was violated as has been said by a Spanish Captain a Wretch unworthy of the Christian Name This Prince might have waited for an opportunity to revenge himself of this Outrage but chose rather to retire and live in Obscurity and Exile in the Province of one of his Subjects voluntarily abidicating his Kingdom and Government The Spaniards being inform'd of the place of his Retreat pursued him with the utmost Fury without giving him time to hide himself They cruelly declar'd War against that Indian Lord that had given him Sanctuary and had receiv'd him with a becoming Humanity and Respect they ravag'd all his Country and never left off their Cruelties till they had found and seiz'd this Fugitive Prince whom they loaded with Chains and put on Ship-board to be carried into Spain as their Prisoner This Vessel was cast away in the Voyage a great many Spaniards drown'd and an incredible sum of Gold and Silver lost Among the rest there was a prodigious lump of Gold as big as a great Loaf which weighed 3600 Crowns Thus did the Vengeance of God meet with 'em for the enormous Crimes they had committed in the Indies The second Kingdom is called Marien where there is a fine Port just at the end of the other Kingdom on the North-side This Kingdom is larger than Portugal and more fruitful and was stor'd with vast numbers of Inhabitants there are divers Mountains in it and several Mines abounding with Gold and Copper The Name of the King of this Country was Guacanagari who had divers Lords under his Jurisdiction 'T was in this Country that famous Pilot who first discover'd America landed Guacanagari receiv'd him with all imaginable Hospitality and Civility he made the best Entertainment he could for all the Spaniards who accompanied him when their Ship was sunk they were receiv'd at this Prince's Court as kindly as if they had been in the Houses of their own natural Relations here they met with all manner of Refreshments and Recruits the Country afforded which were given 'em with great Expressions of Humanity and Compassion on the account of their Hardships This King afterwards to secure himself from the barbarous Usage of the Spaniards when they began to commit their Massacres in his Country abandon'd his Kingdom and was forc'd to retreat into some of the remote Mountains where he died with the Fatigues and Inconveniencies to which he was expos'd Those Indian Lords that depended on him found no better Treatment but perish'd under that horrible Slavery to which the Spaniards had reduc'd ' em Maguana is the third Kingdom of this Island and is an admirable Country both for Health and Fruitfulness Here is made the best Sugar in America Caonabo was the King of it who surpass'd all the other Kings both in regard of his Power the Riches of his Kingdom and the Respect and Ceremony with which he was honour'd This Prince not keeping on his Guard nor at all distrusting what Tricks the Spaniards design'd to play him was surpriz'd in his own House by the Artifices they had laid to insnare him He was put in a Ship to be carried into Spain and there were at the same time six Vessels in the Port ready to set Sail when all on a sudden there rose a horrible Tempest which batter'd the Ships to pieces and sunk 'em with all the Spaniards that were on board King Caonabo loaded with Chains perish'd together with the Vessel in which he was embarqu'd The Almighty was pleas'd to display his just and terrible Judgment by this sudden Storm in destroying so many Spaniards and thereby punishing the Crimes they had committed in abusing the poor Indians This King had three or four Brothers all of 'em valiant and couragious Princes who being much provok'd at the unjust Captivity of the King their Brother and Soveraign and inform'd of the Ravage and Massacres the Spaniards had made in other neighbouring Kingdoms and after all hearing the News of the fatal End of their Brother betook themselves to Arms and sought means of revenging themselves on their Enemies The Spaniards attack'd 'em with their Cavalry which is very formidable to the Indians whom they soon conquer'd and made so prodigious a Slaughter among 'em that half the Kingdom was depopulated and became desert after this Defeat Xavagua is the fourth Kingdom of Hispaniola and is as it were the Heart and Centre of all this Island the Language of it is the most refin'd and polite The People of this Kingdom are the most civiliz'd and their Manners more cultivated than those of other parts of the Country and there are a greater number of great Lords and Persons of Quality among ' em These People are better shap'd and have a finer Aspect than those of the other Kingdoms The King's Name was Behechio he had a Sister call'd Anacaona both of 'em heap'd their Favours on the Spaniards when they landed in their Country and with