d and collected in the form of a book,
as these documents would illustrate and confirm the truth of all he had
alleged against the Spaniards and in favour of the Indians. "Let them be
placed," he wrote, "in the college library ad perpetuam rei memoriam, for
should God decree the destruction of Spain, it may be seen that it is
because of our destruction of the Indies, and His justice may be made
apparent."

APPENDIX I. - THE BREVISSIMA RELACION

PROLOGUE OF THE BISHOP DON FRAY BARTHOLOMEW DE LAS CASAS OR CASAUS

TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY LORD, THE PRINCE OF THE SPANISH STATES.

Don Philip our Lord.
Most High, and Mighty Lord.

As divine Providence has ordained that in his world, for its
government, and for the common utility of the human race, Kingdoms
and Countries should be constituted in which are Kings almost
fathers and pastors, (as Homer calls them) they being consequently
the most noble, and most generous members of the Republics, there
neither is nor can be reasonable doubt as to the rectitude of their
royal hearts. If any defect, wrong, and evil is suffered, there can
be no other cause than that the Kings are ignorant of it; for if
such were manifested to them, they would extirpate them with supreme
industry and watchful diligence.
2. It is seemingly this that the divine Scriptures mean in the Proverbs
of Solomon, qui sedet in solio iudicii, dissipat omne malum intuitu
suo: because it is thus assumed from the innate and peculiar virtue
of the King namely, that the knowledge alone of evil in his Kingdom
is absolutely sufficient that he should destroy it; and that not for
one moment, as far as in him lies, can he tolerate it.
3. As I have fifty, or more, years of experience in those countries, I
have therefore been considering the evils, I have seen committed,
the injuries, losses, and misfortunes, such as it would not have
been thought could be done by man; such kingdoms, so many, and so
large, or to speak better, that most vast and new world of the
Indies, conceded and confided by God and his Church to the Kings of
Castile, that they should rule and govern it; that they should
convert it, and should prosper it temporally, and spiritually.
4. When some of their particular actions are made known to Your
Highness, it will not be possible to forbe