IN THE EAST AND WEST INDIES.
353
VI.
gled them. Inftead of continuing to appropriate toBoo k
themfelves the gold and Silver, with which the con-
quered nations were abundantly fupplied from their
mines, by exchanging commodities of little value for
thofe metals, they chofe to feize them by force. Nor
was this fpirit of tyranny confined to the body of the
republic ; it alfo influenced the generals, the officers,
the private men, and even the merchants. The vio-
lence of thefe proceedings threw the conquered pro-
vinces into a Slate of defpair, and excited in thofe
which were yet free an extreme averfion for fo in-
tolerable a yoke. In this fituation they all of them
refolved to accept of affiftance, as fatal to them as
their misfortunes were oppreflive. Spain became a
theatre of jealoufy, ambition, and hatred, between
Rome and Carthage.
The two commonwealths contended with great ob-
stinacy for the empire of this beautiful part of Eu-
rope ; and, perhaps, it would finally have belonged
to neither of them, if the Spaniards had continued
quiet fpedators of the conteft, and left the rival na-
tions time to deftroy each other. But they chofe to
become adors in the bloody feene, and'thus reduced
themfelves to be flaves to the Romans ; in which
ftate they remained till the fifth century.
In a Short time the degeneracy of thofe mafters of
the world, infpired the favage nations of the north
with the enterprifing idea of. invading the provinces
that were ill-governed and ill-defended. The Suevi,
the Alani, the Vandals, and the Goths, paffed the
Pyrenean mountains. Thefe barbarians, being rob-
bers by profeffion, were incapable of becoming citi-
zens, and made war upon each other. The Goths,
fuperior in abilities or good fortune, fubdued the reft,
and reduced all the kingdoms of Spain into one ;
which, notwithftanding the defeds in its conftitution,
and the unbounded extortions of the Jews, who were
the only merchants, fupported itfelf till the com-
mencement of the eighth century.
Vol. II.                                         Z