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A Prologue to the Bookes following. 



Having intreated of the Natural History of the Indies, 

 I will hereafter discourse of the Morall History, that is to 

 say of the deeds and custornes of the Indians. For after the 

 heaven, the temperature, the scituation, and the qualities of 

 the new world ; after the elements and mixtures I mean 

 mettals, plants, and beasts, whereof we have spoken in the 

 former Bookes, as occasion did serve ; both Order and 

 Reason doth invite vs to continue and vndertake the dis 

 course of those men which inhabito the new world. And 

 therefore I pretend in the following bookes to speake what 

 I thinke worthie of this subiect. And for that the intention 

 of this Historic is not onely to give knowledge of what 

 hath passed at the Indies, but also to continue this know 

 ledge, to the fruito we may gather by it, which is to helpe 

 this people for their soules health, and to glorilie the 

 Creator and Redeemer, who hath drawno them from the 

 obscure darkenes of their infidclitie, and imparted vnto 

 them the admirable light of his Gospel. And therefore 1 

 will first speake in these bookes following what concernes 

 their religion or superstition, their custornes, their idolatries, 

 and their sacrifices ; and after, what concerned their policie 



