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.

BooK IV. Royal Commentaries. ment of the Temp es of the Sun, which were very numerous, and f rbe Cloi- 11ers of chofeVi rgins, which were equally coníiderable, and ro embellilh ti eRoyal Palaces with agreeable pomp and magnificence ; the quamiry coníumed in rhe Services of C11raca1, and great Men was litde, and cha.e chieAy in rheir Cups, or drinking \ effel , \· hich was alío limiced and moderaced accordi ng ro íuch a d - gree of Weighcand Number as che Inca was pleaíed ta allow them; tbere \\' s alío fome fi nal! mauer liceníed for cheir Garments and Cloathing, wben che grand Fellivals were celebraced. It is a greacerrour and miíl:ake of thoíe who reporc, chac any of cheíe [eparated Virgins mighc bwfo lly be given for Wives ro che greac Commanders and Cap- tains by any favour or diíp nfat1on of che Inca ; far being once deaicaced and coníecraced for Wives of che !ne. , and admined to tbac profeílion, chey were ever afrer rendred uncapable of [o low a condeícenÍlon as ta own aoy ocher Has~ band; for chat were ro prophaoe that Sacred Char:iéter whereby they were de~ dicated to the Inca, aod ao injury to che Woman, who rhereby would be forced to renounce all the grandeur and privileges fhe enjoyed, under tbe Reverend Tide of one Married to che Inca, that fhe might receive che leís honourable condirion of a privare perfon. And lince it was a fundamental Law arnongíl: rhem, Th~ none wa1 to he injttrcd, much lefs ought any diminution to be offered to their Kings, who, as we have faid, were hqnoured and adored by them under, che Nocion of Gods. . C H A, P. VI. 'l ' ' ' Wh~t.- 'Women , ~hofe were whom the Inca prefe11ted ,and be- flowed in Marriage. • • 1 ¡ . 1 • 1 T HE truth is, there were fome Women, of whom the J;11:a rnade Prefenrs· cp füch Curacas and Captains, who by rheir Services had merited rewards from him ; but then theíe were but che D:mghters of other Curacao, which the Inca took from thern to befrow inMarriage upon chofe who had deferved well from hi.m, which feemed a favour to chemboch ; unto che one chat the Jnc11 would vouchfafe to receive and prefer his Daughter ; and ro the other, that líe was plea.:- 'fed to befrow her on him with his own hand, being for rhat reafon efreemed pre- tious ; far not ío much che gift, as rhe Donar beiqg regarded, rendred che leaíl: preíenc from che lnca's hand equal ro ché l1ig\{efl t eafüre, .as if ir had fomething of Divinity conferred wich it. Somecimes, though bu( feldom, the IncM pre- fen-ed their natural Daughcers of the Royal Bloud to che Curacas, and Gover- nours of Provinces far yYives, as lignals of his favour, and as engagements to them to continue in cheir Loyalty ; of which forc the Inca having many to beíl:ow abroad, had no neceílicy ro have recour[e to chofe far a füpply, who were emred in rhe Sacred and Royal Foundations ; far chat would have been a diminucion to their exalted Degree, a violation to their_Religion, andan impiety to mix di- vige ra.ce ~y_ith prophane Bloud. . '¡} --¡ 4 I ' f!Í ·¡ 1' • r('T j ., 1 A e' ' . J '> .1 · '1 cLJ • .• 1 ?t j ~' i"' J )• 11 p CH A P. 10 5