IV. The Tartars worshipped the Sun , Stars , Fire , Earth , and Water , to whom they offered the first Fruits of their Meat and Drink each morning before they eat and drink themselves . They believe there is one God , Maker of all things , yet they worship not nor pray unto him . They place Idols at the Tent doors : these Idols being made of Silk and Felt , are offered the first Fruits of Milk , Meat , and Drink ; the Hearts also of Beasts , which they leave before them all night , and then eat them in the morning : they offer Horses to the Emperour's Idol , which none afterward must ride ; they do not break , but burn the Bones of their Sacrifices ; by their Discipline they must not touch the Fire with a Knife , nor meddle with young Birds , nor pour Milk , Drink , or Meat , on the ground , nor break one Bone with another , nor make Water within their Tents , with divers other such Traditions , which if violated , are punished with Death , or else redeemed with much Money . They believe another World , but such as this . When one dyeth he hath Meat set before him , and Mare 's Milk , his Friends eat a Horse , and burn the Bones thereof for his Soul ; they bury also with him a Mare , a Colt , and a Horse , bridled and sadled , his Gold and Silver also ; and they set upon Poles the Horse Hide that was eat , that he may not be without a Tent in the other World . They use to feed the Ghosts or Spirits with Mares Milk cast in the Air , or poured on the Ground . They have their religious Votaries or Monasteries , amongst which there is an Order called Senschin , which eat nothing but Bran steeped in hot Water . They do not worship Idols , nor do they marry , but they hold Transanimation , and divers other ridiculous Opinions . They have a strange Custom among them , that their Priests on high Trees preach to them , and after Sermon besprinkle their Auditors with Blood , Milk , Earth , and Cow-dung , mixed together : and no less strange it is , that they do not bury their Dead but hang them upon Trees . But the Tartars were not all of one Religion ; for as they compose several Nations , so they had several Sects in their Paganism . Before the Corps of any great Man they set a Table , furnished with all sorts of meats ; with the Odour of which , they think the departed Soul is refreshed , and heartned against the burning of the Body . They cast into the Fire , with the Body , Pictures of his Men , Women , and Horses , and other things to serve in the other World .

V. The Inhabitants of Nova Zembla worship the Sun so long as he is with them , and in his absence the Moon and the North-Star , having no Religion prescribed them by Law . To the Northern Star they offer a yearly Sacrifice of their Deer , which they burn , except their Head and Feet : they sacrifice also for their Dead . The Samodyes , which are subject to the Zar of Muscovy , are much addicted to Witchcraft and Idolatry ; among them , each Kindred have their Temple , where they sacrifice . Their Priest is he that is eldest , whose Ornaments are small Ribs and Teeth of Fishes and Wild Beasts hanging about them , with a white Garland on his Head ; in his Divine Service he doth not sing , but howl , and that so long , till he become like a Mad-man , and then falls down as though he were dead , but riseth again , ordereth five Deer to be sacrificed , and thrusts a Sword half way into his Belly , still singing , or howling rather ; the Sword he takes out again , heats it in the Fire , and then thrusts it in at the Navel , and out at the Fundament ; then he lets two Women , standing by him , pull off his Head and left Shoulder , with a small Line by which they pull the Head and Shoulder into a Kettle of hot Water ; but he reviveth again , and cometh out whole as he was before . In Samogitia , a small Province between Poland and Lithuania , the Inhabitants nourish among them a kind of four-footed Serpents , about three handfuls in length , which they worship as their Houshold Gods , attending them with Fear and Reverence when they call them out to their Repasts ; and if any mischance do happen to any of the Family , it is imputed presently to some want of due Observance of these ugly Creatures . They are naturally inclined to Divinations , Charms , and Sorceries , and frequently abused , as for the most part such People are , by diabolical Illusions . The Lithuanians anciently had Fire and Serpents for their Gods , nourishing the last in their Houses , and keeping the other continually burning ; the Priests and Ministers of the Temple always adding Fewel , that it might not fail : the Vestal Fire was not kept more carefully at Rome , nor with greater Ceremony . To this God whom they called Dishpan , or the Lord of the Smoak , they used to sacrifice young Pullets , to the other , Cocks .

