presuming that such Foundlings are honestly and lawfully begotten do own them capable of being admitted into Ecclesiastical Orders and to the Degrees of a Prelate And whereas Gomara alledges that common report made him the Son of a Priest it is very false and a calumny raised by malitious and virulent tongues which having nothing whereby to obscure and disgrace the lustre and glory of his Actions have cast this blemish on his Birth without any colour or appearance of truth Those Sons whose Fathers are not known are ennobled by their own Merits and Vertue especially being of that lustre as were the great Actions of this General and Governour Don Diego de Almagro which have legitimated his Birth and added Nobility to his Family To what end do Sons boast of the Atchievements of their Ancestours who blemish and obscure their great Actions by their own Vices for Nobility is the Parent of Virtue and is supported by it So that we may truly say that Almagro was the Son of Noble Parents for so his Actions declare him and so great Exploits have always made the Princes of this World rich and powerfull the truth of which hath been proved at large by what hath preceded In fine therefore as we have said this great Hero was strangled in Prison which was sufficient to have made an end of him but to affect the minds of those who saw him with greater compassion and sorrow his Body was brought forth into the Market-place and his Throat cut there he had passed the Age of seventy five years and his Health was so broken and infirm that had they not hastned his Death he could not have lived much longer It is said that his Enemies to shew their great abhorrence and detestation of him had killed him twice The Executioner in privilege of his Office and as his Fees stripped him of his Cloaths and would also have taken his Shirt had it been suffered And in this condition he lay exposed in the Market-place the greatest part of the day neither friend or enemy daring to dispose otherwise of his Corpse for his friends who were vanquished and in custody could not doe it and his enemies though touched with some sense of grief and compassion durst not adventure upon an Action which might administer occasion of publick scandal Whence we may see the falseness of this World and how ill it rewards the worthy Actions of deserving Men. At length towards the Evening a poor Negro who had been the Slave of the deceased came and brought a course Sheet which was his own or which he had begged and with the help of some Indians who had been the Servants of Almagro they wrapped the Body therein and carried it to be enterred in the Church of the Merceds where the Friars according to their accustomary Acts of Charity buried it with many Tears in a Chapel which is under the High Altar Thus ended that Great Don Diego de Almagro who hath left nothing more Memorable of his Life than his great Actions and of his Death than grief and lamentations for it the which as it was a fore-runner of the like fate of the Marquis Piçarro so the manner of his Death was agreeable thereunto and may therewith be compared in all the circumstances thereof as will appear by that which follows that so these two Companions who had an equal share in the Conquest and Government of this great and rich Empire of Peru may also be equalized in the manner of their Deaths CHAP. XL. Who those Captains were that were employed on the New Conquests the Arrival of Hernando Piçarro in Spain and his long Imprisonment there SO soon as Hernando Piçarro had taken Almagro Prisoner he immediately employed many of his Captains in new Conquests both that thereby he might free himself from their importunities who were in expectation of great and mighty rewards for their services and might also secure his own Person from suspicion and jealousies which his Enemies were contriving and plotting against him Pedro de Valdivia was sent Commander in Chief with a considerable Force to the Conquest of Chili which was begun but left imperfect by Almagro the success of which with his prosperous and unhappy fortune we have formerly declared in the Life of Inca Yupanqui the tenth King of Peru. Francisco de Villagra with whom I was acquainted went in company with him as did also Alonso de Montroy Captain Francisco de Olmos with whom went Garçilasso de la Vega was sent to the Bay of St. Matthew Of whose Conquest and Successes Gomara speaks in the 143d Chapter as follows Gomez de Alvarado was employed in the Conquest of the Province of Guanucu Francisco de Chaves was sent to suppress the Conchucos who much infelted the Inhabitants about Trugillo and in their Army carried an Idol to which they sacrificed the spoils of their Enemies and the bloud of Christians Pera de Vergara marched against the Bracamoros which is a Countrey that to the Northward joins to the Countrey of Quitu Perez de Vergara went to the Chachapoyas and Alonso de Mercadillo to Mullubamba but Pedro de Candia went to the Highlands of Collao into which by reason of the difficulty and badness of the Countrey he could make no great progress and besides his people fell into a Mutiny who were for the most part friends of Almagro as was also Mesa Captain of the Artillery to Piçarro For which reason Fernando went to them and having accused Mesa of Mutiny and with Scandalous Words against the Piçarros and with a Plot to have set Almagro at liberty in case he had been carried to the Marquis at los Reyes all which having been proved against him he put him to Death The three hundred Men which belonged to Pedro de Candia he gave to Perançures and sent him forward to the Conquest of that Countrey In this manner all the Spaniards were employed and in a very short time enlarged their Conquest at least three hundred Leagues in length from East to West though with the death and loss of Multitudes of people Fernando and Gonçalo Piçarro subdued the Collao which is a Countrey wherein Gold so much abounds that they Wainscoat the in-sides of their Chapels and Chambers with Plates of Gold and therein is a sort of Sheep which have some resemblance of a Camel and something of a Deer Thus far Gomara who farther on in the same Chapter adds Fernando Piçarro saith he returned to Cozco where he met with Francisco Piçarro whom he had not seen since the Imprisonment of Almagro After they had entertained discourse for several Days concerning the matters lately past and what was farther to be done in order to the Government It was determined that Fernando should go into Spain to render a true information unto the Emperour of all matters which had passed and to carry with him the Fifths of all which belonged to his Majesty with an account of the Revenue as it was lately
game Some days passing that the Marquis paid not the Money the Winner took the confidence to ask him for it and being afterwards troubled with the importunity the Marquis forbad him to ask any more for that he was resolved never to pay him To which Palomares replied If your Lordship be resolved never to pay me what made you quarrel and be so angry the other day when you lost The Marquis was so well pleased with the Answer that he gave order he should be immediately paid He would play at al Games and with all sorts of Persons and when he knew any one to be necessitous and wanting he would invite him to play with him with intention and purpose to lose to him thinking it a more noble and generous way to relieve a person in want than by direct Alms which to a haughty Spaniard is a kind of an affront but when he gains by advantage of play he not onely rejoyces in the gain but triumphs in the Honour of being a better Gamester than the Marquis and to receive his Money rather as a due than given as a favour When he bowled with such persons as these he would either cast short or beyond that the other might win And when he plaid at Cards at which his Game was commonly Primera he would often vye with his worst Cards and if he had the fortune to have Flush or Primera he would shuffle up his Cards and not shew them seeming to be angry or displeased at his ill luck by such ways as these he gained himself so much good-will and affection as were due to his Worthy and Heroick Merits Gomara treating of the Death of this Prince nay more than a Prince for in reality I know no title upon Earth sufficient to express the Grandure and Merits of this Hero saith that which follows in the Chapter 145. He was the Bastard Son of Gonzalo Piçarro Captain in Navarre was born at Truxillo and laid in the Church Porch he sucked a Sow for several days till another Nurse was provided for him Afterwards his Father acknowledged him and employed him in keeping Hogs so that he was never educated in any learning One day it happened that the Flies did so bite the Hogs that they all ran away and were lost upon which he durst not return home again for fear but attended some Travellers to Sevil from whence he embarked himself for the Indies and being arrived at St. Domingo he went with Alonso de Hojeda to Urana and with Vasco Nunnez de Balboa to discover the Sea of Sur and thence with Pedrarias to Panama at length he discovered and conquered that Countrey which they call Peru c. which are the very Words of this Authour Upon which one might make if it were lawfull many reflexions both in reference to him who wrote it as well as to him who related it for if the things had been true yet it had not been convenient or decent to report such mean and low things of a Gentleman whose Triumphs and great Actions he had wrote with such wonder and applause much less was it fit to mention them seeing that they were doubtfull and admitted onely of a probability I would know of him who gave this relation how he came to the knowledge of such particulars which related to the Birth of a poor child that was exposed in the Porch of a Church and was suckled by a Beast for want of a better Nurse When things of this nature happen to the Sons of great Kings and Princes it is difficult to learn the particular circumstances thereof how much less of a poor boy thrown at a Church door And then to say after he was acknowledged by his Father that he was sent to keep Swine must be a piece of envy and malice and nothing else for 't is not probable that such a principal person as Gonzalo Piçarro Captain of his Majesty's Troops in Navarre should send his Son after he had acknowledged him to keep Swine Nor is it probable that the Flies should take the Hogs in such manner as to make them stray where they could never more be found and therefore that he durst not return home for fear To confute which I have particularly enquired of some Paisants or Countrey people whose business it was to breed up Hogs whether the Fly doth bite them at any time in such manner as to cause them to stray abroad and they have generally assured me that such a thing cannot be But Envy in Countries where parties and factions prevail doth often raise reports of this nature to eclipse the glory of Worthy Men for finding they are not able to deny or darken the lustre of their mighty Actions which are manifest and apparent to all the World as were those of the Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro they feign and invent some mean passages relating to their Birth and Education which being obscure are not easily refuted The truth of all is this The Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro who was Conquerour and Governour of that great Empire called Peru was the Natural Son of his Father and Mother and acknowledged by them at the instant of his Birth Afterwards his Father Captain Gonzalo Piçarro Married her who was Mother to our Marquis and one by extraction of an ancient Family of Christians unto a certain Countrey Farmer of good repute called Goodman such a one of Alcantara by whom he had a Son named Francisco Martin de Alcantara whom Gomara saith was the half Brother to the Marquis Piçarro and was killed with the Marquis as we have before declared Wherefore I conclude that though such reports as these should have something of probable truth in them yet they ought not to be related to the prejudice of such a Prince whose fame may be equalized with those of highest renown And since we are not able to extoll his praises to that degree which they deserve we must refer the defect of our Expressions to be supplied by his own Acts and Conquests which speak themselves And so we shall pass forward in our History CHAP. X. Don Diego de Almagro Administers an Oath of Allegiance to all Officers causing them to swear Fealty to him as Governour of Peru and sends his Warrants into divers parts of the Kingdom which are opposed and resisted THE Marquis being thus slain as before related caused chiefly by the over-confidence of Francisco de Chaves for had he shut the doors as he was ordered the Marquis and such as were with him might have had time to have armed themselves whilst the Assassinates were employed in breaking open the doors and perhaps in that manner they might have prevailed over their Enemies For if the Marquis and his Brother and two Pages were able without their defensive Arms to kill four of those Russians as some Authours report besides those who were wounded by them what may we imagine they would have done had they been in a readiness and well appointed And had
