themselves, they contriv'd this Strategm, to
dig Ditches and Holes in the High-way into which the Horses might fall
in their passage, and fixing therein purposely sharp and burnt Posts,
and covering them with loose Earth, so that they could not be discern'd
by their Riders, they might be transfixed or gored by them. The Horses
fell twice or thrice into those holes, but afterward the _Spaniards_
took this Course to prevent them for the future; and made this a Law,
that as many of the _Indians_ of what Age or Sex soever as were taken,
should be cast into these Ditches that they had made. Nay they threw
into them Women with Child, and as many Aged Men as they laid hold of,
till they were all fill'd up with Carkasses. It was a sight deserving
Commiseration, to behold Women and Children gauncht or run through with
these Posts, some were taken off by Spears and Swords, and the
remainder expos'd to hungry Dogs, kept short of food for that purpose,
to be devour'd by them and torn in pieces. They burnt a Potent
Nobleman in a very great Fire, saying, _That he was the more Honour'd
by this kind of Death_. All which Butcheries continued Seven Years,
from 1524, to 1531. I leave the Reader to judge how many might be
Massacred during that time.

Among the Innumerable Flagitious Acts done by this Tyrant and his
Co-partners (for they were as Barbarous as their Principal) in this
Kingdom, this also occurs worthy of an Afterism in the Margin. In the
Province of _Cuztatan_ in which S. _Saviour's_ City is seated, which
Country with the Neighbouing Sea-Coasts extends in Length Forty or
Fifty Miles, as also in the very City of _Cuzcatan_, the Metropolis of
the whole Province, he was entertain'd with great Applause: For about
Twenty or Thirty Thousand _Indians_ brought with them Hens and other
necessary Provisions, expecting this coming. He, accepting their Gifts,
commended every single _Spaniard_ to make choice of as many of these
People, as he had a mind to, that during their stay there, they might
use them as Servants, and forced to undergo the most servile Offices
they should impose on them. Every one cull'd out a Hundred, or Fifty,
according as he thought convenient for his peculiar service, and these
wretched _Indians_ did serve the _Spaniards_ with their utmost strength
and endeavour; so that there could be nothing wanting in them but
Adoration. In the mean time this Captain requir'd a great Sum of Gold
from their Lords (for tha