have enough for a person of your quality for I have heard that you are the Son of in your own Countrey naming his Father's Trade The Captain for so I call him presently replyed He lyes who told your Lordship so and so doth he who believes him and therewith he presently went out of the room fearing lest some body should lay hands upon him for his saucy Speeches but the President patiently endured all these affronts saying he was to suffer and sustain much more for the service of the King his Master besides which gentleness he used the Souldiers with much civility and entertained them with hopes and assurance to provide for them hereafter As Diego Hernandez confirms in the first Book of the second Part of his History Chap. 3. in these words We are to observe says he that during all the time that the President remained in Lima being about seventeen months great numbers of People flocked thither to demand relief for supply of their necessities and reward of their services for as hath been said many of the King's servants who were left out in the first division greatly complained of their hard usage About this time several Estates fell to the King by the death of Diego Centeno Gabriel de Rojas Licenciado Carvajal and others and consequently there was some more matter and substance wherewith to answer the expectation of some Pretenders but this not being a full supply served onely to increase the troubles of the President who by his gentle and civil Answers gave a general satisfaction to all people Some of the Pretenders kept a secret correspondence with the Under-clerks to give them information how Estates were distributed and those communicated all to the Captains and Souldiers with whom they had friendship and some had a sight of the Books themselves wherein they saw to whom such Lands were given and to whom such a Command and Lordship and it is now commonly believed that those Books were falsified and that the President himself who was a subtile understanding person did connive thereat and give permission to have the particulars secretly exposed so that every one might be the better satisfied with his Lot especially when they saw themselves nominated and designed to such an Estate and it is certain that there are some men who to this day are of opinion that they are deprived of the Lot and Portion which the President appointed for them and one person so entertained the thought thereof in his head that he became mad when he found himself disappointed But the President Gasca's great care and incumbence was to carry with him a good sum of Gold and Silver to the Emperour of which he had already amassed a million and a half of Castellano's which being reduced to Spanish Crowns of three hundred and fifty Maravedis to the Crown made two millions and a hundred thousand Crowns besides the Treasure which had been expended in the late War. And now the time for the President 's departure growing near which was a happiness greatly desired by him he hastned with all expedition possible to be gone lest some dispatch should arrive to detein him longer in the Kingdom And having finished and completed the remaining part of the Divisions he folded and sealed them up with order that they should not be opened and published untill eight days after he had set sail from the coast and that the Arch-bishop should confirm the Divisions he had made by Act and Deed from himself After this upon the twenty fifth day of January the President went from Lima to Collao a Port about two leagues distant from the City and upon Sunday following before he had set sail he received a Pacquet from his Majesty which seasonably came to his hands and therein his Majesty's Royal Signature to take off the personal Services And now whereas he was very sensible that the Countrey was much unquiet and discontented and full of ill affected men by reason of the Divisions made of Guaynarima and because many of the King 's true and faithfull Servants were left destitute and unrewarded whilst those who had taken part with Gonçalo Piçarro had shared amongst themselves the richest and best of all the Countrey And being now resolved upon his departure he published a Proclamation whereby he suspended the execution of his Majesty's Royal Signet for taking off personal services untill he had rendered a relation to his Majesty of the true state of that Countrey and of what else he conceived appertaining to his Majesty's service alledging his power so to doe in regard his Commission and Authority did not cease untill he had personally appeared in the presence of his Majesty and given him a verbal account of his Affairs and received his pleasure therein And so on Monday following he made sail carrying all the Gold and Silver with him which he had been able to gather Thus far Palentino who therewith concludes the Chapter CHAP. VIII The cause of the Stirrs and Insurrections in Peru. Some Persons condemned to the Gallies are entrusted to Rodrigo Ninno to conduct them into Spain His great discretion and wit whereby he freed himself from a Pyrate NOW as to what this Authour mentions touching the suspension which the President made of that Act whereby his Majesty takes off the personal services that is the services which Indians perform to the Spaniards It is clear and apparent that those late Ordinances executed with the rigour and ill nature of the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez Vela were the cause of all those Commotions which harassed the Empire and took away the life of the Vice-king and had been the destruction of so many Spaniards and Indians as have been related in this History And whereas the President himself brought the revocation of these Ordinances and by means thereof and by his wise and discreet management the Empire was again recovered and restored to the obedience of his Majesty It neither seemed just nor decent for his Imperial Majesty nor agreeable to the particular honour of the President to introduce those new Laws and Statutes again which were formerly rejected and made void especially that of freeing the Indians from personal services towards their Lords which was the chief cause of all the complaints and troubles amongst them for which reason the President often said to several of his friends that he was resolved not to put that Law in execution untill he had first by word of mouth discoursed with his Majesty of the inconvenience thereof well knowing by experience that that Law would never be digested by the people but always prove a Scandal and Offence and perhaps put all things again into confusion and embroile whensoever the same were but moved or intreaty onely to be put in execution But the Devil as we have before mentioned designing to interrupt the peace of that Countrey that thereby he might hinder the propagation of the Gospel and the increase of Christianity contrived all means to unsettle and
their milk they learned to pronounce the Name of God on no other occasion than of Prayers and Praises to him But whilst Gonçalo Piçarro was solemnizing the Festival appointed in honour to his new Title of Governour he did not forget his dependence on Spain and therefore proposed first to his Captains and Friends in private and afterwards publickly to the Citizens of Los Reyes that it was necessary to send Messengers to his Majesty to render an account of all that happened unto that time beseeching his Majesty in behalf of that whole Empire to confer the Government thereof upon Gonçalo Piçarro representing it as a matter much conducing to the service of his Majesty and to the common peace and tranquillity both of Indians and Spaniards And moreover that Piçarro should dispatch a private Agent as from himself who should lay before his Majesty the many services and labours which he had sustained for the enlargement of the dominions of Spain in those parts this Proposal was approved by the common consent of all and generally the World was of opinion that a Proposition of this nature tending so much to the welfare of the people to the increase of his Majesty's revenue and enrichment of his Subjects would not be refused onely Francisco de Carvajal as Diego Fernandez Palentino relates in the twenty eighth Chapter of his Book was of another opinion and declared that the best Agents to persuade in Affairs of this kind were a good body of Musquetiers Horse and Arms And though it was true that Subjects ought never to take up Arms against their King yet when they had once drawn the Sword they ought never to put it up again and that for the present if they would send Messengers they should be the Judges themselves who having been the persons that had imprisoned the Vice-king they were the most able to render an account to his Majesty of the reasons and causes which moved them thereunto This opinion was seconded by Hernando Bachicao but the votes of two men could not over-rule the sense of the whole Court who decreed to send Doctour Texada and Francisco Maldonado Usher of the Hall to Gonçalo Piçarro into Spain with instructions to represent unto his Majesty the present state and condition of their Affairs It was also ordered that these persons should embark on a Ship then in Port besides which there was no other at that time and whereon Licenciado Vaca de Castro was a prisoner and stood committed by order from the Vice-king and now remained in expectation how the present Governours would dispose of him not judging it fit to fail for Spain without the Orders of some over-ruling power 'T was farther agreed that Hernando Bachicao should have the Charge to provide the Ship with Men and Guns and thereon to transport their Agents to Panama of which Vaca de Castro being informed by a Friend and Kinsman of his called Garcia de Mont-alvo he presently apprehended that in case they brought him ashoar from the Ship some mischief might ensue to him or at least some treatment not beseeming his quality and condition he resolved with the assistence of his Kinsman Mont-alvo and of the Servants then with him to weigh Anchor and set sail for Panama The matter succeeded as was expected and desired for there was not one person of Piçarro's faction then aboard and the Mariners were all for Vaca de Castro who was very well beloved and esteemed by the people of the Countrey Piçarro was greatly troubled at this disappointment for the sending of his Agents into Spain he esteemed to be the onely means to set matters right and well understood at that Court. CHAP. XXII How much Gonçalo Piçarro was troubled for the Escape of Vaca de Castro and what disturbance it caused Hernando Bachicao goes to Panama The Vice-king sends abroad his Warrants to raise Men. HEreupon as all the three Writers agree it was conceived that this Escape of Vaca de Castro could not be contrived without a Conspiracy of several persons concerned therein so that immediately an Allarum was given over all the Town the Souldiers were put in Arms and all those Gentlemen whom they suspected as well such as were Natives or Citizens of Los Reyes as those who had fled from Cozco and those who were of the Vice-king's party were all seized and committed to the publick prison and amongst them Licenciado Carvajal was one to whom Major General Carvajal sent order that he should at that instant confess and make his last Will and Testament for that it was decreed he should presently be put to death Carvajal with all readiness submitted to the sentence and began to prepare himself for the same the Executioner stood by him with his Halter and Gibbet and urged him to finish his Affairs howsoever he continued something long in his confession no question but he expected to dye without any reprieve howsoever such as considered the quality of his person and condition were of opinion that he ought not to have been brought under those circumstances but since it had so fallen out it would be dangerous to suffer him to live but then it was considered that in case Carvajal were put to death many of those who were now in custody would follow the same fate which would be a great loss to the Kingdom to be deprived of the most principal persons thereof who had always been faithfull to the Interest of his Majesty Whilst Licenciado Carvajal remained under these sad apprehensions certain sober persons went to Gonçalo Piçarro and told him that it were well to consider in this case how great an Interest the Licenciado Carvajal had in his Coutrey and that the Agent Carvajal who was his brother was put to death by the Vice-king for no other cause or reason than because his man followed the party and side of Piçarro and therefore for the very merit of his brother and for the services of this person he should spare his life who was and might be of great use and benefit to him for the future And as to the escape of Vaca de Castro all the World was well satisfied That neither Licenciado Carvajal nor the others who were imprisoned upon suspicion were concerned therein and that all this jealousie did arise from the vain censures of some people for which there was no just cause or ground To all which Declaration Gonçalo Piçarro answered little but seemed angry and disturbed commanding that none should move him farther in that matter Hereupon Carvajal and his Friends resolved to proceed another way which was by means of the Major General to whom they secretly presented a Wedge of gold to the value of two thousand pieces of Eight and promised him much more the which having accepted he began to be a little backward and cold in the execution of the sentence and went and came so often untill at length both Carvajal and all the others who were imprisoned were set at liberty So this