from thence all the Horses and Mules they could seise which were now usefull in their flight Francisco de Carvajal on the other side pursued the Victory not to kill Spaniards with Clubs which two Negroes carried as Palentino reports Chapter the eightieth and says that he killed above a hundred which certainly had been a very cruel action but it is good neither to flatter men with praise who do not deserve it nor yet to calumniate or accuse wherein men are not guilty the truth is Carvajal killed none after the Battel but remained satisfied with his Victory which he had obtained solely by his own good management and industry as was manifest and might be attributed to his great skill and experience in martial affairs and therefore he might well triumph and glory that he himself had killed a hundred men in that Battel since the whole success of that day was effected by his extraordinary conduct Lopez de Gomara Chap. 183 reflects on the words of Francisco de Carvajal and descants farther upon them and says that he boasted of the satisfaction and pleasure he had in killing a hundred men amongst which one was a Friar who said Mass but if this report be not true we may then lay the cruelty at the door of this Authour and not of this great Souldier who onely gloried in his Victory c. Thus far Gomara Francisco de Carvajal having atchieved so much honour and glory caressed and dealt kindly with his Enemies for the next day after the Battel being informed that several principal men of note belonging to Centeno and professed Servants to his Majesty were wounded and lay concealed in the Tents of some of his Souldiers who out of friendship took care for their cure he with all diligence made search after them which all people imagined at first was with design to kill them at length he found eight of them one was Martin de Arbieto a Biscayner a person of noble descent and valiant of whom we have formerly made mention and whom we shall have occasion to name hereafter another was a Gentleman of Salamanca called John de St. Miguel another was a Gentleman born at Cafra named Francisco Maraver I knew them all three and the other five also but I have forgot their names all which Carvajal finding very much wounded he spoke particularly to every one of them and told them that he was troubled to see them in that condition and desired them to take care of their recovery to which if he could contribute he desired them freely to command it of him assuring them that the would be as carefull of them as of his own Brothers and that when they were cured he would readily grant them their freedom and liberty to depart but if they would resolve to stay with him he would make it his business to serve them all the days of his life Moreover he caused Proclamation to be made thorough the whole Camp That what Souldiers soever belonging to Centeno which lay wounded should freely discover themselves and demand help for their cure which should be administred to them and money if they wanted it and he promised to take the same care of them as he did of his Lord the Governour This policy Carvajal used to allure the hearts of the Souldiers to his Party for he was not ignorant that benefits and caresses are more prevalent than rigour and cruelties the which he exercised towards his declared enemies standing in defiance but was more gentle and complemental with such as he perceived inclinable to his Party CHAP. XXII Gonçalo Piçarro issues out Orders to bury the Dead He dispatches Officers into divers parts The flight of Diego Centeno and what happened to the conquered Party SO soon as Gonçalo Piçarro returned to his Tent he found my Father there and desired him to lend him his Horse Salinillas untill his own were cured of the slight wound which Gonçalo Silvestre had given him which being granted he mounted thereon and taking a turn round the Field he gave order to bury the dead and to take care of such as were wounded which he found for the most part stripped of their Clothes by the Indians who without regard to Friend or Foe made all prize which came within their power the common Souldiers were all buried together promiscuously in ten or twelve great Pits which were made for that purpose but the Bodies of Noblemen and Persons of Quality were carried to the Village of Huarina which was near thereunto and for which reason this Fight was called the Battel of Huarina and there they interred them in a small Church built by the Indians themselves in which they were taught the Articles of the Christian Faith when things were in peace and when the time was proper for it and there those Bodies rested for the space of four years untill the troubles being at an end and the Empire flourishing in peace those Bodies were taken up and carried to the great Church of a City which the Spaniards had lately founded and called it the City of Peace where they were re-buried with much Solemnity Masses and Sacrifices which continued for many days The Gentlemen of Peru did generally contribute to the expence hereof in regard they were all related to the dead either by Kindred or by Friendship Gonçalo Piçarro having buried the dead and taken care of the wounded dispatched away Officers into divers parts to provide necessaries which were wanting Dionysio de Bovadilla was sent to the City of Plate to bring what Silver he could get for payment of the Souldiers Diego de Carvajal surnamed the Gallant was dispatched to the City of Arequepa on the same errand and Captain John de la Torre was sent to Cozco all three were attended with thirty Musquetiers apiece who had commission to press what men they met and bring them to the place where Piçarro lay encamped But now to return to Diego Centeno of whom we have for some time been silent He was sick as Authours write of him having been six times let bloud too in the distemper of a Pleurisie and therefore was not actually present in the Fight but was carried about in a Chair from whence seeing the slaughter of his men and the loss of the day he left his seat and mounted on his Horse which was led near to him and being overcome with the fear of death and the desire of life which is natural to all men he fled away not staying for the Bishop or any other but onely with the company of one Priest called Father Biscayner he took his way over the Desarts and Mountains leaving the high way the better to elude the devices and strategems of Carvajal and came at length to the City of Los Reyes so that neither Carvajal nor any of his own side knew what was become of him that he seemed to be vanished like an Apparition or carried away by some strange Enchantment And though he was informed that
THE ROYAL COMMENTARIES OF PERU IN TWO PARTS THE FIRST PART Treating of the Original of their Incas or Kings Of their Idolatry Of their Laws and Government both in Peace and War Of the Reigns and Conquests of the Incas With many other Particulars relating to their Empire and Policies before such time as the Spaniards invaded their Countries THE SCOND PART Describing the manner by which that new World was conquered by the Spaniards Also the Civil Wars between the Piçarrists and the Almagrians occasioned by Quarrels arising about the Division of that Land. Of the Rise and Fall of Rebels and other Particulars contained in that History Illustrated with Sculptures Written originally in Spanish By the Inca GARCILASSO DE LA VEGA And rendred into English by Sir PAUL RYCAUT Kt. LONDON Printed by Miles Flesher for Samuel Heyrick at Gray's-Inn-Gate in Holbourn MDCLXXXVIII Sr Paul Rycaut late Consul of Smyrna Fellow of the Royall Societie Let this Book be Printed August 3. 1685. Middleton THE Royal Commentaries OF PERU IN TWO PARTS THE FIRST PART Treating of the Original of their Incas or Kings Of their Idolatry Of their Laws and Government both in Peace and War Of the Reigns and Conquests of the Incas With many other Particulars relating to their Empire and Policies before such time as the Spaniards invaded their Countries THE SECOND PART Describing the manner by which that new World was conquered by the Spaniards Also the Civil Wars between the Piçarrists and the Almagrians occasioned by Quarrels arising about the Division of that Land. Of the Rise and Fall of Rebels and other Particulars contained in that History Written originally in Spanish By the Inca GARCILASSO DE LA VEGA And rendred into English By Sir PAUL RYCAUT Knight LONDON Printed by Miles Flesher for Samuel Heyrick at Gray's-Inn-Gate in Holbourn 1688. Let this Book be Printed August 3. 1685. Middleton THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER THE Authour of this History was one of those whom the Spaniards called Meztizo's that is one born of a Spanish Father and an Indian Mother And though he was a Native of Peru and by the Mother's side inclined to the simple Temperament which is natural to that Countrey yet it seems the Spanish humour was most prevalent in him so that he delighted much to tell us as in divers places that he was the Son of Garçilasso de la Vega one of the first Conquerours of the new World who was by the direct Line descended from that brave Cavalier Garciperez de Vargas from whom came the valiant Gomez Suarez de Figueroa the first Count of Feria his Great-grandfather and Ynigo Lopez de Mendoça from whom the Duke of Infantado was descended who was Brother to his Great-grandmother and to Alonso de Vargas Lord of the Black-mountain his Grand-father from whom came Alonso de Hinestrosa de Vargas Lord of Valde Sevilla who was Father to Garçilasso de la Vega of whom came our Authour Nor less illustrious doth he tell you that he was by the Mother's side who was the Daughter of Inca Huallpa Topac one of the Sons of Topac Inca Yupanqui and of Palla Mama Occlo his lawfull Wife from whom came Huayna Capac Inca the last King of Peru. Wherefore this Authour in all his Writings styles himself Garçilasso Inca because he derived his Pedigree from the Kings of Peru who were called Inca's a name it seems given to none but the Royal Family This History is divided into two Parts The first treats of their Government before the time of the Inca's which was by the Head of their Tribes and Families called Curacas and then it proceeds unto the Original of the Inca's and of their Government and in what manner that salvage People was civilized and instructed in the Laws of Humane Nature and to live in a Political Society by Manco Capac their first King How also the Men were taught by him to plow and cultivate their Lands and exercise some sort of Husbandry and how the Women by his Wife Coya Mama who by their Law was to be his Sister were taught to spin and weave and make their own Garments It is probable that a great part of this History as far as concerns the Original of the Inca's and the foundation of their Laws is fabulous howsoever being as our Authour says delivered by Tradition and commonly believed amongst their People of the better degree it may contain divers Truths mixed with abundance of Fictions and foolish Inventions But this is no more than what hath happened to Nations of more refined understanding for what account can we our selves give of Great Britain before the Romans entred into it Nay What can France or Spain say of the Ancient Inhabitants of their own Countries or of the manner how they came first to be Christians Unless it be that which ignorant men have devised and what the Learned men are now ashamed to believe or say after them And then what wonder is it that such poor Salvages born in a part of the World undiscovered to us untill the year 1484 and of whose Original we have no certain knowledge nor have any light besides fancy and conjecture from whence the Continent of America hath been peopled How then I say can it be expected that these illiterate Creatures should be able to give an account of their Extraction or of Matters which passed in those Ages of which the Learned parts of the World acknowledge their ignorance and confess themselves to be in the dark even as to those Matters which concern their own Histories But because it is in the nature of Mankind to use reflect Acts on their own being and retreat with their Thoughts back to some beginning so these poor Souls derive the Original of their first being from divers Creatures of which they had the greatest opinion and admiration some living near a great Lake which supplied them with store of Fish called that their Parent from whence they emerged and others esteemed the Mighty Mountains of Antis to have been their Parent and to have issued out of those Caverns as from the Womb of a Mother others fansied themselves to be descended from that great Fowl called Cuntur which spreads a very large Wing which pleased some Nations of the Indians that they would look no farther for a Parent than to that Fowl and in token thereof upon days of solemnity and festival carried the Wings thereof fastned to their Armes But then as to their Inca's or Kings whose Original was to be derived from something higher than sublunary Creatures being of better composition than their poor and mean Vassals the Sun was esteemed a fit Parent for those who were come from Divine race so that when they adored the Sun whom they acknowledged for their God they gave honour to their Kings who were descended from him Various have been the opinions amongst Historians concerning the Original of this People of which the most probable as I conceive is that
