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 ·vn. rtance or I~vafion of 'ª nelv people; fur whére. an Empire ·or 'Government hath had its period, being overwhelmed by the p9wer of a íl:ronger Nation_, thene_al- - fo by natural confequence muít the memory of Aéts and Cuíl:óms penfh, which have not been recorded by a skilfulnefs írt Letters. · - . . For my own pare, being moved with a warm defire and 'affeaion to conferve' the poor remains of Antiquity in my own native Coumrey, .I have advemuted on chis Jaborioils Del1gn of Difcov~ry~ and ·of cracing the Footíl:eeps of the lofi: · religues of its forgotten Cuíl:oms ahd, Manners 7 a~d therefore that ~his City of eo<:.eo, which was once rhe Metropohs of many Krngdoms and Nat1ons may be revived, and yet live ~n its anden~ Fam~, 1 b:ive r~folv~d in this Chapter.to make fome Defcription ofit, as I have received it by Tradinon, and alío as a true born a:nd,faithfull Son of that City, to declare what I have feen of it with my own ' Eyes, and in 'what íl:are·and conditibn it was in the Year 1 570. when 1 departed rhence, fpecifying what ancient Names wére íl:ill in ufe belonging to places and diviíions of the City, with what alterations were at that time made in the names· of Parochi,al Churches, and Streets which the Spaniards have built fince theif coming thither. ibe King Manco Capac having coñíidered al! che conveniencies of Cow, thac it was fituated in a pleafant Valley, in che midft of a Plain, encompaífed on ali fides with high Moumains, chrough which ran four delightfull íl:reams, which though they yielded not great plenty of Water, yet were fufficiem ro refreJh and make ali chofe Lands fruitfull. In the middle of chis plain was a Fountain of brackiíh Water, ournf whicb they made quamities of Salt; the Soil was fruitfull and che Air wholí~:nne: with which advaorages che firít Inca took a refolution of laying the Foundation of his Ciry, and, as che Indian1{ay, by Order and Appoinrmem of bis Father rhe Sun, fignified by che difcovery of aWedge of Gold, which was rhe mark and fignal of tbat place, where the Head and Seat of his Empire was to be founded. The Climate is rather cold than hot, bue yet not in rhat ex- treme, as ro require Fires to keep them warm i tbe Chambers, or clofe Rooms; are fufficient to defend rhe Inhabitants from the rigour of che Weather, yet a pan · of Coals may fometimes be u[efull; the Air is not fo fharp, bue that che chin ancf lighcer Clorhing of tbe Súmmer may be fufficient, nor fo hot as to be incomrno- dious with che' Winter-garments; ene like may be faid of the bedding; for one Blanket may be a füfficient covering, and if there were three, t'were noc cumber- fome; for fo coníl:ant and equal is th'e Weather, thac there is little difference be- tween che Wincer and Summer, being here as in all other temperare Glimat~ che fame moderation.in all feaíons of che-Year. The Air ·of Co:i:.co being rather· cold and dry, rhan hoc and moiíl:, is not fübjeét t,o corruption; fo rhat Flefh be- ing hanged up in a Room where the Windows are open on all fides, will keep eight, or fifteen, or thirty, nay to a hundred days wirhouc being morrified, untillJ ir "is become dried like Mumrny. This 1 have feen my felf tried and experimm~ , ted wich the Flefh ofCartel,of chat Coumrey ; 1 know not wherher che Flefh df , Mutcon, brought from Spain, wiil endure in the like manner; for there was .no experiment made thereof in niy time , by reafon that che íl:ock of che Spanifh Sheep 'were not killed in my time,, bue rather Cuffered to increife and breed. The Clirnate of Co:i:.co being in chis manner inclining w cold, breeds very few Flies, .._..and-fot biting and íl:inging Gnats there are none, nor any orher lnfoét thac is rrou- ~lefome, or vexatious to the people of che City. the firíl: Houfes and Habita- tions were built on che fide of die Hiij, called Sacfahuamam, which lies on ihe North-eaíl: fide of che Cicy, on che top of, which the Succeffours of chis Inca· ereéted rhe íl:a-tely Fortrefs, which the Spaniards fo litt!e .efteemed, nay fo much fco1'ned, rhat they demolifhed it in a few days after rhey became Maíl:ers of rhe City. This City'was divided into rwo pares, Wman-Co:i:.co, and Hurin-Co:i:.co which ~s the Upper and t!~e.Lowe'. Town. The Way ori Road to1ntifuyu, whi~h leads to che Eaíl:ward, dlVlded thefe rwo pares of Hanan-Cow, which lies to the Norch ?ºª Hurin which points to the Sourh. The firíl: and príné:ipal Streec \vas called Coflcampata, Collcam is a 'ward of no fignification with the lndiam, but Pata is as m~ch as rhe degr~e 01: fiep of a Ladder, or a Bench whereon to fir. On che rH1ng or turning of,this·Hill che 1?1ca Manco Capac ereéted bis Palace, which afrer- wards was the poíleffion of PaHllu che Son of Hut!JnaCapac. 1 -remember in my time to have.feen a large and fpatious Hall belonging to 1 this Houfe, which füll rernai- . , / n~d