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.

f BooK VI, Royal Commentaries. ) ... Í1 CH .A P. xxV.út ;f] r i l' f( ' The Diflinélions which the Kings, and the othér Inéas, and the A{a(lers of Novitiates wore. T HE King wore the fame fort of Wreath about bis Temples, but of a dif- ferent colour, being red, befides which the Inca ~arried another more pecu- liar difünél:ion, proper to hinifelf, which was the two pinibn Feathers of the Bird called. CorequeiUf.ue ; the which are íl:reaked white and black, and as large as the Wings .ofa Falcon, or lon~-winged Hawk; they were to be fellows ofthe fame Bird, as I once remember to nave feen chem planted onr. th'e Head. of Inca Sayri Tupac. The Birds which have thefe Feathers are found onely in the Defart of Vi llcanuta, being about thirty Leagues diíl:ant from the City of Couo, fituate near a little Lake, lying at che foot of the inacceffible fnowy Mountain. Thofe that are acquainted with that fort ofFowl fay, that never above two of them, namely a Malean~ Female, are feen togec~er; buLwhenc;e .:tpey. ~~me, or where tl:iey are bred, 1s not known: beíides which place 7 fhe tnd~¡¡ns fay, that none are feen in any other pareof Peru, though there ar~ other ~ª~t':S, ánd"·fti.owy !Yf puntainst and De(ans, be~des that ó(Villcanuta: perhap~ th1s B!rd ¡,mayi~e like the J,?l]enix, wlüch none havmg feen, we rnay faníie 1t after theform,and cqlour ofchis·Jfüd. Now in regard that thefo Birds were fingular in the World, and tha.c none be- fides them were ever feen befo!ie, nor fince, che {nca,s e!j:eemed them fucb a rari-· ty, as did not become any 'befides che Royal Head; *º~ ,tpefe Bird~, for che fin- gularity of chem, refembling (as they faid) · their two origmaLrParents, Man and · Wnman, which defcended from Heaven, ferv,ed to cont~ue the'memory of rhem, · and therefore as their Fea:thers were fact~d , fo they were tp€r·peculiar nQte and · mark ofthe Imperial Digni ty: For my part, I ?-mof ppini:on that there are ma- riy other B.irds of the fa.me fpecies wi~h diefe j ¡rnd .thaD .th~mgh I 't'ill not deny bue tha t there may b e a Ph enix in the World, yet tbat ,Fhis Bird is not of that kind.is mofl: probable; howfoever th~ Itidians m:ay.maintain whai opinion chey pleafe, and in devotion to their Fon;-fathers, may fanfÍe them like thefe Crea~ tures which are rak and eft¡:emed 'facred. lt is certain ~hat the Feathers of tlfe[e Birds.were highly efl:eemed of in thofe'days; though they are rr¡ore common now,. being worn by many, who falíly pretend to aaiefcem from the Royal Bloud of the Incas, though in re'ality the Race of thófe Princes is almoíl: rotally extinét, for in regard the example of foreign fafhions hatb confounded rhe true diíl:inél:ions on the H@ad, by which the quality ofevery Perfon was known, fo it gave a confi- dence to many to ufurp chis Royal Mark, and pretend to Princely Defcent, eve- ry one almoíl: aífuming the Title of an Inca, ora Pallt.u. • ' Thefe Feathers were planted over the coloured Wreath which hound their Temples, the pique Feathers pointing upwards, removed at a little diíl:ance one from the other, as they were naturally fpretJd. , Having thefe Feathers oñ their Heads, they carried great·refped: for all forts ofBirdsand Fowl, fo that they took care how they affrighted or chafed them away. Every new Inca that fucceeded to rhe Empire, procured newFeatl!ers ; f~r that the former belonged to the King' deceafed, who being embalmed; conferved all his Enfigns ofRegality, of which rhefe Fearhers were at1 eípecial mark. Such was rhe Majeíl:y of this BirCI Core- '].Henq11e, and fuch was tbe Reverence and Refpeét which the IncM expreífed co- wards it j which though che matter it felf be of lict!e importance co the People of Spain, yet tl~e kn~\~' ledge tbereof may be per~inent to fuch, as !1ave the curiofüy ro be acquamted wHh che Cuíl:oms and praétices of che Incan-Kmgs. Bue to re- turn again co our Noviriaces : So foon as they had received thefe Marks ofChi- valry, they were conduéted to che principal place of the City, where a general Feíl:ival was publickly folemnized for many days with Songs and Danc;es, in ho- nour and triumph for their Viétories; the like alfo was more privarely cdebraced \ · in