was the Great Tupac Yupanqui who was great Grandson to Viracocha The third was Huayna Capac the Son of Tupac Yupanqui and Grandson of the Fourth Generation to Viracocha the two last were Men with gray Hairs yet did not seem so aged as Voracocha One of the Women was said to be the Body of the Queen Mama Runtu Wife of Viracocha the other of Coya Mama Occlo Mother of Huayna Capac and it is probable that they might be Husband and Wife considering that the Bodies were laid and found so close together and what is more strange these Bodies were more entire than the Mummies wanting neither Hair on the Head nor Eye-brows and even the very Eye-lashes were visible They were clothed with the same sort of Garments which they wore in their Life time the List or Wreath appeared about their Heads which was all the Badg or Ornament they shewed of their Royal Dignity The posture they were in was sitting after the manner of the Indians their Hands crossed on their Breasts with the right hand upon the left their Eyes cast downwards looking towards the Earth Acosta it seems had seen one of these Bodies of which discoursing in the 21st Chap. of his 6th Book saith That it was so well conserved by a certain sort of bituminous matter with which they embalmed it that it seemed to be alive the Eyes were so well counterfeited by a mixture of Gold that they seemed lively and natural I must confess that my want of Curiosity did not move me to make so narrow a scrutiny into this matter as I should have done had I believed that I should have had occasion to write of them for then I should not onely have viewed and considered the Bodies themselves more exactly but also have made enquiry of the Natives concerning the manner and receipt of this way of embalming which perhaps they might rather have imparted to me who am a Native and one of their Relations than to the Spaniards who are Strangers and Aliens to them unless perhaps the Art and Secret is lost amongst them as many other things are of the like nature For my part I could not discover any thing of this bituminous matter of which Acosta speaks though certainly there must have been some excellent Secret without which it was impossible to have conserved Bodies with their Flesh so plump and full as these were This Acosta treating farther of these Bodies in the 6th Chapter of his 5th Book hath these Words which follow In the first place saith he they had an Art to conserve the Bodies of their Kings and Great Men without stinking or corruption for the space of above two hundred Years in which manner the Bodies of the Inca-Kings were found at Cozco erected in their Chapels and Oratories where they were adored which the Marquess of Cannete when he was Vice-roy of the Indies caused to be removed from thence that he might abolish the Idolatrous Worship which they performed towards them and transported three or four of them to a place called the King's Town which appeared very strange and stupendious to the Spaniards to see Bodies after so many years so firm and sound as they were These are the Words of Acosta from whence I observe that these Bodies had been removed to the King's Town almost twenty years before he had a sight of them which being a hot and moist Air was more apt to taint and corrupt Flesh than the cold and dry Air of Cozco and yet notwithstanding he saith That twenty Years after their removal they were still firm and uncorrupt as formerly and appeared with such Life that they wanted onely Speech to make them seem to be living I am of opinion that the way to conserve Bodies is after they are dead to carry them to the Mountains of Snow where being well dried and congealed by the cold and all humours consumed and digested then afterwards to apply that bituminous matter which may plump up the Flesh and render it full and solid as the Living But I onely adventure on this conjecture from what I have seen the Indians doe when they have carried a piece of raw Flesh into the cold Mountains where after it hath been well dried by the Frost they have kept it as long as they pleased without salt or any other preservative and this was the manner which the Incas used for drying and keeping all the flesh Provisions which they carried for Food to maintain their Army I remember that I once touched a finger of Huayna Capac which seemed to me like a stick of wood and so light were these Bodies that an Indian could easily carry one of them in his Armes or on his Shoulders to the Houses of Spanish Gentlemen who desired to see them When they carried them through the Streets they covered them with white Linen and the Indians falling down on their knees before them sighed and wept shewing them all the reverence imaginable and some of the Spaniards also would take off their Caps and uncover their Heads to them as they passed in testimony of the respect they bore to the Bodies of Kings with which the Indians were so pleased and overjoyed that they knew not in what manner to express their thankfulness to them This is all that we have been able to deliver concerning the Actions of Viracocha in particular the other Monuments and Sayings of this famous King are lost for want of Letters and Learning to record them to posterity and have incurred the Fate of many famous Men whose glorious Exploits and Deeds have been buried in the Graves with them Onely Blas Valera reports one memorable Saying of this Viracocha which being often repeated by him was observed by three Incas who kept it in remembrance as also the Sayings of some other Kings which we shall hereafter specifie That which this Inca delivered had reference to the education of Children of which he was made the more sensible by that Severity and Disfavour with which he was treated by his Father in the time of his Minority his Saying was this That Parents are oftentimes the cause of ruine to their Children when either they educate them with such fondness that they never cross them in their Wills or desires but suffer them to act and doe whatsoever they please whereby they become so corrupt in the manners of their infancy that Vice grows ripe with them at the Years of Manhood Others on the contrary are so severe and cruel to their Children that they break the tenderness of their Spirits and affright them from learning discouraging them in that manner by menaces and lectures of a supercilious Pedant that their Wits are abased and despair of attaining to knowledge and vertue The way is to keep an indifferent mean between both by which Youth becomes valiant and hardy in War and wise and political in the time of Peace With which Blas Valera concludes the Reign of this Inca Viracocha Royal Commentaries BOOK VI. CHAP. I.
Vice-kings and Governours would be pleased to renew the Commands and Rules given in this case by the ancient Incas obliging the Sons descended from the Line of the old Masters to reassume the Authority formerly given them for teaching and propagating this general Tongue they would easily reduce them to a knowledge thereof I remember a Priest and Doctor of the Canon-law a person very pious and truly desirous to doe good to the Souls of the Indians did with great Diligence and Industry learn himself the Cozcan Tongue which having attained he became very importunate with the Indians to learn it also in compliance with whose desires many of them applying themselves thereunto did in little more time than a year become perfect Masters of it and to speak it as readily as their Mother-Tongue whereby this Priest found so facile an introduction into the Ears of this people that he easily instilled the Fundamentals and Principles of the Christian Faith into their Minds and Hearts and if one single person was able by his sole diligence and endeavours to incline the minds of this people to a compliance with his desires how much more might the authority of the Bishops and Vice-Kings be prevalent and successfull amongst them and how easily might these Indians by the help of this general Tongue be taught and governed with much gentleness and lenity from the utmost parts of Quitu to the Countrey of the Chiches to evince which more clearly it is observable that the Incas dispatched all their judicial Acts by the help of a few Judges whereas now in the very same Countries three hundred Spaniards who are Corregidores are not able to pass and perform the Causes relating to private Justice all which difficulty is caused by the loss of the common Language the which is much to be lamented considering it is a Tongue easily obtained as may appear by the many Priests who in a short time have made themselves Masters of it In Chuquiapu as I have been informed there was a certain Priest Doctor in Divinity who had so great a detestation of this Tongue that he had no patience to hear it spoken being of opinion that it was so difficult as not to be attained by the greatest Industry It happened that before the time that a College of Jesuits was erected in that Countrey a certain Priest came thither with intention to reside there for some days to preach unto the Indians publickly in the general Language The Priest who so much nauseated that Tongue resolved notwithstanding for curiosity sake to be present at the Sermon and having observed that he quoted many places of Scripture and that the Indians heard him with great attention took some kind of liking to the Tongue so that presently after the Sermon he asked the Priest how it was possible for such divine and mysterious sayings to be expressed in words so barbarous as those to which the Priest answered that the thing was very possible for that the Language was so copious and easie to be learned that if he would apply his Mind to it he might in the space of four or five months attain to a perfect knowledge of it by which being encouraged and moved with a desire of doing good to the Souls of the poor Indians he promised all diligence and application of Mind in the study of that Tongue in which after the labour of six months he became so great a proficient that he was able to hear the Confessions of the Indians and to preach to them to his own great comfort and their advantage CHAP. IV. Of the great Usefulness of this Language HAving thus made appear the facility of this Language and how easily our Spaniards who go from hence attain unto it with how much more readiness must the native Indians of Peru arrive at the knowledge of it for though the people be of different Nations yet their Language hath some affinity and similitude together differing onely in some Words Dialects and Accents so that we see how the common Indians who frequent the City de los Reyes and of Cozco the City de la Plata and the Mines of Potocchi being forced to gain their Bread and Clothing with the sweat of their Brows onely by Conversation and Commerce with the other Indians without any rules or precepts given to them have in a few months been perfect Masters of the Cozcan-Language to which they have added this farther advantage that when they have returned to their own Countries again they have seemed more polished refined and accomplished beyond the rank of the other Indians and for that reason were greatly esteemed and admired by Neighbours which when the Jesuits had observed who lived amongst the People of Sulli whose Inhabitants are all Aymaraes or Philosophers they concluded that the learning of this Language was of a particular advantage to the Indians and an improvement equal with that which the learning of Latin is to us the which also is confirmed by the opinion of Priests Judges and Officers who have had or entertained any Converse or Communication with this people for they have found them more just and honest in their dealings more docible in spiritual matters more acute and intelligent in their understandings and in short more civil and less barbarous and more like Men and Citizens than the other witness the Indians Of Puquinas Collas Urus Yuncas and other Nations who with the change of their Language have put off all their turpitude of Manners and elevated their Souls to more sublime thoughts which before were immersed in sense and reached no farther than the mere sagacity of Brutes But the aptitude and disposition which the Indians gain thereby towards the receiving the Doctrine of the Catholick Faith is a consideration above all others for it is certain that this Speech of Cozco is so copious and full of words fit to express the Mysteries of divine things that the Preachers are pleased to exspatiate in their Discourses with excellent Flowers of Rhetorick and Elegancies which are made intelligible to the Indians by the knowledge of this Tongue which hath opened a door for entrance of the Gospel with great benefit and efficacy And though the Miracles of Divine Grace have evidenced themselves by other means amongst the rude Indians of Uriquillas and the fierce and barbarous Chirihuanas yet God who is most commonly pleased to work by ordinary means hath generally made use of this Tongue to convey the knowledge and instructions of the Gospel for as the Incan Kings by the help of this common Language which they with great care and diligence instilled into the Minds of their people did propagate the Law which the light of Nature taught them so also ought we with the same care and diligence endeavour to continue this excellent method as the most expedite means to inculcate the mysteries of the Gospel and therefore it is great pity and much to be lamented that our Christian Governour who omit no
