SORCERERS AND WITCHES. 367 



it for an effect of health, and a divine virtue. And there- LlB - 

 fore ranne they to these priests as to hoi} 7 men, who kept 

 the blind and ignorant in this error, perswading them what 

 they pleased, and making them runne after their inventions 

 and divellish ceremonies, their authority being such as their 

 wordes were sufficient to induce beliefe as an article of their 

 faith. And thus made they a thousand superstitions among 

 the vulgar people, in their maner of offering incense, in cut- 

 ing their hairc, tying small flowers about their necks, and 

 strings with small bones of snakes, commaunding them to 

 bathe at a certain time; and that they should watch all night 

 at the harth lest the fire should die; that they should eate 

 no other breade but that which had bin offered to their gods, 

 that they should vpon any occasion repaire vnto their witches, 

 who with certaine graines tolde fortunes, and divined, look 

 ing into keelcrs and pailes full of water. The sorcerers and 

 ministers of the divell vsed much to besmere themselves. 

 There were an infinite number of these witches, divines, en 

 chanters, and other false prophets. There remaines yet at 

 this day of this infection, althogh they be secret, not daring 

 publikely to exercise their sacrileges, divelish ceremonies, 

 and superstitions, but their abuses and wickednes are dis 

 covered more at large and particularly in the confessions 

 made by the Prelates of Peru. 



There is a kinde of sorcerers amongst the Indians allowed 

 by the Kings Yncas, which are, as it were, sooth-saiers, they 

 take vpon them what forme and figure they please, flying 

 farre through the aire in a short time, beholding all that was 

 done. They talke with the Divell, who answereth them in 

 certaine stones or other things which they reverence much. 

 They serve as coniurers, to tell what hath passed in the 

 farthest partes, before any newes can come. As it hath 

 chanced since the Spaniardes arrived there, that in the dis 

 tance of two or three hundred leagues, they have knowne 

 the mutinies, battailes, rebellions, and deaths, both of tyrants, 



