NUMEROUS IDOLS. 371 



It is common and general! to have vsually one of these LlB - v - 

 three things, either cruelty, filthines, or slouth ; for all their 

 ceremonies were cruell and hurtefull, as to kill men and to 

 spill blood, are filthy and beastly, as to eate and drinke to 

 the name of their Idolls, and also to pisse in the honour of 

 them, carrying them vpon their shoulders, to annoint and 

 besmeere themselves filthily, and to do a thousand sortes of 

 villanies, which were at the least, vaine, ridiculous, and idle, 

 and more like the actions of children then of men. The 

 cause thereof is the very condition of this wicked spirit, 

 whose intention is alwaies to do ill, provoking men still 

 to murthers and filthines, or at the least to vanities and 

 fruitelesse actions, the which every man may well know, if 

 ho duly consider the behaviour and actions of the Divoll, 

 towardes those lie sets to deceive. For in all his illusions 

 we finde a mixture of these three, or at least of one of 

 them. The Indians themselves (since they came to tho 

 knowledge of our faith) laugh and mocke at these fooleries 

 and toyes, in the which their gods held them busied, whom 

 they served more for feare, least they should hurte them, in 

 not obeying them in all things, then for any love they bare 

 them. Although some, yea, very many lived, abused and 

 deceived, with the vaine hope of teuiporall goods, for of tho 

 eternall they had no knowledge. And whereas the tempo- 

 rail power was greatest, there superstition hath most in 

 creased, as we see in tho Realmes of Mexico and Cusco, 

 where it is incredible to see the number of idolls they had; 

 for within the citty of Mexico there were above three 

 hundred. Mango Ynca Yupangui, amongst tho Kings of 

 Cusco, was hee that most augmented the service of their 

 idolls, inventing a thousand kindes of sacrifices, feasts, and 

 ceremonies. The like did King Iscoalt 1 in Mexico, who was 

 the fourth king. There was also a great number of super- 



1 Izcohuatl. Ho built the famous temple of Huitzilopochtli, the first 

 god of tho Mexicans. 



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