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 Commentaries.. -their Trees rooted up, that fo no íleps or marks might appear ofany thing which had been built, or plamed by the hands of Sodomites, and that their rnemory, as well as their aél:ions, might be abolifhed; with them they defiroyed both their Wives qnd Children, which feverity, though it may feem unjufr, was yet an evidence of that abhorrence which the IncM conceived againíl this unnatural Crime. Sorne time after this Conquell: the Incan-Kings honoured;· and enobled this val- ley of Chincha, with a famous Temple dedicated to th~ Sun, with a Houfe alfo for che Seleél: Virgins; it contained about thirty thoufand fouls, being one of the moíl pleafan~ and delightfull Vallies of Pel'U, The Aél:ions and Ex_ploits of the Inca Pachacutec were many and various, though his Conqueíls for the moll: par!! were performed in che fame manner; wherefore to diverc che Reader, with fome variecies, we !hall now intermix our Difcourfe wich cwo prin~ipal Fe.íl:ivals which the IncM celebr.ated with the greatefr folemnities, and then we íhall recuro agaih to che Life and Atchievements of chis King. · ,CH A P. XX. Of the principal Feflival of the Sun; and in what manner they prepared themfelves for the e elebra~ion of it. T , HE prindpal Fefüval was called Raymi, which founds, or at)eafrs fignifies as much with them asPa(cha, (which wich us in Englifu is Eajler} arnongfr the four Fefrivals, celebrated by che lncM in the City of Couo, which was the Metro- polis oftheir Religion, (as Rome is to us) none was obfervei:i with that folemnity, as this which they called Yntip Ray~i, held ~n the mpn_th ofjun~, in honour of the Sun, foon after che Summer Solfüce; and if they attnbute chis name of Raymi to · an.y other Feafr, it was in refe~ence, or as it d~pended on chis chiefFefüval. . This Solernnity was performed to the Sun, under Notion of the Supreme, Sole and Univerfal God, by virme of whofe Heat and Light all Jiving Creatures were generated and fufiained. At which alfo they commemorated their firfr Father In-- ca Manco Capac, · and Coya Mama Ocelo, his Wife and Sifrer, owning and acknow- ledging them to be defcended from the Sun, :md fent by him into the World for the common benefit ofMankinG!. For which important Reafons chis Fefüval be- ing eíleerned the moll: folemn, all the principal Captains and Commanders of - che Army, and Curacas or Lords of Proyinces, affernbled themfelves at Coi::.co to celebrare chis Feaíl: ; not that it was of Precept or Injunél:ion, bue out of mere Devotion to the Sun, and re[peél: to the Inca. In ca[e any CHraca or Officer were hindred by Age, or Infirmicy, or by any difrant Employment in fervice of che Inca, he then fent his Son, or bis Brother, or fome other Relation, to afiiíl: at this ·Funél:ion in his Name and Place; nor did the Inca efreem himfelf excufed from chis perfonal atrendance, unlefs che War, or remoce Vifits of his Kingdoms obli- ged him to be abfent. At che firíl Ceremonies che King, as High-Priefr, did always adrninííl:er; for though there was another High-Priefr, of the fame legitimareBloud, being a Bro- ther or Uncle of che Inca, to whom it properly belonged -at other times to offi- ciate ; yet this being the chiefof all che Fefrivals, was ever graced and .honoured by che adrninifüacion of che Inca, who was 'che firfr and eldeíl: Child of the Sun. The Curacas were habited and dreífed at this time in che fineft Cloths and gay- eties that they could bring; fome wore Garments pfated with Gold and Silver, a_dorning themfelves with Garlands, or Crowns of Gold , platted over their Wreaths; fome of thern appeared in Lions Skins, having their Heads arid Bo- dies covered with them, and thefe were füch, who boafted thei;nfelves to be d€- fcended from chat generous Creacure. Ff Sud~