in streaks about the breadth of a straw from the corners of their Eyes to their Temples and in this manner it seemed very becoming Other Fucus or Painting than this with Ychma the Pallas or great Ladies did not use nor was it their adornment of every days dress but onely then when they would appear fine and well dressed upon the days of the principal Feasts when they always washed their Faces very clean as also did all the common people But the truth is those Women who did much avail themselves of their beauty and clearness of their skin would for conservation thereof lay a sort of white stuff like Milk upon it of what they made it for my part I cannot tell but there they let it stick and remain for the space of nine days at the end of which being well dried like a scurf on the skin they would then take it off and the complexion would remain much more bright and clear than before But as to the Ychma the Prohibition that was made against extracting of it caused it to be scarce and of little use And whereas a certain Authour says that the Indians did usually paint their faces in the Wars and at their Festivals it is a gross mistake though perhaps some Nations might doe it which were esteemed the most salvage and barbarous And now we are to declare how they melted their Silver before they found the use of Quick-silver the manner was this Near to the Mountain Potocchi or Potocsi which is all one there is another Mountain in the same form and shape but not so great nor so high called by the Indians Huayna Potocsi or the Potocsi the Junior as if they were Father and Son. The Silver for the most part is extracted from Hutun Potocsi or the Elder Potocsi in melting of which they at first found great difficulty for not being able to make it run it burnt away or evaporated in smoak of which the Indians could not penetrate the cause nor discover a remedy But as necessity and covetousness make Men ingenious and contriving so particularly the Indians were infinitely industrious to find out some way to Melt their Gold and Silver at length after many experiments they happened to try the melting of a baser sort of Metal which the lesser Potocsi produced consisting for the most part of Lead mixed with Silver the which yielding more easily melted and run and this being put into the Melting-pots together with the fine Silver and Gold would immediately cause them to melt and dissolve for which reason the Indians gave it the Name of Curuchec which signifies any thing that dissolves In the melting of which Metals they observed a certain proportion of this courser sort for to so much Silver they put such a quantity of this Curuchec according as time and experience had informed their judgments for all sorts of Silver were not of the same fineness though digged and extracted from the same vein so that according to the quality and richness of the Metal the quantity of Curuchec was to be applied The Silver being thus mixed with more fusible Metal they melted it down in Earthen or Clay-pots or Crysobles which they carried from place to place But in regard they had no use of Bellows to make the heat of their fire more intense nor yet used Copper Pipes which we have formerly mentioned wherewith to blow the fire it often happened that they could not possibly cause their Silver to melt of which the Indians not being able to comprehend the reason did at length conclude that it must be a natural blast of Wind which must doe this work But then if the Wind were too strong it would blow away the Coles and cool the Metal so that a temperate and easie gale was requisite To procure which their custome was to go upon the Hills by night observing how the Winds sate and there placed their Melting-pots at such a height higher or lower according as they perceived the force of the Wind. It was a pleasant sight in those days to see eight ten twelve or fifteen thousand of these Fires burning all at the same time upon the sides of these Mountains ranged in order one by the other The first Melting of the Ore was made in this manner on the Mountains but then the second time they founded it again in their Houses blowing the fire as we have said with the Pipes of Copper when they made separation of their Lead from their Silver For in regard the Indians had not the knowledge of all those inventions which the Spaniards have attained in the Art of separating Gold and Silver and Lead performed by Aqua fortis and other Ingredients their way was by often Melting to burn out the Lead and so refine By which we may observe that the Indians had some knowledge of refining the Silver of Potosi before the discovery of Quick-silver and still conserve that Art though not so commonly or frequently known amongst them as formerly The Masters and Owners of the Mines perceiving that by this way of Melting by natural Winds their Goods and Riches were divided and much embezelled by being dispersed into several hands wherefore to remedy this inconvenience they employed Day-labourers who were Indians to dig and extract the Metal and then the Spaniards themselves melted down their own Silver whereas before the Indians having extracted the Ore for every hundred weight thereof agreed and stipulated with their Masters to return them such a quantity of Silver By this good husbandry and by the improvements they had made in the Art of Melting they made great Bellows which being placed at a distance would blow their fires into an extremity of flame But this neither proving a ready way they made an Engine with Wheels carried about with Sails like a Wind-mill or turned by Horses which fanned and blowed the fire with great violence Nor did this neither doe the work so that the Spaniards despairing of the success of their inventions made use of those which the Indians had framed and contrived and so things continued for 22 years untill the year 1567 when by the wit and industry of a certain Portugal named Henrique Garces a great plenty of Quick-silver was discovered in the Province of Huanca surnamed Villca which signifies Greatness or Eminence I know not for what reason unless it be for the great abundance of Quick-silver which that Countrey yielded which is so necessary in the founding of Metals that without it there is great waste and consumption and which hath been so usefull that eight thousand Quintals of it have every year been spent in the service of his Majesty and yet notwithstanding this great plenty of Quick-silver which was discovered the Spaniards were for some time ignorant of the use which might be made thereof in the more easie extracting of their Silver nor had they for the space of four years after any good Assay-Master untill the year 1571 when a certain
because that being charmed with pity for the miseries of the poor Indians they trembled and sell to make way for their flight and escape Some Historians say that the Spaniards not satisfied to see them fly pursued and massacred them untill the night put an end to their cruelty And then afterwards taking the plunder of the Field they divided the spoil which consisted of Jewels Gold Silver and many pretious Stones And Lopez de Gomara giving a relation hereof in the 114th Chapter of his Book saith That in the Palace and Bath of Atabaliba onely they found five thousand Women which though sorrowfull and destitute yet they put on a chearfull countenance when they saw the Christians treating them with Presents of fine Garments with Towels and other domestick conveniences as also with Basons of Gold and Silver one of which belonged to Atabaliba and weighed eight Arroves of Gold which makes two hundred weight English and was to the value of a hundred thousand Ducats but poor Atabaliba in the mean time being much incommoded by his Chains desired Piçarro that since it was his misfortune to fall into such misery that at least they would treat him well and ease him of that burthen Thus far are the Words of Gomara which I have extracted almost verbatim and which are of the same sense with that which is delivered by Augustine Carate To which Authours I refer my Reader in case any person desires to reade these matters more at large CHAP. XXVIII Atahualpa or Atabaliba promises a great Ransome to obtain his Liberty and what Endeavours were made for him THE Nobility which escaped from the slaughter of Cassamarca understanding that their King was alive returned to perform their Services to him in Prison onely a certain Commander called Rumminavi who was of a different opinion to all the rest and never assented to have Peace with the Spaniards or to trust them remained behind with the Souldiers under his Command and being enraged to find his Counsels rejected fled with his people into the Kingdom of Quitu with intention to make preparations for a War against the Spaniards and such provisions as were most conducing to his own safety But his real design was to levy a War against Atahualpa himself who having been a Rebel to his own Prince he thought it no crime to follow his example To which end being entred into the Kingdom of Quitu he immediately seized on all the Sons of Atahualpa â—â—â— pretence of dâ—â—ending and protecting them against the Spaniards but in a short time he killed them all together with Quilliscacha who was Brother to Atahualpa both by Father and Mother called by the Spaniards Yllâ—scas and moreover he killed Challcuchima and other Captains and Curacas as we shall declare in their due place The Inca Atahualpa being now in Prison and bound with Chains of Iron treated with the Spaniards for the price of his Liberty and offered for his Ransome as many Vessels of Gold and Silver as should cover the floor of the Chamber wherein he was â—â— and perceiving that the Spaniards shrugged their shoulders at it as either not believing him or thinking the proposal too mean as Gomara reports he immediately prosered to fill the Room to a certain red line which he had drawn on the Wall so far as he could reach with his hand provided that they neither put one Vessel within the other not battered or beat them close but onely heaped them one on the other until they arose to the mark and line which he had drawn And thus much we have extracted out of the 114th Chapter of Gomara's History But not to enlarge on the Particulars related by the Spanish Historians to whom we refer our selves we come in short to that which immediately concerns the Life and Death of those Kings the Incas and the utter destruction of them which was the first design and intention of this Treatise and then afterwards in its due place we shall relate all the most curious and notable passages which occurred in the Civil Wars arisen between the Spaniards themselves But now to procced Atahualpa sent for much Gold and Silver for payment of his Ransome which though amassed in great quantities yet wanted much of arising to the line which was drawn so that it seemed almost impossible to comply with the promises which Atahualpa had made wherefore the Spaniards murmured and said That since the Prisoner had not complied with the promises he had given within the time prefixed they could not but suspect that these delays were made on design to assemble greater numbers of Souldiers who might be able to master and kill them and then free and rescue their King. The Spaniards being jealous of some such project appeared angry and discontented which Atahualpa perceiving by their countenance for he was very quick of apprehension demanded the cause of that trouble which appeared in their faces which when he had understood from Francisco Piçarro he answered that if they were informed of the great distance of the places from whence he was to fetch his Vessels of Gold and Silver they would not entertain such hard thoughts of jealousie concerning his intentions for the greatest part of his Ransome was to be brought from Cozco Pachacamac Quitu and several other Provinces the nearest part of which was Pachacamac and that was at least eighty Leagues distant that Cozco was two hundred Leagues off and Quitu three hundred and that if they doubted of the truth of what he affirmed they might if they pleased send Spaniards into those parts to see and survey the Treasure which was there and in all places of that Kingdom and being satisfied with the quantity thereof might pay themselves with their own hands But the Inca perceiving that the Spaniards doubted of their security with those whom he would employ to conduct them to these Treasures he told them that whilst he was in Chains they were secure and needed not to fear or doubt of their safety Upon which Hernando de Soto and Peter del Barco Native of the Town of Lobon resolved to travel as far as Cozco When Atahualpa understood that Hernando would leave him he was much troubled for having been the first Christian he had seen he entertained a particular kindness for his Person believing that on all occasions and emergencies he would prove his Friend and Protectour Howsoever he durst not say any thing against his going lest it should beget a jealousie and contradict the profer he had made and which the Spaniards had accepted Besides these two Spaniards four others resolved to travel into other Provinces for discovery of the Treasures which they yielded one therefore designed for Quitu another for Huayllas another for Huamachucu and a fourth for Sicillapampa all which besides their primary intention of discovery received Instructions to observe whether any Levies were making for rescue of their King Atahualpa from his Prison but he poor Man being far from suspecting the Faith
the Habits the Arms and Horses of their new Guests the Novelty of which and the Command of their Inca caused them to adore them for Gods and to receive and treat them with such kindness and respect as passes all imagination or expression and so silly were these poor people that observing the Horses with Bits and Bridles in their mouths they imagined like those in Cassamarca that the Iron was their food and pitying to see the poor Beasts with no better Victuals they brought them Gold and Silver desiring them to eat those Metals which were much more pleasant and delicate than the Iron The Spaniards were much pleased at the ignorance of the Indians and cherishing them in that opinion told them as they had done to those in Cassamarca that they should bring much of that fodder to their Horses and lay it under the Grass and Mayz for they were great devourers and would soon dispatch and eat it all which the Indians believing did as they desired Of the Gold which was in the Temple Hernando Piçarro took as much as he could carry with him leaving his Command to carry all the rest to Cassamarca for ransome of their King on which belief the people readily brought all not concealing or embezling any part thereof Whilst Hernando Piçarro was at Pachacamac he received advice that about forty Leagues from thence there was a certain Captain of the Army of Atahualpa called Challcuchima who had gathered great Forces to him upon which Hernando sent to him to come and meet him that they might treat of matters conducing to the publick peace and quiet of those Kingdoms but the Indian refusing to come where the Spuniards were Hernando adventured with great hazard of his own Person and of the lives of his companions to pass unto him being a Journey not to be performed without much labour and danger both in the going and in the return for not onely the roughness of the way and craggy Mountains were incommodious but the broad Rivers gave them much obstruction for in passing over the Bridges of Osier which we have formerly described the greatest difficulty was how to Ferry over the Horses Wherefore this attempt was esteemed very rash and inconsiderate by the other Spaniards to whom it appeared a vain confidence to put themselves into the hands of an Infidel in whom according to common report was no faith and into the power of a person who was surrounded with an Army Howsoever the