3* 



ovalle's historical relation op chile. 



will contain the firfi: means of planting the Chriftian Faith, and Its propagation among 

 the Indians, which was particularly coinpaffed, and is ftill carried on, by the miffions and 

 minlftry of our company ; all which endeavou'-s of theirs I explain and diftinguifh 

 under fix heads, (hewing , the necefiity of the fpiritual help that thofe new Chri{lian$ 

 lie under, botH as to preaching, and informing them of matters of the Chriiliaii 

 faith. 



I mufl give here five advertlfements : the firft, that In what I have feen myfelf, I 

 have not departecl from the truth in any thing I have writ : as to what I relate by 

 hearfay, or by authority from other writers, I report it wiih the fame candour as I 

 heard and read it, without adding or diminifhing any thing of the truth ; and though 

 all thofe I cite in this work are worthy to be believed, yet the lead to be fufpefted 

 of partiality, are fuch foreign writers who extol and commend this kingdom of Chile 

 with fuch repeated encomiums. My fecond :\dvertifement is, that confidering the king- 

 dom of Chile was the lafl: part of South America that was difcovered, and the neareft 

 to the Antartick Pole, I could not treat of its difcovery with good grounds, without 

 'touching a little upon the neighbouring kingdoms of Peru and Mexico, which were 

 as a pafiage to it : and if I have enlarged now and then on the praifes and defcription of 

 thofe parts, it was becaufe I thought it might not be difagreeable to the reader ; in 

 which, if I am miflaken, he has only to fkip fome chapters of the fourth book, and go 

 dlredlly to thofe which treat of the firft entrance of Don Diego de Almagro into Chile, 

 Thirdly, I muft take notice, that though I do fometimes, in fpeaking of the land of 

 Chile, report fome particularities which feem trifles, and not fo proper for hiftory, 

 I do not relate them as fingular and proper to that country alone, but rather to 

 ihew the uniformity both of nature and cuftoms, as to life and religion, in all 

 thofe parts ; and fome things are mentioned to encourage thofe new countries to drive 

 on the advancement of religion, politenefs, learning, and good morals. 



Fourthly, I muft take notice, that fince I do not here make a general hiftory of Chile, 

 I have not had occafion to mention all the illuftrious men, and noble commanders and 

 foldiers who have flouriftied in thofe parts from the beginning of the conqueft : I only, 

 therefore, take notice of fuch as I find named in the authors whom I cite ; and they 

 too not making it their bufinefs to write a diftin£l hiftory of Chile, but only to relate 

 fome particular event, and fo mention only fome part of the government of lome 

 governors, or their wars, cannot be exa6: in the account of all thofe who have in 

 different times and occafions a£i:ed ip thofe wars ; and by this falvo I cover the honour 

 of all our gallant commanders and foldiers of Chile, whofe adions 1 omit, though they 

 arc worthy to be graven in marble or bronze, only for this reafon. And though I 

 own, that I am not ignorant of many who have flouriftied in my time, and before it, 

 yet I have not fo diftind an informadon as would be neceflTary to give them their due 

 commendations, and fet their adions in that light which their valour deferves ; there- 

 fore the general hiftory of Chile will perform that part. Perhaps, even before that, 

 this work of mine may excite fomebody to employ their talent in making a particular 

 book of their eulogiums and praifes, which cannot fail of being well received in the 

 world, fince fo many noble and illuftrious families of Europe will be concerned 

 in it. 



Laftly, I advertife, that though the principal motive of my writing this relation, 

 was to pubhfti the fpiritual miniftry of our company in the converfion of fouls in this 

 kingdom of Chile, yet I could not but treat firft of the land and inhabitants, as 

 being the objedl aud fubjed of their endeavours j and I have been forced to be more 



5 difiufe 



