4000003871

Koyal Commentaries.

Bobk L

IV.

Of the Idolatry and Gods which the Ancient

Incas

adored, anJ

Manner of ~heir Sacrifices.

OR better únderíl:anding of the Life, Cuftbms and Idolatry of the.

Indiani

Pcru,

it will be neceffary to diíl:ing iíh the times before the

Inw,

from

thofe wherein their RuJe and Empire began, Lheir Gods and Sacrifices and

Cuíl:oms being much different, according to the Ages; for the Men them–

felves, in the

fufr

times , were at beíl: bue as tamed Beafls, and others were

worfe than the fierceíl: Creatures. · To begin with their Gods, we muíl: know,

that they were agreeable to the quality of their own corrupt ~nd 'abominable man–

ners, and every Nation, Province, Tribe ánd Houfe had its particular God;

for their Opinion was, that ene God would have bufinefs fufficient to take care

of one Province, or Family, and rhac their Power.was

con.fined, that it could

have no virtue or exrent wirhin the

urifdiétion of another: and becaufe their

Fancies were not

fublim:ited, as to frame abíl:raéted Notions ofDcities, fuch

as Hope, Viétory, Peace, and the like, as the

Rrnnans

did in the time of Genti–

lifm; they adored whatfoever they faw, fuch as Flowers, Plants, Herbs, Trees,

efpecially, Pines and Elmes; Caves, Srones Rivers; and particularly in that..

Province, which is called the Old Port, they had

high Veneration for the Ef–

merald, becaufe ic is the Pretious Stone of chac Countrey, and the Diarnond and

RQby are in no eíl:eem, becaufe they are not known

to them;

they

alfo wor–

íhipped che Lion,

Tvger and

Bear,

for

rheirfierceneís, and with that fubrniilion

and

humilicy,

rbat they would not fly from them, but offer themfelves to

de–

voured by them.

In fine chey adored any thing wherein they obferved an Excel–

Jency; as che Fox andMonky for Crafr, the Hart for his Swifinefs, the Falcon

for his ~gilicy and Co~rage, ~nd t~e ~agle for ~he Acucenefs of his Sight: fuch was

the vamty aud folly

the 1magmat1on of thIS favage People, who had no Scrip–

tures to teach and enlighten them, nor Prince to govern and proteét them.

Howfoever there were other Narions more confiderate

choice of their

Deicies, adoring none bue fuch as afforded them benefit and advantage; "s Foun–

tains, and cool Springs which yielded them Drink, Rivers that watered their Pa~

íl:ures; che Earch they called their

Mot

her, and woríhipped, becaufe it yielded

them Food, che Air, becau[e they

bre.it!

-:ed in it, and was their Life, the Fire,

becaufe ic warmed them, and d

reffed

their Meat; fome alfo made choice of

Sheep, and Corn, and Catcel, and every thing thac abounded rnoíl: in cheir Coun-~

trey, and ferved for nouriíhmem, to be a God, and worthy of Divine Honour.

The Inhabitants near the

Cordillera

woríhipped that Mountain for its height, chofe

of che Coaíl: made the

Sea

their God, whicb in their language chey call

Mama-–

choca,

:rnd is as much as ro fay, the Mocher Sea: che \i\Thale for ns prodi,gious

bignefs was in no lefsVener:ition than che reíl, and every fort ofFifh which aboun–

~ed amongft them was deified , becaufe they believe that che firíl:

Fi~1 ~"

che

orld above them, takes :ilw¡¡yscareto provide them wich a number o.fthe like

forc or

fpecies

fufficiem to maincain and nourifh chem. Befides che[e there are

two_Nations which are

Chirihuanas,

and ochers living abouc the Cape of

Paj{au,

(wh1ch are che Norch and South Borders of

Pcr11,)

tbac have no thoughts or incli–

nations to Religion, and worfhip noching eicher above or below; but giving chem–

felvegover

o ílup

idity and íloth, neither having fear nor !ove, live with che íame

fent~ality th

_ar.Be

:iíl:s ~o, becaufe they have notas yec h,ad che happinefs ~oreceive

~he rnílruéh

ons, d

oéh1t1e and governmenc of the

Inca1,

who are the

Indian

Kings.

The Sacrifices which chéy rnade to thefe Gods were as cruel and barbarous as che

Góds were ílripid anp [enfeleís, to whom chey offered them; for beíides Beal1s, and

Fruits, and Corn, chey facrificed Men and Women of all ages, which they had

taken in che War

And fome Nacions of rhefe exceeded fo far in their inhuma·

nity, that they offered not onely their Enemies, bue oo fome occa6ons their very

Clilldren