Pilgrimage, Book 9 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of their supputation of Times, of the Feasts, Sepulchres, and other Peruvian superstitions.
BEfore we speake of the Peruvian Festivall times, it is not amisse to take some more generall view of their Calendar. They aAcosta libr.6.…a.3.diuided their yeare into so many dayes iust as wee doe, and into so many Moneths or Moones. To make the Computation of their place certaine, they vsed this industrie: VponUpon the mountaine about Cusco there were twelue pillers set in order, and in such distance, as eueryevery monethmonth one of these pillers did note the rising and setting of the Sunne. They called them Saccanga; by meanes whereof, they taught and shewed the Feasts, and the seasons fit to sowe, and reape, and for other things. They did certayne Sacrifices to these Pillers of the Sunne. EueryEvery monethmonth had his peculiar name and Feasts. They sometimes beganne the yeare in Ianuarie: but since, an Ingua called Pachacuto, which signifieth a Reformer of the Temple, beganne their yeare in December, by reason, as it seemeth, of the Sunnes returne from Capricorne, their neerest Tropicke. I reade not of any weekes they obserued: for which they had not so certayne a rule, as the Sunnes course was for the yeare, and the Moones for the monethmonth.
They obserued in Peru two kindes of Feasts: some ordinary, which fell our in certayne moneths of the yeare, and others extraordinary, which were for certayne causes of importance. Euerie monethmonth of the yeare they made Feasts and Sacrifices: and had this alike, the offering of a hundred sheepe, but of vnlike colour and forme, according to the monethmonth. In the first monethmonth they made their first and principall Feast, therefore called Capacrayme, that is to say, a rich and principall Feast. In it they offered a great number of Sheepe and Lambes in Sacrifice, and burnt them with sweete wood: then they caused Gold and Siluer to bee brought vponupon certayne Sheepe, setting vponupon them three Images of the Sunne, and three of the Thunder, the Father, the Sonne, and the Brother. In these Feasts they dedicated the bKnights of Peru.Inguas Children, putting the Guaras or Ensignes vponupon them, and they pierced their eares: then some old man did whippe them with slings, and annoynt their faces with bloud, in signe that they should bee true Knights to the Ingus. No stranger might remayne in Cusco during this monethmonth, and this Feast, but at the end thereof they entred, and were made partakers of the Feasts and Sacrifices after this manner. cAcosta libr.5. ca.23.The Mamacomas or Nunnes of the Sunne made little loaues of the flower of Maiz, died and mingled with the bloud of white Sheepe, which they did sacrifice that day: Then they commaunded that all Strangers should enter, who set themselues in a certayne order: and the Priests which were of a certaine linage, descending from Liuqui Yupangui, dArite resembling the Christians Communion In a deuillish Apishnesse,gaue to eueryevery one a morsell of these small loaues, saying that they gaue it them to the end they should bee vnited and confederate with the Ingua: and that they aduised them not to speake or thinke any euill against the Ingua, but alwayes to beare him good affection: for that this peece should bee a witnesse of their intentions, and, if they did not as they ought, would discouer them. They carried these small loaues in great platters of golde and siluer, appoynted for that purpose; and all did receiue and eate those peeces, thanking the Sunne and the Ingua. This manner of communicating they vsed likewise in the tenth monethmonth called Coyarayme, which was September, in the Feast called Cytua. They likewise sent of these loaues to all the Guacas of the Realme, whither the people assembled to receiue them: to whome they said that the Sunne had sent them that, in signe that he would hauehave them honour him, and the Caciques. This continued from the time of Ingua Yupangui, whom wee may call the Perovian Num…, till the Spaniards substituted in place thereof their Masse, a masse of *Corruptiooptimi pessima. Powlder traitors.more monstrous absurdities, (in their transubstantiation, bread-worshipping, God-eating, which they can also vse to combine subiects, not to their Inguas or lawfull Princes, but against them, as our Powlder-traitours did) then the former, notwithstanding the fairer pretexts of Christian and Catholike titles.