VI. The Saracens in old time adored the Star of Venus ; they worshipped likewise the Image of Venus set on a great Stone , on which they believed that Abraham lay with Hagar , or else that he tyed his Camel thereunto while he was sacrificing Isaac . In the beginning of Spring , and in the beginning of Autumn , the Sun entring into Aries or Libra , the Arabians used to cast Stones upon heaps , being naked and bare-headed , with Cryes , and going about their Idols , kissing the Corners in honour of their Gods . This they used at Mecca , in honour of Venus ; and therefore in that Solemnity did they cast Stones under their Privities , because those Parts were under her Dominion ; only , whereas Nakedness was immodest , some ordained that they should bind a Cloath about their Reins . This Mahomet sound before his time , and did not reject , as he did some other idolatrous Rites , but in their Pilgrimage Rites they still observe it . The Moxi , a sort of Tartars , at a certain time in the Year , take a Horse , which they set in the Field , with his four Legs tyed to four Posts , and his Head to another Post fastned in the Ground ; This done , one of them standing at a convenient Distance , shooteth him to the Heart ; afterwards they slay him , and observing certain Ceremonies about the Flesh , eat the same . The Skin they fill with Chaff , and in each of his Legs thrust a streight Stick , that he may stand upright as if he were alive ; lastly , they go to a great Tree , and lop there from as many Boughs as they think good , and make a Room or Seller in that tree , where they set this Horse on his Feet , and worship him , offering unto him Foxes and divers Beasts which bear rich Furrs ; of which Offerings the Trees hang full . There are another sort of Tartars who worship the Sun , as they do also a red Cloath fastned to the top of a Pole , and eat Serpents , Worms , and other Filth .

VII . The Inhabitants of Bascia , a Province lying somewhat to the South of Tartary , are Idolaters and Magicians , cruel and deceitful , living on Flesh and Rice . Scarce a days Journey from hence is Chesmur , the People whereof are wickedly cunning in their devilish Arts , by which they cause the dumb Idols to speak , the day to grow dark , and other marvellous things , being the Well-spring of Idols and Idolatry in those parts , They have Hermites after their Law , which abide in their Monasteries , are very abstinent in eating and drinking , contain their Bodies in streight Chastity , and are very careful to abstain from such Sins wherewith they think their Idols offended , and live long . In the Province of Tanguth , bordering likewise upon Tartary , their Temples are made like the Christians , capable of four or five thousand Persons . In them are two Images of a Man and Woman , lying in length forty foot , all of one Peice , or Stone ; for which use , they have Carts with forty Wheels , drawn by five or six hundred Horses and Mules , two or three Months Journey . They have also little Images with six or seven Heads , and ten Hands , holding in each of them several things , as a Serpent , Bird , Flower , &c. They have Monasteries , wherein are men of Holy Life , never coming forth , but have food carryed them thither daily : their Gates are walled up , and there are an infinity of Fryer-like Companions passing to and fro in their Cities . Caindu is a Heathenish Nation , where , in honour of their Idols , they prostitute their Wives , Sisters , and Daughters , to the Lust of Travellers ; which being entertained in the House , the good man departeth , and the Woman setteth some Token over the Door , which there remaineth as long as this Stallion Stranger , for a sign to her Husband not to return till the Guest be as well gone from her House as Honesty from her Heart , and Wit from his Head . In Cailar and Cailocoram are such monstrous huge Idols , that it is reported , some of 'em may be seen two days before a man comes at 'em .

