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 VI. Royal Commentariefó C H A P. 11. How ali the Ornaments and Curiofities, which Beautified the Royal Palaces, were made of Gold and Sil?;e~. A LL the Royal Palaces had rheir Gardens, and Orthards, and places of Plea- fure, wherein the Inca mighc delighc, and diveitife himfelf; and chef e Gardens were planced with Fruic-trees of che greaceíl: beaucy, with Flowers, and Odoriferous Herbs, of all forts and kinds which rhac Climate did produce. In refemb1ance of chefe they made Trees, and Flowers of Gold and Silver, and fo imicaced them coche life, that they feemed to be natural : fomy Trees appeared with their Fruic in che blo!fom, others full-grown, orhers ripe according to che feveral feafons of che year ; chey coumerfeited alfo che Mayz, or Stalk, .of che Indian Wheac, with all ics Grane and Spikes : Alfo che Flax with its Leaves and Roots as ir grows in' che Fields ; and every Herb and Flower was a Copy to rhem, to frame che like in Gold and Silver. · They faíhioned likewife all forts ofBeaíls and Birds in Gold and .Sil ver ; name• ly, Conies, Raes, Lizards, Serpents, Butterflyes, Foxes, Mountain Cats, for they had no.tame Cats in their Houfes ; . and then they made Sparrows, and ali forrs of leífer Birds, fome flying, others perching on the Trees; in íhorc, no Creature, that was .ither Wild, or Dorneíl:ick, bue was made and reprefenced by them ac- cording to its exac1 and pamtal fbape. , , . In many Houfes they had gr.eat Ciíl:erns of Gold in which they bached them- felves, with Cocks and Pipes of che fame Metal for conveyance of che Water. And arnongft many ocber pieces of Scate ancl Magnificence, they had heaps, or fracks, of Faggors and Billets made of Gold and Silver, piled up in their Score- houfes, as if they hao been there laid for fervice of che Inca. ' The greateíl: pare of thefe Riches, when .che Spaniards carne in, were rhrown into Wells, and deep waters, by che Indianr, who obferving cheir Enemies to be - tovetous, and thiríl:y pf Gold , out of Malice ro chem, concealed, or deíl:royed .. them in fuch unrecoverable places, where they could never be agaín recrieved, ~ha c fo che Memory and Traci,ition of che hidden treafures might be deÍtgnedly !oíl: to their poíl:erity, becaufe chey thought it a Prophanation to have thac Wealth and Subíl:ances which was Dedicated to their Kings, to be converted to the com- mon benefit and ufe of Scrangers. Whatfoever we have related conéerning che Riches of che IncM, is confirrned by ali che Hiíl:orians who write of Peru, wich a more enlarged reporc of the prodigious Treafures. Thofe Writers who creat ,of thefe matters moíl: fully, are Pedro de Ciefa de Leon, and Auguftin de Carate, who was Accountant·General in chofe pares; which latter, in the 14th Chapter of his fuíl: Book, harh chefe words : " Gold was a Metal of great efieern amongíl: ~' them, becaufe che principal Ve!Tels for fervice of their Kmgs were made there- " of, and che Jewels of his Dignity and State were fet in it : Likewife chey " made Offerings of it 'in their Temples: And che King itgaya rnad@ (< a Chair of Gold, in which he face weíghing twenty five Qgjlats, and which " was worth twenty five thoufand Ducats, and was the fume which Don Prancifc() " de Pifarro challenged for bis own prize ; becaufe it was agreed, at che time of " che Conque!t, that belides bis own fhare and proportion With the reíl:, he might " claim that Jewel which he íhould chufe and ·eíl:eem of the greateíl:-valueJ " Guaynacava, at the Birth of bis Eldeíl: Son, made a Chain of Gold fo big and " :weighcy, that 2 00 Indians having feized che Links of it to che Rings in their " Ears, were [caree able to raife it from the grouñd : And in memory of chis joy ' ' at his Birth, and of chis great Chain, they gave him the Name of Guafca; " which is as muchas Chain, or Cable, with che Addition of Inca, which was " ~e Title of all belong_ing ro the Royal Family. The which particular I pur, B b 1. pofely