Pilgrimage, Book 9 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the Religious Persons, Temples, Confessions, and sacrifices in Peru.
NO man might come to the Guacas or Idolls but Priests. These were clothed in white, and when they came to worship, they prostrated aApoll….l.….themselues on the ground, and holding in their hands a white cloth, did speake to their God in a strange language, that the people should not vnderstand. These hauehave the authoritie in their holies, and consecrate both the things liuing, and the offerings of other things. In the sacrifices they diuined by inspection of the inward parts, especially by view of the heart, if it were of a man. And if they finde not signes answerable to their expectation, they neuer cease off from sacrificing till they doe finde them, beleeuing, and making the people beleeue, that God is not till then pleased with their sacrifices. They bare incredible shew, and were had in great reputation, of holines. When they were to sacrifice they abstained from women, and if they had committed any trespasse, they did expiate and purge the same with fasting: in sacrificing they did binde, and blinde their eyes, and were sometimes so transported with Zeale, that with their nailes they scratched or pulled out their eyes, as hath beene seene. Neither did the people alone admire their holinesse, but the Princes also, who would doe nothing of moment without their aduise. They also without feare or flatterie, declared vntounto them what they had receiued from their Oracles. The manner of their diuell consultation was this. In bAcost.l.5.c.12.the night time (commonly) they entred backeward to their Idoll, and so went bending their bodies and heads after an vgly manner, and thus consulted with him. The answere hee made was for the most part like vntounto a fearefull hissing, or to a gnashing, which did terrifie them. These Oracles are now ceased.
Apollonius speakes of two mighty Princes, cLeu.Apol.l.1.not farre from Chili, one of them named Lychengorme, they are able to bring into the field two hundred thousand men, and are very rich: but the cause why I heere mention them is that number of Priests which he saith are reported to belong to one of their Temples to the number of two thousand.
In eueryevery Prouince of Peru, there was one principall house of adoration. The ruines dGom.c.121.of the Temple of Pachacama are still to bee seene. That, and the Temples of Colia…, and Cusco were lined within with Plates of Gold and Siluer, and all their seruice was of the same, which proued great riches to the conquerours. In Pachacama the Sunne was worshipped with great deuotion. There were kept in the same many Virgins. Francis Pizarro eCieza.c.72.sent his brother Hernando (when he had taken Atabaliba) to spoile this Temple, but the Priestes and chiefe men had carried away aboue foure hundred burthens of Gold before he came, and none doth know vvhat became of it. Yet did he finde there some quantitie of Golde and Siluer remaining. They sacked the Sepulchers also, and thence drew abundance of the said mettals. From that time hitherto, the Temple went to ruine.
The Temple of Cusco fAcost.l.5.c.12.was very sumptuous, the pauement and Stones yet remaine witnesses of the auncient splendor and magnificence. This Temple vvas like to the Pantheo… of the Romanes: for that it was the house and dwelling of all the Gods. For the Inguas did there behold the Gods of all the Nations and Prouinces they had conquered, eueryevery Idoll hauing his proper place, whither they of that Prouince came to worship it, with excessiue charge for the same. And thereby they supposed to keepe safely in obedience those Prouinces which they had conquered, holding their Gods as it were in… hostage. In this house was the Pincha…, which was an Idoll of the Sunne, of most fine Golde wrought with great riches of Stones, the which was placed to the East with so great Arte, as the Sunne at his rising did east his beames thereon, which reflected vvith such brightnes, that it seemed another Sunne, They say that at the spoile of this Temple, a Souldiour had for his part this goodly Pincha…, and lost the same in a night at play, whence grew a prouerbe of Gamesters in Peru, They play the Sunne before sunne-rising. In some parts of Peru, gCieza.c.64.as at Old Port and Puna, they vsed the detestable sinne against Nature: yes, the Diuell so farre preuailed in their beastly deuotions, that there were boyes consecrated to serue in the Temple; and at the times of their sacrifices and solemne Feastes, the Lordes and principall men abused them to that detestable filthinesse. And generally in the hill-countries the Diuell vnderunder shew of holinesse had brought in that Vice. EueryEvery Temple or principall house of adoration kept one man or two or more, which went attired like women, euen from the time of their childehood and spake like them, lmitating them in eueryevery thing. VnderUnder *Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.pretext of holinesse and Religion, their principall men, on principall daies, had that hellish commerce. A Frier dealt with two of these Ganimedes, about the filthinesse of this Vice, and they answered that they held it no fault; for from their childehood they had beene placed there by their Caciques, both for that employment, as also to be Priests and to keep the Temple. Thus farre had they banished Nature, to entertaine Religion, and thus farre had they exiled the soule of Religion, retaining onelyonly a stinking carkaffe.
