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 l. Maidens, c;alled Pillcu Cifa Nufta, rnade a Speech t<;> the new Gueífs, and faid, o you who are Sons of Capac Inca Viracocha, taftc of thefc things which we hring yon, which will he agreat content111ent · and fatisfaélion to m. The Spaniards admired rnuch to fee fuch Civility and Courteíie in a people whom they repuced barbarous, and to live in all befüality and filthineís; wherefore, that they might not feem to concemn or ílight that Courtefie which ~hey fo freely offered, they ate fomedilng ofwhat they had fec before them, and then íaid it was fufficienc, with which the Jndians were highly fatisfied. CH A P. The Speech of the Amha/fadour; an~ the Anfwer of the Inca. S llence being now made, Eernando Pifarro deíired Her~ando de .Soto to fpeak and deliver his Meífage, for that rn0re time wa,s not to be !oíl:, a~d likewife that he would be as fübrt and fuccinét as he could, that fo they m1ght return again chac nigflt, and lodge wich their Cornpanions, for chat it was not pn~dence to confide rnuch in thofe People, who were Infidels, and who perhaps might íhew them fuch Courteíie the more eafily to enfnare and betray them: So then Hernando de Soto rifmg up, made his Reverence after the Cafti!ian manner, and uncovering his Head, fate clown again, and then faid. " Moíl ferene Inca, You are to underfiand; that in this World there are twp " fupreme Princes, one is the Pope, who is High Prieíl:, and fits in the Place " and Tribunal of God, the other is Ernperour of che Romans, called Charle1 " the 5th. K.ing of Spain, who having underíl:ood che blind lgnorance in which " che Natives of chefe your "Kingdoms live, defpiíing the true God, who is ' ' the Maker of Heaven and Earth, beílowing the Worfhip due unto him " upon bis Creatures, and upon che Devil himfelf, who deceive and delude " them, have fent their Governour and Captain General, Don Frtfncifco Pifarro, " with bis Companions, and forne Prieíls, who are che Miniíl:ers of Goa, to " te--ach your Highneís, and you'r Subjeéts, the Divine Truth, and his holy Law; " and for this Reafon it is, chat they have undercaken chis long Journey ro your " Counrrey ; where having received effeéts of your Bounty from your liberal ' ' Hand, they entred yeíl:erday into Cajfamarca, and chis day they have fent us ro " your Highneís, with Offers of Peace and Concord, which íhall endure for ever " between us, that fo receiving us under your Faith and Proteétion, ~e rnay " have leave to preach our Law, and that your Subjeéts may hear and underíl:and " the Goípel, which will be of great Hon'our, as alío of Benefit and Salvation ~ ro your Souls. And on chis occaíion Bltu Va/era, who was a yery religious and zealous Man for che Salvation of thoíe poor Gentiles, doth very muen lamem that thofe im- portant Words of Hernando de Soto füould fall to the ground for wam of a good Interpreter, leamed in both Languages, and one who was affeéted wich fuch in- 1 ward Charity, as might have moved his Heart with efficacy to have explicated the force of thol.e Words. Bue, alas, it was che misfortune of thac Empire, and of the firít Co.nquerours to have no better an Interpreter than •chis lfhilip, who was fuch an ignorant Sot , as not to be able ro render the fenfe either on one fide, or the other, bue rather gave things to be underíl:ood in a differenr rnan- ner, a~d with that barbarity as fpoiled che Honour and D!gnity of the Embaíl}r, of which both the Inca and Standers·by were feníible, findmg thar die Words of tbe