reliance which this Spanish Commander had on the promises of Atahualpa which at his departure he had expressed by signs and had given him some tokens which might serve him for a Pass-port in case he should meet with any Commander or General in his Journey so animated Hernando that he marched boldly towards Challcuchima and having met he persuaded him to leave his Army and to accompany him to the place where he might see and discourse with his King The Indian suffering himself to be overcome by his importunity attended Hernando and to make the Journey more short they cut off a great part of their way by crossing over some snowy Mountains where they had all perished with cold had they not been relieved by the Indians and conducted to some warm caves whereof there are many in that passage which were hewen out of the Rocks for reception of Travellers The Spaniards not having been acquainted with the ruggedness of the ways had not provided themselves with Shoes for their Horses nor Smiths to nail them for want of which their Horses had suffered much had not the Indians melted some of their Gold and Silver and therewith forged Shoes of Gold instead of Iron for the use of their Horses Gomara at the end of the 114th Chapter of his Book mentions this passage in these words For want of Iron some shod their Horses with Silver and some with Gold. After many such difficulties and hardships as these Hernando Piçarro and Challcuchima arrived in Cassamarca where Challcuchima being about to enter into the place where the Inca remained and having first put off his Shoes and taken something on his shoulders in token of servitude he with much tenderness burst out into tears so soon as he saw his King in Chains and laden with Iron attributing his Imprisonment by the Spaniards to his own default and absence But the Inca replied that his absence was not to be blamed nor could any other cause be assigned hereof than onely the Decree of the Pachacamac of which many Prophecies and Prognostications had for many years past preceded foretelling their Invasion by new and unknown Nations who should destroy their Religion and subvert their Empire as his Father Huayna Capac had foretold at the hour of his Death And for better assurance of the truth hereof so soon as he was taken he sent to Cozco to consult with his Father the Sun and with the other Oracles which resolved Questions and Demands in his Kingdom and particularly with the prating Idol in the Valley of Rimac which notwithstanding its former readiness of speech was become silent and what was most to be admired was that the hidden Oracle in the Temple of Pachacamac which had undertaken on all occasions to answer the doubts and questions which were made concerning the successes of Kings and great Men was also become dumb and made no answers And though it was told to that Oracle that their Inca was held in Chains and was conjured by them to advise a remedy for his release he became deaf and silent And moreover the Priests and such as formerly entertained free and familiar discourses with the other Oracles reported that they were not able to obtain an answer or screw out the least word from them for which cause Atahualpa said that he was greatly troubled and distracted in his thoughts fearing lest his Father the Sun had absolutely abandoned him for otherwise he would not have tied up the mouths of his Idols on a sudden which he had formerly caused to be free and familiar with devout persons not suffering them to advise and yield them comfort in their ultimate distress All which were certain and unevitable signals of their approaching misery and alienation of their Empire These and such sad apprehensions Atahualpa uttered with extreme grief of heart to his General Challcuchima in the Prison where he was beginning then to feel the pangs of conscience for his Treason and Rebellion against Huascar in reward of which and of all other the Tyrannies and Cruelties he had committed against him and his family he confessed himself to be now justly punished with the like troubles and anguish in his own Soul. CHAP. XXX How the Devils of Peru were strook dumb by the Sacraments of the Holy Mother the Church of Rome IT is most certainly true that so soon as the Sacraments of our Holy Mother the Church of Rome were brought into Peru namely the Consecration of the Host or of the Body and Bloud of
Native of Seville with whom I was well acquainted was sent in the Van or Forlorn Hope with one hundred and fifty Men to discover the Countrey which they found to be very quiet and in a peaceable posture by reason that their Inca Prince Manco remained in the Hands of the Spaniards and that the Indians were in very great hopes of his Restauration to the Empire Almagro left Captain Ruy Diaz and John de Herrada his intimate Friend to reside as Agents for him in the City of Cozco to raise Men and to send him Recruits and supply him with what was necessary for the War against the Kingdom of Chili it being reported to be a Countrey mountainous and the People Warlike CHAP. XX. Almagro enters Chili with the great detriment of his Army but is well received by the People of the Inca. MAtter 's being designed as before related Almagro departed from Cozco about the beginning of the Year 1535 carrying in his company with him Paullu the Brother of Manco Inca of whom we have formerly made mention as also the High Priest which was as yet maintained in Honour called Villac Omu by the Indians but by the Spaniards Villa Oma He was also accompanied with many Indian Nobles and many of the common sort who carried Arms and Baggage to the number of 15000 Men all which were sent by the Command of Manco Inca who imagined that such Services as these would oblige the Spaniards and ni common Gratitude engage them to â—surrender his Kingdom to him On this expectation he enjoined his Brother and the High Priest to attend the Viracochas whereby the Indians were much more ready to honour and doe them Service But in the Relation of this passage Historians mistake in not rightly timing matters saying That the Inca gave Instructions to his Brother to kill Almagro in the Charcas or in some other convenient place But this was afterwards certified when the Inca perceived that the Spaniards never intended to restore him to his Kingdom as we shall relate in its due place But as to the present Affair Saavedra who led the Van before came to the Charcas which is about two hundred Leagues distant from Cozco without the least misfortune or unhappy accident by the way worthy the notice for the Indians received them with all amicable and kind Treatment in every place where they came It was his fortune to meet in the Charcas with Gabriel de Rojas sent thither by Marquiss Piçarro with a Force of about seventy Men the which Saavedra would have taken without just reason for since the Vice of Discord could not find entrance into the peaceable Minds of the Indians it would make its way into the Humour of the Spaniards to put all into Flame and Combustion but Gabriel de Rojas having information hereof took another way to the City of los Reyes and so wisely avoided the Plot intended against him but the most part of his Souldiers joined with Almagro in his Enterprise against Chili In like manner Almagro came to the Charcas without any Accident which befell him on the way worthy the notice And now to proceed in his March he caused every thing that was necessary to be provided and because the Journey was a much nearer cut over Mountains than by the Sea-Coast he resolved to take that way and though Paullu and Villac Umu informed him that the way over the famous Mountain of the Cordillera was not passable by reason of the Snows but at a certain reason of the Year yet he would give no credence to their Words but told them that the Countrey of Peru was to yield and be obedient to the Discoverers and Conquerours of it and that the very Elements the Region and Climates and Heaven it self was to become propitious and favourable to their Designs as it had hitherto been With this Resolution Almagro departed from the Charcas and proceeded on his Journey by way of the Mountains for being jealous that Paullu did not faithfully advise him he slighted the Counsel which he had given him but they had not passed many days Journey through the Mountains before they began to repent of the Way they had taken by reason of the many Difficulties sustained therein The first that lead the Way being not able to pass by reason of the Depths of Snow were forced to throw it aside with their Hands and Arms which was the cause that they made short Days Journies At length their Provisions began to fail by reason that they were in the Way three times longer than they expected but their greatest inconvenience was the Extremity of Cold for according to the Description of Cosmographers the Top of that snowy Mountain reaches as high as the middle Region of the Air the which being extremely cold and the ground covered with Snow and the Season of the Year being about the time of our Midsummer when the Days are at the shortest it froze so excessively that Spaniards Negroes and Indians and many Horses were frozen to Death The poor Indians suffered most being ill provided with warm Garments so that ten thousand of the fifteen thousand Indians dyed with the Cold nor did the Spaniards escape who were better clothed for of them also one hundred and fifty dyed and so cruel and severe was the Frost that their Fingers and Toes were so benumbed that they were insensible of the freezing thereof untill they rotted off from their Hands and Feet I was acquainted with one of these persons called Jeronimo Castilla born at Camora of as good a Family as any is in that City Many of them lost their baggage not by violence of an Enemy because there was none in those parts to oppose them but were forced to relinquish and leave them the Indians being dead who carried their Burthens In fine after a tedious Journey the Spaniards passed the Mountain harassed and tired with their Travels and Labour and being come to the other side instead of Enemies they fell into the Hands of the Indians who were their Friends and who received them as kindly and treated them as well as if they had been their Countrey-Men and of their own Bloud for they being Inhabitants of Copayapu and Subjects of the Inca did in respect to Paullu Inca and the High Priest Feast and entertain the Spaniards with all the plenty and variety of Curiosities which their Countrey could afford And most happy was it for the Spaniards for had the Indians proved Enemies and not Friends and taken them unprovided and at that advantage they might all have perished and not one escaped During the time that the Viracochas refreshed themselves after their late Sufferings and Labours which were greater than can be expressed Paullu Inca and his Kinsman Villac Umu entertained Discourse with the Captains and Curacas of the Empire and gave them to understand all that passed in Peru relating to the Story of Huascar Inca and Atahualpa and how the Spaniards put him to Death in
I am well assured and I believe ye are all sensible that my Desires to reign and govern are not grounded on Principles of Ambition but that my Kingdoms may recover that Peace and Liberty which they enjoyed under the gentle and easie Government of my Ancestours it being the Duty of every good King to study the Prosperity and Welfare of his People and according to the practice of the Incas to prefer that before any other Consideration whatsoever But I have good reason to suspect and fear that the Designs of these Men whom we call Gods and say they were sent from Heaven are very much different from these Principles Howsoever for my part I cannot but with much Regret and Tenderness towards you seek to gain my point at the cost of your Lives and would rather live in a private manner despoiled of my Empire which is my Inheritance than to recover it at the expence of their Bloud whom I love as dearly as my own Children And now therefore that the Viracochas may not treat you ill for my sake I am resolved to retire my self and to live an Exile from my Countrey that so all Cause of Jealousie and Suspicion being removed by my Absence ye may be received into their good Grace and Favour And now I find the Prophecy of my Father Huayna Capac fully accomplished which was That a Stranger Nation should deprive us of our Empire and destroy our Laws and Religion Had we well considered this before we began the War we should have acquiesced and submitted because my Father the King enjoined us to obey and serve the Viracochas whose Laws as he said were better than ours and their Arms more powerfull than our force Both which things have proved true for so soon as they entred into this Empire Our Oracles became silent which is a sign that they yielded unto theirs And as to their Arms they have had an advantage over ours for though at the beginning we had the fortune to kill some few of them yet at length one hundred and seventy onely which survived were able to deal with us nay as we may say did conquer us seeing that in the end we are forced to retreat The truth is it cannot well be said that they conquered us nor can they boast much of their Victories for setting aside the Miracles which appeared in their Favour they of themselves gained no advantage over us For what can we say to the Fire which burned our own Houses and became extinct so soon as it touched theirs What can we think of that Cavalier who at the Extremity of the Siege appeared with Thunder and Lightning in his Hand and routed and destroyed all before him And then in the Night a most beautiful Princess appeared in the Clouds with an Infant in her Armes which with that astonishing Brightness she darted from her Eyes dismayed and blinded us in such manner that we knew not what we did and even feared to return unto our own Quarters how much less durst we adventure to give Battel to these Viracochas Moreover we have seen and tried how such a handfull of Men have been able to defend themselves against such multitudes of ours without Food Sleep or Rest that when we imagined they were wearied faint and ready to yield they appeared formidable and refreshed with new Vigour All which being considered 't is apparent that the Hand of God is in it and that the Pachacamac who favours them doth discourage