Hiftorie of the Indies* lib. 5* 



for thar it may feeme to feme needleflc to have fpokcn 

 thus much : and that it is a lofTe of time , as in reading 

 the fables that are fained by the Romaines of Knight- 

 hoode. But if fuch as holde this opinion will looke wel 

 into it, they (hall finde great difference betwixt the one 

 and the other : and that it may be profitable for many 

 confiderations , to have the knowledge of the cuftoms 

 and ceremonies the Indians vfed : firft this knowledge 

 is not only profitable,but alfo neceflary in thofe coun 

 tries where thefe fuperftitions have beene pradifcd, to 

 the end that Chriftians,and the maifters of the Law of 

 Chrift, may know the errours and fuperftitions of the 

 Antients, and obferve if the Indians vfe them not at 

 this day 5 either fecretly or openly. For this caufe many 

 learned and worthy men have written large Difcour- 

 fcs,of what they havefound:yea the Provincialhroun- 

 fells have commaunded them to writeandprintthem, I 

 as they have dooncin Lima 3 where hath becncmadc a ) 

 more ample Dilcourie than this .And therefore i t im- 

 portethforthe good of the Indians, that the Spani- 

 ardes being in thofe parts of the Indies, fliould have the 

 knowledge of all thefe things. This Difcourfe may 

 likewile (erve the Spaniards there,and all others wher- 

 foever , to give infinite thankes to God our Lord, who 

 hath imparted fo great a benefite vnto vs , giving them 

 his holy Lawe, which is moft iuft, pure, and altoge 

 ther profitable. The which we may well know, com 

 paring it with the lawes of Sathan , where fb many 

 wretched people have lived (b miferably . It may like- 

 wife fervc to difcover the pride^nvy^deceipts^and am- 

 bufhes of the Divell, which he pradifeth againft thofe 

 heholdes captives,feeeing on the one fide hee feekcs to 

 imitate God , and make comparifon with him and his 



holy 



