Spanish Cruelties in America

America was discovered and found out Ann. Dom. 1492, and the Year insuing inhabited by the Spaniards, and afterward a multitude of them travelled thither from Spain for the space of Nine and Forty Years. Their first attempt was on the Spanish Island, which indeed is a most fertile soil, and at present in great reputation for its Spaciousness and Length, containing in Circumference Six Hundred Miles: Nay it is on all sides surrounded with an almost innumerable number of Islands, which we found so well peopled with Natives and Forreigners, that there is scarce any Region in the Universe fortified with so many Inhabitants: But the main Land or Continent, distant from this Island Two Hundred and Fifty Miles and upwards, extends it self above Ten Thousand Miles in Length near the sea-shore, which Lands are some of them already discover'd, and more may be found out in process of time: And such a multitude of People inhabits these Countries, that it seems as if the Omnipotent God has Assembled and Convocated the major part of Mankind in this part of the World.

America was discovered in AD 1492, and the Spaniards settled there the following year. Afterward, great numbers traveled there from Spain over a period of forty-nine years. Their first venture was on the Spanish Island, whose soil is indeed very fertile. The island is now well known for its size and length, with a circumference of six hundred miles. Indeed, an almost countless number of islands surround it on all sides. We found these islands so densely populated with natives and foreigners that hardly any region anywhere has so many inhabitants. But the mainland, or continent, lies two hundred and fifty miles or more from this island. The continent stretches more than ten thousand miles along the coast. Some of these lands have already been discovered, and more may be discovered in time. So many people inhabit these countries that it seems as if Almighty God has gathered most of humanity in this part of the world.

Now this infinite multitude of Men are by the Creation of God innocently simple, altogether void of and averse to all manner of Craft, Subtlety and Malice, and most Obedient and Loyal Subjects to their Native Sovereigns; and behave themselves very patiently, sumissively and quietly towards the Spaniards, to whom they are subservient and subject; so that finally they live without the least thirst after revenge, laying aside all litigiousness, Commotion and hatred.

Now God created this vast multitude of people innocent and simple. They are entirely free from, and opposed to, all forms of deceit, cunning, and malice. They are deeply obedient and loyal subjects of their native rulers. They behave very patiently, submissively, and peacefully toward the Spaniards, whom they serve and obey. So they live without the slightest desire for revenge, setting aside all disputes, unrest, and hatred.

This is a most tender and effeminate people, and so imbecile and unequal-balanced temper, that they are altogether incapable of hard labour, and in few years, by one Distemper or other soon expire, so that the very issue of Lords and Princes, who among us live with great affluence, and fard deliciously, are not more effminate and tender than the Children of their Husbandmen or Labourers: This Nation is very Necessitous and Indigent, Masters of very slender Possessions, and consequently, neither Haughty, nor Ambitious. They are parsimonious in their Diet, as the Holy Fathers were in their frugal life in the Desert, known by the name of Eremites. They go naked, having no other Covering but what conceals their Pudends from publick sight. An hairy Plad, or loose Coat, about an Ell, or a coarse woven Cloth at most Two Ells long serves them for the warmest Winter Garment. They lye on a coarse Rug or Matt, and those that have the most plentiful Estate or Fortunes, the better sort, use Net-work, knotted at the four corners in lieu of Beds, which the Inhabitants of the Island of Hispaniola, in their own proper Idiom, term Hammacks. The Men are pregnant and docible. The natives tractable, and capable of Morality or Goodness, very apt to receive the instill'd principles of Catholick Religion; nor are they averse to Civility and good Manners, being not so much discompos'd by variety of Obstructions, as the rest of Mankind; insomuch, that having suckt in (if I may so express my self) the the very first Rudiments of the Christian Faith, they are so transported with Zeal and Furvor in the exercise of Ecclesiastical Sacraments, and Divine Service, that the very Religioso's themselves, stand in need of the greatest and most signal patience to undergo such extream Transports. And to conclude, I my self have heard the Spaniards themselves (who dare not assume the Confidence to deny the good Nature praedominant in them) declare, that there was nothing wanting in them for the acquisition of Eternal Beatitude, but the sole Knowledge and Understanding of the Deity.

