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 II. Royal Commentarief. Many days afcer 1 hid wrote this Chapter, turning over the i éaves of the Book of Aco.fta, 1 met with fome thing to this purpofe, in confirmation of the Miracles which our Lord Jefus Chrifi, and his Mother the Virgin M ary, Qgeen of the Angels, had wroug~c in th<; New World, in favoqr of our holy Faith and Religion; which when 1had read, and found my own Reports confirmed by his Authority, 1 cannot exprefs che Joy I cor¡ceived by chis happy concurrence. For fince the Delivery of truth is my chiefAim and Defign, 1cannot but be greac- ly delighted·when I find my Relations c9nfirmed eirher in parr, or in whole; by the Aurhoriry of other Hiflorians; for I hate che Charaékr of being either a Flatterer, or a fabulous Writer; which co avoid, I have thoughc fic to produce', the ,Words of Aco.fta in the z.7th Chapter ofhis 7th Book, which ar~ as followeth. " When the Spaniards were befiege<!l in the City of Cow, and fo clofely pref- " fed and füaitned, rhat wirhout che Affiíl:ence of Heaven it was impoffible fot " them· ro efcape, I have heard from very credible Perfons, that the Jndians, " threw Fire on rhe Roof of that Houfe where che Spaniards were lddged, and " where now the Cathedral Church is built; and rhough the Covering of che " Houfe was afort of Tharch, (which they cal! Chicho, or rather Ychu,) and rhat:_ " the FU;e was made with.a raftmy kind of burning Wood, yer it took no hold " on that combufüble rnatter; for our Lady, appeafing from above, kepr a con- " fiannGuar.d over that place, aricl immediately extinguiíhed the Fire; all which " the Jndians vifibly faw, and remained with afloniíhinenr. All the Relations " and Hiíl:ories, which are wrote on chis Subjeét, reporr for a cercain crurh, chac ,. in divers Battels, wlíich the Spaniards 'foughc in New Spain, and in Peru, the " Jndians plainly difcovered in che Air, a Cavalier, rnounred on a white Horfe,. ~' with a$word in bis Hand, figbting for the Spaniards; ,whence it is, thac in all " pares of che We.ft-Jndies great Devotion and Honour is paid to that glorious " Apofile St. {ames; and at other times in feveral difficulc Encounters, the Image " of our Lady hath prefented ic felf, from which Chrifüans have received inex- '.' preffible Benefits; and were all thefe Apparitions and Wonders of Heaven par- " ticularly.defcribed, they would f well aVolume too large for .chis Hifiory, &c. ' ·_. ' . (. . :: Thus far are the Words of Aco.fta, who reports, that alrnoíl: fourty years afcer thefe rnatter~-were. cranfaéted he rnade a Vo age into Peru, where he received fo. formation of ali diefe parciculars. And ing f¡¡id thus mucb, we will retum ?gain to our Sp[lniardr, who rernaining under fuch propitious circurníl:ances of che Divine Providence,.. were enabled to become che Maflers of ~n hundrnd N~w W orlds. ; r' , .- · , .. "· r· - f1I• ' : 4 'l· . i I' A a aa.~ 547