356 MEXICAN COMMUNION. 



Lin - v - said (in delivering them) that the Sunne had sent them that 

 in signe that hee would have them all to worship and honour 

 him, and likewise did sende them in honour of the Caciques. 

 Some, perhappes, will hold this for a fable and a fiction ; 

 yet is it most true that, since the Ynca Yupangi (the which 

 is hee that hath made most lawes, customes, and ceremonies, 

 as Numa did in Rome), this maner of communion hath con 

 tinued vntill that the Gospel of our Lord lesus Christ thrust 

 out all these superstitions, giving them the right foode of 

 life, which vnites their soules to God. Whoso would satisfie 

 himselfe more amply let him reade the relation which the 

 Licentiate Polo did write to Don leronimo de Loaysa, Arch 

 bishop of the Cittie of Kings, where he shall finde this and 

 many other things which he hath discovered and found out 

 by his great dilligence. 



CHAP. xxiv. In what maner the Divell hath laboured in 



Mexico to counterfaite tlie feast of the holy Sacrament 



and Communion vsed in the holy Church. 



It is a thing more worthy admiration to heare speak of 

 the Feast and solemnitie of the Communion which the Divel 

 himselfe, the Prince of Pride, ordayned in Mexico, the 

 which (although it bee somewhat long) yet shall it not 

 be from the purpose to relate, as it is written by men of 

 credite. The Mexicaines in the moneth of Maie made their 

 principall feast to their god Vitzilipuztli, and two daies 

 before this feast, the Virgins whereof I have spoken (the 

 which were shut vp and secluded in the same Temple and 

 were as it were religious women) did mingle a quantitie of 

 the seede of beetes with rosted Mays, and then they did 

 mould it with home, making an idoll of that paste in big- 

 nesse like to that of wood, putting insteede of eyes graines 

 of greene glasse, of blue, or white; and for teeth graines of 

 Mays set forth with all the ornament and furniture that I 



