscans had not vigorously opposed them, and that by (the King's Council, the best and greatest Encourager of Vertue) it had not speedily bin prevented, that which hapned to Hispaniola in Two Years, had bin the Fate of Hispania nova, namely to be unpeopled, deferred, and intomb'd in its own Rules. A Companion of this Governour employed Eight Thousand Indians in Erecting a wall to inclose his Garden, but they all dyed, having no Supplies, nor Wages from him, to support themselves, at whose Death he was not in the least concern'd.

After all the cruelties described in New Spain and elsewhere, another savage and cruel tyrant came to Panuco. Like the others, he played his part in a bloody tragedy. He sent away many ships loaded with these Barbarians to be sold as slaves. He left the province almost a wilderness. Most deplorably, eight hundred Indians, who had rational souls, were exchanged for a beast of burden, a mule or camel. Well, this man was made governor of the city of Mexico and all New Spain. Alongside him, many other tyrants were appointed as judicial officials. They had already gone far toward destroying the region. If the Franciscans had not vigorously opposed them, and the King's Council had not quickly intervened, destruction would have followed. The King's Council was the best and greatest supporter of virtue. Without that opposition and intervention, Hispania nova would, within two years, have suffered the fate of Hispaniola. It would have been depopulated, deserted, and buried in its own ruins. An associate of this governor put eight thousand Indians to work building a wall around his garden. But all eight thousand died because he gave them neither supplies nor wages to support themselves. Their deaths did not concern him in the least.

After the first Captain before spoken of had absolutely profliaged and ruin'd the Panuconians, Fifteen Thousand whereof perished by carrying their Bag and Baggage: At length he arriv'd at the Province of Machuacan, which is Forty Miles Journey from Mexico, and as Fertile and Populous: The King to honour him in the Rencounter, with a Multiple of People, marcheth toward him, from whom he had received One Thousand Services and Civilities very considerable, who gratefully requited him with Captivity, because Fame had nois'd it abroad, that he was a most Opulent Prince in Gold and Silver; and to the end he might export from, and purge him of his Gold, he was cruciated with Torments after this manner; his Body was extended, Hands bound to a Post, and his Feet put into a pair of Stocks, they all the while applying burning Coals to his Feet at a tormenting distance, where a Boy attended, who by little and little sprinkled them with Oyl, that his Flesh might roast the better: Before him there stood a Wicked Fellow, presenting a Bow to his Breast charged with a Mortal Arrow, (if let fly) behind him, another with Dogs held in with Chains, which he threatned to let loose at him, which if done, he had bin torn to pieces in a moment; and with these kind of Torments they racked him to extort a Confession, where his Treasures lay; till a Franciscan Monk came and deliver'd him from his Torments, but not from Death, for he departed this miserable Life not long after: And this was the severe Fate of many Cacics and Indian Lords, who dyed with the same Torments which they were expos'd to by the Spaniards, in order to the engrossing of their Gold and Sliver to themselves.

The first captain mentioned above had completely devastated and ruined the Panuconians. Fifteen thousand of them died carrying the Spaniards’ bags and baggage. At last, he reached the province of Machuacan, forty miles from Mexico and just as fertile and populous. The king marched out with a large crowd to honor the captain on his arrival. The king had shown him a thousand acts of service and considerable kindness. The captain gratefully repaid him by taking him prisoner, because reports said the king possessed immense wealth in gold and silver. To strip the king of his gold, the captain had him tortured in the following way. The king’s body was stretched out, his hands tied to a post, and his feet locked in stocks. Throughout the torture, burning coals were held close enough to his feet to cause agony. A boy stood nearby, sprinkling oil on his feet little by little so that his flesh would roast better. Before him stood a wicked man, aiming a bow at his chest with an arrow that would kill if released. Behind him stood another man holding chained dogs and threatening to release them on him. If released, the dogs would have torn him to pieces in a moment. With these tortures, the Spaniards tried to force the king to reveal where his treasures lay. At last, a Franciscan monk came and freed him from his torments, but not from death. The king departed this miserable life soon afterward. Many Cacics and Indian lords suffered the same cruel fate. They died under the same tortures, inflicted by the Spaniards to seize their gold and silver for themselves.

At this very time, A certain Visiter of Purses rather than Souls hapned to be here present, who (finding some Indian Idols which were hid; for they were no better instructed in the Knowledge of the true God by reason of the Wicked Documents and Dealings of the Spaniards) detain'd Grandees as Slaves, till they had deliver'd him all their Idols, for he phancied they were made of Gold or Silver, but his Expectation being frustrated, he chastised them with no less Cruelty than Injustice; and that he might not depart bubbled out of all his hopes, constrain'd them to redeem their Idols with Money, that so they might, according to their Custom, Adore them. These are the Fruits of the Spanish Artifices and Juggling Tricks among the Indians, and thus they promoted the honour and worship of God.

