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 Conimentaries. _ ( CH A P. XLI. Of the Faithfu'tnefs which the Indiarís o( Peru fhe"'ed unio the Sp:miards when tal:!'! by them in the iVar. T HE Jndians of Peru held this Maxime or Principie. That if any yielded himfelf, or having been taken by a Spani11rd in the War, he was thereby become his abíolute Slave, and eíl:eemed him by whom he was taken to be bis Ido!, and his God, and that he ought to ·honour and revere him for íuch; and to obey, ferve, and be faithfull to him unto the death, and not to deny him ei- ther for the Cake ofhis Coumrey, Parents, Wife or' Children. Upon chis Prin· ciple they preferred the Wellfare of a Span'iard, who was their Mafier, before all other confiderations whatfoever, and would fell or betray their own Family, if their Mafter required ic. arrd that it were neceífary or conducing to his Service ; by which means che Spaniards- never wanted Spies, nor Incelligence ofwhatfoever paífed amongíl: che lndians, which was of greac ufe to them in che Subjeétion and Conqueíl: of chac Councrey ; for chey believed ic to be a real ducy in them to be obedient unto thofe to whom they had yielded chemfelves Captives; and cherefore would engage in fighc on their Maíl:ers fide, againíl: cheir own Countreymen and Relations, as ifthey were their mortal Enemies: When fome Spanifh Troops in cheir March .had taken fome Indian Captives, and that che Commanders would fhare chem amongíl: che Souldiers according as every Man wamed a Servant, che Jndian would refufe to acknowledge any other for his Maíl:er, chan him onely to ·whom he had yielded himfelf; and when·chey were told, chac it was che Rule of War to divide equal íhares to every Souldier , and that he who was atready pro- vided, was to pernric bis Companion· co be equally accommodated: The Jndian anfwered, that he would obey 9n condition, tliat when theChriíl:ian to whom he was allotted had taken anocher Captive, thac he rnighc have the libercy co return co his Maíler to whom he had fuíl: fubmitted; che like Fidelity the Women alfo pro- feífed. Three Indians taken in this mannet 1 lefc in the Houfe of rny Father, and Lord Garfilaj[o de la Vega, one of which was cal!ed A/Ji, which is as much as to J:"ay Good ; he was tak.en in aBattel, ofwiich there were rnany in Callao, after che Indians had rnade their general lnfurreél:ion, in one of which chis Alli fought like a very ll:out Souldier~ and having engaged far with fome few Perfons, he took no care to fa ve himfelf, untill he faw ali his Companions puc to flight, and hard· ly purfued by the Spaniards, and having then little hopes of fafety or refoge, he · laid himfelf amongít the dead, to which poílure he had opportunicy to compofe himfelf by che darknefs of the night, and caíl:ing away his Shirt, he wallowea in the bloud of the ílain, that fo he might feem to be one of them. The Spaniards returning from che purfuit unto- their Camp in feveral Compa- nies, three or four of them hap~ned to pafs that way, where this Indian lay coun- terfeiting che dead Man ; and whilíl: they vvere vievving the dead, my Lord and Maíler Garfilaf{o de la Peg.t obferved one of chem to pant, and dravv his Breath, vvhereupon he vvent near him, and touched him vvith che point of his Spear, to cry if he had fenfe, and vvere living) fo foon as the InJian felr the prick he immediately fiarted up, and cried for quarcer, fearing that there vvas not~ing lefs chan Death for him. After vvhich he remained ·in the Service of my Father, vvith that Fidelity :md Subjeétion vvhich vve have already expreífed, being defi- rous to evidence the fame on ali occafions. He vvas aftervvards baptized, calli¡¡g himfelf {olm, and his Wife Jfabel. BOOK