a great deal of Generosity sav'd 'em from Death which they could not otherwise have avoided They left no Stone unturn'd to shew themselves obliging to the Kings of Spain After Behechio's Death his Sister Anacaona continued absolute Mistress of the whole Kingdom One day the Governor of the Island accompanied with 60 Horse and 300 Foot sends a Summons to about 300 of the greatest Lords of the Country to attend his Person These few Horsemen alone were able to have ravag'd and laid waste not only all this Island but even the whole Continent so defenceless were these poor People The Indian Nobles not at all suspecting any treacherous Design were by the Governor's Order brought into a House cover'd with Straw which he commanded to be set on fire where they perish'd miserably Those of 'em who attempted to escape were pursued by the Spanish Troopers and kill'd without Mercy They also kill'd a vast multitude of the common People cutting 'em and running 'em through with their Swords and Lances This same Governor caus'd Queen Anacaona who had the soveraign Authority after the Death of her Brother as has been said to be hang'd that he might disgrace the Memory of that Princess as much as he could by so vile and ignominious a Death If at any time a Spaniard either touch'd with the Sentiments of Compassion or prompted with those of Avarice thought fit to spare one of these poor Wretches for his own Service another would come transported with Rage and fall upon him in his presence and either run him through the Body or cut off his Legs so as to render him unserviceable Some of these Indians who escap'd this Massacre retir'd into an Island not above eight Leagues distant from this Kingdom to shelter themselves from the Fury of the Spaniards but these were condemned by the Governor to perpetual Slavery The Name of the fifth Kingdom is Hiquey Hiquanama the Queen who govern'd it tho very much advanc'd in Years and decrepit was hang'd by order of the Spaniards who tormented an infinite
into the Isle of Tumbala which is situate near the Continent here they massacred all the Inhabitants that fell into their hands The rest frighted at this cruel slaughter fled every way they could to avoid 'em and tho they did this only to save their Lives it was interpreted a Rebellion against the King of Spain but was only an Artifice of this Tyrant to entrap these miserable People that he might make 'em surrender to him all the Gold and Silver they had which they brought to him in great quantities while he still demanded greater being resolv'd to leave 'em nothing And when he had strip'd 'em of all they had he told them he receiv'd 'em into the number of the King of Spain's Subjects and pretended a great deal of kindness to 'em promising he would treat 'em as his friends and not do 'em the least hurt for the time to come This Hypocrite was for plundering the Indians and terrifying 'em with menaces of the King of Spain's displeasure but had the Policy not to receive 'em into the number of this Prince's Vassals till he had robb'd 'em of all they had And yet the Title of the King of Spain's Subjects did not secure 'em for the future from his Insults and Robberies The name of the Soveraign Prince and Emperor of all these Kingdoms was Atabalipa who brought with him an innumerable Army of naked men who made use of a ridiculous sort of Weapons not understanding the force of the Spaniards Swords and Lances and Horses with which these Indians had never been acquainted he advanc'd his Troops near the Spaniards crying with a great deal of courage Where are these Spaniards I 'll never leave 'em till they have made me satisfaction for all my Subjects that have been kill'd by them of all my Towns which they have burnt and of all my Riches which they have carried away The Spaniards came to meet this Prince in good order and well-arm'd and made a horrible slaughter among his Souldiers they took the King himself who was carried on a stately Seat upon the Shoulders of his Subjects This Prince finding himself in this miserable Condition began to treat with 'em about his Ransom for which he promised to give 'em 4 Millions of Crowns for this Sum they engag'd to give him his Liberty yet would not stand to their own Agreement but obliged him to assemble all his People who to obey their Prince's order came together in Crowds This King bore such a sway in the minds of his Subjects that he boasted that the Leaves of the Trees in the Woods durst not move without his order He told the Spaniards he was their Prisoner and they had now power to put him to death if they pleas'd Upon this they held a Council of War to deliberate what to do with him and resolv'd to burn him with a gentle Fire only there was one Captain not quite so inhuman as the rest who told 'em they ought to content