Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

Of the familiaritie which certayne of the Indians haue with the Deuill, and how they receiue answere of him of things to come, and other Superstitions.

WHen the Indians beginne their battaile, or goe to any combate, or attempt any other great mater, they haue certaine elect men, whom they reuerently esteeme, and call [ 20] them Tequinas, which in their tongue is as much to say as Masters: notwithstanding that they call euery man, that is cunning in any Science, by the same name, as Fishers, Fowlers, Hunters, or makers of Nets. These Tequinas therefore, they call the Masters of their Answeres, because they speake with Tuyra, that is, the Deuill, and bring them answere what he saith,* 1.1 either as tou∣ching such things as they haue to doe, or shall chance to them the day following, or many dayes to come. For the Deuill, being so ancient an Astronomer, knoweth the times of things, and seeth how they are naturally directed and inclined, and maketh them beleeue that they come so to passe by his ordinance, as though he were the Lord and moouer of all that is and shall be, and that he giueth the day light, and raine, causeth te••pest, and ruleth the stations of times, giuing life, or taking away life, at his pleasure: By reason whereof, the Indians being deceiued of him, and [ 30] seeing also such effects to come certainly to passe as he hath told them before, beleeue him in all other things, and honour him in many places with Sacrifices of the bloud and liues of men, and odoriferous Spices: And when God disposeth the contrary to that which the Deuill hath spoken in Oracle, whereby he is prooued a Lyer, hee causeth the Tequinas to perswade the people that he hath changed his mind and sentence for some of their sins, or deuiseth some such lye as liketh him best, being a skilfull Master in such subtill and craftie deuices, to deceiue the simple and ig∣norant people, which hath small defence against so mightie and craftie an Aduersarie. And as they call the Deuill Tuyra, so doe they in many places call the Christians by the same name, thinking that they greatly honour them thereby, as indeed it is a name very fit and agreeable to many of them, hauing laid apart all honestie and vertue, liuing more like Dragons then men, [ 40] among these simple people.

Before the Inhabitants of the Iland of Hispaniola had receiued the Christian Faith, there was among them a Sect of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which liued solitarily in the Desarts and Woods, and led their life in Silence and Abstinence more streightly then euer did the Philosophers of Pythagoras Sect,* 1.2 abstaining in like manner 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the eating of all things that liue by bloud, contented onely with such Fruites, Herbes, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as the Deserts and Woods ministred vnto them to eate: The Professors of this Sect were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 P••aces. They gaue themselues to the knowledge of naturall things, and vsed certaine secret ••••gicall Operations and Superstitions, whereby they had fami∣liaritie with Spirits, which they a••ured into their owne bodies, at such times as they would take vpon them to tell of t••ings to come, which they did in manner as followeth. When any [ 50] of the Kings had occasion to call any of them ••ut of the Desarts for this purpose, their custome was to send them a portio•• of their fine Bread of Cazabi or Maiz, and with humble request and suite to desire them 〈…〉〈…〉 them of such things as they would demand. After the request granted, and the place a•• day appointed, the Piaces commeth with two of his Disciples wayting on him, where the one bringeth with him a Vessell of a secret Water, and the other a little Siluer Bell When hee commeth to the place, hee sitteth downe on a round seate made for him of purpose ••here hauing his Disciples the one standing on the one hand, and the other on the other,* 1.3 euen the presence of the King and certaine of his Nobles (for the common people are not admitte•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these Mysteries) and turning his face toward the Desart, he be∣ginneth his Inchant••••••t, and calleth the Spirit with loude voyce by certaine names, [ 60] which no man vnder••••••ndeth but hee and his Disciples. After hee hath done thus a while, if the Spirit yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his comming, hee drinketh of the said Water, and therewith waxeth hot and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and inuerteth and turneth his Inchantment, and letteth himselfe bloud with a thorne, maru••••••••usly turmoiling himselfe, as we read of the furious Sybils, not ceasing

vntill the spirit be come: who at his comming entreth into him, and ouerthroweth him, as it were a Greyhound should ouerturne a Squerell, then for a space, he seemeth to lye as though he were in great paine, or in a rapte, wonderfully tormenting himselfe, during which agonie, the other Disciple shaketh the Siluer Bell continually. Thus when the agonie is past, and he lyeth quietly (yet without any sence or feeling) the King, or some other in his stead, demandeth of him what he desired to know: and the spirit answered him by the mouth of the rapte Piaces, with a direct and perfect answere to all points: Insomuch that on a time certaine Spaniards being pre∣sent at these mysteries with one of the Kings, and in the Spanish tongue demanding the Piaces of their Ships which they looked for out Spaine, the spirit answered in the Indian tongue, and told them what day and houre the Ships departed from Spaine, how many they were, and what they brought, without failing in any point. If he be also demanded of the eclipse of the Sunne [ 10] or Moone (which they greatly feare and abhorre) he giueth a perfect answer,* 1.4 and the like of tempests, famine, plentie, warre or peace, and such other things. When all the demands are fi∣nished, his Disciples call him aloud, ringing the Siluer Bell at his eare, and blowing a certaine powder into his nostrils, whereby he is raised as it were from a dead sleepe, being yet somewhat heauy headed and faint a good while after. Thus being againe rewarded of the King with more bread, he departeth againe to the desarts with his Disciples. But since the Christian faith hath beene dispersed throughout the Iland, these diuellish practises haue ceased, and they of the mem∣bers of the Diuell, are made the members of Christ by Baptisme, forsaking the Diuell and his works, with the vaine curiosity of desire of knowledge of things to come, whereof for the most part it is better to be ignorant, then with vexation to know that which cannot be auoided. [ 20]

