e 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.

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, mo