themselves with strangling him and then burning him after he was dead When the King was inform'd that he was condemn'd to die he thus express'd himself Why will ye needs put me to death What Crime have I committed against you Did you not promise to restore me my Liberty provided I would pay that Fine of Gold you impos'd on me Have not I given you a greater Sum than you demanded However if you are resolv'd to kill me first send me at least to the King of Spain But all his Complaints all his just Reproaches and Protestations could not hinder them from burning him 'T is easy to see that the Spaniards had no right to make War with this Prince and to treat him so inhumanly But the Captivity of this King the Sentence of Death pronounc'd against him and the Cruelty with which they put it in execution after they had extorted such vast Treasures from him all sufficiently discover the Genius of these Tyrants and of what Injustice and Violence they have been guilty both against the Princes and People of the new World I have a Letter from a Monk of the Order of St. Francis written to the King of Spain by which it will appear how the Spaniards behav'd themselves towards the Indians The very Terms of which Letter I 'll here set down I Frier Mark de Xlicia of the Order of St. Francis General of all the Monks of the said Order in Peru who came into this Country with the Spaniards that first invaded it do testify what I have seen with my own Eyes of the manner of their treating the People of this new World Having been an Eye-witness I have a certain knowledg of the Disposition and Manners of the Inhabitants of Peru they are a meek good-humour'd and peaceable Nation and have shewn a great deal of Affection and Respect to the Spaniards I have seen 'em give 'em great Sums of Gold and Silver and Pearls of a great value very readily they render'd 'em all the Services they could require of 'em with all the diligence that could be reasonably desir'd They never offer'd to make War with 'em nor so much as to put themselves in a posture of Defence till they had receiv'd all imaginable Injuries from 'em and were thereby constrained to it contrary to their Inclinations They gave the Spaniards as many Men and Women as they needed for their Domestick Business and when they had receiv'd 'em into their Towns and Villages with all the Honours they could think of they supplied 'em liberally with all the necessary Accommodations of Life I farther testify that the Spaniards without having receiv'd the least occasion of Offence from the Indians seiz'd their great Cacique Atabalipa soon after they enter'd his Country and burnt him after they had receiv'd four Millions of Gold of him and after having taken immense Sums out of his Province without any Resistance They inflicted the same Punishment on Cochilimaca his Captain General when he came to meet them in an amicable manner with many other Noblemen of Peru. A few days after another great Lord of the Province of Quitonia suffer'd the same fate for the Spaniards burnt him without having the least occasion given 'em for so cruel an Action With the like Barbarity and Injustice they burnt Schapera the Prince of the Canaries They also burnt the feet of Aluis the first and greatest Lord of the Province of Quitonia and put him to a great many other Torments to make him reveal K. Atabalipa's Treasures of which he was utterly ignorant as it evidently appear'd by the sequel They condemn'd Cocopagaganga to the same Punishment who was Prince of the Province of Quitonia He suffer'd himself to be over perswaded by the Treaties of Sebastian Banalcaçar a Spanish Captain to come in an amicable manner and surrender himself to the Spaniards this Captain having given him his word that no Injury should be done him yet contrary to this promise he was burnt alive with several Caciques
arriv'd in the City of Palo which is situate in the Province of Lilia he met with Captain John Ampudia who went before him to make a discovery of the Country and to settle Peace in it he was now Governor of this City which had a Garison in the King of Spain's Name and was under the direction of the Marquess Francis de Piccaro who had establish'd a Council there consisting of eight Counsellors that had the Inspection of the whole Country and kept it in Peace and Union by the good management of Peter Solano de Quenon Ampudia hearing our General was arriv'd in the Country came to give him a Visit accompanied with many of the Inhabitants and Indians who brought him abundance of Fruit and other Provisions Many of the neighbouring Indians came afterwards on the same Errand and after them the Inhabitants of Xamundia Palonia Solimania and Bolonia did the like But because they did not bring so great a quantity of Corn as demanded the General sent a Troop of