This kind of Idolatry was common to the Peruvians, with several other Nations of the antient Heathens, as hath been before observ’d, which made them mock at the Spaniards when they told them of a Crucifi’d Saviour, saying they had a splendid God, who appear’d to them in glory every Morning. In the third Temple near the River Taciquaque in Peru, which exceeded the other two, they worshipp’d Thunder by the Name of Chuquilla, Catuilla, and Intillapa, which the Peruvians believ’d to be a Man that Commanded the Air, and who being Arm’d with a Club and Sling, throws down Rain, Hail, and Snow from the Clouds, and shooting Bullets through the lower Region, causes Thunder and Lightning: They worshipp’d him after the same manner as they did Viracocha and the Sun, with holding up of a thing like a Glove, and sometimes Offering, especially in Cusco, living Children: Also they ador’d the Earth of which they made the Goddess Bathamama; also Mamacocha, the God of the Sea. The Rainbowe, which the Ingas carried between two Serpents for their Arms, was also religiously worshipp’d. Amongst the Stars they imagin’d Colca, by us call’d Aries, or the Ram, as chief; yet held several others of peculiar Denomination, in veneration, of which they crav’d such things as they wanted. The Shepherds ador’d the Star Nereuchilla or Capricorn, whom they judge to Rule over the Beasts. Others worshipp’d Machacuay which the European Astronomers call the Serpent, as commanding Serpents and Dragons, that they might receive no hurt from them. Tygers, Lyons, and Bears, were Rul’d by the Star Chuquichinchag; wherefore those who would walk free from those ravenous Beasts, lifted up folded Hands to the Constellations representing the same. They believ’d that there was no Creature living on Earth, whole Likeness the Heavens could not afford; and that those which were on Earth were under the influence of those in Heaven: from hence proceeded the Names of the Stars Chacana, Topatatca, Mamana, Mirma, and others. They likewise attributed a kind of Divinity to Fountains, Rivers, Rocks, Mountains, some kinds of Herbs, Roots, and especially the Papas, of a strange shape, and had a veneration for all manner of Creatures that were of an unusual form. When they travel’d they strew’d Shoes, Plumes of Feathers, and Cocoa in all cross Ways and tops of Hills, by them call’d Apachitas; and if they want the fore-mention’d things, then they throw a Stone for an Offering, from whence it proceeds, that in all cross Ways, and on the tops of Hills, lie heaps of Stones, which are accounted holy.
The like fond veneration of Stones the Saracens are said antiently to have had, upon a Tradition, That Abraham had enjoy’d Agar upon a Stone, and that according to Euthymius and Libanius, he ty’d his Cammel to a Stone when he went to Offer his Son Isaac.
The Images of their deceased Ingas, which they call’d Guaoiqui, were had in great honor, and carried with them to the Wars, and up and down in Processionings, and call’d upon for fruitful Seasons.
The Peruvians believ’d the Immortality of the Soul.
The Immortality of the Soul, the giving of Punishments to the Wicked, and of Rewards to those that do well, was generally believ’d amongst the Peruvians, but not the Resurrection of the Dead. Many suffer’d themselves to be buried with their Friends, that they might accompany them to the other World. When the Inga Guaynacava was buried, above a thousand of his Courtiers Sung several Songs, kept a great Feast, and went with great joy to be buried with him, that so they might serve their King on the other side of the Mountains. They Offer’d likewise a great number of Children, and with their Blood cross’d their Faces from one Ear to another: But this barbarous Offering was never us’d but at the Death of prime Persons of Quality; for the meaner sort of People set onely Meat on the Graves, and gave the Dead two Sutes of Apparel, put Money in their Mouthes and Hands; for they believ’d that the Souls ranging up and down from place to place, suffer’d many inconveniences.
Their Oracle.
Their Nunneries.
Their Offerings.
