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.

112 Royal Commentaries. BooK IV. it fofr, ro ~1 hich che Child being inured, did n~t t~ouble che Morher's Armes, and having fome few play-things thrown bef~r~ it, it pleafed and comemed it felf without che leaíl: diíl:urbance; and fo unwilling were they to accuíl:ome it 'to che Lap, that chough it were a Child of t~e greateíl: Curaca. of the Ki~dom, it was not treated otherwite; and that when ir was grown fo b1g as to craw1 abour, they would u[e it to fuck upon its knees at o~e .Breaíl:, and then teach it to creep about to che other , bue would never cake 1t meo the Armes. The Wornan in Cbild-bed was rreared yet more hardily than was che Child; for fo foon as fhe had brought forth, íhe went to che next íl:ream, or to 'fome cold water in che Houfe, where íhe waíhed her felf and her Infant, and afterwards applied her felf to her domefück Affairs, without any concernment whatfoever: They had no ufe of Midwives, or orhers, at rheir La~ours, and if any did affiíl:, fhe was rarher a· Witch, or Enchantrefs, than a Mi:dwife. And this was all che cuíl:ome and manner in Peru, which was equally praétifed by che Rich and Poor, Nobilicy and Commonalty, both at che Birth of their Children, and breeding them up af- terwards. e HA P. Xlll Of the Htt1wifery of the married Women. ' - T HE márried Womerl always emplo"yed themfelves at home in fpinning and weaving W ool in the cold Countri~, and of Coctons in the hot, every one fpinning and making Cloaths for themfelves, rheir Husbánds, and Children; fowing was che leaíl: of their work, eitqer for Men or W ornen, for their thread was bad, and their needles worfe; notwithíl:anding whatfoever they wove, whe- ther Wool, or Cotton, all was [pun, ahd twined into threads. All their Clotli was made of four threads, and nor woyen wider or lon_ger, than jufr as much as was füfficient co make a Mande, Shirt, or W aíl:rnar; their Veíl:ments were not cut'out, or íhaped, bue all of a piece, afrer che manner that they came·from the Loom; for befoi:e they began to weave them , they deíigned the proportion of lengrh and breadrh, which they intended to give rhem; fo that they had ne~ neither of Taylors, Hoíiers, nor Shomakers, for they had no need of thofe things which we make neceílaries, and their Women· took care of their Houfes and ' Clothing, onely the Men were to provide the Hofe, or St9ckings, and .Atms; and though che I nca. of che Royal Bloud, and fuch as were Curacao, and rich Men, had Serv'ants to perform all thefe works for them; yec fometin;ies for ,¿¡_ verti[ement, and in complyance with che Profeffion which. their Law enjoyned them, they fometimes did not difdain to work themfelves , and make a pair of Breeches, or Stockins, or an A1Tow, or fome other fort of Arms; but as to che Labours of che field both Men and W omen, did jointly corn;ur in their affifrencé one of the ocher. , In fome Provinces far diíl:ant from Co:{.co, where che Lands .were ill manured; there the Women laboured in che Field, and che Men remained at home ro fpin and weave; but my Difcourfe is here of chofe Countries onely to which thé Power and Jurifdiétion of che I ncas did extend, for other parts were fo barbarous, and void of all humanity, chat ic were not worth our time or labour to give an account of their Cuíl:oms or Manners. The Indian Wornen were fo additl:ed to fpinning, and fo unwil!ing to lofe time from their Laoour and Work, that as they walked from che Villages to che City, and fo in cheir rerurn home, and alfo in cheir Vifüs, and Converfation rogerher, •they íl:ill made u[e of rheir Spindle· and Reel; for .rhis was che confiant employment of che common Peóple~ but the Pallas, or Ladies, who were of che Royal Bloud, whenfoever chey made their Vifüs, they made their Serving-Maids carry their Spindles and work 1 wich them, and