But to returne to our Capacrayme, it is strange that the Deuill hath not only brought in an apish imitation of Christian Sacraments, but of the Trinitie also in their Pagan rites. For the Father. Sonne, and Brother, called Apomt…, Churunti and Intiquaequi, that is, Father Sun, Son Sun, Brother Sun, had some shew of that great mysterie. In like maner they named the three Images of the Chuquilla, or God of the Aire, whence are thunders, raines, and snowes. They had one Guaca where they worshipped an Idoll called Tangatanga, which they said was one in three, and three in one. Thus doth the Deuill despite the truth, which he would seeme to imitate. In the second monethmonth, called Camey, besides the sacrifices which they made, they cast the ashes into the Riuer, following fiue or six leagues after, praying it to carrie them into the Sea, for that the Viracocha should there receiue this present.
In the third, fourth, and fifth monethmonth, they offered a hundred sheepe, blacke, speckled, and grey, with many other things. In the sixt monethmonth they offered a hundred sheepe more, of all colours: and then made a Feast, bringing Maiz from the fields into the house, which they yet vse. This Feast is made, comming from the farme to the house, saying certaine songs, and praying that the Maiz may long continue. They put a quantitie of the Maiz (the best that groweth in their Farmes) in a thing which they call Pirua, with certaine Ceremonies, watching three nights. Then doe they put it in the richest garment they hauehave, and being thus wrapped and dressed, they worship this Pirua, holding it in great veneration, and saying, it is the mother of the Maiz of their inheritances, and that by this meanes the Maiz augments, and is preserued. In this monethmonth they make a particular sacrifice, and the Witches demaund of this Pirua, if it hath strength enough to continue vntill the next yeare. And if it answers no, then they carry this Maiz to the Farme whence it was taken, to burne, and make an other Pirua as before: and this foolish vanitie still continueth. In the seuenth monethmonth they made the Feast Intiraym… and sacrificed a hundred Guanacos in honour of the Sunne … they made many Images of Quinva-wood carued, all attired with rich garments, they daunced, and cast flowers in the high wayes, and thither came the Indians painted and singing.
In the eight monethmonth they burned a hundred sheepe, all grey, of the colour of Viscacha with the former solemnities. In Yapaguis their ninth monethmonth, they burnt a hundred sheepe of Chesnut colour: and likewise a thousand Cuyes (a kinde of Rabbets) to the end the frost, aire, water, and Sunne, should not hurt their Farmes. In the tenth monethmonth called Coyarami, they burnt a hundred white sheepe that had fleeces: and then they made the Feast Sitna in this manner. They assembled together the first day of the Moone before the rising thereof, carrying Torches in their hands: and when they saw it, they cried alowd, saying, dThey which did this were called Panco…co….Let all harme goe away, striking one another with their Torches: which being done, they went to the common Bath, to the riuers and fountaines, and eueryevery one to his owne Bath, setting themselues to drinke foure daies together. In this monethmonth also the Mamacomas made their loaues (as is said) of communicating with the Sunne, and the Ingua. The bathes, drunkennesse, and some relikes of this feast Sitna remaine still, with the ceremonies a little different, but very secretly. In the eleuenth monethmonth they offered also their hundred sheepe. And if they wanted water to procure raine, they set a blacke sheepe tied in the middest of a Plaine, powring much Chica about it, and giuing it nothing to eate till it rained. This eAcost.libr.4.ca.16. Chica, what it is.Chica is a drinke or wine made of Maiz, sleeped and boyled, and will sooner make one drunke then wine of grapes: they hauehave an other way to make it, by champing the Maiz, which they hold then best, when it is done (after the beastliest manner) by olde withered women. This drunken people will spend whole dayes and nights in drinking it, and it is therefore forbidden by the Lawe. But what Law can preuaile against the Deuill and the drunkard? We neede not goe to Peru to prooue this.
The twelfth and last monethmonth they sacrificed a hundred sheepe, and solemnised the Feast called Raymacantar Rayqnis. In this monethmonth they prepared what was necessarie for the children that should be made Nouices: the monethmonth following, the olde men made a certaine shew, together with the Children, in Rounds and Turnings, which they commonly doe, when it raineth too much, or too little, and in the time of Plague.