supreme Council by way of Knots of divers colours tied in a silken twist the colours being as so many cyphers denoting the crimes they had punished and the bigness of them and manner of making them up signified that Law which was executed as we shall hereafter more particularly declare and in this manner by way of Knots they kept all their accounts so exactly and summed them up with such readiness that to the great admiration of the Spaniards their best Arithmeticians could not exceed them It is an opinion and held for a certain truth amongst them that there never was Inca of the Royal Bloud that was punished or that any of them did ever commit a crime which incurred the penalty of the Law For that the principles they received from their Parents the example of their Ancestours and the common belief of the World that they were the Progeny of the Sun born to instruct others to doe good and to refrain the people from Vice were considerations that made such impressions in them that they were rather the ornament than the scandal of Government disdaining to stoop to such base and mean actions as were transgressions of their Law The truth is they wanted the temptations which others had to offend for neither the desire of women or richness or revenge could be motives to them For in case any one of them entertained a passion for the Beauty of a Woman it was but to send for her and she could not be denied nay rather her Parents would receive the proposal with humble acknowledgments that the Inca would vouchsafe to cast his eye on his handmaid that was his Slave The like may be said as to the desire of Wealth they had no necessities but what were readily satisfied for being Children of the Sun all the Wealth and Riches of their Countrey was esteemed their inheritance and their occasions were satisfied by the Mandates sent to the Justices and the Governours of Provinces for a supply Nor were they liable to the unworthy passion of Revenge for none could provoke them to anger by injuries who sought all ways and means to please and oblige them for being adored as Gods it was esteemed blasphemy and sacrilege to disgrace them by Words or injure them in their Estates and therefore it may be said that never was Indian punished for disrespect or a malitious action against the Person of an Inca. Hence it is that the Spanish Historians have reported that an Inca was not capable of being punished for any Offence whatever which is a mistake and is as much as to say that the Incas were Libertines that they might be arbitrary and by Law act against it or that there were one Law for them and another for their People whenas an Inca was rather exposed to the greater severities than any other for he forfeited his Privileges was degraded of the Honours due to the Royal Bloud and esteemed for Aüca which is as much as a Traytor and a Tyrant Thus when the Spaniards commended and applauded the just and generous actions of the Incas the Indians would make answer that it was not strange in regard they were Incas and if they disapproved at any time their proceedings as in the case of Atahualpa who by Treason and Rebellion dispossessed Huascar his elder Brother and true Heir to the Monarchy as we shall relate in its due place their Reply was that no Inca could be guilty of such Enormities and if he were he was no true born Inca but some Bastard or Impostour of that Family In every Province according to the four Divisions the Inca constituted his different Councils of War of Justice and of his Treasury every one of which maintained their subordinate Officers one under the other even to the Decurions of Ten all which in their respective places rendred an account to their immediate Officers till the Report came to the supreme Council The chief Governour of every Division had the Title of a Vice-King and were always Incas of the true Bloud and Men approved for Prudence and good Conduct both in the time of War and Peace And so much shall suffice to have spoken concerning their Laws and Customs We shall now proceed to the History of their Lives and Actions relating those matters which are most famous and observable CHAP. VII Of the Life and Reign of Sinchi Roca second King of the Incas SInchi Roca succeeded his Father Manco Capac this name Roca is pronounced with some aspiration at the top of the Mouth and as Blas Valera says signifies a prudent and experienced Prince Sinchi signifies valiant for though he had no Wars with any yet because he was active in wrestling running vaulting throwing the stone and lance and excelled all others of that age in those Exercises he was surnamed the Valiant and Magnanimous This Prince having performed those Obsequies which were due to the solemnity of his Father's Interment took upon himself the Crown of his Kingdom which was no other than the coloured Wreath bound about his Temples determining in the first place to inlarge the Borders of his Dominions he assembled the principal Curacas and Counsellours which his Father had assigned him and in a grave and serious Oration amongst other things he told them that in performance of the Will of his Father which he declared to him at the time he was about to return to Heaven he resolved to go in Person and summon the neighbouring Nations to come in and be converted to the knowledge and adoration of the Sun and in regard they had the same Title of Incas as well as their King he conceived that the same Obligation lay upon them to serve the Sun who was the common Parent of them all and therefore required them to join with him in the same work and design that so they might reduce those People from their brutish and bestial course of living to a Life more regular and rational for that they seeing the improvements which the instructions of his Father the Inca had made in his own Subjects might be more easily allured to forsake their old barbarous Customs and embrace those which are more beneficial and refined Hereunto the Curacas gave this ready and chearfull Answer that they were not onely willing to obey his Commands in this particular but even to enter into the fire for his sake and so ending their Discourse they prefixed a day to begin their Journey and accordingly the Inca departed with a great Retinue of his Subjects taking his Journey by the way of Collasuyu which lies to the Southward from the City Cozco and as they travelled they persuaded the Indians with fair words to follow their Example and to become Subjects to the Inca and Devotaries to the Sun uniting with them in Religion towards their God and Allegiance to their Prince Those Indians which are of the Nations called Puchina and Canchi and are the next borderers being a People very simple and credulous as
many excellent things and worthy of admiration and such as may be compared with the best Model of our Common-wealths and may afford us sufficient evidence of the genius of that people and of that natural readiness of mind capable to be improved to greater and higher matters Nor ought it to seem strange if some erroneous fancies have intermixed with their Customs for even Plato and Lycurgus and other excellent Legislatours have been guilty of some follies and interwoven superstitions and vain rites with their more substantial Laws And indeed in those wise Common-wealths of Rome and Athens many ridiculous Customs have been introduced which to considering men would appear as idle as any of those practices which have been in use amongst the Mexican or the Peruvian Common-wealths But we who entred by the Sword and afforded not time to these miserable Indians to give us proofs of their rationality but hunted them as wild Beasts through the Mountains and drew them as brutish creatures to bear the burthens of our slavish servitude could not entertain any great opinion of their Wisedom Howsoever some observing men who have been so curious as to penetrate into the secrets of their ancient Government and into the methods of their proceedings have found that the Order and Rules they followed were worthy of admiration Thus far are the words of Joseph Acosta who also adds that they had certain compendious Systems of Morality digested into Verse by way of Poetry in which also many of their Laws and the great Actions of their Kings were rehearsed and kept in a kind of tradition for better instruction of their posterity which savouring rather of Truth than Romance the Spaniards esteem them to be true and particular passages of their History But many other things afford them matter of laughter being ill-composed Fables superstitious and vain and such also as are contrary to common honesty CHAP. XVI Of those few Instruments which the Indians attained to and made use of in all their Works and Handicraft-Trades HAving already declared how far they were proceeded in their Moral and Natural Philosophy and in their Poetry it follows now that we should declare something of their Mechanicks and how much they failed in the Art of making those Instruments which are necessary for shaping and framing those Utensils which are required for convenient living and well-being And first to begin with their Silversmiths of which though there were great numbers and constantly laboured at their Trade yet they were not so skilfull as to make an Anvil of Iron or any other Metal caused perhaps for want of knowledge in what manner to dig their Iron and separate it from its Ore of which they had several Mines and called it Quillay and therefore instead thereof they made use of a certain hard Stone of a yellowish colour which being planed and made smooth was rare and of great value amongst them They knew not the invention of putting a handle of Wood to their Hammers but worked with certain Instruments they had made of Copper mixed with a sort of fine Brass Neither did they know how to make Files or Graving-tools or Bellows for Melting down Metals but instead thereof used Pipes made of Copper of about a Yard long the end of which was narrow that the Breath might pass more forcibly by means of the contraction And as the Fire was to be more or less so accordingly they used eight ten or twelve of these Pipes at once as the quantity of Metal did require And still they continue this way though our Invention of Bellows is much more easie and forcible to raise the Fire Nor had they the use of Tongs to take their heated Metal out of the Fire but rather drew it thence by a piece of Wood or some Bar of Copper with which they cast it into a heap of wet Earth which they kept purposely by them to cool their Metal untill such time as they could take it into their hands Notwithstanding this want of divers Instruments they made many things with great curiosity especially in Boaring Metals as we shall hereafter discourse more at large And notwithstanding their simplicity experience had taught them that the Steam and Effluviums from Metals is