historicalgeogra00psal

6^
A Defcrtption of
of the Jarhabadiond was eftablifh'd thro' the
whole Ille of ¥ormofa^ the Devils continued to
do the People much mifchief by Earthquakes,
Wind, Hail, Rain, Storms, i^c, but they were
forbidden to beg any Deliverance or Temporal
Bleffing of God, or to ask any particular Bleffing
of the Sun, Moon and Stars y in this neceflity
they went to the Priefts,
who (after due preparation
) confulted their God •, and being returned,
they told the People that God did permit them
to appeafe the Evil Spirits by Prayers and Sacrifices
: Then an Altar (after the Form of that of
the Sun, ) was prefently built, with the Devil's
Image upon it 5 and whenever any of the Affliflions
above-mentioned fall upon us , we firft burn
Fruits and fpirituous Liquors before this Idol,
and, if that doth not appeafe him, the next morning
we facrifice Beafts to him ^ but, if Beafts will
not do, the third Day we facrifice two or three
Children only, and thofe of the meaneft of the
People ^
yet it generally happens, that the Earthquake
or Tempeft, &c, ceafeth before the third
Day i
fo that Children are feldom facrific'd to
the Devil.
Every
Precin£l has one of thefe Idols, which
mult be placed in a Wood or Wildernefs, tho' it
be many Miles from the faid Precinft.
Thefe Idols differ in their Form and Magnitude,
according to the Fancy of the Statuaries j
but they are all wonderful and horrible Figures,
with terrible Heads and frightful Faces, and the
whole Images cover'd with Horns, Dragons, Serpents,
Toads, and the like. In fhort, the Makers
ufe all their Art to caufe Admiration, Surprize
and Aftonifhment : And indeed, fome of
thefe Idols are fo terrible, that formerly many
Women with Child mifcgrried ac the fight of
them.