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 Commentariu. cake others fro~ the hands of che Curacas, every one of which proceeded in cheir erder, according to feniority, or prioricy .of time, in which chey had become . Subjeéts of the Empire, an~ fo configned mto ~he hands ofche Priefis their Vef- fels of Gold and Silver, w1th all forts of Ammals, fuch as Sheep, Latnbs, Li- zards Toads, Serpents, Foxes, Lions and Tygers, &c. all ' rarely well cafi and mouided in Gold and Silver, which chey prefented for cheir Offerings to ch; Sun every one in fome fmall qu,anticy according to their Abilicies. . , The Offertory being made, every one retumed to his place, and chen che Incas ·who were Prieíls carne wich greac droyes of Lambs, Ewes and .Rams of divers colours; for che Flocks of thofe Countnes have as much variecy in their colours as che Horfes have in S¡ain; all wlúch Cattle were rhe proper Goods and Efta~ of che Sun; out of which they chofe a black Larnb, ,for chat colour was prefer- red befare all others, as moíl: proper for Sacrifice, and rnoíl: pleafing to Divinicy. for they faíd, that brown Cactel were of che like colour, as well wichin as wich~ out, arid that the white, chough whice over all cheir Bodies, had yec fome black ipocs on che tip ofcheir Snouts, or Nofes, which was eíleemed a defeét, and chere- fore leís fit fot unfpotted Sacrifices; for which reafon che Kings rnofi commonly were clothed in black, cheir mourning being akínd of yellowifh, and fpocced co- lour. From che firft Sacrifice of che black Larnb, chey máde cheir Prognoíl:ications and Divinations of matcers relacing to che Feafi; likewife in all matcers of im~ ~rcance, relacing co Peace. or yY ar, t~ey took cheir Omens and Signs from che Sacrifices of Lambs, fearching 1nto cheir Hearc and Lungs; and thence divined from che colour and clearnefs of chem, whe.rher cheir Offerings were accepcable co the Sun, or noc; whecher che day ofbaccel were to be fuccefsfull and viétorious· aod whecher the Year were to be fruitfull: Howfoever chey did nor always con: fuk the encrails o( Lambs; bue in fo~e maccers chey opened the Bowels of a Ram, in othei:s of a barren ,Ewe.; for 1t is obfervable, thac they never killed a breeding Ewe, but fuch onely as \vere barren, or by age unfit for Procreation. When they killed a Lamb, or Sheep, they tumed his Head towards che Eaft and without cying bis Legs, either before ,or behind, three or four I11di11111 hetd him faft; and laying him aown, che Prieíl: opened bis Jefe fide, into which thruft- ing his Hand, he tore from chence bis Hearc, and Lungs, and all his vicals not cutting them, bue tearing them our whole with bis hand, from che very ~pper ~ares of che Throat and Pahce, to che lowermoíl: Entrails, great care being caken chat all the Veflels' íboulfl:)e kept·entire, and united with che fame connexion thlt they had ia the Body. r • • J' ·¡ j' ., ,..., "' L • ) ' l l ' r ll l. (, '¡> ¡,, 1 j(l J ."t f