Names. They have their Friends about them
at such a time, and make a small Feast according to their Ability:
and some teach their Children to say their Prayers, and to Read,
and some do not.

[In some things they comply with the worship of the Heathen.] Indeed
their Religion at the best is but Negative, that is, they are not
Heathen, they do not comply with the Idolatry here practised; and they
profess themselves Christians in a general manner, which appears by
their Names, and by their Beads and Crosses that some of them wear
about their Necks. Nor indeed can I wholly clear them from complyance
with the Religion of the Countrey. For some of them when they are
Sick do use the Ceremonies which the Heathen do in the like case,
as in making Idols of clay, and setting them up in their Houses, and
Offering Rice to them, and having Weavers to Dance before them. But
they are ashamed to be known to do this; and I have known none to
do it, but such as are Indians born. Yet I never knew any of them,
that do inwardly in Heart and Conscience incline to the ways of the
Heathen, but perfectly abhor them: nor have there been any, I ever
heard of, that came to their Temples upon any Religious account, but
only would stand by and look on; [An old Priest used to eat of their
Sacrifices.] without it were one old Priest named Padre Vergonce,
a Genoez born, and of the Jesuits Order who would go to the Temples,
and eat with the Weavers and other ordinary People of the Sacrifices
offered to the Idols: but with this Apology for himself, that he
eat it as common Meat, and as God's Creature, and that it was never
the worse for their Superstition that had past upon it. But however
this may reflect upon the Father, another thing may be related for
his Honour. There happened two Priests to fall into the hands of the
King; on whom he conferred great Honours; for having laid aside their
Habits they kept about his Person, and were the greatest Favourites
at Court. The King one day sent for Vergonse, and asked him, if
it would not be better for him to lay aside his old Coat and Cap,
and to do as the other two Priests had done, and receive Honour from
him. He replied to the King, That he boasted more in that old habit
and in the Name of Jesus, than in all the honour that he could do
him. And so refused the King's Honour. The King valued the Father
for this saying. He had a pretty Library about him, and died in his
Bed of old Age: whereas the two other