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.

R.oyal Commentaries. . . . . . ~ ~ . Boo·k IL the Ayav~i, and tho[e of'Pucara, was fent from Heavén,_ as a jud~ment for ha- ving refül:ed the Children of thG Sun; and therefore w1th unammous confent they declared themfelves Vaífals of the Inca., that they would adore the Sun 1 and obferve and keep ali thofe Laws ai¡d Ordinances which he íhoul<l impofo upon them ~ and with chis imemion they wem out to meet the Inca, and received him with Acclamations, and with new Songs, and Mufick 7 which they had fra- nied and compofed for this occafion. . The Inca received their CuracM with many kind and obliging Expreffions; and ' to evidence the eíl:eem h~ had of them, he beíl:owed on every one of them g¡¡r- inents which belonged to bisown Perfon, with other Prefenrs 1 very acceptaD!e ~ and in procefs of time afrerwards thefe two People, and theír Poíl:erity, were ever highly favoured by the lncM, efpecially thofe of Hatun Cu/La, both for the · teadinefs with which the)( embraced the Worfhip of the Sun, and for thcir doci., ble and gemle Nature, which encouraged the l ncM to build magnificent Templ~ in their Countrey, and found Monaíl:eries for Virgins , which were matters of high admiration amongíl: the Jndians. The ColLM 'onfül: of many and divers Nations, and report that cheir firfi Pa~ tents iífued from the great LakeTiricaca, which they eíl:eemed to be tbeir Motheri and before the times of tbe lnuu, amongíl: orher Gods ·they oifered Sacrifices t~ this Lake upon the Banks of ir. Sorne of them report that thei,r Parent proceedecl from a great Fountain, others tbat tbeir Anceíl:ours iífued from Caves, and the hol- lowofRocks, and accordingly at cerrain [eafons they offered their Sacrifice~to theJJI ~ others that they originally iílued from acertainRiver, anp ~herefore held that the Fifh of it were facred, and that it was a fin to eat them. In this ma¡n n~r fqme adored one Deity, and fome another, howfoever becaufe that rhat People aboundedmu.ch in flocks of Sheep, they had one God common to them ali, w hich was a white Raro, fayiog, tbat tbere W<!S a g_reat íheep in che higher World, for fo tbey ca_ll Heaven, which hada particular care of tbem,_ giving .tbem a greater increafe and number of Sheep, than to any other of the ne1ghbounng People of Peru ; and fot that reafon they offered up Lambs,and the fat of Mmton to thisSheep-faced Deity. But chis God, and all othe~, the Inca took from them, aJlowing them no other but the Sun, whom he enchargeél and commanded them withom any other Rival to adore and worfhip; befides which he altered thatinfamous Cuílome ofDiífo- lutenefs and Incontinence amongíl: fingle Women, to whom it was lawfull, and a !audible quality to be common Whores before their Marriage, though afcer- wards they were obliged to be true and faithfull to one Husband. But as to chofe Fables which relate the Original of thefe People, the IncM rook no pains or care to confute them; for as they were obliged to believe the defcendence ofdie Incas from che Sun; fo the IncM in like manner would not feem to difapprove the Fables and Reports they madeof tbeir own Original. Having laid thefe foundations ofGovemment and Religion the Inca recurneci again to Couo, giving a íl:op for the prefent to his Conquelts and Proceeding; for· it feemed to be the moíl reafonable Policy to give time and [parn for rhefe new. Subjeéts to tafie the fweetnefs and lenity of the Inca, and by their own experi- ence to make report of it, and publifh it to rhe neighbouring Nations, that fo they might be more eaíily induced to embrace the like advantage: r:ither than overpowering a\l by cruel ?nd hafly conqueíls, their Governmem fhould appear tyrannical, and partaking of an ambitious and coveious Spirit. ~ HA P.