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.

' - . 74 Royal Commentaries. BooK III. · rendred an account to the Jnct!t of their fuccefs ? and part~cularly, . cha~ ·having made . enquiry into che fecret cuítoms of ch?í~ Nauves, and meo their Rices and Cer~­ rnonies as alfo what Gods chey worfh1pped : They obferved and found, chat their chiefDeicy was the Filh which they killed and ~at; ~nd alfo, chac chere were So- domices amongít chem ; but howfoever, chat tb1s w1ckednefs was not.general or common to all che Vallies, but co fome few; nor was ic openly practifed, but in · fecrer, being chat which nature and che light of humane reafon did abhor. They farther likewife acqqainted the Inca, that being arrived to che utmoíl: bounds which ·are terminaced by che Sea, there remained on that fide no ocher Land to fubdue.' The Inca was much pleafed .with che Relarion of chefe Conqu~fis, and_much moffe.; that it had coíl: no bloud ; wherefore he fem to Command hlS S.ookMi:s,thafha- ving left and eíl:ablifhed fuch Orders as were neceífary for che' government and fe. curity of chofe Countries, they fhould return to Coz.co ; bue firíl:, rhat they íhould make íl:riét inquifition concerning chofe who were eíl:eemed guilcy of thac unna- tural fin of Sodomy, and pot onely burn chofe ali~ in a publick place, who ~·ere evidently conviéted of that aime, bue even tho e who were but fo much as fuípeéted thereof; that they fhould alfo oorn and ·eíl:roy their Houfes, their Trees and Inheritance, leaving them a fad fpeél:acle to their neighbours and acquaincance. And farther, che Inca commanded that chey ihould proclaim and publifh chis his Ediél: againíl: Sodomy for che future ro be; That whofoever fhould be found guilty of chis abomination, that nor onely he íhould be deíl:royed in panicular, but likewiíe his Relations, his Neighbours, and all che Inhabitants of che pares round fhould be punifhed,with che fame deíl:ruél:ion, ruine and defolation. All which being performed exaél:ly according to the pleafure and direél:ion of .the Inca , chis new Law was wich greac admiration and.aíloniíhment of. the Na- tives put imo execution on che Offendours; for being a crime fo íhamefull .and detefiable to the Inca, and his proper Subje&, the mention and _name thereof was not withoue fome abhorrence taken into tbeir mouths) fo rhat 1fany lndinn, who was a Native of Couo, fhould at any time in paflion revile his· neighbour with that word and opprobrious term, he was prefemly looked upon as one defiled, and for many days polluted, umill his mouth were cleanfed from a word fo fikhy and deteíl:able. The General and his Officers having in chis manner executed ali the Com- mands of che Inca, chey retumed to Co~o, where they were received in greac triumph, and rewarded with honours and favours agreeable to cheir merir. J?ut many years had not paífed after chefe Conqueíl:s, before che Inca, Capac Yupanqni, refolved to begin a new Expedition in perfon for enlargement of his Dominions on che fide of Coll¡¡fuyu ; ( for as yet in his late Marches he had not paíTed che Di- vifions of Contifuyu ) fo thac in order hereunto, he commanded rhat twemy thou- fand feleél: men fhould be pue in a readinefs againíl: che following ,year. And that in the mean tim~ noching fhoqld be omitted, which might contr.ibute to the . due admioillration of his Governmenc, he appointed his Brorher Aq~i Tiw to re- main Deputy in his place, and that che four Major-Generals whicb had accompa- nied him in the laíl: Vv ars fbould be his Counfellours. lnto their places he chofe four other Generals, and·both chey and all the Captains and Officers of che Army were noc of lefs dJ;gree or quality than that of an Inca ; for rhough che Forces which cailoe from divers Provinces were conduél:ed by cheir own Chiefor Com- rnander, y'et afterwards, when chey carne to be united with the Imperial Anny, an 'Inca was given to prefide over chem , fo thac che Chief became, as ir were, his · Lieutenant; by which meaos che whole Army had l ncM for rheir Officers, and yec none feemed to be diíplaced or acquitted of bis charge. By which merhod and policy in government, things·were preferved in cheir juíl: balance ;. for unle!S ic were in matters oí L:iw and Juíl:ice, which admitted of no diípenfation, it was a Maxim amongíl: rhe lncM never to diíoblige cheir Curaw, bue in every rhing co render their Y oke fo eafie and gentle, chac the lndians mighc be fond of ic r and that the love of the people might be the bafis and foundation of cheir Govern- ment. Moreover, che Inca thoughdit to cake his Son, who was bisHeir, ro ac- company him ; for though he were young, yet his- years were capable of educa- .tion and praél:ice in the W ar. · CH A P.