and infuse fear into our Minds wherefore let us yield our selves rather than bring so many calamities upon our own Heads For my part I am resolved to retire within the Mountains of Antis and there secure and defend my self better than I am able to doe with all my power and there living quietly and without offence I shall not provoke those Strangers to doe Hurt and Mischief unto you for any Cause or Reason of mine In this my Solitude and Banishment it will be my Comfort to hear that it passeth well with you and that ye live with Liberty and Contentment under this new Government of the Spaniards wherefore instead of my last Will and Testament and in pursuance of that Command left us by my Father I do conjure you to serve and obey them to the utmost of your power so shall ye be well treated and used by them And so farewell and remain in peace and now methinks I am very sorry to leave you in the Hands of Strangers wishing with all my Heart that I were able to take you all with me When the Inca had ended his Speech his People dropped a Floud of Tears with such Groans and Sighs that the fulness of Sorrow stopped the utterance of Words nor durst they dissuade him from this resolution perceiving that he determined so to doe wherefore in the first place he disbanded all his Souldiers that were under Command of their respective Caciques advising them to repair unto their several Provinces and there patiently submit unto and obey and serve the Spaniards but the Inca collecting as many as he could together of his own Bloud and Family both Men and Women fled with them into the wild Mountains of Antis and seated himself at a certain place called Villcapampa where he passed his time as we may imagine in Solitude like a Prince deposed and dispossessed of his Sceptre and there lived untill he was killed by a certain Spaniard to whom he had given Protection and conserved from his Enemies and who most inhumanely sought his Life As we shall see in its due place CHAP. XXX What a certain Author reports of the Incan Kings and their Subjects BLas Valera discoursing of the Wisedom Abilities Prowess and Valour of the Indians of Peru he gives this Character of them as follows which I the rather mention because it conduces much to the matter in hand and will serve to confirm what we have already said and what we shall hereafter report The People of Peru exceed most Nations of the World in quickness of Wit and strength of Judgment the which appears in that they have been able without the help of Letters to attain unto the knowledge of many things which the learning of the Egyptians Caldeans and Greeks could never reach so that if in place of their Knots they had made use of Letters they had surpassed the Romans and Galls and other Nations in all points of Learning whatsoever That rudeness of Manners which appears in them at present is not for want of Natural Parts or Endowments of Mind but for want of practice in the Fashions and Customs of Europe and of Instructours in Liberal Sciences being taught nothing but what relates to Interest and Gain for such of them as have Masters or Teachers and leisure time and liberty to learn nay if they do but see a thing they will imitate it so exactly without being taught that they become better Artists and Mechanicks than the Spaniards themselves and would become
Peces John Diente and Martin Cote and thirty others of the most culpable or chiefest Offenders others who were pardoned for life were banished into the remote parts of that Kingdom Whilst the Governour was thus employed in doing justice at Huamanca he received intelligence that Almagro was taken and imprisoned at Cozco wherefore hastning to that place and arriving there he immediately caused the Sentence to be executed which he had passed upon him before the Battel not being willing to spend more time in new Processes Carate saith that they cut his throat in the same place and by the same Executioner who put his Father to death and who stripped him and took his Cloaths in the same manner as he had done his Father's onely some friends agreed for his Breeches Wastcoat and Shirt which were conserved to him his Body was laid out and exposed the whole day to publick view afterwards they carried it to the Convent of our Lady of the Merceds and there buried it by the side or in the very Grave of his Father without Winding-sheet or other Shroud than his own Cloaths onely out of charity some few Masses were said for his Soul. This was the end of Don Diego Almagro Junior which was so like to that of his Father that fortune seemed to make the circumstances of their lives parallel in every thing for besides that they were Father and Son and had the same Name they were endued with equal courage and conduct in War and with the same prudence and counsel in Peace and if there was any thing of excellency more in one than in the other it appeared in the Son who from his youth had been trained up in good literature in which by help of his good parts both for judgment and quickness of fancy he made great improvement they resembled each other in their Deaths which happened in the same place and almost in the same manner their Funerals were much alike for having been rich and powerfull they died so poor that their Burial-charges were paid upon charity and to render the circumstances of their lives in all things agreeable the Battels they fought and lost were both upon a Saturday Thus poor Don Diego Almagro Junior concluded the Scene of his Life who had been the bravest Mestizo that is one begot by a Spaniard on the body of an Indian Woman that ever this new World produced had he taken the right side and obeyed the Governour who was constituted by Commission from his Majesty He was a Man who had a handsome seat on Horse-back in both Saddles either riding with his legs at length or short as is the fashion on the Gennet At last he died like a good Christian with great repentance for his sins Almagro being dead they hanged up John Rodriguez Barragan and Ensign Enriquez with eight others who adventured to follow Almagro unto Cozco Gomez Perez and Diego Mendez and another companion of theirs made their escape out of Prison but finding no secure place wherein to conceal themselves in all Peru they fled to the Mountains where Prince Manco Inca remained in retirement and were followed by five others who went also to hide and cure themselves of their wounds in that place All which were received with great kindness and with as good entertainment by the Inca as he was able to give them but in what Coin they again repaid him will appear by the sequel for he was killed by one of them in requital for his favours and kindness towards them CHAP. XIX The good Government of Vaca de Castro the peace and quietness of Peru the cause and original of other Troubles DOn Diego Almagro Junior being dead and all the Complices and Heads of that party being either put to death or banished the whole Empire of Peru began to enjoy peace and settlement the name and interest of that Almagrian Faction being totally extinguished Judge Vaca de Castro being a prudent and a discreet Person in all his actions governed with much Equity and Justice to the great satisfaction and contentment both of Spaniards and Indians having established several Laws so advantageous to the Welfare of both Nations that the Indians themselves rejoyced in such happy constitutions and esteemed them equal to those which had been made by their Incas Likewise the Governour bestowed such Plantations of Indians which were void and forfeited for Rebellion on persons who had well deserved for their Services to his Majesty in the late War He also encreased the Possessions of others or exchanged them for those which were better in other places or Cities where they were most pleased to chuse their habitation At that time many of the Inhabitants of Charcas transplanted themselves and Families to Cozco amongst whom my Lord Garçilasso de la Vega was one who as we have said formerly had left the Province Tapac-ri to settle himself in the Province Quechua which belongs to the Nation Cotanera and Huamampallpa And though the Governour in the Divisions he made proceeded with all the equality and caution imaginable as was apparent to all the World yet many were discontented for want of having Lands and Plantations of Indians allotted to them which they believed and presumed to be due for all their Services and Labours they had sustained in the Conquest of Peru. Amongst these discontented persons there was a certain Gentleman called Hernando Mogollon born at Badajoz of whom we have made mention in the third Chapter of the first Book of our History of Florida This Gentleman presuming that he had well deserved and performed great Services in the Conquest of these new Countries and particularly at the Battel of Chupas where he signalized his bravery in an extraordinary manner of which Vaca de Castro himself was a Witness for which finding he had no reward or Lands or Indian Servants divided to him he went and applied himself to the Governour and told him plainly Sir In this Countrey as your Lordship well knows all People eat from the Labours of Mogollon and he alone starves with hunger And in regard that he was one of those who discovered Florida and was forward and active in other important Conquests which have been acquired to the Crown of Spain and lastly was present in the Battel of Chupas where he fought under your Lordship's Standard it is but reason that some remembrance should be had of him who hath not forgotten his Duty and Service to his Majesty The Governour considering well the Merits of the Man and that he asked nothing but what was very reasonable he bestowed upon him a small share of Lands inhabited by Indians And as an expedient to quiet the minds of other complaining and indigent Souldiers of which many were unrewarded and to prevent a farther Mutiny he imitated the example of Marquis Piçarro who on the like occasion dispeeded several Companies with their Captains to conquer and possess divers other parts of the Countrey by which means enlarging their Territories
Sattin and one of them led the Horse by the Bridle the which was performed with the same solemnity as they used in Castile to receive the person of the King. So soon as the Court was sate they began to treat and enter upon business as well relating to Justice as Government and herein he thought to render himself the more popular by favouring the cause of the poor who generally are more pleased with revolutions and changes than the rich And now the Devil who designed the downfall and ruine of this pernicious and evil Vice-king began to disturb and disquiet all the Countrey which was so lately settled after the troubles of an intestine War the first commotion took its rise from an ill understanding between the Vice-king and the Judges and indeed of all the Kingdom for that the Vice-king resolving to carry on his work in putting the new Laws in execution he little regarded the Petitions and Addresses which were presented to him from the City of Los Reyes of Lima and other smaller Corporations Thus far are the words of Fernandez Palentino in the 10th Chapter of his Book And this Authour farther discoursing of the humour of this Vice-king and the shame the Devil owed him for being the cause of all those Commotions which were raised in the Countrey and also that he was the occasion of that discord which ruines Kingdoms and destroyes Empires and which particularly proceeded not onely to a quarrel between the Vice-king and the Conquerours of that Kingdom but also to such a mortal feud between him and the Judges as was not to be reconciled And indeed herein the Judges had much advantage for that they were men of great temper discreet and unbiassed who foreseeing the many inconveniencies which the rumour onely much more the execution of the new regulations would occasion dissuaded those rash proceedings wherein they were the more positive in consideration that this Kingdom which was scarcely appeased and settled since the late Wars and was still in agitation and commotion would never be able to support such extravagant oppressions which would certainly be the cause of the total ruine and destruction of that Empire These plain representations made to the Vice-king with intention and design onely if it had been possible to attemper his angry and froward disposition served to little purpose and effect for that his humour being wholly bent on his own obstinate resolutions he termed all those who concurred not with him in the same opinion rebellious to the King and enemies to himself And farther to widden these breaches he ordered the Judges to remove from his neighbourhood in the palace and to take other lodgings in other quarters for themselves All which and much more so inflamed the minds of both parties that sharp words and reparties frequently intervened between them Howsoever in regard the Judges for better administration of affairs were obliged to keep fair with the Vice-king they so concealed and dissembled their resentments that their passions were not publickly made known But because the resolution of the Vice-king to put in execution the new Laws became daily more and more apparent and manifest the Discontents and Quarrels arose daily to a higher degree and those who were injured and prejudiced thereby became uneasie and impatient And as Diego Fernandez in his 10th Chapter saith that the Judges considering the obstinate and inflexible humour of the Vice-king on one side to execute the new Regulations of the Emperour to whom by reason of the distance of the place no opportune or seasonable applications could be made for a moderation or redress and that on the other side in case they should condescend to be deprived of their Indians it would be very difficult to recover that vassalage again they were by these difficulties reduced to such a kind of Dilemma that they were all distracted and knew not which way to turn or resolve Nor was the people onely confused and unquieted by these thoughts but even the Vice-king found himself reduced to an inquietude and distraction of mind when he found the people mutinous and turmoiled with a thousand fancies and resolved to sacrifice their lives and fortunes rather than to submit tamely to their own destruction As hereafter we shall find by the