_I do prosecute the religion they haue, and of the idols they
do worship._
Ouer and aboue that which is saide, these idolators and blind people
(being men so prudent and wise in the gouernment of their common wealth,
and so subtill and ingenious in all arts) yet they do vse many other
things of so great blindnes and so impertinent, that it doth make them
to wonder, which attentiuelie doo fall in the consideration: yet is it
not much to be meruailed at, considering that they are without the
cleere light of the true Christian religion, without the which the
subtilest and delicatest vnderstandings are lost and ouerthrowne.
Generally amongst them they doo vnderstand that the heauen is the
creator of all things visible and inuisible: and therefore they do make
a shew of it in the first caract or letter of the crosse row, and that
the heauen hath a gouernour to rule all such things as are comprehended
there aboue: whom they call Laocon Izautey,[59] which is to be
vnderstood in their language: the gouernour of the great and mightie
God, this they do worship as the principall, next vnto the sun. They say
that this gouernour was not begotten, but is eternal, and hath no body,
but is a spirit. Likewise they do say that with this there is another of
the same nature, whom they call Causay,[60] and is likewise a spirit,
and vnto this is giuen power of the lower heauen, in whose power
dependeth the life and death of man. This Causay hath three subiectes
whom he doth commande, and they say they bee likewise spirites, and they
doo aide and helpe him in things touching his gouernment. They are
called Tauquam, Teyquam, Tzuiquam, either of them hath distinct power
the one ouer the other: they say that Tauquam hath charge ouer the
raine, to prouoke water for the earth, and Teyquam ouer humane nature to
bring forth mankinde, ouer warres, sowing the ground, and fruites. And
Tzuiquam ouer the seas and all nauigators. They doo sacrifice vnto them,
and doo craue of them such things as they haue vnder their charge and
gouernment: for the which they do offer them victuals, sweate smels,
frontals and carpets for their altars: likewise they promise many vowes,
and represent plaies and comedies before their idols, the which they do
verie naturallie.
Besides this, they haue for saints such men as haue surmounted other in
wisdome, in valour, in industrie, or in leading a solitarie or asper
life: or such as haue liued without doing euill to any. And in their
language they cal them Pausaos, which be such as we do call holy men.
They likewise doo sacrifice vnto the diuell, not as though they were
ignorant that he is euill, or condemned, but that he shoulde doo them no
harme, neither on their bodies nor goods. They haue manie strange gods,
of so great a number, that alonely for to name them is requisite a large
hystorie, and not to be briefe as is pretended in this booke. And
therefore I will make mention but of their principals, whom (besides
those which I haue named) they haue in great reuerence.
The first of these they doo call Sichia, who came from the kingdome of
Trautheyco,[61] which is towards the west: this was the first inuenter
of such religious people, as they haue in their countrie both men and
women, and generally doth liue without marrying, in perpetuall
closenesse; and all such as doo immitate this profession do weare no
haire, which number is great, as hereafter you shall vnderstand: and
they greatly obserue that order left vnto them.