At Ganada in hCieza c.77. & 80.in Ca…imalca the Inguas built a Temple in honour of the Sunne. There were Virgins kept which intended nothing but to weaue, and Spinne, and Dye clothes, for their Idolatrous seruices. The like was in other places. In Guanuco vvas a stately pallace of great stones, and a Temple of the Sunne adioining, with a number of Virgins and Ministers, which had thirtie thousand Indians for the seruice thereof. The seruice vvhichwhich most of them did is like to bee the tilling of the ground, feeding of Cattell, and such like before mentioned, which they were bound to doe for the Inguas, and also for the Guacas, that is, Idols, and Idoll-houses. But it were a wearisome Pilgrimage to goe and leade my Reader with me, to eueryevery of their Temples, which for the most part had the same rites, according to that proportion of maintenance which belonged to them.
Gomara iGom.c.121.reporteth that their houses of women were as Cloisters or Monasteries, enclosed, that they might neuer goe forth. They guelded men, which should attend on them, cutting off also their noses, and lippes, that they should hauehave no such appetite. It was death for any to be found false and incontinent. The men that entred in to them were hanged vp by the feete. These made robes for the Idols, and burned the ouerplus with the bones of white sheepe, and hurled the Ashes into the aire towards the Sunne. If they proued with child, and sware that Pachacama did it, the issue was preserued.
Of these Monasteries or Nunneries thus writeth Acosta. There were in Peru, many Monasteries of Virgins, kAcost..1.5.c.15.but not any for men (except for their Priests and Sorcerers) at the least one in eueryevery Prouince. In these were two sorts of women; one ancient, which they called Mamacomas, for the instruction of the yong; the other of yong Maidens, placed there for a certaine time, after which they were drawne forth, either for the Gods, or for the Ingua. They called this house or Monasterie Aelaguagi, that is, the house of the chosen. EueryEvery Monasterie had his Vicar, or Gouernour, called Appopanaca, who had libertie to choose whom he pleased, of what qualitie soeuer, being vnderunder eight yeares of Age, if they seemed to be of a good stature and constitution. The Mamacomas instructed these Virgins in diuers things needfull for the life of man, and in the customes & ceremonies of their Gods.
Afterwards they tooke them from thence, being aboue fourteene, sending them to the Court with sure guards, whereof some were appointed to serue the Idols, & IdollTemples, keeping their Virginitie for euer: some other were for ordinarie sacrifices that were made of Maidens, and other extraordinarie sacrifices, they made for the health, death, or warres of the Inguas: and the rest serued for Wiues and Concubines to the Ingua, or such as he gaue thē to. This distribution was renewed eueryevery yeare. These Monasteries possessed rents, for the maintenance of these Virgins. No Father might refuse his daughter, if the Appopanaca required her: yea, many fathers did willingly offer their Daughters, supposing it was a great merit to be sacrificed for the Ingua. If any of these Mamacomas or *The yong VirginNunnes.Aellas were found to hauehave trespassed against their honor, it was an incuitable chastisement to bury them aliue, or to put them to death, by some other cruell torment.
The Inguas allowed a kinde lAcost.l.5.c.26. Sorcerers.of Sorcerers or Sooth-sayers, which (they say) tooke vponupon them what forme and figure they pleased, flying farre through the ayre in a short time. They talke with the Diuell, who answereth them in certaine stones, or other things, which they reuerence much. They tell what hath passed in the furthest parts, before newes can come. In the distance of two or three hundred leagues, they would tell what the Spaniards did or suffered in their ciuill warres. To worke this diuination, they shut themselues into a house and became drunke, till they lost their senses: a day after, they answered to that which was demanded. Some affirme they vse certaine vnctions. The Indians say that the old women doe commonly vse this office of Witch-craft, especially in some places. They tell of things stolen or lost. The Anaconas (which are the seruants of the Spaniards) consult with them, and they make answere, hauing first spoken with the Diuell in an obscure place; so as the Anaconas heare the sound of the voice, but vnderstand it not, nor see any body. They vse the Herbe Villea, with their Chica (drinke made of Mays) and therewith make themselues drunke, that they may be fit for the Diuels conference. The conference with these Witches is one of the greatest lets to the proceeding of the Gospell amongst them.