At this very time, an inspector happened to be present, more interested in examining purses than souls. He found some hidden Indian idols. The Indians had learned no better about the true God because of the wicked teachings and dealings of the Spaniards. The inspector held nobles as slaves until they handed over all their idols, which he imagined were gold or silver. But when his hopes proved false, he punished the nobles with cruelty matched only by injustice. And so he would not leave with all his hopes disappointed, he forced them to buy back their idols. They could then worship the idols according to their custom. These are the fruits of Spanish schemes and trickery among the Indians. And this was how they advanced the honor and worship of God.

This Tyrant from Mechuacam arrives at Xalisco, a Country abounding with People very fruitful, and the Glory of the Indians in this respect, that it had some Towns Seven Miles long; and among other Barbarisms equal to what you have read, which they acted here, this is not to be forgotten, that Women big with Child, were burthen'd with the Luggage of Wicked Christians, and being unable to go out their usual time, through extremity of Toil and Hunger, were necessitated to bring them forth in the High-wayes, which was the Death of many Infants.

This tyrant from Mechuacam arrives in Xalisco, a fertile, densely populated country. It was the pride of the Indians in this respect: some towns were seven miles long. Among the other acts of cruelty committed here, equal to those you have read about, one must not be forgotten. Pregnant women were forced to carry the wicked Christians’ luggage. Extreme exhaustion and hunger prevented these women from carrying their babies to term. They were forced to give birth along the roads, causing the deaths of many infants.

At a certain time a profligate Christian attempted to devirginate a Maid, but the Mother being present, resisted him, and endeavouring to free her from his intended Rape, whereat the Spaniard enrag'd, cut off her Hand with a short Sword, and stab'd the Virgin in several places, till she Expir'd, because she obstinately opposed and disappointed his inordinate Appetite.

Once, a depraved Christian tried to rape a young woman who was a virgin. But her mother was present and resisted him, trying to save her daughter from the rape. Enraged, the Spaniard cut off the mother's hand with a short sword. He then stabbed the young woman several times until she died, because she stubbornly resisted and thwarted his lust.

In this Kingdom of Xalisco (according to report) they burnt Eight Hundred Towns to Ashes, and for this Reason the Indians growing desperate, beholding the dayly destruction of the Remainders of their matchless Cruelty, made an Insurrection against the Spaniards, slew several of them justly and deservedly, and afterward fled to the insensible Rocks and Mountains (yet more tender and kind than the stony-hearted Enemy) for Sanctuary; where they were miserably Massacred by those Tyrants who succeeded, and there are now few, or none of the Inhabitants to be found. Thus the Spaniards being blinded with the Lustre of their Gold, deserted by God, and given over to a Reprobate Sense, not undrestanding (or at least not willing to do so) that the Cause of the Indians is most Just, as well by the Law of Nature, as the Divine and Humane, they by Force of Arms, destroying them, hacking them in pieces, and turning them out of their own Confines and Dominions, nor considering how unjust those Violences and Tyrannies are, wherewith they have afflicted these poor Creatures, they still contrive to raise new Wars against them: Nay they conceive, and by Word and Writing testifie, that those Victories they have obtain'd against those Innocents to their ruine, are granted them by God himself, as if their unjust Wars were promoted and managed by a just Right and Title to what they pretend; and with boasting Joy return Thanks to God for their Tyranny, in imitation of those Tyrants and Robbers, of whom the Prophet Zechariah part of the Forth and Fifth Verses. Feed the Sheep of the slaughter, whose Possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty, and they that sell them say, Blessed by the Lord, for ye are rich.

In the kingdom of Xalisco, they reportedly burned eight hundred towns to ashes. For this reason, the Indians grew desperate as they watched the daily destruction of those spared by this unmatched cruelty. They rose against the Spaniards and killed several of them, justly and deservedly. Afterward, they fled for shelter to the unfeeling rocks and mountains, yet gentler and kinder than their stonehearted enemies. There, the tyrants who followed massacred them mercilessly. Now few or none of the inhabitants remain. Thus the Spaniards were blinded by the glitter of their gold, abandoned by God, and left to their corrupt judgment. They did not understand, or at least refused to understand, that the Indians had a completely just cause. Their cause was just under natural law, divine law, and human law alike. Yet the Spaniards used armed force to destroy them, hack them to pieces, and drive them from their own lands. Nor did the Spaniards consider how unjustly their violence and tyranny had made these poor people suffer. Instead, they continued plotting new wars against them. Indeed, they believed, and declared in speech and writing, that God himself had granted their victories over these innocent people. These victories brought the innocent to ruin. The Spaniards spoke as if their unjust wars rested on a rightful claim to what they sought. And with boastful joy, they thanked God for their tyranny. In this, they imitated the tyrants and robbers described by the prophet Zechariah in parts of verses four and five: Feed the sheep marked for slaughter. Their owners kill them and consider themselves innocent. Those who sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for you are rich.

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