Souldiers with a great many Indians to seek some elsewhere with Orders to take it where ever they found it With this Order they went into Palonia and Bolonia where they found the Indians dwelling very peaceably in their Houses and without any regard to the Laws of Nations or of Hospitality took away all the Corn and other Provisions together with all the Gold and Silver they had and put many of the poor Indians in Chains to make Slaves of ' em These unhappy People came to make their Complaint to the General of the ill Treatment and Injustice they had suffer'd and to intreat him to cause Restitution to be made of what had been so violently taken from 'em but in vain for he would do nothing in the matter only gave 'em his promise that his Men should do 'em no hurt for the future and that they should never come again into their Country yet four or five days after they went into another part of the Country for Corn and pillag'd the poor Indians as they had done before who were so provok'd to see themselves deluded by the General who had broke his Promises almost as soon as he had made 'em that the whole Country betook themselves to their Arms in an instant which Tumult afterwards occasion'd many Disorders and great Offences to be commited both against the Majesty of God and the Dignity of the King of Spain At length these People fled and left this whole Country desolate They that retreated into the Mountains came down from time to time to seek Provision the Indians likewise engag'd in a cruel War one with another wherein the stronger party us'd to eat the weaker For that Indian Nation that inhabits the Mountains are a fierce and warlike People and mortal Enemies to their Neighbours After this Insurrection the General went to the City of Ampudia where he receiv'd all the Honours due to his Character he afterwards march'd with two hundred Horse and Foot toward Lilia and Pelinia He sent his Captains all round the Country to make a cruel War upon the Indians they fir'd a great many Houses robb'd all that fell into their hands and kill'd abundance of ' em This killing and pillaging continued many days together The Lord of the Country hoped to put a stop to these Miseries and to allay the bloody Rage of these Tygers by sending their Subjects to 'em with all sorts of Provisions and other Presents Soon after this they came to Lilia with all the Indians they had taken for they would not discharge one of ' em They pass'd through Ycea in their way and were no sooner arriv'd there but they fell to pillaging and massacring all they met with they exercis'd their usual trade of firing their Houses they consum'd above a hundred of 'em in one Village nor did other Towns and Cities in the neighbouring Country which they call Tulilicui fare any better When the Cacique at the head of a great company of Indians came to meet 'em the Spanish Commander demanded Gold of him and his Subjects they told him they had no great quantity but would readily give him all they had and accordingly brought him that little they had got together Upon which he deliver'd a kind of Receipt sign'd with his own hand to each of 'em which was to serve for a token by which to distinguish those that had given him Gold from the rest adding that whoever had not this Receipt should be expos'd to the Dogs to the devour'd by ' em The poor Creatures terrified by these Menaces brought him all the Gold they had in very great haste and those that had none were fain to retire into the Mountains or into other Cities to save their Lives and thus the Country was depriv'd of the greatest part of its Inhabitants A little after he order'd the Cacique to send two Indians to the City of Agua to signify that he requir'd the Inhabitants to meet him which they might do with safety and to bring with them all the Gold they could After he had dispatch'd this Order he went to another City and the same might sent a party of Spaniards to seize some of the People of Tulilicui who brought him a hundred Men and Women the day following of which he reserv'd the most robust and lusty whom he thought fit to carry great Burdens for himself and his Souldiers and put many of 'em in Chains giving the young Children to the Cacique of Tulilicui to eat in whose House their Skins fill'd with Ashes are still to be seen After this Expedition he went toward the Provinces of Calili where he join'd Captain John d' Ampudia who was gone another way to make a further discovery These two Commanders left great marks of their Cruelty in all the Provinces through which they pass'd Ampudia happen'd to come to a certain City the Governor of which whose name was Bitacon had made deep works under ground to hinder the approach of an Enemy Two of the Spaniards Horses that of one Antony Redondon and that of Marc Marqués fell into these