When a Bridegroom Betrothed himself to his Bride, he gave her (and put them on himself) a pair of Shoes call’d Ajota, not unlike those of a grey Fryer, which were lin’d with Cotton if she were a Maid, but with Leaves if a Widow, who nevertheless being generally younger than the Man, was to Mourn a whole year in Black for her deceased Husband; till the expiration of which time she was not to Marry another. Governors of Provinces and other Officers of State receiv’d their Wives from the Ingas, who enquiring out the beautifullest and most accomplish’d Virgins they could hear of, put the Ajota on their Feet, and gave them to such Persons as they most fancied; after which if they committed Adultery they were certainly put to death. The Marrying of Brothers and Sisters was also forbid, till the Inga Topa Yupangui, Father to Guaynacava broke that Law, by Marrying his own Sister Mamoello, and made an Order that the Ingas onely should have that liberty; nay, when he lay on his Death-bed, he strictly charg’d his Son Guaynacava to take his own Sister Goya Cuissilmay to Wife; and this incestuous Marriage produc’d Huascar and Attabaliba, (though some say Attabaliba was begotten on a Concubine) in whose time the Peruvian Kingdom went to ruine. Guaynacava also permitted the common People to Marry their Sisters of the Fathers side, but not of the Mothers.
Their manner of living.
The Peruvian Houses were antiently for the most part light and small; and for their Table they made but little preparation, satisfying themselves with a little Beer made of Rice, Bread bak’d of Maiz, dry’d Flesh, Fish, and Roots.
In their Wars they us’d Slings, Darts, Arrows, Lances, Pikes, Halberds, Pole-Axes, and Shields.
Their Funerals.
Their Funerals were also solemnly kept, especially those of Persons of Quality, the Corps was carried out on a brave Chair, from which he was put into the Ground, with two of his Concubines whom he best affected, and also three Servants, Gold and Silver Vessels, Maiz, and the Liquor Chica, which the nearest Relation spurted into his Mouth through a Cane; all which they did that the Deceased might make use thereof in the other World. But before the Funeral the Relations Mourn’d over the Corps several days, and after the Body was Interr’d, they plac’d the Picture of the Deceased upon the Grave: but the meaner sort of People had the Tools belonging to their Trade; and Soldiers their Arms plac’d on the same.
Their Religion.
In their Religion they had various Fancies; their prime God Viracocha bore several Denominations, and amongst others he was call’d Pacachame, or Pachayachachick, by which he was signifi’d to be the Creator of Heaven and Earth; as also Usapu, that is, Wonderful. In honor to this Pacachama stood formerly a magnificent Temple about four Leagues from Lima, where the Ruines still manifest its former glory, it being the Place where the Devil answer’d the Priests, who stood with their Backs towards the Image of Pacochame, bowing their Heads to the Ground, and showing many antick Tricks. The second Temple stood near Cusco, in which the Inga’s had plac’d the Images of all the Gods and Goddesses that were worshipp’d in Peru; and before each Image stood an Altar: the chiefest of them, call’d Puachao, consisting of massie Gold, was Dedicated to the Sun, on whose Forehead the Sun was Engraven on a Plate, which afterwards fell into the Hands of the Spanish Captain Mancius Sierra de Lequizamo; but because he lost the same one Night at Gaming, this Proverb was rais’d upon it, Lequizamo lost the Sun before it rose, because he got the Plate on which the Sun was Engraven in the Afternoon, and lost the same in the Night: The Temple it self, built of great Stones, curiously joyn’d together in Mosaick Work, and within link’d with Golden Plates of a Finger thick, stood full of Golden Chappels and Altars; round about it were several Galleries, into which the Priests and Priestesses Chambers open’d. Near the River Ticiquaque a third Temple, Consecrated to the Sun.
The various Idolatry of the Peruvians.