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.

47'.l Royal Commentariú. BooK l. he fadly fufpeéted that the Fury oí chofe Jars would at laft curn to bis deíl:ruétion; che whith Fear and Appreheníion was increafed by che Oracles, which were now become filent to all his Qg_efüons and Demands, ánd by che reporcs which che Jndimú gave him ofnew Stars, and Comecs, whicli appeared, ali which, in times oí lefs Extremicy than the prefenr, were evei; interpr~ted as bad Omens, and fig- nals, and, according to cheir fuperíl:itious Obfervations, were eíl:eemed to por- tend útcer Deíl:tuétion and Ruine. · Bur ti~at which above all things appeared fatal to him, was a certain great Co- mer o[ a dárkiíh green colour, little lefs in breadth than the Body of a Man, and of a yard in length, which íhewed it felf ar night, bei'ng much oí che fame fize and fhape as chat which appeared before che Death oí bis Facher Huayna Capac; oí whicb when Atahualp1t had notice given him, he was excremely troubled, and defüed che Spaniards to give him the leave and libercy to be broaghc forch, that he might fee it wich his own Eyes; which when he had done, he was fo íl:ruck wich fadnefs and melancholy, thac,.as formerly, he became fullen and ftlenc, and would encercain no converfe with any Perfon whatfoever; the reafon of which, when Pifarro had preífed very earneílly to know, Atahualpa to fatisfie him gave him this Anfwer. Apu, faid he, ( which is General) 1 am now af[ured that the time of 1'!J Death approaches, being certified thereof by the appcard't1ce ef thú Comet, for that another of the lik§ nature with thú Jhewed it felf not many days beforc the death of my Father; and in regard that fuch Prodigies in the Heavens do always precede the Death of Kings, and por- tmd nothing biit Calamities, and the Subverfion of Empirei, 1 cannot but imagine my felf co ncerne d, being "to leave my Kingdoms befare 1 have enjoyed them. Jndeed when 1 faw my fe !J.fir.ft in Chains, 1 thought there would be little diftance bctween my Jmprifonment and m y Grav e, of which 1 am now ful!J certified by thu Comet; and now 1 have givenyou the real Caufe of thú my {adnefs. The Governour, to. comfort hirn, bid him be of good courage, and noc to trufi: or confide in fuch fignals, to which no Credit was to be given; for that on the concrary he migbt íhorcly expeét to be freed from his imprifonment, and refio- red to his Kingdom. Howfoever Atahualpa, whofe Faich was placed in che fu- períl:ition ofbis Gentilifm, gave no belief to che aflurance of Pipirro, bue remai- ned in bis Durnps, and difconfolate as before.' Peter'de Ciefa, in the 6 s-th Chap- ter of his Book, mentions che farne concerning this Cornee, and tells us how fu- períl:itious thofe Indians were in thefe Aíhological Obfervations. . Atahualpa giving entire credit to chefe Prefages, wholly funk in his Courage, and defpaired of his Libercy, not being able to pat che thoughts oí Deach out of his mind; che which accordingly happened fifreen days aícer che appearance ofche Cornee, as Ciefª confirms in the aforefaid Chapter. CH A P.