371 PERUVIAN FESTIVALS. 



LIB. v. i T1 t o f.j ie se a ^ for that the Yirochoca should there receive this 

 present. In the third, fourth, and fift moneth, they offered 

 a hundred blacke sheepe, speckled, and grey, with many 

 other things, which I oinitte for being too tedious. The 

 sixt moneth is called Hatuncuzqui Aymuray, which answer- 

 eth to Maie, in the which they sacrificed a hundred sheepe 

 more, of all colours j in this moon and moneth, which is 

 when they bring maize 1 from the fieldes into the house, they 

 made a feast, which is yet very vsuall among the Indians, 

 and they doe call it Aymuray. 1 



This feast is made comming from the CTiacra or farme 

 vnto the house, saying certaine songs, and praying that the 

 Mays may long continue, the which they call Mamacora. 

 They take a certaine portion of the most fruitefull of the 

 Mays that growes in their farmes, the which they put in a 

 certaine granary which they doe call Pirua, with certaine 

 ceremonies, watching three nightes ; they put this Mays in 

 the richest garments they have, and beeing thus wrapped 

 and dressed, they worship this Pirua, and hold it in great 

 veneration, saying it is the mother of the mays of their 

 inheritances, and that by this means the mays augments 

 and is preserved. In this moneth they make a particular 

 sacrifice, and the witches demaund of this Pirua, if it hath 

 strength sufficient to continue vntill the next yeare; and if 

 it answers no, then they carry this Mays to the farme to 

 burne, whence they brought it, according to every man s 

 power; then make they another Pirua, with the same cere 

 monies, saying that they renue it, to the end the feede of 

 Mays may not perish, and if it answers that it hath force 

 sufficient to last longer they leave it vntill the next yeare. 

 This foolish vanitie continueth to this day, and it is very 

 common amongest the Indians to have these Piruas, and to 

 make the feast of Aymuray. The seaventh moneth answer- 

 eth to lune, and is called Aucaycuzqui Intiraymi ; 2 in it they 

 1 A yntiiray, from the middle of May. 2 Yntip Raymi, 



