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. BooKIII. mand , That Ío foo~ .as the Courrs were ferled and eíl:abliíhed in the City of Los Reyes, where his Majeíl:y comrnanded they íhould be held; the feveral Laws rnemioned 'in che fequel of tbe Commi!Iions, fhould be obferved and rnainrained wirhout·any violarion. , . . Thus much is reporred by Diego Fernande;;:,· in the fecond Chaprer of his Book . and rhe like alío is mentioned by Auguftine Carate, almoíl: in the fame termes ~ and .rbat rhefe Laws were iffued out and dated in rhe monrh of Aprit, 1 >4J· ' And now, in che firfl place, we will briefly relate the happy fucceís of thefe marrers in Mexico, from whence we will proceed ro Peru ? and rhere declare the fad :rnd dolefull effeéts rhereof, which happened in rhat Kingdom as well to Spaniards as Indians. , In che monrh of November, 1 543. the Vice-king , together with his Judge?, Miniíl:ers, and Chief Super-Imendent, Don Francifco Te/lo de Sandovat, embarked at ~an· Lf1w· upon a'noble Fleet, confül:ing of abouc p. Sail of good and tal! Ships; ahd loollng from thence with a proíperous gale ·arrived in 12 days at the Hlands of the Canaries ; from whence having caken fome refrefhmenrs, rhey purfued rheir qyage; and· then divided rheir Fleet, thoíe for New Spain íl:eeri ng their couríe ro the righr-hand, and chofe for Peri! unto rhe lefr; where we will leave our Vice- king in proíecurion of his voyage, to relate the fucceís of che Viíiror or Super- ~nréndenr in the Kingdom of Mexico. And pa!Iing by the many particulars of his voyage , which are memíoned by Diego Fernande;;:, Paletino; we fhall fay, in fhorr, that in the monrh of Fcbr. 1 544. he fafely arrived in rhe Port ofSt. 'fohn de V iva , and from rhence proceeded to Veracr11:{,; and in a íhorr time afrerwards <:ame ro Mexico; béing received in his way thither by all People wirh tbat re- fpeér, duty and joy, as was due ro bis Quality and Commi!Iion. But che People of Mexico, being informed of the Rules and Iníl:rufüons he brought with him, refolved to goe forrh and meet him at fome ll1ort diíl:ance from che City ; not with Mufick or Merriment , but as Diego Fernande~ reporrs, clothed in Mourning, and with fuch fadneís and forrow in their counrenances, as might teíl:ifie rheir reíentments, fears and apprehenfions, they conceived ac bis en- trance into che Govemmenr. Which Intenticm being rnade known to che Vice-king Don Antonio de Mendora, he prefencly endea'ioured to prevem the fame, and to puc the People into a bener humour, comlnanding them to receive him wich Joy and Minh ; and according- ly the Vice-king and Council, v. irh tbe Officers of Sra re, the Mayor and Alder- men of rhe Ciry, as alfo che Clergy, with above 6 00 Gemlemen ali richly ador- ned and well-:irmed, wenr forrh ro receive him ar half a League diíl:ance from rhe Ciry. The Vice-king and che Super-Intendent mer, and emerrained each o- cher wirh much complement and ceremonie , and che like paffed with ali others: :iod chen he proceeded ro che Monaíl:ery of Sr. D(fmingo, ar his enrrance into which he was received by Farher {ohn Cttmarrage, of che Order of St. Francu, Arch-biíhop of Mexico, and was conduéred thither by the Vice-king, who having feen him there in his Lodging, he Jefe him, and commirred him ro his repoíe. All which being thus far related by Diego Fernande~, he proceeds to give us a defcription of che Cicy of Mexico in theíe words. " If ir may be lawfoll for me, who aman I11dian, and for that reafon rnay feem " pmial ro rny own Countrey: I füould gladly repeat che words which he ufes in honour of rhat grear City, whicb may be compared to che anciem grearneís of _ Rome in irs glory: His words are thefe. " This great City of Mexico is füuared " iu a plain , and founded amidíl:' the Waters like Venice ; and therefore for che " better communicarion of tbe Inhabiranrs , it is forniíhed wirh a great nurnber " o[ Bridges. The Lake in which this City is built, though it íeems ro be of " one !ingle Water; yet in realiry it confüls of two, which are of differenr n:r- " tu res , the one is of a bitteri01 and brackiíh fort of Waters: and che other of " a fweet ralle and wholefome for che body: che Sale-water ebbs and flows 5 bue ' ' che Sweet-water dorh not fo , but being of a higher füuation falls inro che " Salt-warer "and che Salt-water on the conrrary doth not arife fo high 4s ro da- " mage the other. « The Salt -warer Lake is about five Leagues broad, and eight Leagues in " length; and the Sweec-warer is much of the like dimenfion;,.,upon cheíe Lakes ' ' about 200 thoufand finall Boats are ernploied, which the Nativ~s call .Aca!es, " and che Spaniards, Canoes $ they are all rnade of one piece of Timber, and are ~~ bigger