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.

~· Royal ,Commentaries. BooK II. Their poetical Verfes were comp~fed in long and fhort M~err~, fitted to amo. rous Subjefu; and the TQnes to wh1ch they were [et; tbe1r Kmgs, and the Ex- ploits and great Aél:ions performed i~ their re[peé'l:ive Re~gns, \~lere alfo mam~r for their Poetry, which they recorded m verfe, and ferved m the place of Hiíl:ory 7 their Sonnets were oot long, but fhort and compendious, fo as they might more eaíily be committed to Memory; they ufed not rhimes, but loofe verfe, like out Heroick' Poems. I remember four Verfes of an amorous Song, which for curiofity fake, and to fbew cheir füort bue compendious fen[e, 1 fhall repeac here; being thereby beíl: accommodated ro che Aire of their Finte: the Tune alfo 1 would gladly fer down, 'but thac the imperrinence chereofmay eafüy excnfe me. The Sonnet in four verfes is tbis: , Caylla Llapi ~ ~!([o tbp ~eng Pununr¡_ui · In Engliíh .31 tuill lleep Chaupituta thus; fü mfOnigbt Samufac. 3l lljall tome+ Many other forts of Verfes the Jncat, who ,were Poets, compofed, who had the Name of Haravec, which properly fignifies an Inventour. Bias Va/era in his Writings memions' certain Verfes, which he calls Spondels, confül:ing of four fylfables; che lndian words he hach cranfhted inca Latín, che Subjeét of them is philofophical, and creats of chofe fecond cau[es which God hath placed in the Air, focb as Thunder, and Lightning, Rain and Snow, all which are defcribed in verfe; and are agreeable to che fancy of tbeir Fa bles, one of which is chis: 'rhat che Maker of all chings hath placed in Heaven a Virgin, the Daughcer of a King, holding a Buckec of Water in her hand, for refre(hment of Che Earth, when occ:ifion requires; and that fometimes her Brorh.er knocking ~pon chis Buc- ket, caufes Thunder and Lightning to proceed from lt; thefe n01fes, they fay, are effeéts of the violeµt nature of ~an, bue Hail, and Rain, and Snow, falli.ng wich lefs noife and impecuofüy, are more agreeable to che gemle nacure of a Wo- man. They fay, chat an Inca, who was a Poet andan Aíl:rologer corñpofed ma- nyVerfes in praife of che Vermes and Excellencies .of this Virgin Lady, which God liad befiowed upon her for che good and benefit of his Creacures. This Fa- ble and Verfes Bla3 Vafera reports tO have found expreffed iJl the knots arrd ac- councs of cheir anciem Annals, reprefemed in the threads of divers Colours, and preferved by thofe to whom rhe care of che hifiorical Knots and Accouncs were committed; and he fo much wondred at tbe ingenuicy of the AmatttM, rbat he thought chofe Verfes worrhy to be committed to Memory a.nd Pape¡-. 1 remem- ber in my lnfancy tO have heard chisFable; wich many others, recounced by my Parents, butbeing rhen bue a Child, 1 was not very inquiÍitive to underíl:and che fignification. Blru Palera hath tranílaced chis Song ouc of the Jndian Language in- to Lar.in, ánd which runs in chis manner: Cumac Nufla Pulchra Nyrnpha, lf aír Japmpb) Torallayquim Frater tuus 'Qtbp J5~otber Puynuy quita Umam tuam ~tríke.s notl.1 Paq_uir cayan Nunc if.lfringit ~bine mtne, Hina Mantara CLüus rfrus Wboíe bLol.U Cummum+n Tomit, fulget 31% !([:bunoer Tlla-Pantac fu.lmin-átq; ~nn ILígbtníng. Camri Nujfa Sed tu Nympha 15ut tf)ou Japmplj ~óucínrr fo~tb Ynuy quita Tuam Jyrnpham t!rb1' matee P~ra · ll1unqui Fundens pluis, ID~oppeft rain) May nimpiri Interdú_mq; ~nll again Cbichi Munrp.d Grand:i11em feu ~entldi JPaü Riti Mun1ui Niv~m mittis. ~'l ~now. Pacha ~