The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

102 Royal Commentaries. BooK IV. CH A P. 1II. Of the refpe[l ·they fhew.ed to t~e Work_s which thefe Seletl . Virgins mad~, and what Law there ·was againfl thofe who attempted on their Chafiity. A LL thefe Curioíities were the handy-work of thefe Virgins, made in greac quantity for their Spou[e the Stm ; but becau[e he was noc capable to re- ceive or wear thofe Ornarnents on bis own Perfon ¡ they were fen't unto the inca as bis lawfull and undoubted Son and Hei.r, that fo he rnight ufe chem in the fiead and place of his Father; the which were eíl:eemed by him as Sacred, and wi'th greac reverence and · devotion refpeéted by the Subjeéts of his whole Erppire. And if che Greek¿ and ancient Romans did 'in rhe times of their Gentiji(tn adore , Juno, f/emu and PallM for Goddeífes, it ought not ro feem füange if chefe poor and límple people, who were under the higheíl: ci.rcumfiances of invincible igno- rance imaginable, íhould wich a foperíl:icious zeal, and devouc aff~ion, adore and woríhip whatfoever their Religion taught them ro be·Div}f'é a ~d S~cred; foi: they apprehending chat tbefe Virgins were CoyM, or QQ.eens xd real W1ves of che Sun, could noc bue íhew reípeét and reverence to wbacfoev r proceeded from cheir hands and Jabour ; for which reafon, the Incas themfelves QUld noc befrow cheir Works on any chat was not an Inca of che true Bloud ; for cha.e were a pro- phanacion of fuch holy chings, and a direél' facrilege to employ divine produéli- -0ns to comrnon and .humane fervices. And though, as we have forrnerly faid, rhe King gave .V elhnencs to Curacas, and other Governours, as SignaIs ofhis grace and favour; yet thofe were of anocher fort, as we íhall hereafrer rnake ap- pear. Moreover, che ernployment and office of chefe Virgins was to rnake che Bread, called Cancu, which at che greac Feíl:ivals of the Sun, named Raymi and Cittru, were offered to him in Sacrifice: they alío rnade che Liquour which che Inca and :his Kindred drank on che Holy-days of choíe Feíl:ivals called Aca. Ali che Velfels ' which were ufed in this Houfe, fuch as Kectles, Pots, Jars, and the like, were all made of Gold and Silver, it being reafonable chac the Wives of the Sun íhould live in an equipage agreéable to the qualicy of fuch a Husband ; fo thac their Garden alfo was adorned wich Trees and Fruit ali made of Gold and Silver, with Planes, and Flowers, and Herbs, and Bi.rds, and other Animals, all rarely coun· terfeited after che manner of chofe in the Garden of ché Sun. · Thefe weré che chief ernployments of thofe Nuns which lived in che Cicy of .COtqo; che other part of_their Life and Aél:ions was agreeable ro rhe profeffion they rnade of perpecual Virginicy, and of Recluíes frorn che reíl: of che Wqrld. That Nun who violaced her Chaíl:ity, was buried alive, and her Lover hanged: Bue in regard chae ( as they íaid) a íimple death onely feerned roo' mean a puniíh- mem for fo exorbicant ,an ofl:ence; which imponed no lefs than the violacion of a Wife dedicaced to che Sun cheir God, and Father of cheir Kings; chey ordai- ned , that wich the Delinquem his Wife and Children, Servanrs and Kindred, with his very Neighbours and Herds of Catee!, íhould wichout any rernorfe, corn- paffion or lamencations of any be pue to death ; chat ali bis Fields and Farms íhould be laid defo!ate, and covered with heaps of íl:ones, chat fo no Cattd mighc ever feed more thereon, or ever be more trod with humane feet, which had pro. Giuced or maintained a wretch fo vile and impious as chis accurfed rran[greffour. This was che Law, bue it was never pue into execmion, becari[e none ever did tranígrefs agai.níl: it : For as che l ndiam of Peru (as we have faid before) were . great obfervers of their Law, and eípeeially devoted to chat pare which refpeéted their Religion, and the awe and reverence due to their Princes, fo they were very fevere in execution of thofe punifhments which che Law prefcribed, adhe- ring