The discouery of a new world or A description of the South Indies Hetherto vnknowne by an English Mercury.

Their Religion. CHAP. 10.

THey cannot endure Iupiter, for he, when hee thunders, sowres all their wines, and ouer-wets their plants with vnseasonable showers. They haue a good deuotion vnto God Trine, because he ea∣teth vp althings before him, and shewes himselfe herein a true Eat-all. They haue built a goodly temple vnto him, in which I saw the picture of Saturne eating vp his children, passing artificially portrayed. On Shroue-tuesday, they offer sacrifice vn∣to the Genius of the place, whom they hold for their chiefe Deitie, and almost for their onely deity: Euery yeare once doth this power appeare vnto them in forme of a monstrous Fowle, most huge and most rauenous, (the inhabitants call him RVC) and accepts the offrings of his seruants, and they for their parts are not behinde hand with him, but present him with whole Hecatombes of raw-flesh, thus ordered.

In Pewter-platter-ia (of which you heard before) there is a large plaine, ly∣ing towards the South, circled in with mountaines on each side. Vnto this plain do al the inhabitāts flock at a certain day appointed, bringing with them an ocean of victuals, Elephants, Rhinocerots, Ca∣mells (all which they feed for this pur∣pose, for other-wise they would neuer keepe such vnprofitable creatures) Ox∣en of the largest size, Boares, Sheepe, Goates, togither with a whole army of Birds, all with the feathers pluckt off: all these they put as it were into this large cage; which being done, they get them vp on the mountaines sides, as if they tooke their seates in a play-house, and with bended knees doe there expect the comming of this great Deity, old Ruc of Rucs hall. At length sir, you shall see him come a farre off, with a noise, able to deafe the whole nation three hundred miles about, with a great crooked bill as biggea (almost) as halfe the Equi∣noctiall circle, with a paire of tallants, like two broade spred Okes, with two

eyes in his head like two townes that were on fire, and such an inundation of Harpies, Rauens, Vultures, and Haukes, about him,! O strange! stupendious sight, for man to see! with a cry, able to procure an earth-quake they approach the plaine, and by and by, their wings eclipse the Sunne, and bring a midnight ouer the whole valley, they are so huge a multitude.

Three times they flagge about the plaine, while the people powre out their very bladders in teares, and all that is in their bellies in hearty praiers vn∣to this route of religious birdes. By this time, Generall RVC, the leader of this starued regiment hath spied his pray, for hee out of all that Folio Cata∣logue of Carcasses, must choose what pleases his tooth first, supose hee take some fiue Elephants, or halfe a score oxen, he is to be first serued, and then e∣uery one to his sharke, tagge and ragge there yee should see one fly away with a Calfe here another with a Lambe, ther•• one with a Boare and here anothe••

with a Swanne, euery one fitting his luggage to his strength, and thus with a reuerent and religious applause of all the lookers on,b they depart euery one with his cariage, and leaues the rest behind them: all which (and that is an huge deale of meate) the people are bound in conscience to get ready and eate vp ere they goe, whereby their bel∣lies are so ouer-stuffed, that they loath flesh almost forty daies after, during which space they liue all vpon fish (but that is costly drest with sirrups and sau∣ces) and with the dainties of Banquet-ois: both to refresh themselues with the de∣licacy thereof, as also to returne to flesh againe which the sharper appetite, ha∣uing thus long forborne it. Sure as death the Pope had his Lent sent him out of this country, vpon the granting them some odde indulgence, or vpon dispen∣sing with them for Ember weekes.

Notes

• a

  Almost, not fully so big: it wants some 359. degrees. 59. min. 60. se∣conds.
• b

  Into the forrests of Theuegen, whereof read the 4. booke. chap. 4.