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.

542- Royal Coinmentarin. Bo.<iK'ÍI. great multitud~, but notas yet the Weapons they carried, wherewith to offend the Horfe, ( which were the Cre~tures ~hey ~oíl: dreaded, ! chey refolved to re- treat into the Market-place, which bemg w1de and fpac10us, was much more advantageous for rec~iving th_e ,Enemy, than in the narrow Sc~eecs: And be- ing there drawn up m 'Battalia, tf1e ~ody of J_nfantry, confilhng of one hun- dred and cwenty Men , was placed m the m1ddle, flanked on each fide with the Horfe, not being above Eighcy in all; of which two Troops, of twency in a Troop, were placed in che Van, a~d two Troops, of the like number, were drawn up in che Rere, fo chat they m1ght charge che Enemy on whacfoever fide they fhould be attacked by chem. The Jndians feeing che SpaniaYds in a Body, aífaulced chem on every part wíth great fury intending to over-run them in an inílant; but the Horfe fallying out upon che~, made Hout refül:ance, and fought wic~ chem unrill Break of Day, when che Jndiam again reinforced che Battel, and ramed fhow~rs of Arrows up- on chem, with Volliés of Stones difcharged from their SUngs, howfoever che Horfe, (which is wonderfull to confider) revenged chemfelves upon chem with their Lances , killing in every onfec , an hundred and fifry, or two hundred Jn- dia11s; by reafon that cbey neither carried defenfive Arms, nor ufed Pikes to- keep offthe,Horfe, though chey were armed with them; for not being ·Ufed to fight againíl: Cavah-y , but onely Fvot to Foot , ?nd naked Men againíl: naked Men; the Spaniards by their Horfe and Armour prevailed over the Indians with great Slaughter, who hoped notwithíl:anding by their numbers to .become Conque- rours in che end. · In chis poíl:ure of War the Indiani continued for ,che fpace of ~evemeen Days to íl:raicen and befiege che Spaniards in the Markec-place of Co:uo, not permit- ting chem to fally fonh; during which time , as well by ~ight as by Day, the Spaniards continued in cheir Ranks and Squadr.ons, to be rn a readinefs againíl: the Eriemy, and as often as chey went to dnnk, che.y were forced to go in Companies co che Stream, which lUns ~hrough che Srreets of che Cicy; and to fearch into che Ruines of che Houfes, which were butnr for Mayz, which was the onely Food they had to fuíl:ain them ; but Provender for their Horfes 'YªS more wanting than Viél:uals for themfelves, howfoever they found fome Pro: vifion for fupport both of one and the mher, chough rnuch damaged hy che Fire, which Hunger and Neceffity made paífable. On which particular Carate reports as followeth. , " In this manner che lillca atternpted Couo with all his Force, and belieged it " for eight Momhs, and at every Full of che Moon he íl:ormed che Spaniards " on ali fides, but Hcrnando Pifarro, and his Brothers, vvith many Gentlemen " and Caprains~ chat vvere vvirhin che Cicy, made íl:out refiíhmce, and repulfed :; che. l ndians vvich gre.at Valo~r; in vvhich Aél:ions chofe vvhich vvere moíl: fig- nahzed, vvere Gabrrel de · Royu, Hernan Ponce de Leon, Don Alonfo Enrique:i:.,; and " rhe Treafu rer Riquelme, vvith many ochers; ali vvhich, vvith cheir Souldiers " behaved themfelves vvith Courage and Bravery, and none of them unbratiog ce cheir Armour, either by 9ay or night, fighting like defperare Men, vvho had " given al! over for !oíl:; for having received imelligence, that che Governour " and all the Spaniards, vNere cut off; and ílain by rhe Indian1, vvho had made l ce general Infun·ell:ion in all pares, chey expeél:ed no Relief or Succour, bue " from God, nor Safety, bue in their ovvn Arms, chough chey killed and vvoun- " ded ~he Jndifns very much, and daily diminiíhed their numbers. : Thus far ar~ the Wor~s of Carate, vvho briefly relates che gre:it Danger and the m~ny Straits to vvh1ch chefe C:o.nquero':ll"s v_vere reduced ~n chis Siege. vvherem, chough they ufed all che d1hgence imagmable to prov1de themfelves vvirh Food, yet all had not fufficed to free them from Famine, had not their Jndian Servams, vvho lived vvith them in their Houfes, like good and faithfull Friends, fupplied their vvancs; for by day chey paffed over to the Enemy in vvhom to bege~ a Confidence of chem, they feemed to fight againíl: the Sp;nia- ards, and by mght they returned to them laden vvith Provifions ; ali vvhich is confirméd by che Teíl:imony of Gomar11 and Carate, though that and che other ~nterprifes of che Inca are. touched ~nély in íhort by ~hem, vvho are filent alfo m che accounc of thofe Miracles vvh1cp our Lord Jefüs Chriíl: vvorked ac Co:uo