dangerous and prejudicial to Man's health and for that reason they founded all their Metals in the open Air and not under Coverts But above all their Carpenters seemed to be worst provided with Tools for though ours use many Instruments made of Iron those of Peru had no other than a Hatchet and a Pick-axe made of Copper they neither had Saw nor Augre nor Planer nor any other Tool for the Carpenter's work so that they could not make Arches or Portals for doors onely they hewed and cut their Timber and whitened it and then it was prepared for their Building And for making their Hatchets and Pick-axes and some few Rakes they made use of the Silversmiths for as yet they had not attained to the Art of Working in Iron Nor did they know how to make Nails or use them but tied all their Timber with Cords of Hemp. Nor were their Hewers of Stone more artificial for in cutting and shaping their Stones they had no other Tool than one made with some sharp Flints and Pebbles which they called Hihuana with which they rather wore out the Stone by continual rubbing than cutting For lifting or carrying up their Stones they had no Engines but did all by the strength and force of their Armes and notwithstanding all this defect they raised such mighty and stately Edifices as is incredible which appears by the Writings of the Spanish Historians and by the Ruines of them which still remain They knew not how to make Scissars nor Needles of Metal but in place thereof they used a certain long Thorn which grows in those parts for which reason they sowed very little but rather patched or cobled as we shall hereafter declare With this sort of Thorns they made also their Combs for the head which they fixed within a Cane which served for the back of the Comb and the Thorns on each side for the Teeth The Looking-glasses which the Ladies of Quality used were made of Burnished Copper but the Men never used any for that being esteemed a part of effeminacy was also a disgrace if not ignominy to them In this manner they passed as well as they could in providing those matters which were onely necessary for humane life and though these people were endued with no great capacity of invention yet when the Spaniards taught them they learned with great facility and imitated so well the patterns given them that in time they excelled their Masters in their Artificial workmanship and contrivances This ingenuity and aptness to attain Sciences was evidenced by a genius they had in Personating and Acting Comedies which the Jesuits and some Friars and other Religious had composed for them I remember the argument of one to have been the Mystery of Man's
other poor and disabled People in which good works he passed all the remainder of his days his Reign having continued for thirty Years as is said but the truth is there is so little credit to be given to Reports of this nature where are no Registers or Letters that we know not what to believe in the Case onely this is certain that he dyed full of Honour and Trophies having acquired a great name both in War and Peace and being much beloved and honoured His Death was lamented with sincere grief by all which according to the Custome of the Incas continued for the space of a full Year His Eldest Son Capac Yupanqui born of his Wife Mama Cuca he left his Universal Heir of all besides whom also he left other Sons and Daughters as well such as were legitimate as such as were termed illegitimate CHAP. X. Capac Yupanqui the fifth Monarch reduces many Provinces in the Division of Contisuyu THE Inca Capac Yupanqui the interpretation of whose Name we have already declared amongst the proper Names of his Ancestors after the death of his Father bound his Head with the coloured Wreath in token of his entrance into the possession of his patrimonial Inheritance and having performed the Obsequies of his Father's Interment he immediately took a Journey through all parts of his Dominions making enquiry into the Behaviour and Lives of his Officers and in what manner Justice was administred amongst them In this Progress he passed two years and then returned to Cozco where he commanded that Souldiers should be levied and Provisions made for the following Year intending to extend his Conquests into those parts of Contisuyu which lie Eastward from Cozco where he was informed that there were many and great Provinces and abounding with People For the more easie passage to those parts he ordered another bridge to be made over the great River of Apurimac at that place which is called Huacachaca below Accha which was accordingly performed with all diligence surpassing the former bridge in length and breadth because the River was wider in those parts In this manner the Inca departed from Cozco attended with twenty thousand Men of War and being come to the bridge which was about eight Leagues from the City through a rough and asperous way three Leagues of which are a steep descent to the River though in height it may not be perpendicular above half a League and the ascent on the other side may likewise contain about three Leagues farther Having passed the bridge and this difficult way they entred into the pleasant Countrey of Yanahuara which at that time contained thirty Nations what those People were taken and how numerous we have no certain account onely we are assured that the Inhabitants on that side called Piti so soon as they heard of the approach of the Inca came forth to meet him both Men and Women old and young and with Songs and Musick Acclamations and all things that might testifie their Joy they received him for their King vowing all Obedience and Vassalage to his Person The Inca on the other side received them with a gratious Eye bestowing on them such Vests or Garments as were in the mode and fashion of his Court Of this kind treatment the Piti sent advice to their Neighbours being of the same Nation with them of Yanahuara giving them to understand that the Inca had taken up his aboad amongst them and that they had received him for their Lord and Master according to which example of the Piti the Curacas of divers Nations came likewise in and submitted themselves The Inca received them all with his accustomed goodness and as an evidence of his greater favour he was desirous to shew himself to his People and visit their Countrey which contained about twenty Leagues in length and about fifteen in breadth From this Province of Yanahuara he passed into another called Aymara between which two there is a space of ground wholly desolate and unpeopled of about fifteen Leagues over On the other side of this desart a great number of People were gathered into a body within a certain inclosed ground called Mucansa to stop the passage of the Inca and entrance into their Countrey which contains thirty Leagues in length and fifteen in breadth and is rich in Mines of Gold Silver and Lead and abounds in Cattle and People and consisted of at least eighty Nations before they were reduced to the Obedience of the Inca. At the Foot of this Inclosure the Inca commanded his Army to encamp so as to cut the Enemy off from all supplies who being barbarous and ignorant of War had dispeopled all the Countrey and gathered them into one body not considering that by this means they were cooped up on all sides and hemmed in as it were in a Cage The Inca continued several days in this manner with an unwillingness to attack them inviting them to submission with all fair terms and proposals of Peace and offering no other violence to them than to hinder them from provisions and sustenance that so what Reason and Argument could not effect Famine and Hunger might enforce In this resolute condition the Indians remained for the space of a whole month untill being constrained by the necessities of Famine they sent Messengers to the Inca giving him to understand that they were ready to receive him for their King and adore him as the true Off-spring of the Sun conditionally that he on the Faith and Word of his Divine Progeny promise that so soon as they shall have yielded themselves to him he will conquer and subject under his Imperial Command the neighbouring Province of Umasuyu which being a numerous and warlike People living upon Rapine and Spoil did make frequent incursions to the very doors of their Houses eating up their provisions and pastures and committing many other mischiefs and outrages for which injuries they had often made War upon them which ended in bloud and confusion on the one side and the other and when at length Peace was made and terms of accommodation agreed on they suddenly broke out again into new violences not considering the Faith and Promises they had given Wherefore if he pleased to avenge them of these Enemies and restrain their incursions on them for the future they would yield and acknowledge him for their Prince and Lord. To this Proposal the Inca made answer by one of his Captains That the design of his coming into those parts had no other aim than to relieve the oppressed and reclaim the barbarous Nations from that bestial manner of living whereto they were accustomed and that he might instruct them in the Laws of Reason and Morality which he had received from his Father the Sun but as to the avenging them of their Enemies for the injustice and injuries they had done them it was the Office and Duty of the Inca to perform howsoever it became not them to impose conditions on the Inca who was
World commanding them to use compassion and mercy and to receive the Rebellious Indians unto pardon for which reason the Prince did not onely confer upon them their Lives as a gift but restore them also to their Estates and Dwellings and their Curacas to their Dominion and Government though the crimes they had committed deserved no less than Death conditionally that for the future they behave themselves as good Subjects lest by a second offence they provoke the Sun to avenge the first and cause the Earth to open its bowels and swallow them alive After this Lecture the Curacas with profound humility acknowledged the favour promising all Loyalty Duty and Obedience for the future After this Victory the Inca Viracocha immediately dispatched away three Expresses One of them was sent to the Temple of the Sun to inform him of the good news of this Victory which by his aid and succour they had obtained for though they esteemed the Sun for a God yet in all respects they treated him as a Man and as one who had need of intelligence and information of matters which succeeded besides which they formed other gross conceptions of him as to drink to him and that he might pledge them again on their Festival-days they filled a Golden Cup with Liquour which they set in a part of the Temple which was most open to the Sun-beams and what was exhaled by that heat they judged to be drank up by the Sun they also set meat for him to eat and when any novelty occurred they sent him the advices of it by Messengers and when they were victorious they returned him Thanks for their Successes In pursuance of this ancient custome the Prince Viracocha sent advice to the Sun of this his Victory and commanded the Priests that having recalled those others which for fear were fled away they should join together in offering new Sacrifices with Praises and Thanksgivings to the Sun. Another Messenger he dispatched to the House of the Select Virgins giving them to understand that by means of their Prayers and Intercessions the Sun had bestowed that Favour and Victory upon him A third Messenger whom they call Chasqui he dispeeded to his Father the Inca giving him the particulars of all the late Successes desiring him to continue in the same station where he was untill he should in person present himself before him CHAP. XX. The Prince pursues his Conquest returns to Cozco sees his Father and dispossesses him of his Empire HAving made these dispatches he selected six thousand Souldiers to accompany him in the pursuit of his Enemies the rest of his Army he disbanded giving them licence to return unto their own homes the Body which he reserved was commanded besides other inferiour Officers by two Major-Generals who were his Uncles and with this Force two days after the Battel he marched in the pursuit of his Enemies not with intention to treat them ill but to cure them of their fears assuring them of pardon for their late Offence so that as many as they overtook in case they were wounded he ordered them to be cured and such as were whole and sound he treated them with gentleness and kind usage sending likewise