Among their Religious persons, I may reckon their Confessours. They mId…m.c.…5. Confessions.helde opinion that all Aduersities were the effects of sinne: for remedy whereof they vsed sacrifices. Moreouer, they confessed themselues Verbally almost in all Prouinces, and had Confessors appointed by their superiours to that end, with some Reseruation of Cases for the Superiours. They receiued Penance, and that sometimes very sharpely, when they had nothing to giuegive the Confessor. This office of Confessor was likewise exercised by women. The manner of the Ychuyri Ychuyri.was most generall in the Prouinces of Collasuio. They discouered by lotts, or by the view of some beasts, if any thing were concealed, and punished them vvith many blowes of a stone vponupon the shoulders, vntill they had reuealed all: after that they enioyned them Penance, and did sacrifice. They likewise vsed Confession, when their Children, Wiues, Husbands or Caciques vvere sicke, or in any great exployt. When the Ingua vvas sicke, all the Prouinces confessed themselues, chiefely those of Collao. The Confessors were bound to hold their Confessions secret, but in certaine cases limited. The sinnes vvhichwhich they chiefely confessed were, killing one another out of warre, stealing, to take another mans Wife, to giuegive poison, or Sorcerie, to doe any harme, to bee forgetfull in the reuerence of their Guacas, not to obserue Feasts, to speake ill off, or to disobey the Ingua. They accused not themselues of secret sinnes. The Ingua confessed himselfe to no man, but to the Sunne, that hee might tell them to Viracocha, of him to obtaine forgiuenesse: which done, hee made a certaine bath to clense himselfe, in a running Riuer, saying; I hauehave told my sinnes, to the Sunne, receiue them then Riuer, and carry them to the Sea, where they may neuer appeare more. Others that confessed vsed likewise those bathes. When any mans Children died; hee was holden for a greeuous sinner, saying, that it was for his sinnes, that the sonne died before the Father. Such therefore, after they vvere confessed, were bathed in the said bathe, and then came a deformed person, to whippe them with certaine Nettles. If the Sorcerers or Inchanters by their lotts or diuinations affirmed that any sicke body should dye, the sicke man makes no difficultie to kill his owne sonne, though he had no other, hoping by that meanes to escape death, saying that in his place he offered his sonne in sacrifice. The Penances enioyned them in Confessions were, to fast, to giuegive apparell, gold or siluer, to remaine in the mountaines, and to receiue many stripes vponupon the shoulders.
The Sacrifices of the Indians may be nGom.c.121 Acost.l.5.c.18.reduced into three kindes; of insensible things; of beastes; of men. Of the first sort vvere their sacrifices of Coca (an Herbe of much esteeme) of Mays, Feathers, Gold, and Siluer, in figures of little beasts, or in the forme of that which he sought for: also of sweet wood, and diuers other things, whereby their Temples became so rich. They made these offerings Sacrifices and offerings.to obtaine a good winde, health, faire weather and the like.
