PERUVIAN FESTIVALS. 377 



the which they did neyther company with their wives, nor Lnj - v - 

 eate anie ineate with salt or garlicko, nor drinke any Chicha. 

 All did assemble together in one place, where no straunger 

 was admitted, nor any beast ; they had garments and orna 

 ments, which served onely for this feast. They inarched 

 very quietly in procession, their heades covered with their 

 vailes, sounding of drum in es, without speaking one to 

 another. This continued a day and a night ; then the day 

 following they daunced and made good cheere for two 

 dayes and two nights together, saying that their prayer was 

 accepted. And although that this feast is not vsed at this 

 day, with all this antient ceremony, yet commonly they 

 make another which is verio like, which they call Ay ma, 

 with garmentes that serve onely to that end ; and they make 

 this kind of procession with their Drummes, having fasted 

 before, then after they make good cheere, which they vsually 

 doe in their vrgent necessities. And although the Indians 

 forbeare to sacrifice beasts, or other things publikely, which 

 cannot be hidden from the Spaniardes, yet doe they still vso 

 many ceremonies that have their beginnings from these 

 feasts and auntient superstitious ; for, at this day, they do 

 covertly make this feast of Ytu, at the dances of the feast 

 of the Sacrament, in making the daunces of Llama-llama, 

 and of Guacon, and of others, according to their auntient 

 ceremonies, where vnto we ought to take good regarde. 

 They have made more large Discourses of that which cou- 

 cerueth this matter, for the necessary observation of the 

 abuses and superstitions the Indians had in the time of 

 their gentility, to the end the Priestes and Curates may the 

 better take heede. Let this suffice now to have treated of 

 the exercise wherewith the divell held those superstitious 

 nations occupied to the end that against his will wee may 

 see the difference there is betwixt light and darknes, betwixt 

 the trueth of Christ and the lies of the Gentiles, although 



o- 

 the ennemy of God and man hath laboured with all his 



devises to counterfeit those things which aiv of God. 



