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 C ommentaries. CH A P. XXIII. '< Of the Order in whiCh they 'cb·ank_ one ro the ether. T HE Inca being feated dn his Cha.ir of Maffie Gold , raifed on a Pedeíl:al óf · che fame mera!, he fent a Me!fage to his Kindred called Hanttn Co~o, and Jlurin Ca:;:;,co, tha.t they íhould in f1is name drink a J1ea!th to thofe Indians, who were che moíl: famoús and renowned in cheir refpéfüve Nátions. Firíl: they no- minared the Captains, who had íignalized their valour in the War, being for their Marcial Exploics, preferred before the Cur4c.u; and in cafe a Curaca, whd was a Lord over fome Va!fals, Jiad ¡:nerited alfo the hortdut of a Captain, they called and iTiemioned hirn with bddi 'fitles. In tbe next place thé Inc4 [etit to in~ vite unto drirlking, the Curaca.. who Hved in the paris adjacent, near to Coz.co, be- ing fuch as had tl€en reduced by the firíl: Inca Manco Capac, and for rhat reafon ha- ving the privilege of being called !ne.u, they were preferred in the néxt place to the !ne.u of the Royal Bloud, and before all other Nariol'ls; for ir was a Maxime amongíl: thofe Kings never to alter or diminiíh thofe Titles of Honour or Privi~ leges which their Anceíl:ours had beílowed as fiivours on their Subje&, but were rarher willing to confirm and enlarge them. . Now their fortn and manner of Dri'nking one tb another, was .this; all rhe l n- dians gemirally (m:ording ·to theit cohdition and quality)' had and do füll keep a couple·0f Cups t!o drink i'n, equally matched, being of the fame fize ánd íhap€, and of the fa1ne Métal, e¡rher of Gold , Silver, or Wood , that· fo every Mali rnigbr dtink alike, and ha ve his equal propdrti0n one with the other. He' rhát rnvited to rhe Drink, beld up bis~ two Cups in each hand, and then gave to him whGm be in'vi~ed the.Cup whiéh was in bis Right-han:d; in cafe he wére of greater Qm¡fity, and if he were of inferieur Degree, then-that in his Left, and then b'oth drank ar the fam~ time; •and afrerwards receivió'g his Cup again ·, he rernrned to his place; thoégh c©mmonly at tbefe Feaíl:s thé Perfon invir.ing was grearer tharr the Perfon irwited, fo d1at the Invitatlon was ari e'vidence of graGe and favoQr of thei! Superioot t6 his lnferíour; thoágh from this Cuíl:ome afterwards it carne ; that when the lnferiour invited the Superiour, it was by way of acknowledgrnent · of his Service and Va!falage. In obfervance of this common Cuíl:ome of lnvitation, the !ne.u, who carried the Drink from the King, faid to the Perfon invited, The Capa Inca hath fent me to invite you to drinking, and I am come to drinlz with you in his name_. Whereupon the Captain, or Curaca, took the Cup into his Hands, and lifting up his Eyes unto the Sun, as if he would returQ him thanks for the great Favour he received from bis Off.fpring; and then having taken the Draught with füence, returned back the Cup , making íigns of profound Reverence and Adorarion w.ith his Handsr and kifling the Air with his Lips. But it is to be noted, that the Inca did never fend lnvitations of drinking to ali the Curac.u in general, but to fome particular perfons of them, who were fam9us, and had a great inrereíl: wirh their People, and well beloved by che Commonal- ty, and were Men zealous of the publick good; for this matter of publick: good was the great concernment to which the lnca, tbe Curaw, and all the Miniíl:ers of War and Peace bended their chief airn and fiudies. To orher Curacas the In· cM who carried the Cups drank in rheir own, and not in rhe name o.f the Inca, with which the Curacas were abundanrly fatisfied, acknowledging ü an fionour - fµfficieht for chem to drink wirh one who was of the Farnily, and allied to the Sun, as well as che King himfelf The firíl: Ceremony of Drinking being finiíhed, rhen i:nmediately the Captains and Cm·acas of the feveral Nacions made their Invitations in che fame manner and order as they had been themfelves invited 5 fome making their immediate Ad- . drefs