Traps and the latter of 'em dy'd with the fall but the other escap'd the danger However this small loss by the Stratagem of the Indians so provok'd this Captain that he order'd his Men to take all of 'em they could light on which was about three hundred and to cast 'em into these Pits besides this they fir'd a hundred Houses From hence they came to a very great and populous City here they had no Interpreter by whom to converse with these Indians however they massacred abundance of 'em with their Swords and Lances As soon as these two Commanders met one another again after all these Expeditions Ampudia gave the other a relation of what he did at Bitaconia and told him how many Indians he had cast into the Pits that were made at the entrance of the City while the other applauded all he had done telling him he had reason
of the People of this New World and the desolation of so many great and populous Kingdoms in a little time than the distribution the Spaniards have made of these Nations among themselves taking possession of the Inhabitants as their own Property and then treating 'em as ravenous Wolves do a flock of Sheep For this is the most barbarous kind of Tyranny that can be imagin'd because it hinders all those Nations from embracing the Christian Religion For the Spaniards employ 'em night and day in the Mines and all other kinds of Labor sometimes obliging 'em to carry heavy Burdens forty or fifty Leagues so that their condition is worse than that of Beasts Besides they persecute those Indians with fresh Cruelty who apply themselves to the Monks to be instructed in the Gospel because they are afraid if these Religious Men should be encourag'd to come among the Indians they would be witnesses of their Robberies and Cruelties XXIX Proposition The distribution which the Spaniards make of these People among themselves as if they were so many head of Cattel was never commanded nor allow'd by the Kings of Spain since the Spaniards enter'd the Indies They never thought of authorizing so injust and tyrannical a kind of Government and which so much tends to the destruction of the People of the new World Queen Isabella of immortal memory under whose Reign the Indies were discover'd gave express Orders to Christopher Columbus who was the first Governor and chief Admiral of the Indies and to Francis Bobadilla who succeeded him and also to General De Larés who came after both the former to preserve Peace and Liberty among the Indians and to do 'em Justice in every thing Admiral Columbus gave only three hundred Indians to such of the Spaniards as had done great Service to the Crown and for his own part contented himself with having only one Indian to serve him The Court of Spain was then at Grenada where the Queen issued out an Order that these three hundred Indians should be releas'd and sent home only she permitted Columbus to keep one Indian whom he had taken for his Service What then would this great Queen now say to see how the Spaniards have inslav'd the People of America The continual Avocations the King has had and the frequent Journys he has been oblig'd to make into Italy having not permitted him to inform himself exactly of the Miserie 's those People endure from the hands of the Spaniards XXX Proposition From all that has been said it may well be concluded that if the soveraign Jurisdiction of the Indies belongs only to the Kings of Spain the Conquests that private Men appropriate to themselves are injust and tyrannical that the shares they have made among themselves are founded upon no lawful right and that those who usurp the Lands of the new World without the Consent and Authority of their Prince are absolute Tyrants in acting as they do directly contrary to his Orders and the Regulations of the Royal Council which is a matter so public and notorious that there 's no Spaniard in the Indies can justly excuse himself by pretending ignorance A Dispute between Don Bartholomew de Las-Casas Bishop of Chiapa and Dr. Sepulueda DR Sepulueda at the instigation of some Spaniards who had committed great Ravages in the Indies wrote a very elegant Book in Latin in the form of Dialogues which contain'd principally two Conclusions namely that the Wars of the Spaniards in the Indies were very just and that they might lawfully subjugate the People of this new World and that the Indians were oblig'd to submit to the Spaniards and acquiesce in their Government because these are more wise and prudent than the others And in case they refuse to submit this Doctor asserts that they may be constrain'd to it by force of Arms. These are the two Points that have occasion'd the ruin of incredible numbers of Indians so that the Country is almost entirely unpeopled for the space of two thousand Leagues where the Spaniards have left the marks of