Among the extraordinary Feasts (which were many) the most famous was that which they called Ytu. This had no time prefixed, but by Necessitie or Distresse. And then the people prepared themselues thereto, by fasting two dayes; during which they did neither companie with their wiues, nor eate any meate with salt or garlicke, nor drinke any Chica. All did assemble together in one place, where no stranger, nor any beast might be admitted; they had garments and ornaments which serued only for this Feast. They marched very quietly fProcession.in Procession, their heads couered with their vailes, sounding of drummes, without speaking one to an other. This continued a Day and a Night: The day following they daunced and made good cheere for two dayes and two nights together, saying that their prayer was accepted. Euen still they vse one which is somewhat like this, called Ayma, with garments onelyonly seruing to that end, and make procession with their Drummes, hauing fasted before, concluding with good cheere. And although the Indians forbeare sacrifices because of the Spaniards, yet they vse many ceremonies still, which had their beginning from their Ancient superstitions.
Now concerning their funeralls. The Indians gAcost.l.5.ca.7of Peru beleeued commonly, that the soule liued after this life, and that the good were in glorie, and the bad in paine. They vsed a wonderfull care hFuneralls.to preserue the bodies, which they honoured after death: their successours gaue them garments, and made sacrifices to them, especially of the Inguas, of whom we hauehave spoken before. In their bloudie funeralls the woman he loued best was slaine, and multitudes of other attendants of all sorts for his new familie in the other world, and that, after many songs and drunkennesse. They sacrificed to them many things, especially young children, and with the bloud they made a stroke on the dead mans face, from one eare to the other. This cruelty is common through a great part of the East and West Indies, as in their places this Historie doth shew you: wittily auoyded once by a Portugall iWitty escape, who was a captiue, and to be slaine at the funeralls of his Lord, and hauing but one eie, saw better to saue his life then if hee had had both. For he told them that such a deformed and maimed fellow would bee a disgrace to his Maister in the other life, and so perswaded the Executors, or Executioners (if you will) to seeke a new choice. The Indians hauehave another ceremonie more generall, which is to set meate and drinke vponupon the graue of the dead, imagining they did feede thereon. At this day, many Indian Infidells doe secretly draw their dead out of the Churchyard, and burie them on hills, or vponupon passages of mountaines, or else in their owne houses. They hauehave also vsed to put Gold and Siluer in their mouth, hands, and bosome, and to apparell them with new garments, durable, and well lined. They beleeue, that the soules of the dead wander vp and downe, induring cold, thirst, hunger, and trauell: and for this cause they vse their Anniuersaries, carrying them clothes, meate, and drinke.
Pedro de Cieza kCieza pa.1.ca.62.reporteth, that in Cenu in the Prouince of Cartagena (which we heere mention for proximitie of rites, rather then of place) neere to a Temple built in honour of the Deuill, there was taken forth an innumerable quantitie of Sepulchres, more then a million of them, old and new. Himselfe was there present. Much treasure is found in the graues. Iuan de la Torre tooke forth of one Sepulchre lRich Sepulchres.more then fiue hundred thousand pezos. The great men adorned their Sepulchres with Vaults and Towers, and had with them interred their women, servants, meat, chicha, armes and ornaments. He addeth, that the Deuil (in the shape of some principall person deceased) would sometimes appeare, and shew them newes out of that other world, how hee liued and fared there. And hence (it seemes) came that spoyle of so much wealth, and so many persons, for their funeralls. But take heed (Reader) that you doe not beleeue it was the Deuill that was wont to appeare in some habite of afflicted soules, and demanded Dirges and Masses for their manumission out of Purgatorie: alas the Deuill was confined to the Indies, and would neuer hauehave beene so good a Purueyor for the Popes kitchin. And certes, if our Christian auncesters had not their wiues and goods buried in their graues, with foode, rayment, and ornaments: yet these things were also buried with them, whiles the feares of Purgatorie made them willing to endow the Priests and Monasteries, and bestow on Lights, and other rites, that which should hauehave maintained their houses, their wiues, and children. But how come wee from Peru to Rome? Nay, how comes Rome, if not from Peru, as more lately discouered, yet with Peru, and with, and from, other heathen nations in the world, in her manifolde ceremonies and superstitious rites? as this Relation of Peru, for their Confessions, Processions, and many other rites will shew, and one day I hope more fully to acquaint the world, when we come in our Pilgrimage to visite Christian-Antichristian Rome.
And thus we take our leaue of this Continent, and must into the adioyning Sea, to obserue matters of principall note we shall there find.