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. Probation being pa.ll, they were declared worchy of being digtrified by che Jnca and to be enticled true and legitimare Childrea of the Sun. Then carne the Mo~ thers and Siíl:ers of thefe young Men, bringing them Vfaw , or Sandals Qf Pack- · thread, which they put on their Feet, in tefümony that they had paífed and over- corix: all che fevere mecliods of milicary Exerciíes. CH ·A P. XXVII. r That tlie Inca conferred onely the chiefand principal Mark.. of. Dignity ; and that one of his Ííindre.d conferred the re(I. T Hefe C~nonies being performed, notice was given tbereof unto che Inca, who b~ing attended with che grave Seniours of his RoyaJ Family, ·carne to the Novitiates, and in a íhort Oration, acquainted them, that they were not ro reíl: in the bare Formalities of Chivalry, and Marks of che Royal Eloud, onely to fatis.fie their light humour with the vanity of empcy Honour; but to emulare the Vermes of ·cheir Ancefiours in their J ufüce to ali, and Merey to che poor:; and -that being the true and undoubced Progeny of the Sun , chey oughc to imirate their Father, íhining with the fplendour of good Works, which tended to rhe comlnon benefir of all bis Vaílals, which was che fole Deíign and Errant for which they were made, a nd fent from Heaven to inhabit che Earth. Then the Novitiates carne one.by one to rhe King, and preíenting themíelves.before him on their Knees, they re'9eived from his hanp che firíl: Mark and Signa! of Royal Dignity, wbich was to have their E<t:rs bored, and pierced by him in che fofi: pare of the Ear, with a large Nail ofGold, leaving it in the hales both for cure of che· Wound, as alfo to widen che Orifice, and íl:retch ,the Ear, being often extended . toan incredible bignefs. . . . The Novitiates, in recompence for this favour, kiíied the Hand of the Inca, and cvery one in his tum having received the order, aroíe from bis Knees from before the other Inca; who was Brothér, or Uncle, to the Inca, and the Perfon nexc in Authority to hirn; who having loofed their V[utM of unfpun hemp, íhod them with Sandals of Woollen Manufaétory, of che mofi gencile and faíhionable forr 1 afrer the manner of the King, and the IncM, that in token of Approbation, and . having paífed exarnination, were found and eíleemed worthy. . This Ceremony of putting on che Shoes, did fomething refemble tbe praél:ice ofbuckling che fpurs on the heels of Knights of che military Order in Spain; which being done they kiífeq rhem on the right Should"er, faying, , That Child of the Sun , who hath given thefa evidences of hú M erit1, deferve1 to be kjf[ed: For . che fame Word which with them lignifiesKiffes, lignifies alfo Adoration, Bonour and Courteíie. This Ce- remony being paíl:, che Novitiate was ·imroduced into a round Chamber, adorned with Hangings, where die ancknt Inw vefied him with die Habic agreeable ro his Order, which, umill that time, it was not lawfull to put on. This Veíl:ment was made with three corners, two of which hung clown at length, to cover che Privy·parts, being girt abour che Waíl with a Twiíl: of the Thicknefs ofa finger ; the other pare behind was girt or laced about che Thighs, fo that though all the other Garments were füipped ,off, yet this habiewould remain a füfficier¡ t and de- cenc covering for che Body. But the ehief and principal Mark of chis Order was che boring of che Ears, which, as it was aBadge of Royalty, fo chis of the Ve!l:menc was ofChivalry: tRe Ceremony of che Woollen Shoes was a Novelty introduced , íignifying che · Wearinefs of che Noviciate.after his Labours, and were beíl:owed by way of re- fre íhment