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 Commenta~ies. B OOK VIL did oteentimes appear to go forth and skirmifh, and with that occafion yield- cd themfdves Prifoners, and called for Q1arter to the Eaemy, faying, I fub- mit and furrender my felf, together with my Arms : And this was the fub- tle dcfign of thefe Souldiers to fave tbemfelves; for in cafe the King over- came, they had to alledge, That they were taken Prifoners by the Rebels ; and if the Rebels were viétorious, they could plead, and fay, That they ha4 revolted to them, and had contribuced to .the 'fortune of the Day. The Ju- ftices fufpeéting this piece of policy amongft the crafty Sould!ers, they gave Orders, forbidding all Skirmifhes for the future, and all Communicatio,ns and Conferenc'es with the Enemy, though Qll pretence of Kindrcd, l'iriendlhip or Alliance, for. that no gocd effdl:s did ever refult from fuch Interviews. Fran- ci(co Hernandez.. obferving, that an end was put to the Skirmifhes and Confe- rences between the Souldiers ; he gave Orders to his Major General, Capcain . ']ohn de Piedrahita, to allarm che Kings Camp, thinking thereby to provoke them to fight; and with eighty Mufqueteers co aífail them by Night ; and gave 'lhem parcicularly in charge to obferve with what readinefs and vigi- lance they were received by the Enemy; and with foch Allarms they intend- ed co·}fl:antly to moleft and difturb them, until in chis manner harraffing the Souldi -rs, they fhould with watchfolnffs and continua! Duty tire them out, and de eat them ., ,Piedrahita accordingly allarmed the Enemy with his Soul- diers aJ faras he dnrfr adventure; bue tolittle effeét; nor did the Kings For- ces retúrn any anfwer, feeing that all was bue a Bravade, without any real Defign to engage : howfoever Piedrahita returned to Hernandez. boafting much of thi great Aél:ions he had done, and how he found the Enemies Camp without Guards or Centinels, and fleeping with fuch fecurity, that in cafe he had had but ovo hnndred and fifty Mufqueteers with him, he lhould not have doubted bue to have defeated the Enemy, and have taken the Juftices and all the'ir Captains Prifoners. · Befides which he vapoured, and told many other Stories of the like nature, as is the cuftom of Bravadoes, who talk more than · chey do; and though Piedrahita was an eminent Captain in this Rebellion, and hád been fuccefsful in many Encounters; yet in this laft he did no- thing more than what we have mentioned, and talkéd more than what he bad aéted. Fr.ancifco Hernandez. foundiag himfelf much upon the Reports he had received from his Major General, conceiviag them all to be true, and alfo upon the J nformations which were given hirn by cercain Sou~diers, who were revolted from tlie Kings party unto his, did really believe that the Kiags Camp was in great want of Powder, Match, and ali forts of Ammunitions: in confidence of which, he refolved one of thofe Nights to-attack the Enemy, feeing that they detigned not to aífault him within his Fortifications; which he interp¡e~ ted to be fucha piecc of Cowardife and lowneís of Spirit in the Enemy, that he, efteemed them aiready bis own, and conquered by him. Hereupon he call- ed bis Captains co a Council of War, laying bePore them the fl:ate o,f che E- nemies Camp, ~th the Circumfi:ances of ir, and h'is Opinion to attack them, defiring their Concurrence with him ; aífuring them of Viétory, not only be- caufe the Enemy was weak and difcouraged, bue alfo from certain Prediél:i- ons which Wife-Men had foretold of thefe matters, which he te,rmed Prophe- cies, though they deferved no better name, than of W itchcrafts and Sorceries. The Captains however were of a different Opinion, and faid, Tbat tbere was no 11eceffity of engaging the Enemy, and that their bufinefs was only to remain quier, and on the defenlive parr, which they could eafily do, being well for- ti fi ed in ;i place inacceffible toan Enemy, and provided with ali things necef- fary fa r tb c: ir fubfiftance: when on the contrary, the Enemy laboured unaer great wan ts of Viétuals and Ammunition: And in cafe they defired to reduce them-to grea ter extremities, they had nothing to· do but to march away to the CharcaJ ; where having feized all thc Silver of the Country, and therewith paid cheSouldiery, they might afcerwards march along the Coafr by the Sea fide, to thc Cicy of LoJ Reyes, which they would find open to them, and without Souldiers or Garrffon to defend it. Moreover the Enemy wanting Horfes, and Beafl:s of Burden, and lron to Shoe them with, were not in a condition to make a pu rfuit af~er them; and in cafe they <lid, they migh+ eafily worfr them, wh en foever they made Head to oppofo them. ·And lince that, by ' this