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.

BooKIX. Royal Commeritatiei. CH A P. X. Of the Words which Huayna Capac uttered relating to 1 the Sun. T HE King Huay1ia capac (as we have faid ) commanded his Army to return from the Province called Pajfau, the which he made his extreme and frontier Countrey to 'the Northward; which having done, he returned again to Co:;:,co, viliting his Provinces in the way, doing them all rhe favours he was able; ·and adminifiring Jufüce to thofe which did demand it of him. . Returning ar length to Co:;:,co, after this long Journey of fome years, he arrived there about the time that the principal Feaíl: of the Sun was to be celebrated, cal- led Raymi: And the Indian1 tell usa {fory, that upan one day of the nine, that this Feíl:ival continued, the Inca took a liberty to fiX his eyes upon the Sun, which was a freedomser unknown, and elleemed a·prophanation fo to doe, orto behold the circle wherein he moved ; on which objeél:, whilíl far fometime he cominued his fight, the High Prieíl:, who was one of his.Uncles, and íl:ood next to him, faid, Inca, what Ü ºt you doe? kpow you not that thi1 ÍJ not law[ull? Hereat rhe King wirhdrew his E yes far awhile, but préYently afcer lifcing them up again, fixed them upan the Sun ; which the High Prieíl: obferving, reproved hlm for it, and told him, Sir, conjider what it ú you doe, far you not onely doe an aélion which ú unlawfi1/l in it fllf, but JOIJ give ifl example and fe anda! to ali;our Court, and the people of your Dominion1, who are here pre{ent to perform that vmerab!e adoration which they owe toyou'f\Father, tU their [ole and fupreme Lord. Hereupon Huayna Capac turning to the High Prieíl:, told him, that he would ask him two Qg_efüons, which he required him to make anfwer unto : I being ( faid he) your King and univerfal Lord; i1 there any df you fo /Jo!d tU to command me for your p!eafure to arifa from my fe;¡t, and tak! " 'fourney to thofe partJ whemmto )'OU fha!l direéf me ? How, replied che High Prieft; can any perfon be (o impudent dnd daring? ]J there .any Curaca ( faid che Inca) the moft · rich and powerfu!l of a!l my Subjell1, who will adven¡ure to difobey my Command1, in cafe I fhould dijpeed him poft from hence into the moft remote partJ ofChili? No, replied.the High Prieft, there cannot certainf:y be dr!J who dqrn to difobeyyou, or refufe your commandt even to 4eath. Then ( faid the King) if it be fo, .there muft be fome other whom Our Fa- ther the Sun takeJ and e/feem1 for a more fupreme, and more powerfu!l Lord than himfelf ; by -whofe Command1 he every da}' meafures thc compa(s of the Heaveni, without any intermiffion, or hour ef repofe ; for if he were abfo!ute, and ttt his own dijpofal, he would certainly al!ot himfelffome time of ceJTation, though it were one{y t9 p!eafe his own humour and fancy, with- out other conjideration than that · of íiberty ª"ª change. ·Far th~s Speech and orhers of the like nature, which the Indiani reported of this Prince, the Spanjards conc~ived fo great an opinio11 of his judgment and underílanding, that they believed rhe fubtilty of his·wit would very eafily have comprehended, and given admiffion ta the Doéhines of the Cat110lick Fairh. A cerrain Spanifh Caprain, who might have heard this Story of Huayna Capac, far it was commonly difcourfed in Peru, did make himfelf the Authour of this Saying, and recounted ic to Acofta for his own. This Aco.ft11, in rhe fifth Book of bis Hillary of the New World, memi- ons this particular S~ying, which is amibuced to Huayna Cap11c, but names nor che perfon by whom it was uctered : but repares, " That there was a certain Inca, ' ' a perfon of á fubtile wic, and refined underíl:andi11g, who obferving how his " Aticeíl:ours had always adored che Sun far a God, feemed ·to wonder at it, and " faid, thac it was impoffible far che Sun to be God. For God was cerrainly a " great Lord, who formed and -aéted al! Ilis matters with quiet and fertlement ; " but thac the Sun was a thing always in motion, which was contrary to rhe un- ~·· · alterable Being of God : His reafon was admirably good and found ; and fuch " as being well explained to the lndiani, might effeél:ually have convinced thetn " of their errours and fallies. Thus far are the W0rds of Acofta ; with \Yhich · . he