ripes, just as they used to serve a tired Jade, accustomed to
burthens. And as to those slashes with whips, blows with staves, cuffs
and boxes, maledictions and curses, with a Thousand of such kind of
Torments they suffered during the fatigue of their laborious journeys
it would require a long tract of time, and many Reams of Paper to
describe them, and when all were done would only create Horror and
Consternation in the Reader.

But here is is observable, that the desolation of these Isles and
Provinces took beginning since the decease of the most Serene Queen
_Isabella_, about the year 1504, for before that time very few of the
Provinces situated in that Island were oppressed or spoiled with unjust
Wars, or violated with general devastation as after they were, and most
if not all these things were concealed and masked from the Queens
knowledge (whom I hope God hath crowned with Eternal Glory) for she was
transported with fervent and wonderful zeal, nay, almost Divine desires
for the Salvation and preservation of these people, which things so
exemplary as these we having seen with our eyes, and felt with our
hands, cannot easily be forgotten.

Take this also for a general Rule, that the _Spaniards_ upon what
_American_ Coasts soever they arrived, exercised the same Cruelties,
Slaughters, Tyrannies and detestable Oppressions on the most innocent
_Indian_ Nation, and diverting themselves with delights in new sorts
of Torment, did in time improve in Barbarism and Cruelty; wherewith the
Omnipotent being incensed suffered them to fail by a more desperate and
dangerous lapse into a reprobate state.

_Of the Isles 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.

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