154 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. n. 



have mentioned (which although the Spaniards had in- 

 deed first discovered it one hundred and thirty years 

 before, they had never once occupied) and rout out 

 from thence both the English and French, who at that 

 time held a joint and peaceable possession. 



Neither the French nor the English, ncr both to- 

 gether, were strong enough to oppose such an enemy. 

 The French planters took refuge in the neighbouring 

 island of Antigua, and the English fled to the moun- 

 tains ; from whence they sent deputies to treat for a 

 surrender; but the haughty Spaniard required and ob- 

 tained unconditional submission 3 and, having selected 

 out of the English settlers six hundred of the ablest 

 men, whom he condemned to the mines, he ordered 

 all the rest (consisting chiefly of women and chil- 

 dren) instantly to quit the island, in some English 

 vessels which he had seized at Nevis, under pain of 

 death. He then laid waste all the settlements with- 

 in his reach, and having reduced the country to a de- 

 sert, proceeded on his voyage. 



It might be supposed that the treaty of 1630, pre- 

 vented such enormities in future ; but in violation of 

 all that is solemn and sacred among Christian states, 

 and to the disgrace of human nature, the Spaniards, 

 eight years only after the affair of St. Christopher's, 

 attacked a small English colony which had taken pos- 

 session of the little unoccupied island of Tortuga, and 

 put every man, woman, and child to the sword: they 

 even hanged up such as came in and surrendered 



