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.

/ Royal Commenta'ries. BooK V. CH A P. XXIX. Of the Death of Viracocha ; and how the Authour faw hls Body. A T Iength the Inca Viracocha, in the Height of Majeíly, and Zenich ·of his Profpericyl, fubmitced to che. common fate of Mankind; he was gene- rally lamenced, and bewailed by all che Empire, and.adored afcerwards as aChild of che Sun, co whom they offered Prayers and Sacnfices. He lefc to Pachacutec, bis Eldeíl: Son~ che lnhericance, b_efides whom he ha~ many l~gitimate ~ons and Daughcers óf ene Royal Bloud, w1ch ocher.s born to him by his Concubmes: he conquered and reduced Eleven Ptovinces, four of which were to che South of Couo, and feven cowards che Norch. le is noc certainly known to what age he lived, nor how long he reigned, chough according to common repare, he gover- ned aboye fifcyYears '; and fo he f~emed to me to have been an ancient Man, when I faw his Body ac Cozco, about che beginning of che Year 1 p o. which was che time when I was upon my deparcure for Spi<tin; and then 1 ·remember, that going to cake my leave of che Governour, or Chief Jufüce of the City, called Paut Ondegardo a Native of Salamanca; amongíl: ocher Favours which he did me, he was pleaf~d to lead me into an inward róom, and there tell me, that befare 1 de- parted it would be convenient (or me to have a fighc of fome of my Relations, chac fo I might have another Story to tell of them in Spain; wich that he íhewed me five Bodies of IncM, chree of Men , and two of Women; one ofwhich che Jndians report to have been che Body of Viracocha, which feemed to be ve- ry aged, che Hairs of che Head being as white as Snow: The fecond chey fay was che Great Tupac Yupanqui, who was,.great Grandfon to Viracocha: The third was Huayna Capac, che Son of 'Tupac Yupanqui ; and drandfon of d1e iFourth Generation to Viracocha ; che cwo laíl were Meo with gray Hairs, yet did not feem fo aged as Voracocha. One of che Wornen was faid to be. che Body of the ~en M ama Runtu, Wife of Viracocha ; che other of Coya M ama Ocelo, Mo~ ther of Huayna Capac; and ic is probable that chey might be Husband and Wife, confidering that che Bodies were laid and found fo clofe together; ánd whac is more firange, theíe Bodies were more emire than.che Mummies, wanting nei- cher H~ir on che Head, nor Eye-brows, and even the ".ery Eye-laíhes were vi- fible. They were clothed ·wich che fame fort of Garmencs which they wore in their Life·time ; che Liíl: or Wreach appeared abouc their Heads, which was ali the Badg or Ornament chey íhewed of their Royal Dignity. The po.ílure chey · were in was fitting, after che manner of the Jnii.ians, cheir Hands croffed on thei~ Breaíls, with che right hand upon che left, their Eyes caíl: downwards looking towards the Earth. A cofta it feems had feen one of thefe Bodies, of which dif- courfing in che 2 dl: Chap. -of his 6th Book, faith, " That it was fo well con- " ferved by a certain fort of bicuminous matter~ with which they embalmed it, " that it feemed to be alive; che Eyes were fo well counterfeited by a mixture of " Gold,. that they feemed lively and natural. I muíl: confefS, that my want of Curiofity did l)Ot move me to make fo narrow a fcrutjny into chis matter, as I fhould bave done, had1believed that 1fhould have had om¡fion to wr ite of them ;· for then I fhould not onely have viewed and confidered che Bodies chemfelves more exaél:ly, bue alfo have made enquiry of the Nat~ves concerning the manner and receipc ofchis way of embalming ; which perhaps chey mighcrather have im- parred to me, who am a Native, and on.e of their Relations, than to che Spani- anls, who are Strangers and Aliens to them, unlefs perhaps che Art and Secret is !oíl amongíl:.chem, as ma~y mber c_hin~s ar~, of che like namre. For my pare, I could not d1fcover any thmg of chis b1tummous matter, of which Acoffa fpeaks, tlrough certainly there muíl: have been fome excellent Secret, wirhouc which it was impoffible to have conferved Bodies , witb their Fleíh fo plump and foil as •