VIII . And now I will proceed to give an Account of the Gods and Religion of China ; and begin with what Odoricus affirmeth , That at Kaiton or Zaiton , he found two Convents of Minorite Fryers , and many Monasteries of Idolaters ; in one whereof he was , in which , as it was told him , were three thousand Votaries , and eleven thousand Idols : one of those Idols , less than some others , was as big as a Popish St. Christopher . These Idols they feed every day with the smoak of hot Meats set before them , but the Meat they eat themselves . At Quinsay , a Chineze conveyed him into a certain Monastery , where he called to a Religious Person , and said , this Raban Francus , that is , this Religious French-man , cometh from the Sun-setting , and is now going to Cambaleth to pray for the Life of the Great Chan , and therefore you must shew him some strange sight : then the said Religious Person took great Baskets full of broken Reliques , and led me into a little walled Park , and unlocked the door : we entered into a fair Green , wherein was a Mount in form of a Steeple , replenished with Herbs and Trees ; then did he ring with a Bell , at the sound whereof , many Creatures , like Apes , Cats , and Monkeys , came down the Mount , and some had Faces like Men , to the number of four thousand , and two hundred , putting themselves in good order , before whom he set a Platter , and gave them those Fragments ; which , when they had eaten , he rung the second time , and they all returned to their former places . I wondered at the sight , and demanded what Creatures they were ; they are , said he , the Souls of Noble-men , which we here feed for the love of God , who governeth the World . And as a man was honourable in his Life , so his Soul entreth after Death into the Body of some excellent Beast ; but the Souls of simple and rustical People possess the Bodies of more vile and bruitish Creatures . Neither could I disswade him from the Opinion , or perswade him that any Soul might remain without a Body .

IX . Gasper de la Crux being in Canton , a City of China , entred a certain Religious House , where he saw a Chappel , having therein , besides many of her things of great Curiosity , the Image of a Woman with a Child hanging about her Neck , and a Lamp burning before her . The Mystery hereof none of the Chinezes could declare . The Sun , Moon , Stars , and especially Heaven it self , are Gods of the first form in their Idol School . They acknowledge Laocon Tzanter , the Governour of the Great God , ( so it signifieth ) to be eternal and a Spirit . Of like Nature they esteem Causay , unto whom they ascribe the lower Heaven , and power of Life and Death : they subject unto him three other Spirits , Tauquam , Teyquam , Tzuiquam , the first supposed to be Author of Rain , the second of Humane Nativity , Husbandry , and Wars , the third is their Sea Neptune : to these they offer Victuals , Odours , and Altar Cloaths , presenting them also with Plays and Comedies . They have Images of the Devil , with Serpentine Locks , and as deformed Looks as here he is painted ; whom they worship , not to obtain any good at his hand , but to detain and hold his hand from doing them evil . They have many he and she Saints in great Veneration , with long Legends of their Lives . Amongst the chief of them are Sichia , the first Inventer of their Religious Votaries of both Sects ; Quannia an Anchoress ; and Neoma , a great Sorceress . Fryer Martin , in one Temple in Vchco , told a hundred and twelve Idols . They tell of one Hujansin in the Province of Cechiam , which did much good to the People , both by Alchimy , making true Silver of Quicksilver , and by freeing the Metropolitan City from a huge Dragon , which he fastened to an Iron Pillar , still shewed , and then flew into Heaven with all his House Mice and all , Lye and all , and there they have built him a Temple ; the Ministers whereof , are of that Sect. Thausu and Trigautius writes of certain Gods called Foe , which they say go a visiting Cities and Provinces ; and the Jesuits in one City were taken for these Idols Foe . At Sciauchim , they in time of Drought proclaimed a Fast , every Idol was sollicited with Tapers and Odours , for Rain ; a peculiar Officer with the Elders of the People , observed peculiar Rites to this purpose , the Priests went on Procession all in vain . When the City-Gods could do nothing , they fetched a Country Idol , called Locu , which they carry about , worship , and offer to : but Locu is now grown old ; thus they said of his Deafness : at last they go to a Witch , who told them , Quonim , a Goddess , was angry that her Back was burned , meaning the Converts which burn'd their Idols ; which incensed them against the Christians . Hoaquim is the name of an Idol , which hath rule over the Eyes , which they carry about in Procession , and beg in his name . In time of Trouble they have Familiarity with the Devil . Pedro de Alfero observed , being in a Ship with a Chineze , in this sort ; They cause a man to lye on the Ground groveling , and then one readeth on a Book , the rest answering , and some make a sound with Bells and Tabors . The man in short space beginneth to make Visages and Gestures , whereby they know the Devil is entred , and then do they propound their Requests , to which he answereth by a Word or Letters . And when they cannot extort an answer by Word , they spread a red Mantle on the Ground , equally dispersing all over the same a certain quantity of Rice : then do they cause a man , that cannot write , to stand there , themselves renewing their former Invocation ; and the Devil entring into this man causeth him to write upon the Rice : but his Answers are often full of Lies . In the Entries of their Houses they have an Idol Room , where they incense their Deities Morning and Evening : they offer to them the sweetest Odours , Hens , Geese , Ducks , Rice , Wine ; a Hogs-head boyled is the chief Offering ; but little hereof falleth to the God's share , which is set in a Dish apart , as the tips of the Hogs Ears , the Bylls and Feet of the Hens , a few Corns of Rice , three or four drops of Wine : their Books tell much of Hell ; their Devotions little . Their Temples are homely and filthy , no Oracle is in any of them ; they have Fables of men turned into Dogs or Snakes , and again metamorphosed into men : and they which believe the Pains of Hell , yet believe , after a certain space , that those damned Souls shall pass thence into the Bodies of Beasts . But their Idolatries and religious Rites will better appear , if we take a view of their different Religions and Sects .

