340 PERUVIAN SACRIFICES. 



CHAP. XVITI. Of the Sacrifices the Indians made to the Divell, 

 and whereof. 



LIB. v. It hath beene in the aboundance and diversitie of Offrings 

 &quot; and Sacrifices taught vnto the Infidells for their idolatrie, 

 that the enemy of God and man hath most shewed his sub- 

 tiltie and wickednes. And as it is a fit thing and proper to 

 religion to consume the substance of the creatures for the 

 service and honour of the Creator, the which is by sacrifice, 

 even so the father of lies hath invented the meanes to cause 

 the creatures of God to be offered vnto him, as to the Author 

 and Lord thereof. The first kinde of sacrifices which men 

 Vsed was, very simple; for Caine offered the fruites of the 

 earth, and Abell the best of his cattell, the which likewise 



Gen. xv. -^ oe an( ^ Abraham did afterwardes and the other patriarkes, 

 vntil that this ample ceremony of Levi was given by Moses, 

 wherein there are so many sortes and differences of sacrifices 

 of divers things for divers affaires and with divers cere 

 monies. In like sort, among some nations, hee hath beene 

 content to teach them to sacrifice of what they had ; but, 

 among others, hee hath passed farre, giving them a multi 

 tude of customes and ceremonies vpon sacrifices, and so 

 many observances as they are wonderfull. And thereby it 

 appeares plainely that he meanes to contend and equall him- 

 selfe to the ancient law, and in many things vsurpe the same 

 ceremonies. Wee may draw all the sacrifices the Infidells 

 vse into three kindes one of insensible things, another of 

 beasts, and the third of men. They did vse in Peru to sacri 

 fice coca which is an hearb they esteeme much, of mays 

 which is their wheate, of coloured feathers, and of chaquira 1 

 which otherwise they call mollo, 2 of shelles or oysters, and 

 sometimes gold and silver being in figures of little beasts. 



1 Chaquira. See Cieza de Leon, pp. 176, 405 ; and G. de la Vega, i, 

 lib. viu, cap. 5. 9 A/M//M, Quichua for a shell. 



