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.

BooK l. Royal Commentáries. 479 C H A P. XXXV.llI; Of the Wit and' Subtilty of Atahualpa ; anJ: of the Irea: Jure which was collefled towards his Ranfome. A Tflhualp111 (as we have fa.id) was of a q,uick and ready Uñderfianding, an ln~ fiánce whereof we have m this paffage, whicb ind12ed l1a!l:ned.bis Deach; for be obfeiving che SpAniard.s to read and wrici:?. did believe that ir was a Gift natural to them) and born with them~ to try which be defrred a. Spaniard, who carne to viíit him, or that was.one of his. Guard, that he would wrice che Name of.God on che Nail ofhis Thmnh; che Sould~er baving vvroce, as he defired, he asked three or four Souldiers, one after .another., vvhcw that W0rd meam, they all told hi,rn, chat it vvas che name ofGod. At fengch,D1r"' Francifco Pirarrr.o Game · in, vvith vvhom after he had difcourfed a vvhile, he asked. bi~n che rneaniRg of thofo Lette~s vvhich, vveFe VVFote on bis Naiil : . Novv Pi ftttro !1ºt kno:vving \i- ther to vvme or read, anfvveml that he cou;ld. n0t tell, b.y vvhu:h ne co:lfottei;f; that che knovvledge of Letters vvas acquired 1 . arid not na~al ;. .and fr0m tfo~~ time ever after he ¡;onceived a meaner efieeqi .of the Gov~tqo~r . dlan before ~ . fér- . that (as vve have faid) ehe lncM, in their ~rd, PhilofopflJ:, vvere taugnc~ dJa~ . the Royal Family, Nobles and Gea2le!11en,,, oug~t to excee~. th~ir Infer:imiF~ in. knovvledge and Vertu€S, as appears. m th€ TnaI of Nowtiates, (as vve l-ia~t; formedy Felated} vvho vvere to.ron tñrougln aH ExeKKes aqdHatdíhips, vvhi~h ·might;try and appr?ve them7 (evvhen At¡i~1lf~ ..l1ad .difq:iyeEe~-.1 the lgn~rarn¡:~ of Pifarro, vyhO bemg tbe Gov~rnour, and unef., .vvas., accordmg to' h~ Rul~; to have excellecl all bis Ioferioµrs in·Learping· ap~ 'N ~rtues ,, qe w~ce~ved ~ ljn~¡r... 1;}€r Opiaion ·of him, which when the Gove11P9ud,iad obfqmd) h€ grew angry a-i::id offended with Mm~ which haílened che Dea~h 0f.Atahualpa.:· . Thi~ paWtgelA,av~ fü~and from thofe _who were then-prnfent,. whkh 1:nay oo a- cat;l~t011, rand . an. ;Wvei;­ tifernent to Noble Perfons in th€ Education of theii; So~j f Qr tbat for want of Reading, and Writing, 1 and a 1ittle Latin, they rnay fall IQliO Difgraces, and ~ fubjeét to Affronts; though indeed in th0fe times ignorann~ vyas more ,excufabla ~han in this prefrmt age, which affofds JI]any M:i,ílers in Spaf¡¡, wnere all Si::iem:es and Learn.ing flourifh, and whei'e Noble-rneiil value themfelves not moF~ on. th~ir hom:mrable Bircb; than on the\r vercuous Ed1,1<;:ation, whic::h,y¡dds. a Lu~re Hk~ pretious Stones ench.afed with G01d: . · - · . · Another thing is r~ported of Atahualpa, for an Infrance of bis. Wit and goog . ... Underfiand, which vvas this, that amongíl; mªny other things, which the. S11,anfr ards brought to truck and barrer wich the Jndia;gs, or, as fom€-- fay, wherewith ·tQ cheat them, rh~re was one who had a Gl~fs ·Cu¡¡>, of che fineíl: fon of Metal, which was made ar Venii:e. 'fhe Mmham of it hoping for a good'. Reward, pre. fented it to the King Atahualpa, }Vho teceived ,it. (o kindly, d1at (though he was then a Prifoner) he otdered ten of his Cµps of GokJ-, inq ~.ii.\:vei:, t<;> be given the Spaniard in retlilr~ the1'eo( The Inca looking a~d admiring;~ll~h the curioficy of tl:1e Workrnanílup, asked one that fiood by, if . any otíl€!! b~{id~ the Kings OÍ Caftile were ferved in füch Veíkls; t9 which he ,tbat made the Anf wer~ füppofing that he mea:nt the Glafs, and n9t the Workm~nfhip, r<El1li1Sd,. th¡¡t not onely Kings andNobles; but the Comrnonalry of Spain, made uíe.o~thofe Gfaífo: wlnich when Atah1uúpa heard 1 he let it fall from bis H~nds, Íflyin~ ~hac thir¡gs fo com- mon, were not worthy the eíl:eem of a King. At which Wprds of an Jndian .all Perfons then prefent did much admire. . , . . . Thus was Arahualpa put to Dea~h ~y fonnal procds of JufHce, (as is related) and before che quamicy of Gold and Si1ver which he had prnrnifed for his Ran- fome was fully completed, becaufe time was not giveµ hirn to - µ:iak.e due com- pliance; though fome report, ch¡¡t they put him to deach afíer he had'..paid the <;n~ tire qua.mir.y: bue whatfqever rhat wás; the· Spaniard¡ divid~d to ev€ry Man his Share