_Of lots which they doo vse when they will doe anie thing of
importance, and howe they doe inuocate or call the diuell._
[Sidenote: They cast lottes.]
[Sidenote: They throw their gods under their feet.]
[Sidenote: A hogs head for a sacrifice.]
The people of this countrie do not alonely vse superstitions, but they
are also great augurisers or tellers of fortunes, and do beleeue in
auguries, as a thing most certaine and infallible, but in especiall by
certaine lots which they do vse at all times, when they beginne any
jorney, or for to doe anything of importance, as to marie a sonne, a
daughter, or lend anie money, or buy any lands, or deale wt
merchandise, or any other thing whose end is incertaine or doubtfull. In
all these matters they do vse lottes, the which they do make of two
sticks, flat on the one side, and round on the other, and being tyed
togither with a small threede, throwe them before their idols. But
before they do throwe them, they do vse great ceremonies in talke, and
vse amorous and gentle wordes, desiring them to giue them good fortune.
For by them they doe vnderstand the successe to be good or euill in
their iourney, or any other thing that they do take in hande. Likewise
they do promise them, if they do giue them good fortune, to offer vnto
them victuales, frontalles, or some other thing of price. This being
done, they throwe downe their lots, and if it so fall out that the flat
side be vpper, or one flat side and the other round, they haue it for an
euill signe or token. Then they returne vnto their idols, and say vnto
them manie iniurious words, calling them dogs, infamous, villaines, and
other names like in effect. After they haue vttered vnto them all
iniuries at their pleasure, then they beginne againe to fawne vpon them,
and intreat them with milde and sweet words, crauing pardon of that
which is past, and promising to giue them more gifts then before they
did, if their lot do fal out wel. Then, in the like manner as before,
they do proceed, and throw the lots before the idols: but if it fal not
out according vnto their expectation, then they returne againe with
vituperous and vile words: but if to their desire, then with great
praises and promises. But when that in matters of great importance, it
is long before their lots do fall well, then they take them and throwe
them to the grounde, and treade vppon them, or else throwe them into the
sea, or into the fire, whereas they let them burne a while: and
sometimes they doo whippe them vntill such time as the lottes doo fall
as they would haue them, which is the rounde side vpwards, and is a
token of good successe vnto that for which they do cast their lottes.
Then if the lottes doo fall out vnto their content, they doo make vnto
them great feastes with musicke and songes of great praise, and doo
offer vnto them geese, duckes, and boyled rise. But if the thing whereon
they doo cast their lottes bee of importance, then they doo offer vnto
them a hogges heade boyled, dressed with hearbes and flowers, the which
is esteemed aboue all other thinges, and therewith a great pot with
wine. Of all that they doo offer, they doo cut off their billes, and the
clawes of the fowles, and the hogges snowte, and do throw vpon it
graines of rise, and sprinkling it with wine, they set it in dishes vpon
the altar, and there they do eate and drinke, making great feast and
cheere before their idols.
[Sidenote: Another kind of lots.]
Another kinde of lots they doo vse, in putting a great number of little
stickes into a pot, and vpon everie one of them is written a letter: and
after that they haue tumbled and tossed them together in the pot, they
cause a child to put in his hand and take out one, and when they haue
seene the letter, they seeke in a booke which they haue for that purpose
the leafe that beginneth with that letter, and looke what they doo finde
written therein, they do interpret of it conformable vnto the thing that
they cast their lots for.[62]
[Sidenote: Inuocation to the diuell.]
[Sidenote: The diuell telleth lies.]
Generally in all this country when they finde themselues in any trouble,
they do inuocate and call vpon the diuell, with whom they do ordinarily
talke (euen as we do cal vpon God in our neede): of him they doo demande
what way and order they might take to cleere themselues thereof, as they
did in the presence of frier Pedro de Alfaro, of the order of Saint
Francis, in the yeare of our Lorde 1580, at such time as he came from
China, as may be seene in his relation. The order that they haue in
inuocating or calling on the diuell, is as followeth. They cause a man
to lie vpon the ground, his face downwards, then another beginneth to
reade vpon a booke singing, and part of them that are present do answere
vnto him, the rest do make a sound with little bels and tabers; then
within a little while after, the man that lieth on the ground beginneth
to make visages and iestures, which is a certaine token that the diuell
is entered within him: then do they aske of him what they doo desire to
know; then he that is possessed doth answere, yet for the most part they
bee lies that hee doth speake; although hee doo keepe it close, yet doth
hee giue diuers reasons vnto that which hee dooth answere, for that
alwayes they doo answere either by worde or by letters, which is the
remedie they have when that the diuell will not answere by worde. And
when that he doth answere by letters, then do they spread a redde mantle
or couerlet vpon the ground, and throw thereon a certaine quantitie of
rice dispersed equally in euery place vpon the couerlet; then do they
cause a man that cannot write to stand there with a sticke in his hand;
then those that are present do begin to sing and to make a sounde as at
the first inuocation, and within a little while the diuell doth enter
into him that hath the sticke, and causeth him to write vpon the rice,
then do they translate the letters that are there formed with the
sticke, and being ioyned altogether, they finde answere of that they do
demaunde; although for the most part it falleth out as aforesaide, as
vnto people that do communicate with the father of all lying, and so do
their answeares fall out false and full of leasings. If that at any time
he do tell them the truth, it is not for that he dooth it by nature or
with his will, but to induce them vnder the colour of a truth to
perseuir in their errors, and they do giue credite vnto a thousand lies:
in this sort doo they inuocate the diuell, and it is so ordinarie a
thing throughout al the kingdome, that there is nothing more vsed nor
knowne.