success And thus far are the words of Palentino which we have extracted â— verbatim from his own Writings CHAP. VI. The secret quarrel concealed between the Vice-king and the Judges breaks out in publick Prince Manco Inca and the Spaniards who were with him write to the Vice-king NOR did the quarrel between the Vice-king and the Judges contain it self within the limits of private resentments but burst forth into the publick Streets and places of common Meetings the which calling into the mind of the Vice-king that Motto or Sentence which he had read in the Inn of Huaura belonging to Antonio Solar and which he believed was either wrote by himself or by his order for which cause as both Carate and Diego Fernandez report sending for him and discoursing with him in private and having given him some very severe terms and reprehensions he gave order to have the gates of the palace shut and calling his Chaplain to confess him with intent to have him hanged on one of the Pilasters of the Court-yard which leads towards the High-street But Antonio Solar refusing to confess his execution was suspended till such time as that his danger and case was divulged through the whole City upon the rumour of which the Arch-bishop and all the persons of quality came to intercede for a pardon or suspension of Justice and after great intercessions all that they could prevail was for one day's reprieve upon which he was committed to close imprisonment But the fury and impetuosity of this choler passing over he considered that it was not convenient to put him to death but rather to detein him in prison and accordingly he kept him under restraint without process of Law Endictment or any Accusation whatsoever for the space of two months untill such time as the Judges going on a Saturday to visit the prisons were desired by some of the friends of Antonio Solar to make their enquiry concerning the state of his affair with which though they were well enough acquainted before yet for form sake they asked him the cause and crime for which he stood committed to which he replied that he knew not any and then calling for the books of the prison to see what actions or process had been made against him and finding none and that the Keeper of the prison could assign no cause against him the Judges on the Monday following made a Report to the Vice-king that having visited the prison they found that Antonio Solar had been there committed and upon examination of the books no crime or cause was entered against him onely that he was there imprisoned by his order Wherefore in case no crime were laid to his charge his imprisonment was
Diego Maldonado to see what operation his advices had worked in him and understanding that he was gone from thence the night before he went immediately to Piçarro and seigning much concernment for his services he told him Sir Maldonado is fled and since it is visible how your forces diminish daily my opinion is that you should raise your Camp from hence and march towards Arequepa and farther to prevent Fugitives in their intentions I would advise you upon no pretence whatsoever to permit any person to return to the City And as to my own Company I am secure enough of them for there is not one of them who demands leave to goe to the City but give good example unto others onely with your permission I would goe to the City with some few of my Souldiers in whom I repose the greatest confidence and whom I know to stand in want of several necessaries with which having provided themselves in my presence I shall then return with them and with the same occasion I will make search for Diego Maldonado who as I hear is fled to the Monastery of St. Domingo from whence I will endeavour to bring him to you by whose exemplary punishment men may for the future be afraid to fly and abandon your cause and interest Piçarro reposing great confidence in the faithfulness of Martin de Robles who was deeply engaged with him in all matters for it was he who had taken the Vice-king and prosecuted him to death and performed other pieces of notorious service he gave him his permission with all readiness to goe to the City hereupon Martin de Robles in the first place made bold with the Horses belonging to Maldonado as the confiscated goods of a Traytor and calling those to him of his Company for whom he had most kindness and in whom he most confided who were about thirty in all he immediately went to the City of Los Reyes and thence took the direct road to Truxillo publickly declaring that they were going to the President and had renounced Piçarro who was a Tyrant When this News came to the Camp no man would hardly believe it thinking it impossible for Martin de Robles who was a person so deeply concerned with Piçarro in all matters to forsake him at the last But when the truth was confirmed it was the common opinion that that very day the Camp would break up and every man shift for himself or that they would kill Piçarro and make an end of the dispute at one blow but such was the gentleness and generosity of Piçarro's disposition that it entred into no man's thoughts to perpetrate so execrable a villany upon his person all their designs being onely to leave and revolt from him Howsoever Piçarro put a good countenance upon all his misfortunes pretending to esteem lightly of those who had denyed him and saying that if he had onely ten good friends who would stick by him he should not despair of making a new Conquest of all Peru as Palentino says in the sixty fourth Chapter of his Book CHAP. XIV Licenciado Carvajal Graviel de Rojas and several other Citizens and Souldiers of note fly from Piçarro BUT these frequent revolts did not end with the flight of Martin de Robles but rather a general defection was feared for the night following Lope Martin Prereyra of the Portugal Nation made his escape he was one of the first Conquerours and one with whom I was well acquainted whereupon Gonçalo Piçarro to prevent other escapes at least on that side of the City he ordered Licenciado Carvajal with a party of Horse to guard that part and not to suffer any person to pass that way One would have thought that this Carvajal had given sufficient assurances and pledges of his Fidelity that his faithfulness to the Cause ought not to be suspected and yet for all this he fled away and revolted and by his example opened a door for every man to escape away and be gone for he was followed by all his Troop of Horse as also by Pedro Suarez de Escobedo Francisco de Escobedo and Jeronimo Escobedo who were his Kinsmen and all took the great Road to Truxillo these also were accompanied with Licenciado Polo Marcos de Retamoço an Ensign of good esteem Francisco de Miranda and Hernando de Vargas with many Souldiers of chief renown The flight of these persons could not be so concealed but that it was quickly made known to the next Quarter from whence Graviel de Rojas followed the same example who was the person on whom Piçarro had not long before conferred the honour of carrying the Standard which he had taken from Don Antonio de Ribera whom he had left in Los Reyes to govern the City because he was a person of great abilities and related to him by kindred and engaged with him as deeply as any in all his designs Graviel de Rojas was followed by many others amongst whom were his two Kinsmen Graviel Vermudez and Gomez de Rojas both Persons of Quality the flight of these Officers was not presently known abroad because the Quarters of Licenciado Carvajal were in the Out-guards which Gonçalo Piçarro and his Souldiers esteemed to be well secured by them and reposed all confidence imaginable in their fidelity but so soon as it was divulged it caused great noise and rumour in the Camp and Piçarro himself was particularly concerned for Licenciado Carvajal and was grieved that he of all the men in the world should forsake him and considering what could be the cause of his discontent or disgust he was sorry that he had not married him to Donna Francisca Piçarro his Cosin-german supposing that if he had so done he had obliged him by perpetual bonds of alliance and again he fansied that he must have been disobliged because having nominated him to have commanded some Forces he had afterwards put John de Acosta over his head of all which he complained to Francisco Carvajal his Lieutenant General blaming him for giving him the ill counsel which had disobliged his Kinsman to which Carvajal made answer that since the Licenciado had been so bold and daring as to forsake and abandon his cause even in his presence and was so resolved upon it as to adventure his life in the Act it was better to be rid of him than to entertain him in his service since he might have carried three hundred men away with him in case he had employed him in the place of Acosta In the like manner said he such men as these turned to your side and party at a time when their occasions required your assistence to help them to their Estates and to conserve their Lives and Honours and at that time they denyed and renounced the Emperour they persecuted his Vice-king to the death and now the tide being turned they deny and sell you and entirely abandon you and why for no other cause certainly than that they think they have no farther need of you
he called the Clown because he was not well shaped but very good for service the other he called Zaynillo Some Gentlemen of that time being in conversation together one of them who had been a Companion with Gonçalo Piçarro gave this Character of him which I heard from his own mouth When Gonçalo Piçarro said he was mounted on his Zaynillo he no more valued a Squadron of Indians than if they had been a swarm of Flies he was of a noble nature clear and sincere without malice fraud or designs he was a man of truth confident of his friend and of those whom he thought to be so which proved his ruine And because he was a man without cheats or fraud he was judged by Writers to be weak in his understanding but they doe him wrong for certainly he was of a clear head and naturally inclined to vertue and honour he was of an affable disposition and generally beloved both by friends and enemies and in short was endued with all the noble Qualities which become a great Person As to riches gained by his own industry we may properly say that he was Master of all the wealth of Peru which he possessed and governed for a long time and with so much justice and equity that the President did him the right to praise and commend his Government as we have before declared He conferred upon others great and large proportions of Land and jurisdiction over Indians that many of them amounted unto ten others to twenty and thirty thousand pieces of Eight of yearly revenue he was a very good Christian and zealously devoted to our Lady the Virgin Mary Mother of God as the President gave testimony in the Letter which he wrote He never denyed any thing which was asked for the sake of our Lady though of never so great an importance which being known to Francisco de Carvajal and his Officers when they had a mind to put any man to death they would never suffer his Petition to come to the ears of Piçarro lest they should ask a thing in the name of our Lady for whose sake he was resolved to deny nothing He was much beloved for his moral Vertues and military Exploits And though it was convenient for the Service of his Majesty to take away his life yet generally his death was lamented for the many Excellencies with which he was endued so that I never heard any that spake ill of him but all well and with great respect as became a Superiour And whereas Palentino saith that many gave their opinion and did earnestly insist that he should be quartered and his Limbs hanged up in the common high-ways leading to Cozco is a most false relation for never was any such thing either imagined or contrived for if ever any such thing had been intended it would certainly have been discoursed of in the times of peace and settlement as many other things were which were at first great Secrets and afterwards made known and divulged to all the World Nor indeed can it be believed that such a thing could be for all those of the Council excepting the President himself had many and great obligations to Gonçalo Piçarro having received signal honours and benefits from his hands and therefore it was not likely they would pass an infamous sentence against him though it was necessary for the service of his Majesty and the peace and quietness of the Empire that they should give their assent unto his death The End of the Fifth Book Royal Commentaries BOOK VI. CHAP. I. New Orders published by the President for suppressing Rebels The Offences which the Indians took to see Spaniards whipped The great Trouble the President had to answer the Demands of Pretenders and how he went from the City to make a Division of Lands NOR did the Troubles end here in this Empire called Peru nor were all the Insurrections suppressed by the Defeat of Gonçalo Piçarro and his Captains but rather were the Spirits of men more furiously inflamed than before as will appear by the sequel of this History for we must know that after the Victory obtained at Sacsahuana the President dispatched that very day to Cozco two of his Captains Hernando Mexia de Guzman and Martin de Robles with some Souldiers in whom they most confided to seise those of the Enemies Party who were fled thither after the Defeat and to prevent their own Souldiers from plundering or doing spoil in the City and from taking private revenge by bloud or otherwise under the pretence of Liberty of War as it was said some designed to doe The day following after the execution of Gonçalo Piçarro and his Associates the President raised his Camp from that famed field and marched towards the City which though but four leagues from thence yet he was two days on the way and in that time he detached a Party of trusty Souldiers under the command of Captain Alonso de Mendoça with Instructions to march into the Charcas and Potocsi and to seise and take the Captains which Gonçalo Piçarro had sent into those parts namely Francisco de Espinosa and Diego Carvajal the Gallant of whom we have formerly made mention and Licenciado Polo Hondegardo received a Commission to be Captain General of those Provinces with Orders to punish those who had favoured the Cause of Piçarro and likewise those who did not engage themselves in the service of his Majesty but stood neuters neither acting as Traytors nor professing themselves loyal and therefore were severely fined for their cowardise and want of duty With Licenciado Polo Captain Graviel de Rojas was also dispatched in quality of Treasurer for his Majesty to collect the Fifths and Tribute of the Royal revenue with the Fines which the Governour should inflict on Traytors and Neuters Out of which as Augustine Carate saith Book the seventh Chapter the eighth Licenciado Polo in a short time raised a million and two thousand pieces of Eight for that Graviel de Rojas dying on his journey to the Charcas Polo was forced to execute the Office of Treasurer in his stead And in the mean time whilst these things were acting in the Charcas the President remained in Cozco entertained with sumptuous Banquets and Sports to testifie the Joy they conceived for the late Successes and to see the Feast of Bulls and other Divertisements of like nature he had a Seat erected in the Court-yard of my Father's house on which occasion I had an opportunity to see his person as I have before mentioned And moreover he gave a Commission to Judge Andres de Cianca and to Major General Alonso de Alvarado to punish Rebels according to Law. Many Souldiers of note who had been of Piçarro's Party were hanged many quartered and above a hundred Spanish Souldiers whipped by four and six in company of which I was an eye-witness my self when being a Boy I went amongst the rest to see this punishment At which the Indians were greatly offended and wondred to
