O F S E R P E N T S. 209 



and were proper only to the Ladies of Condition, whogenerally 

 had Slaves to carry them. 



N. B. The real Buskin was the Cothurnus^ a very high Shoe 

 rais'd on Soais of Cork, wore by the ancient A(5lors in Tragedy, 

 to make them appear taller, and more like the Heroes they re- 

 prefented, moft of whom were fuppofed to be Giants. 



The Perfmm had no Temples, Altars, nor Images, holding 

 fuch little Things improper for the high Gods. Therefore they 

 worfhipp'd upon the Top of Hills, where they ofFer'd Sacrifices 

 to the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The Babylonians adored the 

 Sun, to which the King ofFer'd every Day a white Horfe 

 richly furnilh'd : The Sun was in high Efleem among the Phe- 

 nicians^ whofe Priefts were crown'd w^ith Gold. The Tartars and 

 Cathaians worfhip the Sun, and Stars,^to which they offer the firfl 

 Fruits of their Meat every Morning before they eat and drink 

 themfelves. They have divers Monafleries of Idols, to whom 

 they dedicate their Children. 



In A^oi;^ Z^w^//2 there is no Religion prefcrib'd by Law, but 

 they worfhip the ^un^ fo long as 'tis with them, and the Moon 

 and North-Star in its abfence. In China are great Numbers of 

 facred Temples, where the Priefls have fo much Power over their 

 Gods, that they may beat them when they don't anfwer their 

 Expe(ftation : Their chief Gods are the Sun, Moon, and Stars, 

 where they are not chriflianis'd. 



In the Philippine IJlands, the Natives worfhip the Stars, 

 which they hold to be the Children of the Sun and Moon : Their 

 Priefls, for the mofl part, are Women. The jfaponians worfhip 

 an Image, with three Faces, by which they mean, Sun, Moon, 

 and the elementary World *. 



In America thtiv chief Deities are the Sun and Moon; which 

 they honour with Dances and Songs. In Firginia and Florida^ 

 when they eat, drink, and facrifice, they ufe to throw up to- 

 wards the Sun, fome part of their Food : The Spaniards taking 

 Advantage of this Superflition, made the poor ignorant People 

 believe they were MefTengcrs fent to them from the Sun ; where- 

 upon they fubmitted to the Spanijh Yoke. Hacluyt, ibid. At 

 Mexico^ when they facrificed a Man, they puU'd out his Heart, 

 ^nd offer 'd it to the Sun. 



E e - In 



* Afofia^ and Jefuits Ep. in R. Oliver, Ncorf's Navigation, 



