defacement: for in the acknowledgement of nakedness was the first sense of sin; and the heresy of the Adamites was ever accounted an affront of nature. But upon these I stand not; nor yet upon their idiocy, in thinking that horses did eat their bits, and letters speak, and the like: nor yet upon their sorceries, which are (almost) common to all idolatrous nations.2 But, I say, their sacrificing, and more especially their eating of men, is such an abomination, as (methinks) a man's face should be a little confused, to deny that this custom, joined with the rest,3 did not make it lawful for the Spaniards to invade their territory, forfeited by the law of nature; and either to reduce them or displant them. But far be it from me yet nevertheless, to justify the cruelties which were at first used towards them: which had their reward soon after, there being not one of the principal of the first conquerors, but died a violent death himself; and was well followed by the deaths of many more. Of examples enough; except we should add the labours of Hercules; an example which, though it be flourished with much fabulous matter, yet so much it hath, that it doth notably set forth the consent of all nations and ages in the approbation of the extirpating and debellating of giants, monsters, and foreign tyrants,5 1 Sed hoc fervoribus regionis detur: quandoquidem sit illis cum aliis nonnullis gentibus commune. 2 Neque rursus simplicitatem eorum commemorare placet, licet insignis fuerit, utpote qui equos fræna ipsorum manducare, literas autem loqui et commissa sibi nunciare putarent; et similia. Neque etiam sortilegia, divinationes, et magicas superstitiones narro: in quibus cum plerisque gentibus idololatris communicabant. 8 cum aliis improbissimis conjunctum. 4 quemque etiam mors et calamitas complurium e suis non aut comitabatur aut a tergo insequebatur. 6 tyrannorum enormium. Let us not only as lawful, but as meritorious even of divine honour and this although the deliverer came from the one end of the world unto the other.2 now set down some arguments to prove the same; 3 regarding rather weight than number, as in such a conference as this is fit. The first argument shall be this. It is a great error, and a narrowness or straitness of mind, if any man think that nations have nothing to do one with another, except there be either an union in sovereignty or a conjunction in pacts or leagues. There are other bands of society, and implicit confederations. That of colonies, or transmigrants, towards their mother nation. Gentes unius labii is somewhat; for as the confusion of tongues was a mark of separation, so the being of one language is a mark of union. To have the same fundamental laws and customs in chief is yet more, as it was between the Grecians in respect of the barbarians. To be of one sect or worship, if it be a false worship, I speak not of it, for that is but fratres in malo. But above all these, there is the supreme and indissoluble consanguinity and society between men in general: of which the heathen poet (whom the apostle calls to witness") saith, We are all his generation. But much more we Christians, unto whom it is revealed in particularity, that all men came from one lump of earth, and that two singular persons were the parents 1 sed tanquam facinoribus egregiis; quæque divinos aut saltem heroicos ho nores mererentur. 2 atque hoc, licet liberator ille, quisquis tandem sit, ex unâ orbis extremitate ad alteram penetraret. 8 Jam autem, exemplis his prælibatis, ad argumenta redeamus. 4 This sentence is omitted in the translation. Paulo Apostolo citante. Iran. Whol. a. the generations of the world are de SCHLÍÐU we say ought to acknowledge that no waddy aliens an. stranger the one to |