NOTICES OF PERU. 



323 



republic, to inform against those curates who required money 

 to be paid for penance, or to remove impediments to matrimo- 

 ny, particularly amongst the Indians. To those impediments, 

 prices were affixed, according to their supposed gravity. 



The curates are in the habit of imposing certain feasts, which 

 are paid for by their parishioners. This custom was carried to 

 such an excess, that a decree was published against it, limiting 

 the numiber of feasts to eight yearly ; and also limiting the 

 price of each feast to ten dollars. Offerings of every kind were 

 prohibited, which it was customary to exact under the name of 

 ricuchico y agiiinaldos; also the oblations required by some 

 curates during holy week, under the title of Preosfes, Mfe- 

 reces, Estandartei^os^ &c. The laws of Peru, both religious 

 and civil, are but little heeded, except while they are new; 

 therefore the curates, in the remote provinces particularly, 

 still continue their exactions. 



Amongst many other religious feasts, are the "novenas," or 

 nine days prayer, in honor of particular saints, which are cele- 

 brated with a great deal of pomp, at the expense of the parish- 

 ioners. There are also prayer meetings almost every night in 

 the churches of the convents, which are attended by great 

 numbers of the lower classes, amongst which are found the fa- 

 natics in this, as well as in our own happy country. The ig- 

 norance and superstition of these classes fill me with pity for 

 them, and disgust for their hypocritical teachers. One even- 

 ing, in the convent of St. Augustin, I heard an old lady, in 

 saya y manto, chide another who was kneeling near her, for 

 wearing her combs in church, telling her that it was a mortal 

 sin, and that she had better remove them. The young woman 

 replied, with some warmth, ^< V"^'^- es mas pecadora que yo — • 

 y no me da la gana quitarmelos — ^ pues es mas pecado, el Ilevar 

 peine de noche qui de dia?" — You are a greater sinner than I 

 — and I dont choose to take them out — for, is it a greater sin 

 to wear a comb by night than by day ? 



On these occasions, all the arts of eloquent description of 

 hell and purgatory are made use of by these fanatic and aban- 

 doned priests, to maintain the fears of the people, and to pro- 



