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 'Commentaries. BooK.Vll CH A ·P. VI. Of the Feurth Feflival, a,nd their preparations to it by Fa~ fii11gs, and cleanfing themfelves. 'l1i· T. HE fourth an~ ~ltimate Feaíl: cele~rated i!l. the ~ourt of .che incM w_as_caI- led Citu, wbKh was performed w1th great 1oy, m regard it was by wáy of 'Thankfgi\iirig, ~hen ficknefs and difeafes, or any other Judgments were ren:io:ved ·from the City 1 and refembled the ancient Lufüations, or Purifications, after the foulneís and tontagion of diíl:empers was removed. The preparation to this Fea[l: was made by Faíl:ings, and forbearing the company of their Wives ; being held on the firíl: dai. of the Moon, after the Equínoétial in the Month of September, they obferved two forts of Fafis, one more rigorous than the other; the moíl: fe- vere was kept by ,eating a fmall quantity of raw Mayz, and drinkingWater, which was not to cominue above three days '; thofe that obferved the other, were per- micted to eat their Mayz parched togecher with raw Herbs and Roots, fuch as Lettice, and Radiíhes, &c. as alfo Red Pepper, which chey call Vchu, and Salt, and to drink their ufüal liquour, but Flefh, and Fifh, and boiled Herbs were for- bidden; during which Faíl: called Caci, they might eat but once a day, and their moíl: fev€re Fafl vvas called Hatun-caci. · . Men and V{ ornen in general having rnade this preparation, and their Children alío obliged to one day after the fevere manner, they kneaded their Bread called Cancu, which on the Evening of the Vigil they made up in Balls, and put them imo a dry pot wjthout liquour to bake, for as yet chey knew noc che ufe of 0- 'vens ; and being' ~ialf baked, they took them out. They made two forcs of Bread, ' one fort chey moifined wich the bloud of Children, from five to ten ye?rs of Age, -which they drew from the veins of their Armes, or between their Eye- brows or Nofes; in fuch maoner as when they !et bloud on occafion of diíl:em- pers. I have feen them make both forts of Bread ; when they made that which was mixed wich bloud, they firíl: aífembled togecher according to their refpefüve Lineages, ac ¡i certain place, from whence they went to the Houfeof the Elder Bro- ther, chere to perform this ceremony; and in cafe they had no Brnther, then it was done at the Houfe of the neareíl: relation, who was Head of the family. In rhe night, when this Bread was m:ide, fome hours before day, all thofe who had rhus prepared chemCelves by fafüng, arofe from their beds, and wafhed their boqies; and then taking a lump of chis ill-baked Bread mixed wich bloud, they applied 'ic to their head, mouch, breafr, fhoulders, armes and legs, as if they had purified themrelves with H, and deanred their bodies of ali infirmities. This be- ing done, che Maíler of the family, who was chief of the Lir'teage, affixed fome of chis pafl:e on the limeis of che door next the ílreet; in token, that thofe of thacHoure had performed the ceremony of Purification. The like ceremony the High Priefl: fole:mnized in che Houfe and Temple of the Sun, enjoyning the o- cher Prieíls to perform che lik'e in che Houfe of the Wives dedicaced to che Sun, and in Huanacauri, .which was a Temple abouc a League diíl:ant from che City, being a place highly eíl:eemed, and h~ld in great devmion by chem, becaufe thar /vf.anc~ Capac made a fhort abode there, when he firíl: came to che Cicy of Couo, as we have formerly related. On the like errant they fent other Prieíls to ali pla- ces, which were accounced hallowed and facred , fuch as chore, where che Devil fpoke to them, and made himfelf to be adored as God. In che King'sCourt the ceremony was performed by che Eldeíl: Uncle of the King wl¡o was to be an Inca of legirimace defcent. ' So foon as the Sun arofe, having performed their Acts of Adoration towards him, they prayed unto him, that he would vouchfafe to deliver cheir City from · outward calamiri~s, and inward di~eafes; and t.hen they broke rheir faíl: ~y eatii1$ of that Bread wh1ch was made withouc bloud. Havmg thus eaten cheir Bread, and