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 Commenfaries~ BooK VID. " found in the North-Sea, near the River called .Hacha, w here I underíl:ood how " they fifhed for them and cook them; which is done wi th the great labour and ' ' hazard of thofe poo~ people, who will dive fix, nine, and fometimes twelve " fathoms under water to gather the Oifl:ers, which includ e the Pearls, and grow " clofe ro che' ftdes of the Rocks ; and having loaded themfelves at the botcom " of che Sea they arife, and buoy up themfelves again to rhe fu rface of the wa- " ter) and e~1ptying their fhells which they bring up into their C;moes, they '~ then open them , and cake out that Treafure, which good fortune hath prefen- " ted to them: the coldnefs of the w;iter at the botmrn of the Se a is great, and " rroublefome to rhe Divers, bm much more la]:>orious to hold their breath for a « quarrer of an hour, and fornetirn~s for a full half hour '· during the time that ' ' they remain under water ; the wh!Ch cannot be perfor med by any, bue thofe ' ' who have accuíl:omed themfelves to it from their infancy, and who ufe great " abfünence , adventuring not to dive, but when they are fafüng: Likewife " covetoufnefs in this people rnakes rhem .the .more abíl:em ious, though ir.be ne- " ver fo grievous : they drudge for Pearls m d1vers rnanners, and find the m m f uch " quamities, that they now íl:ring them in Neck-laces. In che year 1 587, within " my memory, there came from the l ndies, for the King's account, 1 8 Mark " weight ofPearl, with tbre~ other larg~ Cheíl:s of the farne, befides 1264 l\1ark " weight for account of particular perfons, and feven oth er bags full not we1gh- " ed: che report of which, ar any other time, would h ave feerned incredible. Thus far are the Words of Acofta, wirh which he concludes tbat Cbapter. . And now hereunto I fhall add two Stories abom Pearls ; o ne is, that about the. , .. .. .year 1564, tbey brought fo•many Pearls to Sevil for the King's account, that being heaped up in~o a hoard like feed, they were fet to fale in grofs to the higheíl Bidder. Out-cry being.inade of the fa le to hirn rhat fhould give moíl:, and the price agreed; _.._ ·, one of the King's Officers prefently offered ro him tbar h ad bought them 6000 Ducats for bis bí!rgain ; a.11d a certain Merchant called Profpero, who was skilled in rhat commodity, immediately laid clown rhe Money; _fo the Pearls being ca. ken up che fir(l buyer remained contented with the advamage of 6000 Ducats, which he bad gained for one word fpeaking ; and the othe r well fatisfied wirh bis bargain, hoping to get much more Money and be\}efit by fo conliderable a parcel of Pearls. The orher Story is this: I knew a young Man in Spain of low condi- tion, and in great want ; and thongh he were a Silver fmith by Trade , yet ha- ving no Stock to fet up with, he worked as a Jo~rney-ma n. This perfon lived in Mahid in che year I)67., and 63, and lodged w1th me at my Lodgings; and ob- ferving him to play away all that he got by bis work, I of ten chid bim, and told him rhat I believed I fhould one day fee him in very great rnifery: To which h e replied, that his wants and miferies could not be greater tha n tbey had been, whea ,,. Thirry fix he.carne on foor, and 0nely with 14 * Mnravedis in bis pocket to Madrid. This Maravedis fe~low, to in1pro"._e and better his Í?rt~ne, refolved to go to the l lldies, and deal in rnake fix Pearls, for I knew he had fome sk11l m them: lt happened that he was fo íucceíS- pence. full in his Voyage, and in his profit, that he got an Eíl:at e of above thirty rhou- fand Dncars; and then to fhew bis Gallantry (for I knew b oth him and his Wife) he rnade hinÍ a large Coat of black V elver, which he ernbroidered wirh fine Pearl befare, at leafi lix fingers broad,~~nd quite round che borders; which was very gallanr, and agreeable to rhe newMode; this Ernbr oidery being v alued at the lea íl: in four thoufand Ducats. ThisRelation I have m ade, to lh.ew rhe great quantities of Pearl, which have been broughr from the Jndies ; beG des tho fe which we l iave' menrioned in che third Book and fifreemh Cha prer of our Hiíl:ory of Florida, which are found in many·parrs of that great Kingdom, par ticularly in thac rkh Temple of che Pro~ince called Cof~chiqui ; che 18 Mark weight of Pearl, be- fides the twoCheíl:s whICh Acofta mem1ons to have been brought for the King's ac- connt, were all choice Pearls, and füch as at f everal times were culled out by the Jndians, and fet apare for che King's ufe and ferviceJ to whorn a fifth pan belonoed of ali the Pearls which were taken, and accordingly deliv e r.ed into the R¿'yal Wardrobe; from whence rhey were giv.en out for. adorni ng a M amo and Petti- coat for che Image of our Lady of G uadab1 pe ; embroderying a whole Suit, fuch as the drefs of her Head,,fronrlets, Surcoat, hanging Sleeve s, and hem of her Gar- ments, all with che fintift fon ofPearl fet in Diamond-wor k: the Houfe, or Chair of State made for this Image, which were ufually of a darkifh colour, were now tovered with Rubies and Emeralds [et in Gpld ; by which it was apparent, by • · · whofe