242, «d Voyage to 



tendon, that they often mutter over their Beads, whilft 

 they are talking of Things that are no way compatible with 

 pious Exercifes. Befides, they all live in a State of Pre- 

 lum ptio 11 of their Salvation, grounded on the Protection 

 of the Virgin and the Saints, which they believe they me- 

 rit by fome~ Brotherhood Exercifes, in which the Friers 

 have aifociated them, without making them fenfible that 

 the prime Devotion confifts in the Reformation of the Hearty 

 and the Practice of good Manners. It rather looks as if, 

 by means of Revelations, arid the ill-grounded Miracles 

 they affect continually to tell them in the Pulpit at their 

 Sermons, they would impofe upon the amazing Facility 

 with which thofe People believe Things moft ridiculous 

 and contrary to good Morality, which is certainly moft 

 pernicious to the Purity of Religion, and ftri&ly prohibited 

 by a Conftitution of Pope LeoX. dated 1516. I could 

 quote fome Examples, if the Grofnefs of thofe Fictions 

 would not render the Credit fufpe&ed. Thence it pro- 

 ceeds, that thofe People fcarce know what it is to pray to 

 God ; but they only addrefs themfelves to the Virgin and 

 the Saints. Thus the Acceffory of Religion almoft extin- 

 guifhes the Principal. 



Thofe People are not only credulous to excefs, but alfo 

 fuperftitious. They add to the Beads they wear about 

 their Necks fome Irlabillds, being a Sort of Sea Chefnuts, 

 and another Sort of Fruit of the like Nature, refembling 

 the Shape of a Pear, call'd Chonta y with Nutmegs, and o- 

 ther fuch Things, to preferve themfelves againft Witch- 

 craft and infectious Air. The Ladies wear Amulets about 

 their Necks, being Medals without any Impreffion, and a 

 little Jeat Hand, a Quarter of an Inch long, or elfe made 

 of Fig-tree Wood, and call'd Higa, the Fingers clofed, but 

 the Thumb (landing out. The Notion they have of the 

 Vertue of thofe Amulets, or Counter-Charms, is to pre- 

 ferve themfelves from the Harm that might be done by fuch 

 as admire their Beauty, which they call, as in Englijh^ an 

 evil Eye, Thefe Preservatives are made larger for Chil- 



