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: Vllt · " a great ben~fit to tbe Bifhop and Canons, and other Dependents on che C~- " thedral Church of Co11;,co, the Tithes of the Leaves of Cuca being their greateH: " Revenue . it is alfo a great Commodity amongft che Mercha nts; notwith- " íl:anding ~11 which good QQ_alities if. che _Cuca, there are many, who being ig- ·cc norant of its Virtues have wrote agamíl: it; for no other reafon, t han becaufe " che Gentiles in anciem times did by their Diviners and Wizards offer chis Cuoa " to cheir Gods inSacrifice; and therefore having been abufed to Idolatry, they " conclude rhat it oughc for ever to be eHeemed abominable and prophane. This .. " Argument nüghc be available, if ic h~d been che cuHome to off~r this 1-Jerb " onely ro che Devil, bue in regard chac both ancient and modern ldolaters ha ve '' made cheir Corn, and Fruits, and whacfoever grows above 9r bene ach che earch, " cheir Drinks and Wacer;cheir Wool and Clothing, cheir Floc ks and Herds, · " and ali things el fe, che mauer and fubjeél: of their Sacrifices; we may argue from " che fame foundation, chat all chofe things are defiled and rendred as abominable et · and unclean as che Cuca; bue to che clean all chings being cleanJ. lec us 'ceach " chem to abhor and forfake cheir fuperíl:itious :md idolacrous Worthips, and lec « us uling our ChriíliJn Liberty, receive chofe Bleffings_with mod eration and ' ' th~nkfgiving. Thus far a_re ~he Word~ of "(JLM Valm. _To which we fh~ll add chus much farcher, chac chis lictle Tree 1s about che he1ghc of a Man, rn che planting of which chey caíl che feed in its green fhell, and when it grows u p, they chen hoa and open che Earrh for ic, as they doe for Vines, füpporting che render twigs with íl:akes; and in pla~cing chey cake grea~ care ·that che tender roors be laid íheight in rhe Earth, for w1ch che leaíl: doubhng they dry and wither; rhey cake likewife che leaf of every.fprig by ic felf, and holding it between tl1eir fingers, rhey cut ic wich great care oll they come to che Bud, bue d o not touch ir, for then the whole branch will wither; both tbe outíide and iníide of this Leaf in che greennefs and íbape of it, is like the Arbutem, onely the Leaves are fo chio, rhat chree or four of chem being doubled, are not fo thick as th at of the Ar- buteu-1. I am pleafed to find any fon of Fruits here in Spain , to which 1 may compare chern; though che difference between them is fo great, that they may eafily be diíl:inguifhed one from the orher. When they garher th e Leaves they dry chem in the Sun; but care is to be taken that they be not over- dried, for then they lofe much of their Virtue, and being very rhin, foon turn into powder; nor will they bear rnach moiílure; for they foon grow muíly and rott en; but they lay chem up in Baskers of ílic Canes, of which marw fine ones are ma<le in che Amu. With che Leaves of thoíe big Canes, which are about che third of a yard broad, and about half a yard long, they .cover che top of th e Baskers, to keep moiílure from che Leaves, which is very prejudicial to them; and to coníi- der che greacpains and care which is raken to nourífh th.isCuca, anc{ the provifions of ali chings which are made for ir, we oughc rather to render thanks to God for his abundam bleffing i)1 che variecy of his Creamres, than to believe or conclude that what we vi rite i fabulous or incredible; if theíe fruits were to be plaated or nou- rifhed in ocher Countries, che charge and labour of them would be more than rhe benefir. , . ThisHerb is gathered every four momhs, that is three times ayear, and in che mannríng of Ir care is taken to weed it often; for che Coumrey being hot and moiíl:, the Weeds grow apace, and the Herb fometimes increa[es fo fafi, that che fraíon for garhering of ic advances fifreen days; fo that fometimes they have four Hanfefis for it in a year; the which a cerrain covecousTirhe-garhere r obferving in my rime, farmed .che Tithes of all che principal and rich Inheritance s and Poíleffi- ons about Co"co, and caking careto keep chem clear and clean fromWeeds, he fo improved his Revenue, thac che year following che Farmer of the Tithes made . cwo thirds more chan what had been made in the pm:eding years ; which cauíed .a Law Suit between the Farmer and che Proprietor, but what the Iífoe was of ir, I, that was then bue a Boy, did noc much remark. Amonglt many other Virtues of chis Cuca, tbey fay it corroborares the Gums, and fortifies the Teeth, and that it gives Hrength and vigour to any perfon that la- bours aod roils, onely by carrying ic in his mouth. 1 remember a Scory which I heard in my own Countrey. That a certain Gentleman both by Blou d and V errue, called Rodrigo Pantoia, journying once. from Co:z:.co to Rimac, met wlth a poor Spa- niard ( for there are fome poor there as well as here) travelling on foot, c arrying a lítcle Girl of about two years of age in bis Armes; and being an acquaintance of