their boundless Cruelty This Doctor to give some color and shew of Truth to his Reasons declar'd that he had no other design in writing than that of justifying the King of Spain's Title to the Indies He presented his Book to the Royal Council and was very importunate to obtain leave to print it which was several times refus'd after which he applied himself to some of his Friends who were in the Emperor's Court to patronize this Work The Bishop of Chiapa being well inform'd of the steps this Doctor made with all his might oppos'd the Impression of his Book plainly demonstrating what ill Consequences the publication of it might produce The Members of the King's Council perceiving this matter was purely Theological resolv'd to dismiss it to the Universities of Salamanca and Alcala desiring them to make a thorow Examination of this Treatise to see if it contain'd any thing that might justly obstruct the printing of it These two Universities after they had accuratly examin'd it declar'd that it was not fit to be printed as containing unsound Doctrine The Doctor now despairing of seeing his Book obtain in Spain sent it to Rome earnestly recommending it to the Bishop of Segovia who was one of his particular Friends When it was printed it was prohibited by the Emperor 's express Order who caus'd the Copies to be seiz'd forbidding any of 'em to be sold in Spain but because it was impossible to prevent divers Copies in the vulgar Language from being spread among the People the Bishop of Chiapa thought himself oblig'd to refute this Book in defence of the Indians and to let all the world know how scandalous Doctrine it contain'd being accommodated to open a door to all manner of Disorders Dr. Sepulueda was cited to give an account of his thoughts on this Subject by word of mouth and the Bishop of Chiapa was engag'd to answer him The Dispute lasted five whole days after which Dominic de Soto a great Divine and Confessor to his Majesty was desir'd to give a summary account of this Dispute which he did before the Assembly in these terms Most Illustrious most Magnificent and most Reverend Lords and Fathers YOU have bin pleas'd to order me to give a succinct and summary account of the Dispute maintain'd between the famous Dr. Sepulueda and the Bishop of Chiapa without adding any thing of my own or troubling my self to seek other Reasons to support the Sentiments of either of ' em The Point about which you desire to be inform'd is in general what method ought to be us'd for the publication of the Catholic Faith in the new World which has bin lately discover'd by the permission of God and how the Emperor may subject those Nations to his Government without offending his Conscience in conforming himself entirely to the Bull of Pope Alexander 'T is first necessary to enquire whether the Emperor may justly make War with
administration of the Affairs of the Church From hence it may fairly be concluded that the King of Spain ought to use his power to render Justice to the poor Indians who are so tyrannically oppress'd and to strengthen the hands of the Ministers of the Church in the Indies by his Authority who are not able to make any progress by their Ministry among the Natives nor to reclaim the Spaniards from their Vices while they are suffer'd to afflict and persecute the poor Indians because these continual Violences and their fix'd resolution to persist in 'em are habitual Sins At present they regard not at all the Remonstrances and Menaces of Prelats or Ecclesiastical Censures but go on adding Sin to Sin in so much that the Church in the Indies is in a forlorn condition and under great difficulties so that the Indians ought to be set free that the Obstructions lying in the way of their Salvation may be remov'd and that they may the better be engag'd to submit to the Doctrin that is preach'd to 'em For by this means Christian Pastors will have a full liberty to exercise their Ministry and to discharge their Apostolic Functions The Bishops of America are oblig'd by the Law of God continually to sollicit his Majesty and his Royal Council to deliver the Indians from the Oppression under which they groan and to give 'em their former Liberty because these Bishops are necessarily engag'd by their Character to do the best they can for the discharge of their Pastoral Office which consists in governing and teaching the People under their Conduct and in providing for all their spiritual necessities as also in securing 'em as well as they can from any temporal Injury and in rescuing 'em from the hands of Oppressors especially when the Vexations they suffer are so many stumbling blocks in the way of their Salvation Nor ought they to be wanting in procuring 'em all the temporal Advantages they can The Dominican and Franciscan Friers are very pious