Hiftomoftb? Indies 



.were put to death without rcmiflion, faying, 

 pollu ted chchoufe of their god. Theyheldeit for an 

 iugur^and advcrtifcment , thatfomeoncof thereligi- 

 ous, man,or woman,had committed a 6ult,whcn they 

 fttv a Ratte or a Mowfe paflc, or a Bat in the chappcll 

 of their idoll,or that they had gnawed any ofthc vailes, 

 for that they fay, a Catteor a Bat would not adventure 

 to committefuch an indignity, if fbme offence had not 

 gone before; , aad then they beganne to make fearch of 

 the fa<3 , and having difcovcred the offender or offen- 

 dors, of what quality foever,thcy prefently put them to 

 death. 



None were receyved into this monaftery, but the 

 daughters of one of the fixe quarters 5 named for that 

 purpofe : and this profeffion continued, as I have fayd, 

 the fpacc of one whole ycarc : during the which time, 

 their fathers, and they thcmfclvcs had made a vowe to 

 fcrvc the idoll in this manner, and from thence they 

 went to be married. Thefe virgins of Mexico, cfpecially 

 they of Peru had fom? rcfemblance to the Veftall Vir 

 gins of Romejs the Hiftories fliew, to the end wee may 

 vnderftand how the divell hath defired to be fcrved by 

 them that obfcrvc Virginitic, not that chaftitie is plea- 

 fing vnto him, for he is an vncleancfpiritc , but for the 

 denrc he hath to take from the great God , as much as 

 in him licth, this glory to be ferved with cleanncfTe^and 

 integrity. 



Ofthc Monkeries if rtligtout men that the diveR bath ;^- 

 <ventedforfuperjtitiQit. CHAP. 16. 



IT is well knowne, by Letters written by the fathers 

 of our company from lapfon the number and multi- 



B b a tuuc 



