Htitorie of the Indies, lib.?, 



(lave well proportioned, without any fault or blemifh, 

 cither of fickenes orofhurte, whome they did attyre 

 with the ornaments of the idoll, thathemight rcprc- 

 fent it fortic daies. Before his clothing they did clenfc 

 him 3 wafhing him twice in a lake , which they called 

 the lake of the gods ; and being purified, they attyred 

 him like the idoll. During thefe forty daies , hee was 

 much refpe&ed for his fake whom he rcprefented. By 

 night they did imprifbn him, (as hath beene faid,) left 

 he ihould flie, and in the morning they tooke him out 

 ofprifon, fetting him vpon an eminent place, where 

 they ferved him, giving him exquifite meates toeatc. 

 After he had eaten, they put a chaine of flowers about 

 his necke, and many nofcgaies in his hands. Hee had 

 a well appointed guard, with much people toaccom- 

 pany him. When he went through the Cittie, he went 

 dancing and finging through alltheftreetes, that hee 

 might bee knowne for the rcfemblance of their god^ 

 and when hee beganne tofing, the women and little 

 children came forth of their houfes to falutc him , and 

 to offer vnto him as to their god. Two old men of the 

 Antients of the Temple, came vnto him nine daies be* 

 fore the feaft, and humbling themfelves before him, 

 they faid with a low and fubmiffe voyce,Sir, you muft 

 vnderftand that nine daies hence the exercife of dan 

 cing andfinging doth end,and thou muft then die$ and 

 then he muff anfwer, in a good houre. They call this 

 ceremony, Neyolo Mdxiltle^tli, which is to fay, the ad- 

 vertifement : and when they did thus advertile hinr 7 

 they tooke very carcfull heede whether hee were fad 5 , 

 ,or if he danced as Joyfully as he was accuftomed , the 

 which if he didnotascheercfullyasthcydefired,they 

 made a foolifh fuperftition iathismaner , Theypre- 



fcntiy 



