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.

806 Royal Commentarier. BooK V. fame; and that they had heard what Diego Fernande:{, relates , how that he aligh- ted , and Jem Pifarro bis Horfe , and helped him to get up. And to undeceive che World in this parricular; my Father (after the Battel of Sacfahuana) gave infonnacion before che Juíl:ice by an Officer of che Exchequer, and with the Te- llimony oftwemy two Wicneíles, ali of Centeno's Party, wl1o declared, chat at che time when Pifarro defüed my Father's horfe, there was not one man of Centeno's Army ú 1 ithin half a Jeague of him; and that che Wound which Pifarro's horíe had received was fo inconfiderable, thar notwithílanding the fame, he miglu have fought chat l\"hole d,aY upon him if occafion had been. 1 haye. heard it alfo re- ported, rhat Pir.arro s horfe was cut over the huckfons or hamlhmged, as Fra-qci- fco ·de Vlloa's horfe was; bue it was a falfe report and information; as it was alfo, that the borfe recovered, and yer dyed twemy two leagues diílant from che place of Battel; bue che trurh is, che horfe dyed for ·want of diet and go'od go- vernment: for though the Farrier who took care of Pifarro ílables, called Me- fcutt, a Narive of Guada!axara ( with whom 1 was acquaimed ) did ufe to give that horfe water a liule warmed, and therein Aower of M aye{,: ytt the Groom fotgot to give chat in charge to che !ndian who led the hórle well covered and warmly clorhed againíl: che exceífive colds of that Coumrey: and the Incfi.dif, not kno>ying ti.e rules which che Farrier had given, fuffered tht; horfe 'to drink, as he was paífing a brook, as n:iuch water as he pleafed, with whi h being preíently taken with a chilnefs, he fell imo a fhivering, and dyed four Jeagues froín that 1~· ater. Thus the Hiílorians had fome grounds1to write what they did concerning my Father, and I had rea fon to give a truer information ; not ro excufe my Farher in hopes of favour or reward , but out of affeétion to rruth it felf. As ro the Of- fence which is objeéted againíl: my Lord Garfilaf{o, I have been punifhed and done penance for it, rhough 1 committed not the Crime. For when 1 carne to petition his Majeíl:y for fome reward for rhe fe·vices of my Father ; and thac i11 confideration thereof che Eitate which carne by my Mother might be reíl:ored to us, which by the extinguifhment of rwo Lives was efcheated to the King: which when 1 had prefemed before the Royal Cquncil of che Indies, and rnade it appear how great the fervices of my Father had been : and that thofe Lords were con- vinced ofthe clearnefs ofmy pretenftons; yet Licenciado Lope Garcia de c.. jlro-(who was afterwards made Pre!ldent of Pem) being rhen in che Chair, asked me, what reward I could expeét che King fhould give me? confidering chat che fervices my Father had d0ne for Pi1ar,-o at the Barre! of Huarina were füch as had given him che Viétory. And when 1 replyed, rhat the information was abfolmeJy falíe; How, faid he, can you deny that which all Wrirers of thefe matters do affirm? And therewith rhey excluded me from all pretenfions , nor onely on account of my Farher's Cervices, bue of my owo. And though 1 had many merirs on my own fcore to alledge, yet 1 could nor procure to be heard : for 1 could have re- lared, how 1 had ferved under Don A lonfo Fernandet.. de Cordoua and Figsteroa, under Marquu de Priego, Chief of the family of Agui/ar, under Don Francifco de Cordouii ( who is now in Heaven) and fecond Son to that Great Don Martín de Cordoua, Count of A{caudete, Lord of Monte-mayor, and Caprain General of Oran. I have alfo ferved his Majefly in quality of Captain of four feveral Companies; two of' which were io che time of Philip the fecond of glorious memory ; and the orher two under his brorher Don ~/9hn of Aujlria, now alfo in Heaven, who were pka- fed as ' fignals of their favours to grarifie ' me therewirh; not that 1 pretend to have rnerired rhem from that Prince; bue onely his Highnefs ob[erving in me a readinefs of rnind and affefüon to ferve him, accepted my endearnurs and was pleafed to recommend me to his Brother. , And yet nocwithíl:anding fo prevalenc were tbe prejudices 1 lay under, rhat I dur{\ ,neither revive rny old pretenfions nor alledge ~JlY larer fervices: for which reafons, being caíl1iered the Arm)1, •I was fo poor and naked in clothes, and fo indebted, tbat 1 duríl not remrn again to rhe Cqur~, b~'t rerired rny felf into an obfcure.comer of folitude and poverty, where (as 1 declared in rny Preamble to the Hiílory of Florid11) 1 paífed aquier anda peace- able life, as a man loofe and difengaged from the World , and the rnutability , without hopes or greac expeétations : and indeed I have no reafon for ir, becaufe the beíl: pare o( JTIY life is paífed already, and for che future God will provide, as he hath lojtherto dópe. Pardon me this impertinent digreífion, to which my . troubles and oppreffious hav~ tranfported me; for it rnay well be allowed 10 me, who