* 1.5Furthermore, in manie places of the firme Land, when any of the Kings dye, all his houshold seruants, aswell women as men, which haue continually serued him, kill themselues, beleeuing as they are taught by the Diuell Tuyra, that they that kill themselues when the King dyeth, goe with him to heauen, and serue him in the same place and office as they did before on the earth while he liued: and that all that refuse so to doe, when after they dye by their naturall death or otherwise, their soules to die with their bodies, and to be dissolued into ayre, and become no∣thing, as doe the soules of Hogges, Birds, Fishes, or other bruite beasts: and that onely the o∣ther may enioy the priuiledge of immortalitie for euer, to serue the King in heauen. And of this false opinion commeth it, that they which sowe corne, or set rootes for the Kings bread, [ 30] and gather the same, are accustomed to kill themselues, that they may enioy this priuiledge in heauen, and for the same purpose, cause a portion of the graine of Maiz, and a bundle of Iucca (whereof their bread is made) to be buried with them in their graues, that the same may serue them in heauen, if perhaps there should lacke seedes to sowe, and therefore they take this with them, to begin withall, vntill Tuyra (who maketh them all these faire promises) prouide them of greater quantitie. This haue I my selfe seene in the top of the Mountaines of Guaturo, where hauing in prison the King of that Prouince (who rebelled from the obedience of your Maiestie) and demanding of him to whom pertained those S••pultures or graues which I saw in his house: he answered, that they were of certaine Indians which slew themselues at the death of his Fa∣ther. And because they are oftentimes accustomed to bury great quantities of wrought gold with them, I caused two graues to be opened, wherein was nothing found but a vessell full of [ 40] the graine of Maiz, and a bundle of Iucca, as I haue said. And demanding the cause hereof, of the King and the other Indians: they answered, that they that were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there, were the la∣bourers of the ground, and men skilfull in sowing of seedes, and maki•••• of bread, and seruants to the Kings father, and to the end that their soules should not dye ••ith their bodies, they slue themselues at the death of the King their Master, to liue with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heauen, and to the intent that they might serue him there in the same office, they reserue that Maiz and Iucca, to sowe it in heauen. Whereunto I answered them in this manner, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 how your Tuyra deceiueth you, and how all that he teacheth you is false. You see how 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so long a time since they are dead, they haue not yet taken away this Maiz and Iucca which is now purified and worth nothing, [ 50] and not like to be sowen in heauen. To this the King replied, saying▪ In that they haue not ta∣ken it away, nor sowen it in heauen, the cause is, that they chanced •• finde enough there, by reason whereof they had no neede of this. To this errour many thing were said, which seemed of little force to remoue him from his false opinion, and especially any ••uch as at that age are oc∣cupied of the Diuell, whom they paint of the selfe same forme and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as he appeared vnto them in diuers shapes and formes. They make also Images of Gold, Co••per, and Wood, to the same similitudes,* 1.6 in terrible shapes, and so variable, as the Painters are a••••••stomed to paint them at the feete of Saint Michael the Archangell, or in any other place, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they paint them of most torrible portrature. Likewise when the diuell greatly intendeth 〈…〉〈…〉 them, he threat∣neth to send them great tempests,* 1.7 which they call Furacanas, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and are so vehe∣ment, that they ouerthrow many houses, and great trees. And I haue seen•• Mountaines, full of [ 60] many and great trees, that for the space of three quarters of a league the ••••••ntaine hath beene subuerted, and the tree ouerthrowne, and plucked out of the earth with 〈…〉〈…〉.

The gulfe of Vraba, is distant from the Equinoctiall line, from an hundr•••• and twentie, to a

hundred and thirty leagues, and three quarters of a league, after that accompt of seuenteen leagues and a halfe for euerie degree from Pole to Pole: & thus for a little more or lesse, goeth all the coast. By reason wherof, in the Citie of Sancta Maria, Antiqua, in Dariena, and in all that course of the foresaid gulfe of Vraba, at all times of the yeere the daies and nights are in manner of equall length: and if there be any difference betweene them by reason of this small distance from the Equinoctiall, it is so little, that in foure and twentie houres, making a naturall day, it cannot be perceiued but by the iudgement of speculatiue men, and such as vnderstand the sphere. From hence the North Starre is seene verie low.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deuils Impo∣sture.
• * 1.2

  Pythagorea•• P••aces.
• * 1.3

  Indian coniu∣rings or con∣sultations.
• * 1.4

  Eclipses and Prognosticati∣ons.
• * 1.5

  Reason why men kill them∣selues to serue their Masters in the other world.
• * 1.6

  Images of the Diuell.
• * 1.7

  Tempests.