Messengers to the respective Provinces and People to assure them of the pardon and favour of the Inca and that he was coming in person to give them farther testimonies thereof Having by these pre-advices comforted and encouraged the people he marched with great expedition and being come to the Province of Antahuaylla which belongs to the Chancas all the Women and Children assembled together and came forth to meet him and carrying green branches in their hands went crying O thou undoubted Child of the Sun who art the Lover and Favourer of the Poor have compassion upon us and pardon us The Prince received these people with grace and favour telling them that it was not they but their Fathers and Husbands who were guilty of the crime and that even them also he had pardoned for their actual Rebellion and to assure them hereof and confirm them in this belief he was come in person to pronounce their pardon with his own mouth He ordered likewise that they should give them such provisions as their necessities required treating them with all civility and affection imaginable and that especial care should be taken of the Widows and Orphans of those who were slain in the Battel of Yahuar Pampa In this manner he over-ran all the revolted Provinces constituting his Governours with sufficient Guards over them and made such expedition that in a months time as the Indians report who count their Months by their Moons he finished his march and returned again to his City of Cozco The Indians as well those who were loyal as those who had rebelled were wonderfully surprized with this strange gentleness of the Prince whose Humour and Disposition being sowre and severe promised nothing but Revenge and Destruction to the last drop of his Enemies bloud but finding his Nature otherwise changed they concluded that the command of the Sun had altered his Disposition and reduced him to the natural temper of his Fore-fathers But the truth is that Ambition and thirst of Honour which makes great changes in the minds of Men had so miraculously operated on his rough and hard temper that his Nature seemed entirely to be altered and to have put on that gentle and sweet humour which was Royal and natural to his Family This being done the Inca Viracocha made his entry into Cozco on foot that he might appear more a Souldier than a King he descended thither by the way of Caramenta and in triumphant manner being encompassed by his Souldiers and on each hand supported by his two Uncles that were Major-Generals causing the prisoners to be conducted behind with great joy and loud acclamations he was received into the City The grave Incas aged and stricken in years came forth to meet him and with due reverence having saluted and adored him and acknowledged him for a true Child of the Sun entred amongst the ranks of the Souldiery to partake of the glory of this Triumph adding farther this complement to their Courtship That they wished themselves youthfull again for no other reason than that they might be Souldiers and serve in the Wars under his fortunate and auspicious Conduct His Mother also Coya Mama Chic-ya with her Women and others nearly allied in Bloud to the Prince being attended also with a multitude of Pallas or Ladies went forth with Songs and Dancings to meet and receive him some embraced him others wiped off the sweat from his Brows others swept the dust from his Feet strewing the ways with Flowers and odoriferous Herbs in which joyfull and solemn manner the Prince first visited the Temple of the Sun in which making his entry on his bare Feet according to their usual custome he returned thanks for the Victory which his Father the Sun had given him Then he visited the Select Virgins Wives
whom Hernando de Soto and Pedro de Barco were two adventured to travell from Cassamarca to Cozco which is a Journey of two hundred and thirty Leagues by which they made a discovery of the Riches of that City and other places and to shew their great kindness and civility they carried them over the Countries in Chairs or Sedans giving them the Title of Incas and Children of the Sun in the same manner as they did their own Kings Now had the Spaniards taken the advantage of this credulity of the Indians persuading them that the true God had sent them for their deliverance from the tyrannical Usurpations of the Divel which enslaved them more than all the Cruelties of Atahualpa and had preached the Holy Gospel with that sanctity and good example which the innocence of that Doctrine requires they had certainly made great Progresses in the advancement of Religion But the Spanish Histories report things in a different way of proceedings to which for the truth thereof I refer the Reader lest being an Indian my self I should seem partial in the relation But this truth we may confidently aver that though many were blameable yet the greater number discharged the Office and Duty of good Christians howsoever amongst a people so ignorant and simple as these poor Gentiles one ill man is able to doe more mischief than the endeavours of a hundred good Men are able to repair The Spanish Historians farther say that the Indians gave this Name to the Spaniards because they came over the Sea deriving Viracocha from the composition of two words namely Vira which is vast immense and Cocha which signifies the Sea or Ocean But the Spaniards are much mistaken in this composition for though Cocha is truly the Name for the Sea yet Vira signifies fatness and is no other than the proper Name which that Apparition gave to it self the which I more confidently aver because that Language being natural to me and that which I sucked in and learned with my Mother's Milk I may more reasonably be allowed to be a Judge of the true Idioms of that Tongue rather than Spaniards who are Strangers and Aliens to that Countrey But besides what we have already mentioned there may yet be another reason for it which is that the Indians gave them that Name from the Cannon and Guns they used which they taking to be Lightning and Thunder believed them Gods by whose hands they were used Blas Valera interpreting this word says that it signifies a Deity which comprehends the Will and Power of a God not that the word doth properly signifie so much but that it is a Name which the Indians found out to give to this Apparition which they Worshipped in the second place to the Sun and after that they Adored their Kings and Incas as if they had been Gods. It is disputable whether the Inca Viracocha was more admired for his Victory or for his Dream but certain it is that he was so reverenced for both that they esteemed him for a God and adored him as one expresly sent from the Sun to save his Family and the Divine Off-spring from utter ruine and because that by him the Imperial City the Temple of the Sun and the Convent of the Select Virgins were preserved he was afterwards Worshipped with greater ostentation and honour than any other of his Ancient Progenitors And though this Inca endeavoured to persuade his Subjects to transfer the Honour which they gave to him unto his Uncle the Vision which appeared to him yet so far was this devotion infixed in their minds that they could not be diverted from performing Divine Honours towards him untill at length they compounded for their superstition and agreed to impart and divide their Worship equally between them and whereas they had both the same Name they should Adore them together under the same Title and Notion And for this reason the Inca Viracocha as we shall hereafter mention erected a Temple in Honour and Memory of his Uncle Viracocha in which also his own Fame was celebrated We may believe that the Devil who is a cunning Sophister did appear to the Prince either sleeping or waking in that Figure though the Indians confidently report that the Prince was waking and that this Apparition presented it self to him as he lay reposing himself under the shadow of a Rock We may imagine also that this Enemy of Mankind played this trick to delude the World and confirm the Authority of that Idolatrous superstition which he had already planted in the minds of this people the which seemed the most plausible way that he could proceed for that in regard a foundation was already laid of the Indian Empire and that by the Constitutions of it the Incas were to be the Lawgivers and the Oracles of their Religion and that they were to be believed and esteemed and obeyed for Gods whatsoever contributed to this end and to augment the reputation and sanctity of the Incas was a point gained towards the advancement of this Gentilism of which though there go many Stories yet none is recounted by them with that admiration as this Apparition of Viracocha who coming with the popular character of an Allye to the Sun and Brother to the Incas And having the good fortune to have his Dream confirmed with the success of a Victory carried so much force of belief with it that on all occasions afterwards of their distress they had recourse to his Temple where the Oracle was consulted and directions taken for the management of their affairs This is that imaginary God Viracocha of which some Writers report that the Indians esteemed him for their principal God to whom they were more devoted than to the Sun But this is certainly a mistake and served onely for a piece of flattery to the Spaniards that they might believe they gave them the same Title and Name as they did to their chiefest God but in reality they Adored no God with such devotion as they did the Sun unless it were the Pachacamac which they called the unknown God For as to the Spaniards they gave them at first the Title of Children to the Sun in such manner as they did to the Apparition Viracocha CHAP. XXII The Inca Viracocha gives Order for Building a Temple in Memory of his Uncle who appeared to him in a Vision THE Inca Viracocha that he might the better perpetuate the Memory of his Dream and keep the Honour of it up in the esteem of the people commanded that a Temple should be erected in Honour of his Uncle who appeared to him and placed in the Countrey called Cacha which is about sixteen Leagues distant from the City to the Southward He ordered that the Fabrick and Model of it should as near as could be possible imitate or resemble the place where the Vision presented it self which was like the open Field without covering joining unto which there was to be a little Chapel with the
his Provisions having left a sufficient force in Runahuanac marched forward into Huarcu where a cruel and bloudy War began for Chuquimancu having gathered all his Forces into a Body to the number of twenty thousand Men pretended with good Conduct and Strategems of War to defend his people and gain the reputation of a renowned Captain On the other side the Incas used all their Arts to subdue them with the least effusion of Bloud that was possible though in this War eight months time passed with many bloudy Skirmishes not to be avoided during which time the Incas relieved their Armies with three some say four exchanges of their forces and that the Enemy might despair of wearying them out and constrain them at length to remove their Camp they gave them sure evidences of their resolution to continue in that station untill their surrender for as a token that they lived at ease with all the conveniences of the City they called the Quarter of the Inca Cozco and to the parts about it where the Army was lodged they gave the name of the principal streets Pedro de Cieça says that this War continued above four years and that the Inca in that time founded a new City which he called by the name of Cozco but this Relation he pretends to have received from the Yuncas themselves who out of vain glory might be apt to magnifie the greatness of their Actions But the truth is the four years were no other than a relieving of the Army four times and the Foundation of a City was no other than the denomination of Cozco given to the Camp. By this time the Yuncas began to be sensible of Hunger and Famine which is the most cruel Enemy and that which abates and brings low the heat and resolution of the most proud and haughty Spirits but some time before that extreme Famine distressed them the Natives of Runahuanac had instantly petitioned their King Chuquimancu to submit to the Incas before it was too late and before their obstinacy had exasperated the mind of the Incas to give away their Houses Lands and Inheritances to their Neighbours of Chincha who were their mortal Enemies The people being apprehensive