killed more than forty thousand
persons, putting them to the sword, burning them alive, throwing
them to fierce dogs, and torturing them with various kind of
tortures: these acts were witnessed by a Franciscan friar with his
own eyes, for he went with the captain, and he was called Fray
Francisco de San Roman.
4. The most pernicious blindness of those who have governed the Indies
up to the present day, in providing for the conversion and salvation
of these people, which (to tell the truth) they have always
postponed, although with words they have represented and pretended
otherwise, reached such depths that they have commanded notice to be
given the Indians to accept the Holy faith and render obedience to
the kings of Castile; otherwise war would be made on them with fire
and blood, and they would be killed and made slaves etc.
5. As though the Son of God, who died for each of them, had commanded
in his law, when he said Euntes, docete omnes gentes that intimation
should be sent to peaceful and quiet infidels, in their own
countries, that, if they did not receive it at once, without other
teaching or doctrine, and that if they did not subject themselves to
the dominion of a king, of whom they had never heard, nor seen, and
particularly whose messengers are so cruel, so wicked, and such
horrible tyrants, they should therefore, lose their rights, their
lands and liberty, their wives and children, with all their lives;
such a blunder is stupid and worthy of infamy, obloquy, and hell.
6. This wretched and unhappy governor, in giving instructions as to the
said intimations, the better to justify them--they being of
themselves unseemly, unreasonable and most unjust--commanded these
thieves sent by him, to act as follows: when they had determined to
invade and plunder some province, where they had heard that gold was
to be found, they should go when the Indians were in their towns,
and safe in their houses; these wretched Spanish assassins went by
night and, halting at midnight half a league from the town, they
published or read the said intimation among themselves saying:
Princes and Indians of such a place in this continent, we make known
unto you, that there is one God, one Pope, and one King of Castile,
who is Lord of this coun