These people are extremely delicate and physically frail. Their constitutions are so weak and unstable that they are entirely incapable of hard labor. Within a few years, they soon die from one illness or another. Even the children of lords and princes among us, who live in great wealth and eat lavishly, are no more delicate. The children of these farmers and laborers are just as frail. These people are very poor and needy, with very few possessions. Consequently, they are neither proud nor ambitious. They eat sparingly, like the Holy Fathers who lived frugally in the desert and were known as Eremites. They go naked, covering only their private parts. Their warmest winter garment is a shaggy wrap or loose coat about an ell long. At most, they wear a coarsely woven cloth two ells long. They sleep on a coarse rug or mat. The wealthiest among them use nets tied at the four corners instead of beds. The inhabitants of the island of Hispaniola call these Hammacks in their own language. The men are quick-minded and easy to teach. The native people are willing to be guided and capable of moral conduct and goodness. They readily accept instruction in the Catholic religion. Nor are they opposed to civilized behavior and good manners. They are less troubled by the many obstacles that disturb the rest of humanity. Indeed, once they have absorbed the very first lessons of the Christian faith, their zeal and fervor become overwhelming. If I may put it this way, they drink in those lessons. Their enthusiasm for the Church’s sacraments and divine worship is so great that even the religious teachers need extraordinary patience. They need that patience to endure such extreme displays of devotion. To conclude, I myself have heard the Spaniards acknowledge these people’s prevailing goodness, which the Spaniards dare not deny. The Spaniards declared that these people lacked only knowledge and understanding of God to attain eternal blessedness.

The Spaniards first assaulted the innocent Sheep, so qualified by the Almighty, as is premention'd, like most cruel Tygers, Wolves and Lions hunger-starv'd, studying nothing, for the space of Forty Years, after their first landing, but the Massacre of these Wretches, whom they have so inhumanely and barbarously butcher'd and harass'd with several kinds of Torments, never before known, or heard (of which you shall have some account in the following Discourse) that of Three Millions of Persons, which lived in Hispaniola itself, there is at present but the inconsiderable remnant of scarce Three Hundred. Nay the Isle of Cuba, which extends as far, as Valledolid in Spain is distant from Rome, lies now uncultivated, like a Desert, and intomb'd in its own Ruins. You may also find the Isles of St. John, and Jamaica, both large and fruitful places, unpeopled and desolate. The Lucayan Islands on the North Side, adjacent to Hispaniola and Cuba, which are Sixty in number, or thereabout, together with with those, vulgarly known by the name of the Gigantic Isles, and others, the most infertile whereof, exceeds the Royal Garden of Sevil in fruitfulness, a most Healthful and pleasant Climat, is now laid waste and uninhabited; and whereas, when the Spaniards first arriv'd here, about Five Hundred Thousand Men dwelt in it, they are now cut off, some by slaughter, and others ravished away by Force and Violence, to work in the Mines of Hispanioloa, which was destitute of Native Inhabitants: For a certain Vessel, sailing to this Isle, to the end, that the Harvest being over (some good Christian, moved with Piety and Pity, undertook this dangerous Voyage, to convert Souls to Christianity) the remaining gleanings might be gathered up, there were only found Eleven Persons, which I saw with my own Eyes. There are other Islands Thirty in number, and upward bordering upon the Isle of St. John, totally unpeopled; all which are above Two Thousand miles in Lenght, and yet remain without Inhabitants, Native, or People.

The Spaniards first attacked these innocent sheep, whom the Almighty had made as I described earlier. Their attackers were like the cruelest tigers, wolves, and lions, starved with hunger. For forty years after their first landing, they thought of nothing but massacring these wretched people. They butchered and persecuted them with inhuman cruelty, using kinds of torture never before known or heard of. You will hear about some of these tortures in the account that follows. Of the three million people who lived in Hispaniola itself, scarcely three hundred now remain. Indeed, the island of Cuba stretches as far as the distance from Valledolid in Spain to Rome. It now lies uncultivated, like a desert, buried in its own ruins. You may also find the islands of St. John and Jamaica, both large and fertile, depopulated and desolate. The Lucayan Islands lie to the north, near Hispaniola and Cuba, and number about sixty. Together with the islands commonly called the Gigantic Isles and others, they now lie devastated and uninhabited. Even the least fertile of these islands surpasses the Royal Garden of Sevil in fruitfulness. Their climate is very healthy and pleasant. When the Spaniards first arrived, about five hundred thousand people lived on these islands. They have now all been wiped out. Some were slaughtered, and others were carried off by force and violence to work in the mines of Hispanioloa, which had been emptied of its native inhabitants. After this harvest of people was over, a ship sailed to these islands to gather whoever remained. A good Christian, moved by devotion and pity, undertook this dangerous voyage to convert souls to Christianity. Only eleven people were found, and I saw them with my own eyes. There are thirty or more other islands bordering St. John that have been completely depopulated. All these islands extend over more than two thousand miles, yet remain without inhabitants, natives, or any people at all.