of these matters and finding their King obstinate in his resistence privately with-drew and fled from the Camp giving private intelligence to the Inca of the condition and want in the Enemies Army Chuquimancu growing now sensible of his Weakness and Distress and fearing to be wholly abandoned by his people and at length to fall without any conditions into the hands of the Incas began to shew himself inclinable to hearken to proposals of Peace whereupon calling a Council they resolved to go in Person and without Mediation of Ambassadours to humble themselves before the Incas and accordingly they proceeded to the Royal Quarters where casting themselves on their knees they begged Mercy and Pardon for their Offences declaring their readiness to acknowledge themselves Vassals to the Inca since it was the pleasure and determination of the Sun his Father to make him supreme Lord and Sovereign of the Universe The Incas both Uncle and Nephew courteously received them according to their usual Grace and Favour assuring them of pardon and having vested them with such Garments as were accustomary dispatched them with contentment and licence to return unto their own homes The Natives of these four Provinces like those of Chincha make great boastings of the wonderfull Prowess and Valour of their Ancestours whom the Incas were not able to subdue in less than four years War besides many other Stories of their mighty Deeds which we omit because they are not pertinent to our History Howsoever this is certain that the Incas esteemed it so great a work to have conquered the King Chuquimancu that as a Trophy of their Victory and in perpetual remembrance of the valiant Actions performed in this War both by their own people and by the Yuncas in their own defence they built a Fortress in the Valley of Huarcu which though it were of little compass yet it was a wonderfull and rare Work for that people being made with due Symmetry and according to the Rules of Fortification and for that Reason and for the situation of the place being built on the Sea shore it ought to be permitted to remain for an ancient plece of antiquity and indeed the work was so strong and durable as may last for many ages without any repair for when I passed by it in the Year 1560 it still shewed what it had been and which neither I not any other could behold without some resenting thoughts of this unconstant and transitory World. CHAP. XXX Of the Vallies of Pachacamac and Rimac and of their Idols THE King Chuquimancu being thus subdued and the Government established in his Countrey according to the Laws Rites and Customs practised and observed by the Subjects of the Inca. They passed forwards in farther pursuance of their Conquests over the Vallies of Pachacamac Rimac Chancay and Huaman which the Spaniards call the Baranca or Breach of Earth between two Hills all which four were under the Command and Dominion of a powerfull Ruler called Cuysmancu who also had the vanity to take upon himself the Title of King and though amongst the Indians they have not a word properly to express the name of King yet the term of Hatun Apu which is as much as a great Lord hath some affinity with that signification And as to these Vallies of Pachacamac and Rimac which I shall say once for all that the Spaniards by corruption of the last Word give it the name of Lima by which it is known to this day Now as we have said before so we must say again and as all the Spanish Historians write That the Kings of Peru did by the mere light of natural Reason attain to the knowledge of one God the Maker of all things whom they called Pachacamac and Sustainer of the Universe the which Doctrine was more ancient than the time of the Incas and which was dispersed through all their Kingdoms both before and after their Conquests They farther affirmed that he was invisible and because he would not suffer himself to be seen for that reason they did not build Temples to him nor offer him Sacrifices as they did to the Sun but onely adored him interiourly with profound Veneration in their Hearts as may appear by their outward gestures of bowing their Heads lifting up their eyes and opening their Arms whensoever his sacred Name came to be mentioned This Doctrine as we have said was everywhere dilated for so soon as any people was subjected to the Inca this Principle was instilled in case it had not taken place and root before But those who had chiefly admitted and received this Doctrine before the times of the Incas were the Ancestours of this King Cuysmancu who having built a Temple to Pachacamac did afterwards give the same Name to the Valley
Wisedom to answer all their Enquiries From which time it became a Custome to consult all matters of State with the Oracle Pachacamac and to make common and vulgar Enquiries at Rimac which because they were many and that this Oracle was ever solicited with a multitude of Demands he was called the prating Oracle for being obliged to answer all it was necessary for him to talk much the which passage Blas Valera touches briefly in his History And now at length the Inca Pachacutec thought it convenient to desist for some years from farther progress in his Conquests over the new Provinces by which time of Peace his Armies would be able to recover and refresh themselves and he having leisure thereby to attend his Civil Government might also have means to enoble his Kingdoms with magnificent Edifices Laws and Rites and Ceremonies agreeable to the new Reformation he was making in Religion that so his Actions might correspond with the signification of his Name and his Fame eternized for a great and wife King in Government for a sanctified High-Priest in Religion and for a great Captain in War and indeed the truth is he gained more Provinces than any of his Fore-fathers and enriched the Temple more than any particular Inca before him for he plated all the Walls with Leaves of Gold both of the Temple and Chambers and Cloisters about it In that place where formerly was the Image of the Sun is now the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament and those Cloisters serve now for Processions at the times of Festivals that Fabrick being now the Convent of St. Dominick For which happy Alteration may the blessed Name of the Eternal Majesty be for ever praised and exalted CHAP. XXXII Of the Conquest over the King Chimu and the cruel War against him AT the end of six years the Inca Pachacutec finding his Kingdoms rich and happy by the advantages of so long a Peace commanded an Army of thirty thousand Men to be raised to subdue those Vallies which lie along the Coast of Cassamarca and which were the confines of his Empire on the side or at the foot of the high Mountain The Anny being raised was commanded by four Major Generals under his Son the Prince Yupanqui for he having been exercised for some years under the Instructions and Example of that famous Commander his Uncle was now become so good a Proficient in War that he was capable to conduct and lead an Army on the most difficult and hazardous Design And for Yupanqui Brother to the Inca and whom he justly called his Right-hand he desired to stay and keep company with him that so he might rest and take repose after his many and great labours in reward of which and for his Royal Vertues he bestowed upon him the Name and Title of his Lieutenant General and second Person in all matters and causes relating to War and Peace with absolute Power and Command in all parts of his Empire The Army being in a readiness the Prince marched with a Detachment of about ten thousand Men by way of the Mountain untill he came to the Province of Yauyu which lies overagainst the City of the Kings or Kings-town where he made some stay untill the rest of his Army was come up to him with which being joined he marched to Rimac where the prating Oracle had its Temple To this Prince Yupanqui the Indians attribute the honour of being the first who made Discovery of the South-Sea and subdued many Provinces in those parts as will appear more at large in the History of his Life The Prince being in those parts was met by the Curaca of Pachacamac called Cuysmancu and of Runahuanac named Chuquimancu who with their Souldiers received him with much Honour and with intention to serve him in the War and the Prince on the other side gratified them with demonstrations of his usual Favours and Bounty From the Valley of Rimac they went to visit the Temple of Pachacamac where they entred with a profound silence without vecal Prayer or Sacrifice onely with signs of mental Devotion as we have before expressed Thence he made his Visit to the Temple of the Sun where he offered many Sacrifices and other gifts both of Gold and Silver And to please the Yuncas he visited the Idol Rimac and in compliance with the late Capitulations between the Inca and them he commanded many Sacrifices to be offered and enquiry to be made of that Oracle concerning the success of that expedition to which having received answer that the design should be prosperous he marched forward to that Valley which the Indians called Huaman and named now by the Spaniards the Barranca from whence he sent his usual Summons to a certain Lord called Chimu who commanded all the Vallies reaching from the Barranca to the City Truxillo and are many in number but the chief and most principal of them are five namely Parmunca Huallmi Santa Huanapu and Chimu which is the Countrey in which Truxillo is situated and are all five most pleasant and fruitfull Vallies and well peopled the Prince giving himself the Title of the powerfull Chimu from the name of that Province where he kept his Court. He also took on himself the Title of King being feared and honoured by all his Neighbours who bordered on his Countrey that is to the East North and South for to the West he was confined by the Sea. This great and powerfull Chimu having received these Summons gave a quick Answer That he was ready with his Weapons in his Hands to desend his Countrey Laws and Liberties that he would not know nor receive new Gods and that the Inca should take this for a positive Answer without seeking farther Resolution or Query in the case Upon this Answer the Prince Yupanqui marched as far as the Valley Parmunca where he expected to meet and engage with his Enemy and had not long attended before they appeared with a strong band of Souldiers who readily made trial of the Force and Valour of the Incas the Fight was sharp and long in defence of a Pass which notwithstanding the resistence made by them the Incas possessed and lodged themselves in it many being slain and wounded on both sides At length the Prince observing the resolution with which these Yuncas defended themselves and that this confidence proceeded from a contempt of his small numbers sent unto his Father an account of all his proceedings desiring him to supply him with a recruit of twenty thousand Men not that he would relieve his Army as he had formerly done and thereby give time and breath to the Enemy but that he might be enabled to fall upon them with a double force These Advices being dispatched to the Inca the Prince closely attended to all the advantages of War in which he sound himself much assisted by the two Curacas of Pachacamac and Runahuanac who having formerly been mortal Enemies to Chimu on the old Quarrels about their Confines and Pasturage making
