"The Spanish capture a French ship off the coast of Santo Domingo" - De Bry - 1594

Benzoni, an Italian, acted as a mediator between different nations. The work describes life of the first nations of Central America. Benzoni wrote at a time when the Spanish treatment of the Indians was a concern, and described the cruelty of the Spanish towards the Indians and African slaves - the famous "Black legend". The work is beautifully illustrated with engravings of the Native Americans and Spanish conquistadors. It including images of Nicaraguans dancing, how they held their markets, and made war, and of slaves being harshly treated.

The text reads:

"The Spanish sighted two French ships off the coast of Santo Domingo and pursued them with their fleet. One of the French ships with many Catalan sailors aboard had formerly been under the allegiance of the Spanish Crown, so fled in fear of capture. The other French ships fired at the Spanish flagship, causing it some damage but because of an accidental explosion aboard it, it was subsequently captured. The French captives were then paraded through the streets of the city to such cheering that one might have thought the whole of France had been taken. The captured French ship was later burnt at sea with all its equipment aboard."