t by the Spaniards from
the year 1510 up to the present day. I will relate but two or three
instances from which the villany and number of the others, worthy of
punishment by every torment and fire may be judged.
4. In the island of Trinidad which joins the continent at Paria, and is
much larger and more prosperous than Sicily, there are as good and
virtuous people as in all the Indies; an assassin going there in the
year 1516, with sixty or seventy other habitual robbers, gave the
Indians to understand that they had come to dwell and live in that
island along with them.
5. The Indians received them as though they were children of their own
flesh and blood, the lords and their subjects serving them with the
greatest affection and joy, bringing them every day double the
amount of food required; for it is the usual disposition and
liberality of all the Indians of this new world to give the
Spaniards in excess of all they need and as much as they themselves
possess.
6. In accordance with the Spaniards' wish, they built one great house
of timber, where all might live: they needed no more than one in
order to carry out what they had in mind and afterwards
accomplished.
7. When they were putting the straw over the timbers and had covered
about the height of two paces so that those inside no longer saw
those without, the Spaniards, under pretence of hurrying on the
completion of the house, induced many people to go inside; meanwhile
they divided, some surrounding the house outside, with their weapons
ready for the Indians who should come out, and the others stationing
themselves inside the house. The latter drew their swords and
threatening the naked Indians with death if they moved, they began
to bind them, while some who ran out seeking to escape were cut to
pieces with swords.
8. Some who got out, wounded, and others sound, joined with one or two
hundred natives who had not entered the house, and arming themselves
with bows and arrows they retired to another house of the
community's to defend themselves; while they defended the door
however, the Spaniards set fire to the house, and burnt them alive;
they then took the prey they had captured, amounting to perhaps a
hundred and eighty or two hundred men, and carried them