that slays another like himself must necessarily dye for it and pay the punishment with his own life for which reason the Kings Our Royal Progenitors did ordain that whosoever killed another should pay the price of bloud with his own life Thieves are not upon any terms to be tolerated because they are a generation who would rather live upon prey and robbery than gain riches by honest labour or enjoy their possessions by a lawfull title Adulterers who take away the good reputation and honesty of another Family are disturbers of the common peace and quiet and are as bad as Thieves and Robbers and therefore to be condemned to the Gallows without mercy A truly noble and courageous spirit is best tried by that patience which he shews in the times of adversity Impatience is the character of a poor and degenerate spirit and of one that is ill taught and educated When Subjects are obedient their Kings and Governours ought to treat them with gentleness and clemency but the perverse and obstinate are to be ruled with a severity and rigour moderated by prudence Judges who are corrupted by Gifts clandestinely received from Plaintiff or Defendant are to be esteemed for Thieves and to be punished for such with capital punishment Governours ought to have a special eye unto two things first that they themselves observe and execute the Laws of their Prince and not suffer others to transgress them And next that they seriously consider and contrive all matters which may tend to the good and benefit of their respective Provinces That Indian who knows not how to govern his own Family will be much less capable to rule a Kingdom A Physician or Herbalist who knows the Names but is ignorant of the Virtues and Qualities of Herbs or he who knows few but is ignorant of most is a mere Quack and Mountebank in Physick and deserves not the name and repute of a Physician untill he is skilfull as well in the Noxious as the Salutiferous qualities of Herbs He that would pretend to count the number of the Stars is a Fool and worthy to be derided These are the Sayings and Sentences of the Inca Pachacutec which were conserved in memory by their Knots they having not attained to the more ready way of letters or cyphers Royal Commentaries BOOK VII CHAP. I. Of the Colonies planted by the Incas and of the two different Languages in Peru. IT was a custome amongst the Incas to transplant the people from one Province to another that is from barren Lands and Countries to more fruitfull and pleasant soils whereby both the government was secured from rebellion and the condition of the people advantaged by a happy and profitable exchange In performance of which design the Incas had always a respect to the condition and quality of the people and the temperature of the climate transplanting those who had been born and bred in hot or cold Regions into Countries of the same degree and equal temper of heat and cold Likewise in Provinces where the people multiplied greatly and were become too numerous to be contained within the limits and compass of it then did they subtract from thence such a number as might ease the Province and supply the wants of other places The like was practised in Collao which is a Province of 120 Leagues in length containing several other Nations under its jurisdiction This Countrey being very cold produced neither Mayz which is Indian Wheat nor Uchu which is Red Pepper and yet it abounds with Pulse and all sorts of lesser Grane such as that they call Papa and Quirua which do not grow in hot Countries and is also rich in Flocks and Herds of Cattel From all those cold Provinces they transplanted great numbers of Indians to the Eastward by the Mountains of Anits and to the Westward along the Sea-coast where lyes a vast Countrey containing many large and fruitfull Vallies which produced Mayz and Red Pepper in great abundance and which before the times of the Incas for want of the Art and Knowledge of making Aqueducts and Chanels for watring the Furrows of their Land lay wholly dispeopled and deserted The Incas Kings having well considered the benefit of these improvements did frequently transplant their people from the barren to more commodious and happy soils and for their refreshment in those Plantations furnished them with a quantity of Water sufficient for their Lands making it a Law that they should succour and help one the other and by bartering their commodities one for the other what one wanted was supplied by the other By these means also the Incas secured their own Revenue which was paid them in Mayz or Indian Wheat for as we have said before one third of their Fruits which their Lands produced did belong to the Sun and another third to the Inca. Moreover by this course the Incas were supplied with great quantities of Mayz for maintenance of their Armies in that cold and barren Countrey so that the Collas were able to carry great quantities of Quinua and Chinu and great slices of that which they called Charqui to their Kindred in other Plantations and in exchange and barter for them returned home laden with Mayz and red Pepper and other Fruits which those Countries yielded which commodious way of trade was of great benefit and consolation to the Indians Pedro Cieça de Leon in the 99th Chapter of his Book discoursing of this manner of mutual Commerce saith That in fruitfull Years the Inhabitants of Collao live with contentment and plenty but in dry years they suffer great wants and scarcity of all Provisions The truth is had not the Incan-King prescribed excellent Laws for the government of this People and ordered every thing with a provident and industrious regard certainly these Countries would have laboured under great penury and wants and perhaps have relapsed into the same bestial condition in which they once were before the times of the Incas And thus much I affirm because I know that the Climate under which the Collas inhabited is cold and therefore not so fruitfull as the warmer Regions of more happy Countries And in regard the mountains of Andes did border on all sides of those Colonies it was ordered that all parts should issue forth a certain number of Indians with their Wives and Children who being planted according to the direction of their Caciques in such places as were convenient might improve their Lands and by Industry and Art supply that which was wanting by nature which People were called Mitimaes and were so obedient and observant to their Lords and Captains that to this day they are Drudges to them their principal care and business being to manure and cultivate the Coca Plantations which are so pretious and profitable that though in all Collao they neither sow nor reap Mayz yet neither the Lords who are Natives nor the Common People who are industrious do want sufficient quantities of Mayz Honey and all
Hostages for the good behaviour of their Parents and Countrey-men divers of whose Provinces being four five and six hundred Leagues from the Court and many of them inhabited by fierce and warlike Nations were ready and inclined upon every small overture to cast off the Yoke of their Servitude and though these Nations of themselves singly were not able to contend with the Power of the Incan Empire yet being united in a League and Confederacy might put it into some danger and difficulty all which was prevented by the residence which these Heirs made at the Court who were there treated with plentifull Entertainment and honoured according to their several Degrees and qualities of all which the Sons rendring to their Parents a true Relation and confirming the same with such presents as the Inca sent to them being Garments of the same quality which the Inca himself wore they esteemed themselves so much obliged thereby that their Servitude seemed a Freedom and Loyalty to be their duty and in case any were so sturdy and stupid as not to be won by such gentle applications and allurements yet then the thoughts of having Children within the power of the Inca were considerations sufficient to take them off from courses ruinous to their own Bloud With these and the like arts of Providence and Industry accompanied with rectitude of Justice the Incan-Empire was supported and secured in such peace that in all the ages which the Incas reigned there was scarce heard the least noise or rumour of Rebellion or Mutiny Joseph de Acosta speaking in the 12th Chap. of his 6th Book concerning this Government saith That such was the Fidelity and loyal Affection which these people bore towards their Princes that there never was mention of any Plot or Treason contrived against their Persons for though with rigour and severity they required Obedience to their Laws yet such was the Rectitude of their Justice and Impartiality in the Execution that none could complain of the least violence or oppression And such order was observed in the subordinate Magistrates who so exactly regarded the most minute Irregularities in their Lives that none could be drunk or steal a bunch of Mayz from his Neighbour without punishment Thus far are the Words of Acostu CHAP. III. Of the Language used at the Court. BLas Valera in the 9th Chapter of his 2d Book treating of the general Language of Peru speaks of the usefulness and facility of that Tongue as is to be found amongst his loose Papers Now as to the common Language spoken by the Natives of Peru the truth is every Province used a peculiar Tongue proper to itself but during the Reign of the Incan-Kings the Language of Cozco was of greatest extent reaching from Quitu to the Kingdoms of Chili and Tumac and which is now in use amongst the Caciques and great Men and such Officers as the Spaniards employ in their Service and Affairs When the Incas subdued any Countrey their first business was to enjoin the Inhabitants to learn the Tongue and Custome of Cozco and to teach them to their Children for better effecting of which they gave them Masters and Teachers to instruct them and for encouragement of such Masters they gave them Lands and Inheritances amongst the Natives that so they and their Children living and growing up with that people might continue a perpetual succession of Masters and Teachers of that people and for their better encouragement the Governours of Provinces did always prefer such Teachers unto Offices before any others for they were happy instruments of Quietness to the Incas and of Peace and mutual Affection to the people The Race and Off-spring of those Teachers who anciently came from Cozco live still dispersed in those Countries which were assigned for Habitations to their Parents who having now lost that Authority which their Ancestours enjoyed are not able to teach the Indians nor compell them to receive their Language Whence it is that many Provinces which were skilfull in the CozcanTongue when the first Spaniards entred into Cassamarca have now wholly lost and forgotten it for the Empire of the Incas being overthrown all their Statutes Laws and Orders perished with them and indeed the Civil Wars which arose between the Spaniards themselves together with the malice of the Devil might all contribute to this confusion and to interrupt the propagation of the Gospel which might have been much advanced had the Apostolical Preachers of it had onely one single Tongue to have learned Whereas now all the Confines and Dependencies about the City of Trugillo and other Provinces belonging to the Jurisdiction of Quitu are not able to speak or understand one word of the common Language of the Collas and Puquinas relapsing again into their Mothers Gibberish know no occasion or need for the Cozcan Dialect which also is at present so corrupted that it seems quite another Speech to what it formerly was and more diversity of Tongues are of late sprung up than were known in the time of Huayna Capac the last Emperour Hence it is that that Concord and reconcilement of Affections which one common Speech had produced in the World was lost so that Men were become perfidious and hatefull to each other having no common tie of Words or Customs to unite and cement them in the bonds of Amity The which inconvenience not being well observed by the Vice-Kings who promiscuously reduced greater and lesser Nations to their Obedience not regarding the use of a common Language whereby the Gospel might have had entrance to them did thereby greatly obstruct the progress of the Christian Faith unless the Preachers had been endued with an universal gift of Tongues and learned all the different Dialects of those People which was impossible without the Miracle of Divine Inspiration Some are of opinion that the Indians ought to have been obliged to learn the Spanish Tongue so as to have taken off that difficult Task from the Priests and imposed it on the Indians but this project would not easily take for if the Indians were so dull and stupid that the Cozcan Language which admits little difference from their own was learned with much difficulty by them how can we expect that they should ever attain to the Castillian Tongue which in every word is strange and withour any affinity with their own Were it not rather more feasible for the Spaniards who are Men of quick Wits and refined Understandings to learn the general Speech of Cozco than to put such poor sottish Wretches who have no help of Letters to the difficult labour of learning the Castillian Tongue and who shall put their Masters to more labour in teaching them one Speech than a quick witted Priest shall have in learning ten Wherefore it were a more expedite way to oblige them to the knowledge of the Cozcan Tongue which differs little from their own and in this Speech preach the Catholick Faith to them In order unto which if the
