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 Commentariet. BooK VI. City of Coz:.,co, ~nd were the Generation or Children of thoíe Farhers whom the firíl: Inca, Manco Capac, fent abroad to iníl:ruét and reduce the wild Salvages of thoíe times to a Humane manner of living; and to whom, a~ a particular note and favour of diíl:infüon from the more rude and uncivilized Nations, he be; ftowed che Honour and Title of IncM, with privilege to wear the Habic and Wreach belonging to the Royal Perfon. As we have declared at the beginning ofthlsHiíl:ory. . The Sedan -men thac were appointed to carry the Inca in bis Chair ofGold up- on their Shoulders,. were always choíen out of two Provinces, which have che fame Name, and border one upon the ocher, being both called Ruc.and; bue for diíl:inttion fake, one was called Hatun Rucana, or Rucana Major : the Inhabirants chereof are a íl:rong, nervous people, healthy and well-complexioned, and about fifreen thoufand Inhabitams in number. Thefe people had a cuíl:ome to train up che Young Men at about cwenty years of Age to carry Chairs íl:eady, and wicfr. out eottering or íl:umbling ; for in ca[e any Man fhould be fo unfortunate as to faJI, or íl:umble, in carrying che Inca, che Chief or Cape of theíe Sed;m-men wa¡ obliged to punifh him with (ome nocorious diígrace, and calhiere him from farcher fervice of the Inca; as is praétiíed alfo in Spain; and as a cenain Hiílorian reporcs, che misfortune of fuch a failure \Vas punifhed with Death. This Service was che Tribute which chis people paid che Inca; who being m <i.ny in number, took cheir turns, fo rhac the attendance was the leís grievous ; and in regard ic was a fingular honour to carry the lnca's Perfon, his weight íeemed no burthen; of which fo much care was taken, rhat leíl: by miíchance any of che Chair-men fhoúld ílamble, or fall, chere were cwemy four or twemy five Men attending on each fide ready ro catch the íeat, and prevent che fall. · The Proviíion of Viétuals for che Court, eípecially of Flerh, was very grear, becauíe rhat ali chofe of the Roya.1 Family reíiding in che City, were fupplied our of the King's Kitchin: Howfoever, there was no great confumption of Bread made of Mayz, becauíe no ocher prpvifion was made chereof, chao what was fufficient for che irnmediace Atcendancs in che Farnily ; for ali Houíes aad Fami- lies had· their íeparace Allowances of Bread laid up in their Score-houfes, as we have before mentioned. All Cores o'f Game, fuch as Deer, Stags, Wild Goats, and tl)e like, were not ordinarily killed for common provifion of che Courr, or the Tables of the Cwaca., or Lords, bue were reíerved for Sports and I{uncing, which they called Chacu ; and rhe Fleíl1, and Wool, and Skins of íuch Game as was taken, was afterwards diíl:ributed amongíl che Poor and Rich : ofwhich we J11all crear in a particular Chapter. The Drink [pene in che Court of che Inca was great ; for in regard chac their courrefie was íuch, as ro make every one drink rhat carne thither ; whether chey were Curacru, or Commoners, or came upon bufineís, or on vifits, or comple- ments ; rhere was no íet or eílabliíl1ed Allowance for it, but che encenainmenr was free without rnea[ure or accounc, and the quancity confumed was álmoíl: in- credible. CH A P.