As to the firm land, we are certainly satisfied, and assur'd, that the Spaniards by their barbarous and execrable Actions have absolutely depopulated Ten Kingdoms, of greater extent than all Spain, together with the Kingdoms of Arragon and Portugal, that is to say, above One Thousand Miles, which now lye wast and desolate, and are absolutely ruined, when as formerly no other Country whatsoever was more populous. Nay we dare boldly affirm, that during the Forty Years space, wherein they exercised their sanguinary and detestable Tyranny in these Regions, above Twelve Millions (computing Men, Women, and Children) have undeservedly perished; nor do I conceive that I should deviate from the Truth by saying that above Fifty Millions in all paid their last Debt to Nature.

As for the mainland, we know for certain that the Spaniards have completely depopulated ten kingdoms through barbaric, monstrous acts. These kingdoms covered more land than all Spain, together with the kingdoms of Arragon and Portugal. That is more than one thousand miles, now empty, desolate, and utterly ruined. Yet no other country had ever been more densely populated. Indeed, we boldly declare that over twelve million people died undeservedly during forty years of Spanish tyranny in these regions. Those victims included men, women, and children, and the tyranny was bloody and detestable. Nor do I believe I would stray from the truth by saying that over fifty million died in all.

Those that arriv'd at these Islands from the remotest parts of Spain, and who pride themselves in the Name of Christians, steer'd Two courses principally, in order to the Extirpation, and Exterminating of this People from the face of the Earth. The first whereof was raising an unjust, sanguinolent, cruel War. The other, by putting them to death, who hitherto, thirsted after their Liberty, or design'd (which the most Potent, Strenuous and Magnanimous Spirits intended) to recover their pristin Freedom, and shake off the Shackles of so injurious a Captivity: For they being taken off in War, none but Women and Children were permitted to enjoy the benefit of that Country-Air, in whom they did in succeeding times lay such a heavy Yoak, that the very Brutes were more happy than they: To which Two Species of Tyranny as subalternate things to the Genus, the other innumerable Courses they took to extirpate and make this a desolate People, may be reduced and referr'd.

Those who came to these islands from the most distant parts of Spain took pride in calling themselves Christians. They used two main methods to wipe these people from the face of the earth. The first was to wage an unjust, bloody, and cruel war. The second was to kill those who still longed for liberty or planned to regain their former freedom. The strongest, most energetic, and most courageous among them intended to break the chains of such unjust captivity. Once these people were killed in war, only women and children were allowed to remain alive in that country. The Spaniards later placed such a heavy burden on these survivors that even beasts were better off. These two forms of tyranny encompass the countless other methods the Spaniards used to destroy and devastate these people.

Now the ultimate end and scope that incited the Spaniards to endeavor the Extirptaion and Desolation of this People, was Gold only; that thereby growing opulent in a short time, they might arrive at once at such Degrees and Dignities, as were no wayes consistent with their Persons.

Gold alone drove the Spaniards to try to wipe out and devastate these people. By getting rich quickly, the Spaniards hoped to gain ranks and honors far above their worth at once.

Finally, in one word, their Ambition and Avarice, than which the heart of Man never entertained greater, and the vast Wealth of those Regions; the Humility and Patience of the Inhabitants (which made their approach to these Lands more facil and easie) did much promote the business: Whom they so despicably contemned, that they treated them (I speak of things which I was an Eye Witness of, without the least fallacy) not as Beasts, which I cordially wished they would, but as the most abject dung and filth of the Earth; and so sollicitous they were of their Life and Soul, that the above-mentioned number of People died without understanding the true Faith or Sacraments. And this also is as really true as the praecendent Narration (which the very Tyrants and cruel Murderers cannot deny without the stigma of a lye) that the Spaniards never received any injury from the Indians, but that they rather reverenced them as Persons descended from Heaven, until that they were compelled to take up Arms, provoked thereunto by repeated Injuries, violent Torments, and injust Butcheries.

In short, their ambition and greed were greater than any the human heart had ever held. The vast wealth of those regions also helped drive their actions. So did the inhabitants’ humility and patience, which made it easier for the invaders to enter those lands. The invaders despised the inhabitants so deeply that they did not even treat them like beasts. I sincerely wish they had. Instead, they treated them like the lowest dung and filth on earth. I witnessed these things myself, and I speak without the slightest falsehood. And such was their concern for the inhabitants’ lives and souls that the number already mentioned died without understanding the true faith or the sacraments. The following is just as true as the account above. Even the tyrants and cruel murderers cannot deny it without branding themselves liars. The Spaniards never suffered any injury from the Indians. Instead, the Indians revered them as people who had descended from heaven. This reverence lasted until repeated injuries, violent torture, and unjust slaughter forced the Indians to take up arms.

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