X. The Chinezes do conceive thus of the Creation , That there was one Taine , who created Panzon and Paullina , whose Posterity remained ninety thousand Years ; but they , for their Wickedness , being destroyed , Taine created Luitzam , who had two Horns , from the right came men , from the left came Women . They are very much afraid when there is any Eclipse of the Sun or Moon , which they hold to be man or Wife ; for then they think that these two Gods are angry with them . In Canada the Natives worship the Devil , who when he is offended with them , flings Dust in their Eyes . The men marry two or three Wives , who after the Death of their Husbands never marry again , but go still in black , and besinear their Faces with Coal-Dust and Greese : they do first expose their Daughters to any that will lye with them , and then give them in Marriage . They believe , that after Death their Souls ascend unto the Stars , and go down with them under the Horrison , into a Paradise of Pleasure : They believe also , that God stuck a multitude of Arrows in the Beginning , into the Ground , and of these sprung up Men and Women . They have divers ridiculous Opinions of God , as , That he once drank much Tobacco , and then gave the Pipe to their Governour , with a Command that he should keep it carefully , and so doing , he should want nothing ; but he lost the Pipe , and so fell into Want and Misery . They use to sing to the Devils , Praises ; to dance about Fires which they make to his Honour , and leap over them . They bemoan the Dead a great while , and bring Presents to their Graves . In Florida the Chief Deities are the Sun and Moon , which they honour with Dances and Songs . Once a Year they offer to the Sun a Harts-hide stuffed with Herbs , hanging Garlands of Fruits about his Horns , so presenting this Gift toward the East , they pray the Sun to make the Land produce the same Fruits again : but to their Kings they use to sacrifice their first-born Males ; much of their Devotion , like the rest of barbarous Savages , consisting in singing , dancing , howling , feasting , and cutting off their own Skins . Adultery in the Woman is punished with whipping . In some parts of this Country the next of Kin is permitted to cut the Adulteresses Throat , and the Woman to cut the Adulterers Throat . In some parts also of the Country they worship the Devil ; who when he complains of Thirst , humane Blood is shed to quench his Thirst . When a King is buryed , the Cup wherein he used to drink is still 〈◊〉 upon his Grave , and round about the same are stuck many Arrows ; the People weep and fast three days together ; the neighbour Kings , his Friends , cut off half their Hair ; Women are hired , who for six Months howl for him three times a day . This honour the King and Priest have , that they are buried in their Houses , and burned with their Houses and Goods .

