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 H. Royal Commentar:iei~ .~ Pacha rurac Muncli Faél:or :•· 'm:be .Waker of tf)e mrlo2li.l , y· · li ' "' A Ñame of Piracocha . ~ :'f'. Viracócha iracoc a · one or their Cay./Jinapac Ad hoc .Ínunús. . JPatlJ comtn!rte~ Gods, Churafanr¡ui Te fufficit anti entbargetJ' tbí~ Camefunr¡ui. Et prxfecit. ©ffüe unto t~ee. With fuch trifles as thefe I have enriched ·my poor Í-Iiíl:ory ; for whacfoéver I have colleéted fro\11 BIM Valera, are ali pearls and pretious cúrioíities, and fuch 0 mamencs as my Cquntrey dorh not deferve; ~hich nów, as ~hey repon, in thefe days improves in Poerry; for chat che Mongr.ils, or chofe <::Jf 'Sp4nifh and Indian bloud have taken a good ftrain in Verfe, ·whoíe fübjeét is Divine or Moral, God give rhem his grace chat rhey may ferve him .in ~11 things. .. In chis imperfeét and grofs rnanner had che Indians of Peru, che knowledge of Sciences, which is noc to be atq"ibated to theír want of natural pares and abilities ofmind ; for had they been iníl:rucl:eé{ in leccers, cheir q1pacities are fuch as might have irnproved every liccle beginning: Andas the-firíl: Philofophers and Aíl:rolo- gets delivered the principies of cheir Sciences to their poíl:ericy, who ereéted on. thofe foundations che more lofty buildings of reafon; fo thefe people were endued wich the like cápaCities, fufficient to advance fuch leárnirig as' deícended frorñ their Parents, efpecially we find that chey were well diípoíed to che learning of that Morality which contained the Cufioms and Laws of their Countrey; and which did not onely extend to thoíe rul~ relating fo jullice and aecent comp~r t­ iTient of one SubieCI: to another, bue as it had reference ro chat obedience which ·Subje& and Vaíláls owe to their Sovereign, and chofe Miniíl:ers which aét un- der their .command ; for thefe being a people who were indined to live acc;ording ~cho~ Laws which che li_ght of natur.e diétated; and rather to doe no evil, than know well, were more eaíily made capable of rhac Science which was direéted by marerial and exteriour óbJe&, than of that whith was cbnverfam abour more ab.- firufe and immaterial notions. Pedro de Cieca in che 38rh Chápter of his Book fpeaking of che JncM and their Government, fays, That chey aéted [o well, and that their Govemment was fo good and political, as might be compared to che VViíedom of the beíl frame and Model of Common-wealths in ch,is 1Wórld. And Father Mae{frb Acvfta, in the firíl Chapter of bis 6th Book, ·rn<.!kes a diícourfe in favour of the JncM; and the people of Mexico, in theíe words ; . " Having in the preceding diícouríe laid down che Particulars of chat Religion '~ ~·hich die Indians profefs; I defign in che following Treati[e to declare their " Cufioms and Policical Government, for two ends: Firft, chat I may undeceive ~· the w orld of that falíe opinion whicp chey have fralT)ed concerning this peo• " ple, as ·being fo brutiíh, and of fo little underíl:anding, as·deíerve noc che name " of rational crearnres: From which erroneolls conception, rnany grievous cala- " rnities have been impofed on them without pity or compaffion ; and bting e- ~· fieemed no other than beaíl:s, ali chat reípe& which is due to humane nacure, ~· or the perfon of Mankind hath been !oíl: towards them. But chis falfe nocion,¡ ' ' which none out the vain,glorious and confident of themfelves ( who are che ' ' cornmon fools of che Wotld ) have enrerrained, hach beeh fufficiently confu- " ted by more folid and conftdering men, who have made it rheir bufinefs to rra- " ve! and cortveríe amongíl: them, and to diícovér the [ecrets of cheir Gufioms " and Governmem. To remove which prejudiciál c~nfüre from chem, the moff ~' expedite means will be to declare the Jµfüce and Cufioms which were in uíe " amongíl: them, at that time, when they lived by their own Laws; wich which; " though chcre was a great mixture ofBarbarifm, and many things without foun~ . ~' dation ; yet their Government contained many e:xcellenc things, and worchy of " admiration, and fuch as may be cornpared with the beft Model of our Com• " mon-wealths, and may afford us fufficient evidence of the genius of chac people; " and of that natural readineís of mind capable to be improved to greacer and " higher matters. . Not ought it to [eem íl:range, if fome erroneous fáncies have'. " intermixed wirh their Cuíl:oms; for even Plato ánd Lycurgm, and other excel~ " lene Legiílatours have been guilcy of forne follies, and incerwoven fu~eríl:itions; ' ' and vain rites, with their more fubíl:antial Laws. And indeed in thoíe wife ~· Common-wealths of .Rome. aod Athens, manY. ridiculous Cu~0m~ have,b«en in-,: . · H a. " noduced ;