ter or castigation (as
they term it) that they might fill every corner of this Region by their
Cruelties and wicked Deeds with terror and consternation; for in all
the Countries that they came they took this course, that immediately at
their first arrival they committed some notorious butcheries, which
made those Innocent Sheep tremble for fear. To this purpose therefore
they sent to the Governours and Nobles of the Cities, and all Places
subject unto them, together with their supream Lord, that they should
appear before them, and no soner did they attend in expectation of some
Capitulation or discourse with the Spanish Commander, but they were
presently seized upon and detained prisoners before any one could
advertise or give them notice of their Captivity. They demanded of
them six thousand _Indians_ to drudge for them in the carriage of their
bag and baggage; and as soon as they came the _Spaniards_ clapt them
into the Yards belonging to their Houses and there inclosed them all.
It was a thing worthy of pity and compassion to behold this wretches
people in what a condition they were when they prepared themselves to
receive the burthens laid on them by the Spaniards. They came to them
naked, their Privities only vail'd, their Shoulders loaden with food;
only covered with a Net, they laid themselves quietly on the ground,
and shrinking in their Bodies like poor Wretches, exposed themselves to
their Swords: Thus being all gathered together in ther Yards, some of
the Spaniards Armed held the doors to drive them away if attempting to
approach, and others with Lances and Swords Butcher these Innocents so
that not one of them escaped, but two or three days after some of them,
who hid themselves among the dead bodies, being all over besprinkled
with blood and gore, presented themselves to the Spaniards, imporing
their mercy and the prolongation of their Lives with tears in their
Eyes and all imaginable submission, yet they, not in the least moved
with pity or compassion, tore them in pieces: but all the Chief
Governours who were above one hundred in number, were kept bound, whom
the Captain commanded to be affixed to posts and burnt; yet the King of
the whole Countrey escaped, and betook himself with a Train of thirty
or forty Gentlemen, to a Temple (called in their Tongue _Quu_) which he
made use of as a Castle or Place of Defence, and there defended himself
a great part of the day, but the Spaniards who suffer none to esc