XII . In Mexico , besides their inferiour Priests they had one Chief , whose Habit was a Crown of rich Feathers on his Head , Pendants of Gold with green Stones at his Ears , and under his Lips an azure Stone . His Office was to receive the Body of the Dead King at the Temple door with a mournful Song , to open the Breast of the sacrificed Man , to pull out his Heart to offer it to the Sun , and then to fling that to the Idol to which the man was sanctified : The inferiour Priests in the interim , holding the Legs , Arms , and Head of the sacrificed Wretch , whilst his Heart was taking out . They used also to flay off the Skins of men , and cloath some therewith , who went about dancing , and forcing People to offer them Presents or else they would strike them over the face with the bloody Corner of the Skin . The Priests Office also was to burn Incense before their Idols every Morning , Noon-tide , Evening , and at Mid-night , for then , with Trumpets and Coronets they sounded a long time ; which done , they burned the Incense in Censures with much Reverence , and then they beat themselves and draw Blood with sharp Bodkins ; they preach also on some Festival days to the People . The Revenues of the Priests were great : the Temples , in State , Magnificence , and Wealth , exceed ours . The Priests were all anointed , and wear their Hair long , for they never cut it . They did sometimes anoint themselves with an Unguent made of venomous Beasts , which made them without fear , and armed them with Cruelty . They painted their Skins black ; they washed their new born Children , and let them Blood in their Ears : they performed Marriages by asking the Parties mutual Consent , and tying together a Corner of the Womans Vail with the Corner of the Man's Gown , and so brought them to the Bridegroom's groom's House , causing the Bride to go seven times about the Hearth . They buried the dead either in their Gardens or on Mountains ; sometimes they burned the Body : and if he was a great man they killed his Chaplain and his Officers to attend him , burying also Wealth with him , that he might not want in the other World . The Priest used to attire himself in these great Funerals , like a Devil , with many Mouths , and glass Eyes , and with his Staff stirred and mingled the Ashes . When the King dyed the Priests were to sing his Elogies , and to sacrifice two hundred Persons to serve him . Adultery was punished with Death , and so was Dishonesty in their Nuns and Monks , of which there were two great Cloysters at Mexico .

XIII . The Indians of Peru believed commonly , That the Souls lived after this Life , and that the Good were in Glory and the Bad in Pain ; so as there is little difficulty to perswade them to these Articles . But they are not yet come to the Knowledge of that point , that the Bodies should rise with the Souls : and therefore they did use a wonderful Care to preserve the Bodies , which they honoured after Death . To this end their Successors gave them Garments , and made Sacrifices unto them , especially the King 's Inguas , being accompanied at their Funerals with a great number of Servants and Women for their Service in the other Life : and therefore on the day of his decease they did put to death the Woman he had loved best , his Servants and Officers , that they might serve him in the other Life . When as Guanacapa died ( who was Father to Atagu●lpa , at what time the Spaniards entred Peru ) they put to death a thousand Persons of all Ages and Conditions , for his Service to accompany him in the other Life , after many Songs and Drunkenness they slew them ; and these that were appointed to death , held themselves happy . They did sacrifice many things unto them , especially young Children , and with the Blood they made a stroak on the dead man's Face from one Ear to the other . This Superstition and Inhumanity to kill both Men and Women to accompany and serve the Dead in the other Life , hath been followed by others , and is at this day used amongst some other barbarous Nations . And as Apollo writes , it hath been in a manner general throughout all the Indies . The Reverend Beda reports , That before the English-men were converted to the Gospel , they had the same Custom , to kill men to accompany and serve the dead . It is written of a Portugal who being Captive among the Barbarians , had been hurt with a Dart , so as he lost one Eye , and as they would have sacrificed him to accompany a Noble-man that was dead , he said unto them , That those that were in the other Life would make small account of the dead if they gave him a blind man for a Companion ; and that it were better to give him an Attendant that had both his Eyes : this Reason being found good by the Barbarians , they let him go . Besides this Superstition of sacrificing Men to the Dead , being used but to great Personages , there is another far more general and common in all the Indies ; which is , to set Meat and Drink upon the Grave of the dead , imagining they did feed thereon ; the which hath been an Error amongst the Ancients , as St. Augustine writes , and therefore they gave them Meat and Drink . At this day many Indian Infidels do secretly draw their dead out of the Church-yard , and bury them on Hills , or upon Passages of Mountains , or else in their own Houses . They have also used to put Gold and Silver in their Mouth , Hands , and Bosom , and to apparel them with new Garments , durable , and well lined under the Herse . They believe that the Souls of the dead wandred up and down , and endured Cold , Thirst , Hunger , and Travel ; and for this Cause they make their Anniversaries , carrying them Cloaths , Meat , and Drink .

