Chap. XV. 



a M E^l C A. 



Vfl 



arcn 



if they could not get any thing abated, to pay the demanded Sum: but moll of 

 them were of another opinion, alledging, That the number of the French was not 

 equivalent to their Demands, and that it would not be for their Credit, to yield 

 up their Eftates fo tamely, without trying their Title by the Sword : This being 

 judg'd fitted, they march'd to Engage them with a hundred and fifty Men, which 

 about Midnight fell on the French, and at the firft Onfet (lew four of them • but up- 

 on the firing of the Gun they were all alarm'd, and after a fmall Skirmifh, put the 

 Spaniards to flight. The Conquerors enrag'dat this treacherous Plot of the Spani- 

 ards, fet fire on Havana, in which it that time was a good quantity of Pitch and 

 Tarr ; with which the Gates, Windows,Roofs, and Pent.houfes beincr all bedaub'd 

 over, were in few hours all in a light Flame ; afcer which the Churches in order 

 for their firing, werealfo going to be overlaid with the fame combuftible Matter $ 

 at which a Spaniard boldly defird, that the Temples erected for Gods Service 

 might be fpar'd : to which he was anfwer'd, That People who keep not their 

 Promife, nor had any Faith, had no need of Churches to profefs their Faith in. 

 The French not fatisfi'd with burning, pull'd down the Walls, and utterly demo- 

 lifh'd the Fort. 



The Haven Xagua alfo is not inferior to any, the Mouth thereof being aBowe- 'l^* 

 fhot wide, and within, ten Leagues : The Ships are fecurely ihelter'd behind three 

 Iflands, and alfo the Mountains, which rife along the Shore. 



Moreover, the Inlet Matanca is not onely eminent, by reafon of the round Moun- 

 tain Elande Matanca*, which rifes from a low Ground ; but chiefly for the Expediti* The succcfi 

 ons of Admiral <Peter Peterfon Hein, who being fent out by the Weft-India Com- ftwriw* 

 pany, to Crufeup and down before Havana with one and thirty Sail, was from 

 thence by a ftrong Current driven down to Matanca • where he flood from the 

 Shore, when ten Ships came juft running amidft his Fleet, and were all taken but 

 one : About Noon they difcover'd nine Ships more, which Sailing along the 

 Shore, got into the Inlet Matanca, where they ran aground •, whither Hein follow- 

 ing, came up to them the next Morning by Break-of-day, and after a fmall Refi. 

 fiance took them, being valu'd to be worth above a hundred and fifteen Tun of 

 Gold, befides the Musk, Ambergreece, and Se^par with which two other Ships 

 were laden, and another rich Prize. 



This large Illand Cuba (as we have before obferv'd) formerly divided into fo 

 many populous Territories, is now in a manner defolate ; for according to the 

 Spaniards Relation to the Admiral Henry Jacob/on Lucifer, when he was before Ha- 

 vana, Cuba had upon it not above fixty thoufand Perfons in all, in Anna 1627. But 

 who-ever Reads that which Bifliop (Bartholomeo de lasCafas hath written in his Book, 

 (Printed firft in Sivill in the Spanish Tongue, and afterwards, with the King of 

 Spain's leave, in French at Antwerp) will eafily find the reafon, why Cuba and 

 many other Indian Countreys lie fo defolate . and how fenfible the Indians were of 

 the Spaniards ufage, appears by this following Story, related by the faid Bifliop, of 

 a C a f ic l ue ca H'd Hathuey, who before the Spaniards approach'd his Countrey, Anno 15 n. 

 fled from Hifpaniola to Cuba ; where afterwards he was taken by the Spaniards, and ' 

 condemn'd to be burnt alive with green Wood : whileft he was tying to a Stake, 

 a Francifcan Monk Preach'd to him the Myfteries of the Chriflian Religion, of which 

 he had never heard ; and likewife that he (hould afcend up to Heaven if he dy'd in 

 that Belief ; but if not, burn perpetually in Hell : Whereupon Hathuey asking the 

 Francifcan, If there were any Spaniards in Heaven J and being told there were, an- 

 fwer'd, 1 will rather conVerfe amonglt the Devils in Hell, than amongjitbe Spaniards, wbofe 

 Cruelty isfuch, that none can be more infer able than where Spaniards an* 



Kkz Before 



!l 