desperate and without any hope q. â— Thus far Palentino The President with all speed left the Countrey not to hear and understand the Reproaches and Curses which would be given him and hastned as fast as was possible to Panama nor would he enterâ— into Port by the way to take refreshment having a perfect hatred and abhorrence to the Countrey with him he carried Licenciado Gâ— da prisoner who formerly had been one of his Majesty's Justices in those Kingdoms and Provinces and though the President had a sufficient power to hear and judge his cause yet in regard he had promulgedian-promulgedian-Act of Pardon to all people he was unwilling to call those faults into questionâ— which he had formerly forgiven and therefore remitted his case to the supreme Royal Council of the Indies And being come to Valladolid where the Courâ— then resided his cause was re-assumed and his faults opened with many aggravating circumstances of the Attorney General And though Gepeda in defence to himself alledged that the other Judges and he had acted all things with intention to serve his Majesty and with design to qualifie and abate the fury of seditious and inâ—tinousâ— men whose spirits were heated and put into fermentation by that indiscreet rigour which the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez used in execution of those new Laws which were the cause of all those Troubles which ensued but these Allegations availed little in his favour nor was it possible to prevent the sentence which was passed upon him to dye as a Traytor And though his friends and relations used all the interest they were able to gain his pardon yet seeing they could not avail for his life they then endeavoured to moderate the sentence that he might not dye as a Traytor and so his bloud be attainted to avoid which a contrivance was made with a dose of poison whereby he passed more easily and quietly into the next world before sentence was pronounced formally against him at the Tribunal of Justice All which was the common and publick discourse in Peru and which I heard afterwards confirmed in Spain by some Indians who happened to enter before me into discourse about the death of Licenciado Cepeda And it is farther said of Cepeda that he discoursing after the death of Gonçalo Piçarro of the successes of the late Affairs and of the sentence of death which passed upon himself and that he was condemned as a Traytor to have his Houses demolished and the ground thereof to be sowed with Salt and his Head to be fixed on a Spike of Iron that he should say he would maintain the cause of Gonçalo Piçarro to have been just and legal and that he was no Traytor to his Majesty and that he acted entirely for conservation of the Empire and that if he did not make this good he would pawn his Life and offer his Throat to the Knife provided he might have the Parliament of Paris or the University of Bolonia for his Judges or any other Court of Justice not subjected to the Imperial Dominion Dr. Gonçalo Yllescas in his Pontifical History speaks almost the same thing of Cepeda as before mentioned whose words are as followeth Amongst the many famous and renowned persons who were concerned in the Troubles of Peru there was one Licenciado Cepeda who acted a considerable part he was a Native of Tordesillas and one of the Judges who came over with the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez Vela It were not just to conceal his Name having been very active in his Majesty's service whilst he employed himself in that duty and afterwards being engaged with Gonçalo Piçarro he shared a great part in his illegal practices This Cepeda at the conclusion of all when both Armies were drawn up in the Field to give Battel revolted over to the Imperial Camp with some danger of his life for Piçarro sent to pursue him and he was left for dead upon a wet moorish piece of ground Though Gasca received him then with great signs of affection and good-will yet afterwards he brought him into Spain and caused him to be clapt up in the King's prison and was afterwards arraigned of High-treason Cepeda made so good a defence for himself and with so much reason for he knew very well the manner to defend his Cause that it was generally believed he would have been acquitted with much honour but dying of a sickness in the Prison at Valladolid his Cause was never determined I had once in my possession the reasons he produced in his own defence which indeed are so strong that whosoever reads them must necessarily acquit him and allow him to have been a true and faithfull servant to his Majesty He was more happy in the goods of mind than in those of fortune for though he had amassed vast Riches and acquired great Honours yet I have seen him much afflicted and necessitous in prison Thus far this Doctour who giving also a relation of the death of Count Pedro Navarro one of the most famous Captains of his time says almost the same that we have done of the death of Cepeda viz. That the Officer in whose custody he was being his great Friend did strangle him in prison to prevent an Attainder having gained all the Kingdom of Naples c. Thus fortune produces cases of the like nature over all the World that men comparing the miseries of others with their own may learn to compassionate each others sorrows The President Gasca arrived in fafety at the City of Panama with more than a million and a half of Gold and Silver which he carried into Spain for account of his Majesty besides as much more for private men who were passengers with him At that place a strange accident happened which Historians mention but in regard Augustine de Carate is more particular therein than any other Authour we shall make use of his relation touching the Execution of one of those new Ordinances or Laws which have made such a noise in the World and raised Mutinies and Rebellions in all quarters and therefore we shall in the first place repeat what he says of the beginning of this rebellion and then as to the Proceedings thereof we shall refer our selves to the other Authours as also for the quantities of Gold and Silver which were robbed by the Contreras who if they had contented themselves with the prey they had taken and had known how to secure it they had revenged the injuries they sustained with great advantage but the heat of youth transported them beyond the terms of moderation and being unexperienced in the art of War they lost all again together with their lives all which is specified by Augustine Carate in the seventh Book of his History of Peru Chap. 12. the Title of which is as followeth and which we make the eleventh of these our Commentaries CHAP. XI Of what happened to Hernando and Pedro de Contreras who were at Nicaragua and went in quest and pursuit of the President AT that time
Arts To which answer was made that their General had no Opinion of the Magick and Witchcraft of the Indians which were fooleries rather than any real contract or dealing with the Devil And herein they had some reason as we have proved and evinced by several Instances in the first part of these Commentaries Book the 4. Chap 16. One of which was their Prognostication of good or bad Fortune by the palpitation or twinkling of the Eye and another sort of Divination they took from the buzzing or singing of the Ears which as we mentioned in the foregoing Chapter so we shall hear repeat it again having the Authority of a Synod held in that Empire whereby this vain Superstition is condemned by a Catholick Cannon and Advertisements are given to Confessors to let them know that the Indians take their Superstitious Divinations from seeing and hearing That of the hearing I have observed many of them to use in this manner when they found at any time a humming or buzzing in their right Ear they said that some Friend or Kinsman was speaking well of them and to know who this Friend was they would clap the Palm of their right hand to their Mouth and breathing hard upon it they would think of some Friend and then carry it close to the Ear and if the humming did not presently cease they would think of another Friend and do as before and then of another and he with thoughts of whom the humming went away it was concluded that he was the person who spake well of the Party In like manner when they found a humming in their left Ear they would say that an Enemy spake ill of them and to find out who it was they used the like application of their left hand and he with whom in their thoughts the humming ceased they concluded such person to be the evil speaker and from that time they would conceive malice against him and for ever prove his Enemy And upon such fooleries as these the Friends of Hernandez declared that the Indians had no Art in Necromancy nor was any Faith to be given to their Prognostications The Rebel Hernandez overtook his Army in a plain which is behind the Fortress of Cozco where as Palentino saith he made a visit to Francisco Rodriguez de Villa fuerte who was Justice in ordinary of that City complaining highly of the Citizens of Cozco and swearing that he would kill and destroy them because they had done him all the mischief that they were able but he had a mind to quarrel with them because they espoused not his Cause nor followed him as he desired From thence he marched his Army over those Hills which are Eastward from the City as his Astrologers had directed and carried his Wife with him to the great grief of all her Friends and Relations saying That he would not leave her in the power of his Enemy to revenge themselves on her for the Crimes of which he himself was only guilty and so he proceeded to the Valley of Orcos about five Leagues from the City And here I will leave him for a while to speak of the Present which the Son of this Francisco Rodriguez de Villa fuerte made me in Spain though I had formerly never seen him nor had any other acquaintance with him than by intercourse of Letters The second Son I say of this Gentleman was sent into Spain to study and lived in Salamanca several years where he improved greatly in all Sciences he was called Don Feliciano Rodriguez de Villa fuerte which name agreed properly with the Gallantry and Ingenuity of his Spirit At the beginning of this Year 1611 this Gentleman did me the favour to send me a little Box about the length and breadth of half a Sheet of Paper all filled with Holy Reliques wrapt up in several parcels with Inscriptions thereon what and of whom they were and amongst the rest there was a little piece of the Holy Cross put into a Frame of Wood curiously Carved and covered with a Glass and gilded about the Cross which was easie to be seen With this Box of Reliques he sent me two Dials made by his own Hand one of the Sun with a Needle turning to the North the Shadow on which perfectly shews the Hour of the Day Another Dial was of the Moon curiously wrought according to the exact Rules of Astrology with all the Circular Motions divided into twenty nine parts which make up the Days of the Lunary Moneth It hath also the true Figure of the Moon with its Increase and Decrease its Conjunction and Full It also by the shadow cast on it the Gnomen thereof being altered according to the age of the Moon shews the Hour of the Night it hath also many other Curiosities which I shall omit in this place all which was made by his own Hand without any other aid or directions whatsoever both as to the Material Part as also to the Mathematical to the great admiration of many curious Men as well Virtuosi as others And for my part I cannot but glory and boast very much to see a Man born in my Country and my City to have been the Master of so excellent a piece of Ingenuity and Learning so much admired by the Artists of this part of the World the which may serve for a demonstration of the Natural Genius of the People of Peru and their capacity to receive all Arts and Sciences as well those who are of Mongrel Race between Spaniards and Indians as all others born there the which we touched upon before and signified how much some have been improved therein by the Industry and Authority of our Schoolmaster John de Cuellar who was a Canon of the Holy Church of Cozco who taught Grammar in that City though but for a short time Praised be our Lord God for the same Amen Which having said we shall return to Peru to relate the success of his Majesties Army in their March having left them formerly in the City of Huamanca CHAP. XXIII The Royal Army passes the Rivers of Amancay and Apurimac with more facility and ease than was expected The Scouts and Van of the Army come to Cozco WHen the Kings Army marched out of Huamanca in pursuit of Francisco Hernandez of whom they had received intelligence that he had taken the way towards Cozco they proceeded with all care and due circumspection having their Scouts and Spies before them When they came to the River Amancay they forded it over where it was most shallow but for their Footmen who were laden and such as carried the Artillery they made a Bridge at a place with much ease where the River is very narrow At this place an unlucky accident fell out which was this Captain Antonio Luxan having passed the River stooped down on the side of the Bank to drink and taking up the Water with his Hands as he was rising up both his Feet slid from under him on the Rock whereon
