"The Spanish get their revenge" - 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 to this plate reads:

"Some of those Spaniards who had witnessed the Indian massacre near Cumana and fled to the island of Dominica helped Diego d'Ocampo to raise an army of 300 men. When they arrived back at Cumana, d'Ocampo ordered his soldiers to hide below deck. Then he enticed the Indians aboard to barter their pearls, saying he had come directly from Spain. Seeing only a few Spaniards on deck, they went aboard and were at first treated hospitably. Then the soldiers suddenly attacked them and only a few Indians escaped. Those that were captured were hanged from the masts."