The Peruvian Images consisted generally of Gold, Silver, Stone, or Wood, all of them strangely deform’d: Some of them were said to give Responces like the Oracle at Delphos and Dodona, chiefly in the Temple Pacachama, whose greatness is sufficiently manifest by the Ruines of its Walls beyond Lima, where Franciscus Pizarrus got an invaluable Treasure. Each Peruvian Province had a Temple, besides which, in the Cities, Villages, and Hamlets, were Chappels of Ease, into which the Priests went at Night with their Backs towards the Idol, bended Heads and Bodies; in which posture they requested to know future Events, and were many times answer’d (if we may believe their Reports) in a terrible Voice. The great Temple at Cusco, wherein the Ingas had plac’d all the Peruvian Idols, is now turn’d into a Dominican Cloyster. In each Province of Peru was also a Nunnery (if we may so term it) or Habitation of devoted Virgins, call’d Allaguau, i.e. A House of the Choicest, over which Was plac’d a Governor nam’d Appopanaca, to whom none durst deny their Daughters; some of which were styl’d Wives of the Sun, and others Servant-Maids to the same: The Wives Cloth’d in Embroyder’d Coats, adorn’d the Temple, whilest the Maids kept clean the Walls and Floor. When they attain’d to fourteen Years of Age, some were chosen out from the rest, and oblig’d to perpetual Virginity and solitude of Life in their Chappels; which sacred Obligation if they broke by suffering any to Lie with them, they were buried alive after the manner of the Vestal Virgins, the Ceremony whereof is related by Plutarch: Others were oblig’d to make daily Offerings; others to make peculiar Sacrifices for the Inga’s Health, and happy Events in War; many also were employ’d in the Court Service to wait upon the Inga’s Wife or Concubines; and those being absolv’d from their Vow, were oft-times Married to Courtiers. These Nunneries were Endow’d with great Revenues from the Chacaras, or Church-Lands. Their Offerings were (for sometimes they Offer’d to their Idols the highly esteem’d Herb Cocoa, Maiz, several colour’d Plumes, Sea-Monsters, Gold and Silver Images of Beasts, fine Clothes call’d Cumbi, Sweet-wood, and Tallow to burn) either to have success in their Journeys, Trades, or for the preservation of Health, or to obtain a plentiful Harvest. But their usual Offerings were Cuces, a sort of Toads, which were eaten by the Peruvians. When they were to do any Business of consequence, then Persons of Quality kill’d their Sheep Pacos, not without strange observation of the colour and number of them, as also of the time; all which things well consider’d, they cook the Sheep and laid it cross their right Arm, turn’d the Face thereof towards the Sun, and mutter’d several words to themselves according to the colour; for if it was spotted grey, they spoke to Chuquilla, or Thunder; if white and short Fleec’d, to the Sun; if well Fleec’d, to Viracocha. In Cusco they Offer’d daily a short-fleec’d Sheep to the Sun in this manner: Making a great Fire call’d Vibbacaronca, the Priests threw the Sheep and four Baskets of Cocoa into it. Their Sacrifices Cozocovicca and Sapovicca, to obtain Conquests, were also very strange: for they gather’d out of Puna (which is a desolate place) several sorts of Brambles and Bushes nam’d Ganilli, which being all set on fire, they went about the Fire with round Stones in their Hands, on which were painted Serpents, Lyons, Toads, and Tygers, crying, Usachum, grant us Conquest, together with this Prayer, Destroy, O Creator, the power of our Enemies Gods; which said, several starv’d Sheep were brought out, which for that reason they call’d Urca; whose Hearts having torn out they began their Prayers afresh, saying, Mighty Viracocha, thus do thou pull out the Hearts of our Enemies. For the prosperity of the Ingas they kill’d in an open Field black Dogs, by them call’d Appurucos, whose Flesh was eaten with many Ceremonies by People appointed for that purpose. They made Offerings also to the Fountains, Rivers, Brooks, and Sea-shells, under pretence that those Shells were Daughters of the Ocean, and the Ocean the Father of Streams and Springs; when they had Sow’n their Fields, their Priests, chose to that Office, went from House to House to gather such Offerings as every one was pleas’d to give; which they laid at the Banks of several Sluces, at the time when the Water began to rise there, thinking by that Oblation to keep them from over-flowing their Lands, and washing away their Seed. In all places where two Rivers joyn’d together they wash’d themselves, having first bedaub’d themselves all over with stamp’d Maiz, and afterwards look’d upon themselves as well purg’d from Sin; which power they ascrib’d to their Baths. To strangle Children between four and ten years of Age was never us’d, unless upon the Inga’s being sick, or when he receiv’d the Royal Tassel, that from the death of the Children he might receive Health, or Reign prosperously. The fore-mention’d Nuns that were chose to attend on the King’s, were also strangled when the Inga was sick; nay, sometimes a Father would Offer his Son to Viracocha, on the Sun-Priest’s suggestion, That by his Son’s death he would recover from his Sickness, Praying to the foremention’d Deity, that they would be pleas’d to save the sick Father, because the Son had with his Death paid for his Fathers.
This kind of Cruelty the Devil seem’d to prompt the Heathens to, by making use of Abraham’s Example, who prepar’d his Son Isaac for a Sacrifice on Mount Moria; and that it was a Practice amongst the antient Ammonites and Moabites, and other Heathens (by which even the Children of Israel were apt to be seduc’d) appears from the Scripture it self: the Ceremonies of which bruitish Customs, with the seven Brazen Chambers of Moloch, may be seen describ’d by Rabbi Solomon.