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. Chi ldren in their minoricy. At the Ceremonies of Matrimony che f ,1c.1 fiood be- rn een the m·o Perfons, and caíling his ye upon them both, he calle che 1an by hi 1 :-tme, and chen che Woman, and caking cheir hands inco his, joined chem cogecher, ' hich being che bond of Macrimony, che Funétion was perfi rmed ; :ind being by che Inca configned co cheir Paren , chey \ ene home coche Houfe of che Bridegroom's f acher, \ here che Wedding "as kept for four or fo: day wirb grea t rejoycing: This wa che manner and form of chei r legal Marriages, which for che great Favour and Honour che Inca had performed in chis Funétion 1 were called in their Language, che l ncan Couple. The King having in chis manner macched rhoíe óf hi own Lineage, chen che next day following the Officers for chis Employmenc joine<l che Neighbourhóod of che Cicy, wirh reípeét to rkic Di- viÍton, \ hich we have memioned ac the beginning of chis Hifl:ory, of che Upper and che Lower Couo. The Houíes which were appointed for che Habicacion of che new married Couples, who were Jnc:U, . (~oncerning whom we_ treacat preíe~r) were prepared by che !ndi.m of chofe Provmces, whofe charge H was, accordmg to fucb provi- fion as was made in thac cafe. Ali che Furnimre and U cenfilsof che Houfes were provlded ac che charge of ~he Parents; every one of cheir Kindred giyi1ig chem fomeching rowards Houfe-J{eeping, which was all the Ceremony or Sacrifice per- formed at rhar Solemnity;. and rliough many Spanifh Hiílorians report divers¡-0cher barbarous Cuíl:orns in ufe at Marriages, it is for wam of a diüinét knowlei:lge ot the Rices of one Province from another; for in thofe Provinces indeed which were remoce ~om Co~co, and where the Seignioricy and Rule Óf che Incas had noc as yet arrived, there rnay have been many abfurd and impious Ceremopies in ufe, which íince have been correéted, and aboliíhed by rhe more wife and refined Go- vernment of the Incas. Bue as to che true Politicks of the IncM, chey obferved no orher Form ofMcmi- age rhan this before reciced, according to which che Curacas in their Provinces, and the Governours in rheir reípeétive Divilions confonned their difcipline, and as Fatl1€f5 and Lords of their Countrey, praétifed it in che fame manner as did che Inca, And chough the Inca, who was Governour, w:is prefent at rhe Mar- riages which the Curaca folemnized; yet ic was not to interpofe, or diminiíli the .A.uthority of the Curaca thereio, bue onely to approve thac in rhe name of the King which the Curaca had perforrned by virme of che power he exercifed over his own Vaffals. .\Vhe1t tbe Commonalcy, or ordinary fon manied, che Com- munity of che People were obliged to build, and provide rhem Houfes, and the Parents to furniíh them. It was not lawfull for any to marry out of his own Pro- vince, or People; bue, as che Tribes of Ifrael, they were obliged to match within their own Lineage and Nation; and excepting onely Siíl:ers, chey joined prómif-. cuouíly togetber, like Sheep of the fame flock; fo that the People of a Province were not allied onely by Nacion, but by Kindred and Blqucl. By which ir ap- pears, that it was noc Jawfull for any to change hi~ Councrey or Hal:1tcation, or pa[s the limits of bis Divilion, or Decurion, bue to keep lumfelf clofe to his Pco- ple and Families; for in regard the Affemblieswithin theCommunity were obli- ged t~ bui1d d:ie Houíes of che new m~tTied, it was r.heir own duty to confen e them rn Repair, and not lo~· ander w1thom rhe Bamer, and Confines of rheir Parencage. CH A P.