The Islands of St. John and Jamaica

In the Year 1509, the Spaniards sailed to the Islands of St. John and Jamaica (resembling Gardensa and Bee-hives) with the same purpose and design they proposed to themselves in the Isle of Hispaniola, perpetrating innumerable Robberies and Villanies as before; whereunto they added unheard of Cruelties by Murdering, Burning, Roasting, and Exposing Men to be torn to pieces by Dogs; and Finally by afflicting and harassing them with un-exampled Oppressions and torments in the Mines, they spoiled and unpeopled this Contrey of these Innocents. These two Isles containing six hundred thousand at least, though at this day there are scarce two hundred men to be found in either of them, the remainder perishing without the knowledge of Christian Faith or Sacrament.

In 1509, the Spaniards sailed to the islands of St. John and Jamaica (which resembled gardens and beehives). The Spaniards had the same purpose and plan as on the island of Hispaniola. They committed countless robberies and other crimes, just as before. To these crimes they added unheard-of cruelties, murdering, burning, roasting, and setting dogs on people to tear them apart. Finally, the Spaniards subjected these innocent people to oppression and torture in the mines unlike anything seen before. In this way, the Spaniards devastated the islands and wiped out their innocent inhabitants. These two islands had contained at least six hundred thousand people. Yet today scarcely two hundred men can be found on either island. The rest died without knowledge of the Christian faith or its sacraments.

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