XIV . The Kings Inguas of Peru caused Images to be made to their Likeness , which they called Guacos , or Brothers , causing them for to be honoured like themselves , which was in this sort . They took a Captive , such as they thought good , and before they did sacrifice unto him their Idols , they gave him the Name of the Idol to whom he should be sacrificed , and appareled with the same Ornaments like their Idol , saying , that he did represent the same Idol : and during the time that this Representation lasted , which was for a Year in some Feasts , in others six months , and in others less : they reverenced and worshipped him in the same manner as the proper Idol , and in the mean time he did eat , drink , and was merry . When he went through the Streets the People came forth to worship him , and every one brought him an Alms , with Children , and sick Folks , that he might cure them and bless them , suffering him to do all things at his Pleasure , only he was accompanyed with ten or twelve Men lest he should fly . And he , to the end he might be reverenced as he passed , sometimes sounded upon a small Flute , that the People might prepare to worship him . The Feast being come , and he grown fat , they killed him , opened him , and eat him , making a solemn Sacrifice of him .

XV. The chief Idol of Mexico was Vitziliputzli ; It was an Image of Wood like to a Mars set upon a Stool of the Colour of Azure , in a Brankard or Litter ; at every Corner was a piece of Wood in form of a Serpents head . The Stool signified that he was set in Heaven ; this Idol had all the Fore-head azure , and had a Band of azure under the Nose , from one Ear to the other ; upon his Head he had a rich Plume of Feathers , like to the Beak of a small Bird , the which was covered on the top with Gold burnished very brown ; he had in his Left hand a white Target , with the Figure of five Pine-apples made of white Feathers , set in a Cross , and from above issued forth a Crest of Gold , and at his Sides he had four Darts , which ( the Magicians say ) had been sent from Heaven for the doing mighty Acts and Prowesses ; in his Right hand he had an azured Staff , cut in fashion of a waving Snake .

XVI . The People of Peru's chief God was Wirachocha , by whom they understood the Maker of all things ; next to him they worshipped the Sun and the Thunder after him : the Images of those three they never touched with their bare hands : they worshipped all the Stars , Earth , Sea , Rain-bow , Rivers , Fountains , and Trees . They adored also wild Beasts , that they might not hurt them ; and in sign of their Devotion , when they travelled they left in the Cross-way and dangerous Places , old Shoes , Feathers , and if they had nothing else , Stones . They worshipped the Sun , by pulling off the Hairs from their Eye-brows . When they fear , they touch the Earth , and look up to the Sun : they worship also the dead Bodies of their Emperours , and indeed , every thing they either affected or feared . They have some glimmering Knowledge of the beginning of the World , of Noah's Flood , and they believe the end of the World , which they still fear when the Sun is eclipsed , which they think to be the Moon 's Husband : they held their Priests in such esteem , that no great matter was undertaken by Prince or People without their Advice . None had Access to their Idols but they , and then only when they are cloathed in white , and prostrate on the Ground . In sacrificing they abstain from Women , and some out of Zeal would put out their own Eyes . They used to consult with the Devil to whom they sacrificed men and dedicated Boys in their Temples for Sodomy . They had also their Temples richly adorned with Gold and Silver , and their Monasteries for Priests and Sorcerers . Their Nuns were so strictly kept , that it was Death to be deflowred : after fourteen years of age they were taken out of the Monastery , either to serve their Idols ( and such must be Virgins still ) or else to serve as Wives and Concubines to the Ingua or Emperour . They are very frequent and strict in their Confessions , and chearfully undertake what Penance is enjoyned them : but the Ingua confesseth only to the Sun . After Confession they all wash in Baths , leaving their Sins in the Water ; they used to sacrifice Vegitables , Animals , and Men , chiefly Children , for the Health or Prosperity of their Ingua , and for Victory in War . In some places they eat their man Sacrifices , in others they only dryed and preserved them in Silver Coffins ; they anoint with Blood the Faces of their Idols and Doors of their Temples , or rather , Slaughter-houses .