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.

B~oK vn. Royal ·. C~mmentaríes~ ~ and adored the Sun, which was performed at a c_ertain hour, that' fo the Adora- tion might be general at the fame inílant of time ; a cerrain Inca of the Bloud- . Royal fallied out of the Fortrefs, ricl1ly attired like a J0.effenger of the Sun, ha- ving qis Garments girt about his waíle, bear~ng :a Lance in nis hand., garniíhed with a plume of Feathers of divers colours, which hanged dangling down from the point to the end of the Staff; the length of. which was of about three quar- ters of a Y ard, íludded wich golden Nails~· and which in War ferved for :m En- fign ~ Wi th this Lance he iífued from the Fort rather than from ·che Temple, be- ing eíleemed aMeffengerof \V' ar, and not of Peace; for the Fcirt, as weij as the Temple, was DecJicated to the Sun, being the·place where matters of War were treated, as che other was, where peace and friendíhip were emertained. This Officer carne running in this manner downwards ij:om.the Hil\ called Sacfahuamam, flourifhinghis Lance untill he carne to the Mar°l\et-pbce of. ~he Gty, where four other IncM of the Bloud, each carrying a Dart in his hand, met him,· ; having_ likewife their Garments clofe g~r, afrer the manner_of the Jndi.tm,'" w~en th. ey put themfelves in a poíl:ure ofexemfe, or labour : Th1s Meffenger meetmg,the four JncM, . touched the head of their Lances with his, and tbtl!n ~old them; that che Sun commanded them as bis Ofliicers, that they íhould purifie 1 aml cleanfe the City, of all infirmities and difeafes ; and that he gave them full po.wer;to perform it. , With this commiffion the four Incas departed, running through the four greac Streets of the City, which led towards the four quarrers of•che World, called by tbem Taventinfuyu ; in their way as ·they ran, Men and Wornen, youóg _and old, all carne to che D0ors of their Houfes, with great cries ·and acclamations; íhaking their cloths, and the garments on their bodies, as if they would beár. out the Duft from them ; and then ílroking their hands over their heads and mouchs, · armes and legs, apd óther pares of their bodies, in manner, as if they_ were waíb~ ing of them ; and as if they would throw out all the fickn~fs and illnefs of their Houfes, to be expelled the City by the power and virtue of chofe Meffengers of the Sun. Nor was this onely, done. in the Streets, through which thefe four Méf. · fengers paífed, but likewife in ;<111 the other ~~reets; thefe four Incas having nin a., · bouc a quarter of a League w1thout the C1ty, were rnet by four other Incas of the priVilege, who taking their Lances, ran with thern a qaarter of. a League far- ther, and at the like diílance were mee by others, untill they carne five or fix Leagues remate from the' City ; where having fixed their La'nces, and driven them into che Earth, they rnade that che place of'baniíhment to-all their Evils; that fo being bounded by thofe Confines, th{ly íhould not be able to approach nearer to the Ciry. · · ' · J. ~J j .L 1 2 CH A P.