306 MEXICAN UNCTION. 



LIB. v. flegh that they may not feele their travell), with the which 

 they mingle the ashes, making them loose their force; they 

 did likewise mingle with these ashes scorpions,, spiders, and 

 palmers alive, mingling all together; then did they put to 

 it a certaine seede being grownd, which they call Ololuchqui, 

 whereof the Indians make a drinke to see visions, for that 

 the vertue of this hearbe is to deprive man of sence. They 

 did likewise grinde with these ashes blacke and hairie 

 wormes, whose haire only is venomous, all which they 

 mingled together with blacke, or the fume of rosine, putting 

 it in small pots which they set before their god, saying it 

 was his meate: and, therefore, they called it a divine meate. 

 By means of this oyntment they became witches, and did 

 see and speake with the Divell. The priestes being slub 

 bered with this oyntment lost all feare, putting on a spirit 

 of cruelty. By reason whereof they did very boldely kill 

 men in their sacrifices, going all alone in the night to the 

 monntaines and into obscure caves, contemning all wilde 

 beasts, and holding it for certayne and approved that both 

 lions, tigres, serpents, and other furious beasts which breede 

 in the mountaines and forrests fled from them by the vertue 

 of this betum of their god. 



And in trueth, though this betum had no power to make 

 them flie, yet was the Divelle s picture sufficient whereinto 

 they were transformed. This betum did also serve to cure 

 the sicke and for children, and therefore all called it the 

 Divine Physicke ; and so they came from all partes to the 

 superiors and priests, as to their saviors, that they might 

 apply this divine physicke, wherewith they anoynted those 

 parts that were grieved. They said that they felt heereby 

 a notable ease, which might be, for that Tobacco and Olo 

 luchqui have this propertie of themselves to benumme the 

 flesh, being applied in manner of an emplaister, which must 

 be by a stronger reason being mingled with poysoris ; and 

 for that it did appease and benumme the paine, they helde 