Of the second sort of Sacrifices, were their Cuyes, which are like Rabbets, and for rich men in matters of importance, Pacos (the great Camell-fashioned sheepe) with curious obseruation of the numbers, colours, and times. The manner of killing their Sacrifices, is the same vvhichwhich the Mores now vse, hanging the beast by the right fore-legge, turning his eyes toward the Sunne, speaking certaine words, according to the qualitie of the sacrifice. For if it were coloured, they directed their words to the Thunder, that they might want no water; if white, to the Sunne, that he might shine on them; if gray, to Viracocha. In Cusco they did eueryevery yeare kill and sacrifice with this solemnitie, a shorne sheepe to the Sunne, and did burne it, clad in a red Wastcoate, casting small baskets of Coca into the fire. They sacrificed also small birds on this manner: they kindled a fire of Thornes, and cast the small birds in, certaine officers going about with round stones, wherein were carued or painted Snakes, Lyons, Toads, Tygers, & saying Vsachum, that is, let the victory be giuen vsus, with other words. They drew forth certayne blacke sheepe, called Vrca, which had beene kept certaine dayes without meate, and therefore vsed these words: So let the hearts of our enemies be weakened as these beasts. And if they found, that a certayne peece of flesh behind the heart were not consumed by fasting, they tooke it for a bad signe. They sacrificed also certaine blacke dogges, which they slew and cast into a Plaine, with certaine ceremonies, causing some kind of men to eate the flesh, which they did, lest the Ingua should be hurt with poyson. And for this cause they *Fasting.fasted from morning till the starres were vp, and then glutted themselues. This was fitting to withstand their enemies gods. They offered shelles of the Sea to the Fountaines, saying, that the Shelles were the Daughters of the Sea, the Mother of all waters. These shelles they vsed (in manner) in all Sacrifices. They offered Sacrifice of whatsoeuer they did sowe, or raise vp. There were Indians appointed to doe these Sacrifices to the Fountaines, Springs, and Riuers, which passed through their Townes or by their Farmes, that they might not cease running, but alwayes water their grounds. Gomara oGom.qu… supra.saith, that their Priests married not, went little abroad, fasted much, although no Fast lasted aboue eight dayes; and that was in their Seede time, and in Haruest, and in gathering of golde, and making warre, and talking with the Deuill: yea some of them (I thinke) for feare, because they are blindfolded when they speake with him, put out their eyes; they enter into the Temples weeping and lamenting, which the word *Guaca signifieth Mourning.Guaca signifieth. They touch not their Idoles with their hands without cleane and white linnen, they burie in the Temples the offerings of Golde and Siluer, in their Sacrifices they crie alowd, and were neuer quiet all that day nor night: they annoynted with bloud the faces of their Idoles and doores of their Temples; they sprinckle also their Sepulchres. The pAcosta qu… supra.Sorcerers did coniure, to know what time the Sacrifices should bee made, which beeing ended, they did gather of the contribution of the people what should bee sacrificed, and deliuered them to such as had charge of the Sacrifices. In the beginning of Winter, at such time as the Waters increased by the moysture of the weather, they were diligent in sacrificing to the Waters. They did not sacrifice to the Fountaines and Springs of the Desarts. And euen to this day continueth this their respect to these Springs and Riuers. They hauehave a speciall care to the meeting of two Riuers, and there they wash themselues for their health, first annoynting themselues with the flower of Maiz, or some other things, adding thereto diuerse ceremonies, which they doe likewise in their baths.
Their third kind of Sacrifices was the most vnkinde and vnnaturall, namely of men: Wee hauehave shewed before of their butcheries, at the burialls of their great Lords. Besides this they vsed in Peru to sacrifice young children, from foure or six yeares olde to ten: the greatest part of Sacrifices were for the affaires that did import the Ingua, as in sickenesse for his health, for victorie in warre, at the Coronation or giuing him the Royall Roll. In this solemnitie they sacrificed two hundred children. The maner of the Sacrifice, was to drowne and bury them with certaine ceremonies: sometimes they cut off their heads, annoynting themselues with the bloud from one eare to the other. They did likewise sacrifice Virgins, of such as were brought from their monasteries. The common sort (as you hauehave heard) being like to die, would sacrifice their owne sonnes to the Sunne or Viracocba, desiring him to be so content, and spare the fathers life.
When they sacrificed, they qGomara.obserued the heart and other the inward parts for divination, and if they saw a good signe (after their bad construction) they daunced and sung with great merriment; if a bad, they were very heauie: but, good or bad, they would be sure to drinke deepe. They eate not their humane Sacrifices, but sometimes dried them and preserued them in coffins of siluer.
It were an endlesse toyle, to reckon vp all the superstitions of Peru, in which were so many Nations, agreeing in disagreeing from truth, yet disagreeing in their diuersified errours. To let passe Pa…cura, which fatte, sacrifice, and eate their captiues, and eueryevery tuesday offer two Indians to the Deuill; and the drunken Prouince of Carrapa, where they eate little, and drinke much, at once drinking in, and pissing out; the Mitimaes which are earely at their meate, and make but one drinking in the day (which lastes from morning till night) by Bacchus Priuiledge enioying without controll any woman they like: The Canari put their wiues to the drudgery abroade, whiles themselues spinne, weaue, tricke vp themselues, and performe other womanish functions at home: The Galani make their Captiues drunke, and then the chiefe Priest cutteth off their heads, and sacrificeth them. rSansovin & Selva pa.5.Generally, in the mountaines they were more cruell, but all obserued bloudie, beastly, diabolicall ceremonies, the recounting whereof must needes weary the patientest Reader.