The next is called Quanina, and was daughter vnto the king Tzonton, who
had three daughters; two of them were married, and the third, which was
Quanina, hee woulde also haue married, but she would neuer consent
thereunto: saying that she had made a vow to heauen to liue chast,
whereat the king her father was verie wroth, and put her into a place
like vnto a monastrie, whereas she was made to carrie wood and water,
and to worke and make cleane an orcharde that was there. The Chinos do
tell many tales of this maide, for to be laughed at: saying, that the
apes came from the mountaines for to help her, and how that saints did
bring her water, and the birds of the aire with their bylles did make
cleane her orchard, and that the great beastes came out of the
mountaines and brought her woode. Her father perceiuing that, imagining
that she did it by witchcraft, or by some art of the diuell (as it might
well bee), commanded to set fire on that house whereas she was: then she
seeing that for her cause that house was set on fire, she would haue
destroyed her selfe with a siluer pinne, which she had to trim vp her
haire: but vpon a sodanne at that instant there fel a great shower of
raine and did put out the fire, and shee departed from thence and hid
her selfe in the mountaines, whereas she liued in great penance and led
a holy life. And her father, in recompense of the great sinne and evill
he committed against her, was turned to a lepar, and full of wormes, in
such sort that there was no phisition that could cure him: by reason
whereof hee was constrained to repaire vnto his daughter to seeke cure
(which being aduised of the same by reuelation of a deuine spirit); then
her father, being certified thereof, did craue pardon at her handes, and
did repent him verie much of that which he had done, and did worshippe
vnto her, the which she seeing, resisted her father therein, and put a
saint before him, that he should worship it and not her, and therewith
shee straight waies returned vnto the mountaines, whereas she died in
great religion. This they haue amongest them for a great saint, and doe
pray vnto her to get pardon for their sinnes of the heaven, for that
they do beleeve that she is there.
Besides this, they haue another saint which they call Neoma, and was
borne in a towne called Cuchi, in the prouince of Ochiam. This they saye
was daughter vnto a principall man of that towne, and would neuer
marrie, but left her owne naturall soyle and went vnto a little iland,
which is right ouer against Ingoa, whereas she liued a verie straight
life, and shewed manie false miracles. The occasion why they haue her in
reputation of a saint is: There was a certaine captaine of the king of
China, whose name was Compo; he was sent vnto a kingdome not farre from
thence to make warre against the king. It so chaunced that he, with his
nauie, came to an anker at Buym, and being readie to departe, hee would
haue wayed his ankers, but by no meanes he could not mooue them: being
greatly amazed thereat, and looking foorth, he sawe this Neoma sitting
on them. Then the captaine came vnto her, and told her with great
humilitie, that he was going to warres by commandement of the king. And
that if so be she were holie, that she would giue him counsell what were
best for him to do: to whom she answered and sayd, that if he would haue
the victorie ouer them that hee went to conquer, that he should carrie
her with him. He did performe that which she said, and carried her with
him vnto that kingdome, whose inhabitantes were great magicians, and
threw oyle into the sea, and made it seeme that their shippes were all
on fire. This Neoma did worke by the same art, and did vndoe that which
the other did practise or imagine, in such sort, that their magicke did
profitte them nothing, neither could they doe anie harme vnto them of
China. The which being perceiued by them of ye kingdome, they did yeeld
themselues to be subjectes and vassales vnto the king of China. The
captaine beleeued this to be a myracle, yet notwithstanding he did
coniure her (as one of good discretion), for that thinges might fall out
to the contrarie; and the better to certifie his opinion, whereby hee
might the better giue relation thereof vnto the king, he said: Ladie,
turne me this rodde the which I haue in my hand drie, to become greene
and florishing, and if you can so do, I will worship you for a saint.
Then she at that instant did not onely make it greene, but also to haue
an odoriferous smell. The which rod he put vpon the poope of his ship
for a remembrance, and for that he had a verie prosperous and good
viage, he did attribute it vnto her. So that vnto this day, they haue
her in reputation of a saint, and carrie her picture vppon the poope of
their ships, and such as be trauellers to the sea doo offer vnto her
sacrifices.
These aforesaide they doo esteeme for their principall saints, yet
besides all these they haue an infinite number of carued idols, which
they doo place vpon alters in their tempels: the quantity of them is
such that in my presence it was affirmed by frier Geronimo Martin, he
that entred into China, and is a man of great credite woorthy to giue
credite vnto, that amongst many other things, he was in one of their
temples in the cittie of Vcheo, where as hee did count one hundred and
twelue idols: and besides this they haue manie in the high wayes and
streetes, and vppon their principall gates of the citie, the which they
haue in small veneration, as you shall perceiue in this chapter
following: whereby it is plainlie to be seene, in what subiection they
are vnto errours and idolatrie, such as doo lacke the trueth of true
Christian religion.