and prudent and deserve to be highly commended in that they have agreed to refuse absolution to all the Spaniards of New Spain who keep Indian Slaves and to oblige 'em to bring this affair under examination before the Royal Council in conformity to the Laws newly made tho they would have done better not to have had recourse to this Tribunal These Monks know very well by experience what unjust and deceitful Methods have been us'd to inslave the Indians and can't doubt but God has been highly offended by these Violences and that those who have committed 'em are oblig'd to repair the Injuries of which they have been guilty A Confessor who undertakes to hear Mens Confessions one who officiates in quality of a Bishop or Curat as a spiritual Judg ought to understand the Obligations of his Ministry and to have that knowledg and prudence which is requisite to perform it after a becoming manner that he may pass a wise and just Judgment on all matters propos'd to him and rightly discern what wrong is offer'd to any oppressed Party If his ignorance or negligence is the cause of his Mistake so that he obliges not his Penitent to restore any ill-gotten goods he commits a great Sin and is himself bound to make restitution and amends for the Injustice done the offended Party Just as a Physician who has through ignorance done some considerable Mischief to his Patient or occasion'd his death ought to make some special Reparation for his fault The same may be said of Judges that pass an unrighteous Sentence while they are ignorant of the Law or take no care to inform themselves of the merit of the Cause before 'em because such neglect and ignorance are criminal and they ought to know the matters on which they are intrusted to pass a Judgment 'T is certain all the Ecclesiastical Persons in New Spain are well assur'd that the Indians have been inslav'd and are still kept in bondage contrary to all Law and Equity and therefore are not oblig'd to refer the Examination of this Affair to the Royal Council besides there are all sorts of tricks and devices used to divert the Council from taking cognizance of the matter lest they should suppress those vexatious Practices His Majesty ought with all speed to issue out his Orders for the release of these miserable People and so much the rather because the oppression they are under is the occasion of the ruin of an infinit number of Souls And this is the only way to reclaim the Spaniards from the habit of a mortal Sin and to put the Prelats in a condition freely to acquit themselves of their Ecclesiastical Functions Among all the Expedients Frier Don Bartholomew de Las-Casas Bishop of the Royal City of Chiapa propos'd for the reestablishment of Peace and Tranquillity in America the most effectual was that of directly subjecting all the West-Indies to the Crown of Spain that so the Spanish Lords might be uncapable of making the Indians their own Subjects and Vassals And he supported this Proposal with many very cogent Reasons First he says the Princes and People of the New World being Infidels and their Conversion to our holy Faith appearing necessary 't is very proper they should be under the Protection of a Catholic and powerful King who has a true zeal for the honor and propagation of the Christian Religion and might send able Missionaries into the New World to bring those Idolaters to the knowledg of the true God and to embrace our Divine Religion and submit themselves to the Holy See And hence it appears that nothing can be more advantageous to the Indians than to put themselves under the protection of Catholic Princes that no particular Lords may be capable of taking possession of 'em as their Property This is what the Kings of Spain ought to regard without sharing with any others that Power and Authority they have acquired over the Indians for they ought to preserve this Jurisdiction immediately to themselves and not divide it to invest private Men with it And this is an Affair of so great consequence that no less than both the temporal and eternal Welfare of those Nations depend on it for the Conversion of the New World would be a very advantageous thing to the Commonwealth 'T is neither just nor possible to abandon this Jurisdiction to private Persons since none but the King can be invested with it because when the Pope has once made choice of any Person or Power for this Affair it ought not to be delegated or entrusted to another When he has in this matter declar'd himself in favor of any Person illustrious by his Character and Merit who has a perfect knowledg of any Cause he may have to determin 't is to be presum'd he 'l pass such a Judgment as the Pope himself would have done Now 't is manifest that in the Case in question we have a Person cloth'd with Grandeur and Dignity seeing he is King