by knots of thread of divers colours they should be able to distinguish their Laws and reade them with their true sense and signification and so well by this invention to commit them to the knowledge of posterity that since they were established by their first Kings six hundred years are fully elapsed and yet are as faithfully and as lively conserved in the memory of that people as if they had been Laws of later date Such was their Municipal Law which treated of the particular advantage of every Nation and the Privileges and Immunities respective to every people They had their Agrarian Law which determined and measured out the bounds and limits of Provinces which was with singular diligence and rectitude observed for they had their sworn Measurers who meted out their Lands with Cords by Acres which they called Tupu whereby they made a just division to the Neighbourhood assigning to every one his just share and proportion They had also that which they called a Common Law which as they said respected every one unless Old Men and sick and Children and infirm which were exempted but all others were obliged to labour in matters relating to the benefit of the Common-wealth such as in the building of Temples Palaces for the King and the great Lords raising Bridges making and mending High-ways and other matters of like nature They had another Law which they named the Law of Brotherhood which laid an obligation on the people to be aiding and assisting one to the other in plowing and sowing and gathering in the Fruits and in building Houses one for the other without pay or expectation of reward They had another Law which they called Mitachanacuy which was as much as to say a rotation or a turn or circulation of labour which was no more than that in all the work which was performed by publick assistence the like account should be observed and measures taken as was in the division of the Lands that so no Province People Lineage or Person should be obliged to labour beyond their due proportion but that their Lives should have their turns and times mixed with recreation and leisures as well as labours They had also a Sumptuary Law which prohibited all kind of vanity and expence in Cloathing and Adornments of them with Gold or Silver or pretious Stones and especially all profuseness in banquets and delicacies in Diet were forbidden onely the Neighbourhood were enjoined to Dine two or three times a Month together in presence of their Curacas and then afterwards to exercise themselves in feats of Arms or in sports and divertisements which was esteemed a probable means to reconcile Mens affections and conserve them in love and friendship one with the other And this Law was also made in favour to the Shepherds and other Field-labourers that so they might tast some pleasures and recreations They had also a Law in relation to those whom they call Poor which was That such as were blind dumb lame old decrepit and lingering with any long or Chronical disease so as that they were uncapable of work should be cloathed and sed out of the King's Store Likewise it was a Law that out of these Stores all Strangers and Travellers should be provided for whom also Inns and places of refreshment were erected which they called Corpahuaci which is as much as a House of Hospitality in which Men had their charge and expence defrayed by the Publick And in this Law also it was Ordained that twice or thrice a Month they were to invite those which as before mentioned are termed Poor unto their Meetings and publick Feasts that so their miseries might receive some consolation and diversion by the common joy and society Another Law they called the Ordinance of good Husbandry which enjoined and required two things First that no person should remain idle or be exempt from labour for as we have said before even Children of five years of Age were employed in something agreeable to their capacities nor were the lame and infirm altogether excused but some work was given them which they were best able to perform for idleness which was punishable with much dishonour and infamy was not indulged on any pretence but what was of necessity and unavoidable And farther it was Ordained by this Law That the Indians should dine and sup with their Doors open that so the Officers and Ministers of the Judges might have free and open access to them at their pleasure for there were certain Officers appointed to visit the Houses of particular persons as well as the Temples and publick Houses and Edifices whom they called Llactacamayu and these were Monitors or Visitors appointed to oversee and make enquiry into the Houses of particular persons observing the order and regular care and diligence which the Husband and Wife used in their labour and families and what obedience and respect the Children paid unto their Parents the evidence and measures of which they took from the neatness and politeness of their Attire and from the cleanliness of their Utensils and good Housewifery in their Houses such as they found in all things cleanly they praised and commended in publick and such as were slovenly and nasty they punished with stripes whipping them on their Armes and legs or with such other infliction as the Law required by which care and severe inspection every one became laborious and that industry produced such abundance of all things necessary to humane Life that those things were given almost for nothing which now are to be purchased at excessive rates What other Laws and moral Constitutions they observed either relating to Men in a common or a single capacity they were all regulated and squared by the rule of right Reason and which may be known and collected from those particulars which we shall hereafter relate concerning the Lives and Customs of this People And we shall hereafter in the eight and ninth Chapters specifie the cause and manner why and how they came to loose these Laws and Customs which were thus worthy and commendable all which declined and fell with the Government of the Incas And that the barbarity of the Indians is much more savage and their living much less political and greater want of all things necessary in these days amongst them than was in the ancient times when the Incas bore the sway and rule in those Dominions CHAP. XII How they conquered and civilized their new Subjects THE Policy and Arts which the Incas used in their Conquests and the manner and methods they pursued in civilizing the People and reducing them to a course of moral Living is very curious and worthy to be observed For from the first foundation which their Kings laid of Government which served afterwards for an example or pattern to their Successours their Maxime was Never to make War on their Neighbours without just cause or reason so the Barbarity and Ignorance of the People seemed a good and lawfull motive and next
the Oppression and Violence which the Neighbours used towards their Subjects was another but before they attempted on them by any acts of Hostility they first sent their summons three or four times requiring their Obedience After any Province was subdued the first thing that the Inca did was to take their principal Idol as an Hostage and carry it to Cozco where it was to remain in the Temple as a Captive untill such time as the People being disabused by the Vanity and Inability of their Gods should be reduced to a complyance with the Incas in their Worship and Adoration of the Sun. Howsoever they did not presently overturn and demolish the strange Gods of the Countrey so soon as they had subdued it but rather out of respect to the Inhabitants they tolerated for some time their Idols untill that having instructed and persuaded them in a better Religion as they thought they might without their displeasure and perhaps with their consent destroy and suppress the God they had adored Next they carried the principal Cacique of the Countrey with all his Sons to Cozco there to caress and treat them with all kindness and humanity by which occasion they informing them of the Laws Customs and propriety of their Speech and instructing them in their superstitious Rites and Ceremonies they became more easily reconciled to the Laws and Servitude of the Inca After which the Curaca being restored to his Ancient Honour and Rule was permitted to return unto his Subjects who were commanded as formerly to obey him as their natural Prince and Lord. And that the conquered Nations might be reconciled with their Conquerours and that the rancour and malice which lay on the Spirits of those who conceived themselves injured by acts of Violence and War might be abated and assuged by gentle Lenitives an Act of Oblivion was passed and Banquets were prepared for feasting of the new Subjects together with the Conquerours of them that so a perpetual Peace and Amity might be concluded by a coalition of their Minds reconciled at these Feasts to which also the blind the lame and the infirm were admitted that so they also might partake of the bounty and liberality of the Inca. At these Banquets they were entertained with the Dances of the young Maidens and activity of the Youth and with the military Exercises of the Souldiery besides which they presented them with gifts of Gold and Silver and Feathers for the adornment of their Habits at the times of their principal Festivals and also they gave them Cloths and other small curiosities which they highly esteemed so that those People though never so barbarous and brutish at first were yet made sensible of these kindnesses to such a degree that they never afterwards so much as attempted to arise in Rebellion And to take away all occasions of complaint from the Subjects of Aggreivances and Oppressions whatsoever lest those Complaints should from words proceed to blows and open violence wherefore to prevent that their Estates and Liberties were always conserved to them onely they were required to be obedient to the Laws Statutes and ancient Institutions which wer published and openly promulged amongst them for unto these and to the Worship of the Sun their submission was required and no Dispensation allowed in the case and being obstinate they were to be compelled by force sometimes where it was convenient they transplanted Colonies from one place to another but then they provided them with Lands and Houses and Cattel and Servants and whatsoever was necessary and requisite for their livelihood and into their places they transported perhaps some of the Citizens of Cozco or others of approved Loyalty which served for Guards and Garrisons to keep the Neighbourhood in awe and subjection and also to teach and instruct those Savages and ignorant People in their Laws and Religion together with the Tongue and Language of their Countrey All the other points of Government and Injunctions imposed by the Inca Kings were more easie and gentle than of any other Princes who ruled the Nations of the New World the which is not onely made manifest and apparent by their own Historical Knots by which they committed the occurrences of past times unto memory but are also approved and confirmed by the faithfull Commentaries of the Vice-King Don Francisco de Toledo who having informed himself of the Custome and manners of every Province from the Indians themselves made a Collection of them with his own hand-writing and commanded his Visitors Judges and Registers to transcribe them Copies whereof are conserved unto this day in the publick Archives and serve to evidence that Benignity and Gentleness which the Kings of Peru in exercise of their Government used towards their Subjects for as we have noted before that excepting some particular matters enjoined and imposed for the Defence and Security of the Empire all other Laws and Statutes had no other aspect than what regarded the sole benefit and interest of the Subjects for every Man 's private Estate and Patrimony had the same Protection as that of the publick no Souldiers were permitted to pillage or plunder even those People whom they had subdued by force of Arms but received and treated them as if they were faithfull and true Servants and for those who voluntarily submitted and surrendred themselves they conferred in some short time Places and Offices of preferment relating to civil or military Commands The Duty of Tribute which these Kings laid on their Subjects was so trivial and inconsiderable that when in the sequel of this History we shall come to treat of the particulars thereof and wherein it consisted it will seem ridiculous to the Reader in return notwithstanding hereof the Incas were not onely contented to bestow on their Subjects their Food and Rayment but many other presents which they bountifully conferred on the Curacas and Great Men extending also their largesses to the poor and necessitous as if they had been Stewards or Masters of Families whose Office was to make Provision for others rather than Kings who bore the renowned Title of Capac Titu which the Indians conferred upon them Capac signifying as much as a Prince powerfull in Riches and Titu is as much as Liberal Magnanimous a Demi-God or Augustus Hence proceeded that great Love and Affection which the Peruvians bore towards their Kings that even to this day though they are become Christians they cannot forget the memory of them but are ready on all occasions when their present Oppressions grieve them with sighs and groans to invoke their Names and in reality they had much reason for we do not reade in all the Histories of Asia Africa or Europe that ever those Kings were so gratious to their Subjects as these or that they were so frank or familiar with them or so gentle and carefull managers of their Interest And now from what we have already said and what we shall hereafter declare the Reader may be able to collect