ours but take a root which produces Melons for many Years and are cut and pruned at the Seasons like a Tree which is a thing that never happened in any part of Spain c. Thus far are the Words of Acosta upon whose Authority I adventure with much confidence to report the great fruitfulness of this Countrey and how wonderfully at the beginning the Fruits of Spain thrived and increased to an incredible greatness to which also I shall add another Excellency which Acosta mentions which is that the Melons did all prove good provided that time were given them to ripen which gives a farther indication of the fertility of this Soil And in regard the first Melons which were seen in the parts adjacent to los Reyes gave occasion to a pleasant story which we shall not omit in this place because it is a farther evidence of the ancient simplicity of the Indians which is this A certain Inhabitant of the City of los Reyes who was one of the first Conquerours and a Person of Noble Bloud named Antonio Solar having a Plantation in Pachacamac about four Leagues distant from the City maintained a Spaniard for his Baily to oversee and manure his land who sent two Indians laden with five Melons apiece being ten in all to his Master that he might taste the fruit of his ground and therewith sent a Letter in one of the Baskets telling them that in case they ate any of them that Paper would discover it With this charge they departed and being half a days Journey on their way they sate down to rest and repose themselves during which stay one said to the other Let us taste of this Fruit which we carry to our Master but the other made some scruple saying The Paper will discover all as our Steward told us but the other replied that if they threw the Paper behind the Hedge it could not see them nor arise up in witness against them which contrivance pleased the Companion and the Paper being laid aside they cut the Melon and devoured it For the Indians at first not understanding the Mystery of Letters imagined that Papers were Messengers to whom the Spaniards had declared their minds and spoken those words which were delivered to them and that they were as Spies to tell whatsoever they saw in the way where they travelled and therefore when they fell to their treat they laid the Paper behind a bank that it might not see them As they travelled on their Journey he that carried the five Melons said to him that had the four if we go with this odd number our Master will suspect that we have eaten one and therefore let us eat another to make them equal this witty Counsel pleased well and so by agreement they sate down and ate the other And being now come to their Master they presented him with eight Melons onely who reading the Letter asked them what was become of the other two Mellons for that the Letter specified ten No Sir said they the Steward gave us but eight Why do you lie said Antonio Solar for the Paper speaks of ten Wherewith the poor Fellows became so affrighted and confused that they knew not what to reply but onely to confess the truth saying that with great reason the Spaniards were called Viracocha since they were able to penetrate into such hidden Secrets A Story of the like nature Gomara relates to have happened in the Island of Cuba when it was at first possessed by the Spaniards and indeed it is no wonder that the same ignorance should be common in all parts of the new World for the simplicity of the Indians was such as that whatsoever was new and not seen to them before could never enter into their capacities and onely served to fill them with wonder and admiration for whatsoever they observed to be extraordinary in the Spaniards such as running on Horseback breaking Oxen to the Yoke and ploughing the ground with them making Mills and building Arches for Bridges shooting with Guns and killing at an hundred and two hundred paces and the like were all such miracles to them as could not be effected by other means than some Divine Power and for that reason they called the Spaniards Gods as they did in the evidence which the Paper gave against them CHAP. XXX Of Flax Asparagus Visnagas with which they cleanse Teeth and Anniseeds NOR was there Flax in Peru at first but Donna Catalina de Retes who was a Native of St. Lucar and Mother-in-law to Francis de Villafuerte a noble and religious Lady and one of the first Nuns of the Convent of St. Clare in Cozco expected in the Year 1560. to receive some Flax Seed from Spain to sow in that Countrey together with Looms and Instruments to spin and weave Linen for their Houses but in the Year that I departed from Peru I cannot say that those things were as yet brought but since I came from thence I have heard that considerable quantities of Linen are made there though I cannot avouch how great Spinsters the Spanish Women have been nor how good Huswives my Countrey Women are for I did never see them spin Linen though I have seen them sow and weave Cotton and fine Wool which the Indian Women span with great curiosity though they combed it with their Fingers for want of Cards wherewith to card it and therefore they may be excused if they be not as yet become such excellent Spinsters of Linen as our Spanish Houswives are But to return to our former Discourse relating to the great esteem which the Fruits and Commodities of Spain had gained in the Indies at first when the Spaniards had newly planted themselves in Peru I remember that in the Year 1555. or 56 Garçia de Melo who was then Treasurer for his Majesty in Cozco sent to my Lord Garçilasso de la Vega a present of three Asparagus where he had them or where they grew is not known onely he desired him to accept and eat that curiosity of Spanish Fruit the Asparagus were very fair ones two of which were as big as a middle Finger and the third of a yard long the other was thicker but shorter but all of them so tender that they were easily broken My Father that he might doe the greater honour to this Spanish Plant ordered that the Asparagus should be boiled on a Pan of Coals in his own Chamber in presence of seven or eight Gentlemen who were at Supper with him When the Asparagus were boiled and a sauce for them made with Oil and Vinegar Garçilasso divided the two largest among the Guests at his Table and the third he took wholly to himself desiring them to pardon him for that time if he carved himself the largest portion of the Spanish Fruits In this manner the Asparagus were eaten with great chear and mirth as if the Phenix had been to be divided amongst them and though I served then at the Table yet nothing thereof
acquaintance or communication with the Officers of His Majesties Royal Exchequer yet at length by the friendship which I gained with John de Morales a Native of Madrid who was a very honest and intelligent Gentleman I procured some account of the King's Revenue with which he was pleased to oblige me for the better advance of this History which I now write the which was so difficult a work to him that he kept me three months before he could satisfie me therein and at last he delivered me this following account which I have extracted verbatim from his own Paper Your Worship was pleased to desire of me that to serve a particular occasion of yours I would set down in writing the rents and value of all his Majesties Revenue the which is a business so difficult that I cannot summ within any tolerable compass of certainty And indeed though the King hath desired it and commanded it to be given in for the better direction and measures of his Council of the Treasury and ordered all to be put into a Book yet that work is not as yet begun nor do we know when it will be begun much less when it will be ended for there are such vast Rises and Falls such Advances and Abatements that nothing can be delivered with any certainty every thing running in such different chanels as is impossible to reduce them to any coherence of method but in the bulk or lump we may affirm that the Revenue of the King is a prodigious Mass of Wealth and Treasure Thus far are the Words of Morales which we have willingly alledged in confirmation of the truth of what we have said being desirous not to write any thing but that which we can avouch on good ground and authority And for farther proof of this difficulty and how hard a thing it is to sum up the Revenue of this King of Spain now Emperour of the new World I shall produce the Testimony of John Botero a great and an universal Historian who after he had made a calculate of the Revenue of the King of China and of the Rents which Galizia Asturias and Portugal anciently yielded to the Roman Empire with what was the Revenue of the Kings of Navarre France the Emperour Poland England Duke of Lorrain King of Scotland Swedeland and Gothland as also what was the Income of the House of Austria of the King of Narsinga the Neriffe of Egypt and of the Gran Signor yet coming to the Revenue of our King of Spain he is there silent for which I can render no other reason than because this Authour coming to this Account he found himself so plunged and immersed therein that he durst not adventure to fathom the same not having as I imagine numbers sufficient to sum up the Tribute of his many Kingdoms and with them the immense Riches imported from Peru. And in confirmation of the great Treasure with which Peru hath enriched all the World I have this farther Testimony to offer from the most Reverend Father Don Paulo de Laguna who was President of the Council of his Majesty's Exchequer and afterwards President of the Council of the Indies and Vice-king of the New World and in the Year 1603. was elected Bishop of Cordova this great Person discoursing one day with his Confessour and others concerning the immense Riches of Peru did confidently affirm that from one Mountain onely of Peru there had been transported into Spain untill the Year 1602. two hundred Millions of Pieces of Eight which had been registred and that at least one hundred Millions more had been imported without Register And I can farther add said he that twenty five Millions in Gold and Silver have been brought into Spain by one Fleet in my time The Standers-by hearing this answered We could never believe it my Lord but that we receive it from so authentick an Authour as your Lordship What I say replied the Bishop I know for a certain truth and moreover I assure you that all the Kings of Spain joined together from King Pelayo to these times have not been Masters of so much Money as King Philip the 2d hath been After which testimony from so great a person we shall not need to add or require farther proofs for what we have alledged But such as look on the Riches of Peru with more than a common Eye are of opinion that they have rather been hurtfull than good or beneficial to Mankind for that Riches have been the cause of Vice and not of Vertue having inclined the Nature of Men to Pride and Ambition to Gluttony and Luxury for enjoying an affluence of Fortune they have given themselves up to Sloth and Effeminacy becoming neither fit for Government in the times of Peace nor yet for Hardship and Labour in the times of War employing their whole thoughts and time in contriving new Dishes and Liquours to please their Appetite and fantastical Fashions for their Clothing in which they are arrived to that height of extravagance that they scarce know what to wear and are come to that undecency of Dress that their Habit is more correspondent to Women than to Men. And as the Rents of the Rich have been raised to maintain the Lusts and riotous Living of great Persons so have the Poor been oppressed and reduced to Rags and Famine to support the Pride and Luxury of their Landlords And the truth is the Poor are become much more poor than formerly for the quantity of Money being increased which is all accumulated into the Coffers of the Rich hath enhansed the price of Provisions and Commodities to that degree that the Poor starve by the abundance of the Rich and though the Rich have a plenty of Money and may out of their great stores enlarge their Charities towards the Poor yet their Alms do not answer the price of Provisions which the plenty of Money hath raised in the World so in short they conclude that the Riches of the new World not having increased the Provisions necessary for the support of humane Life but rather served to make them dear and Men effeminate having enfeebled them in their Bodies and Understandings and debauched them in their Habits and Customs of living the generality of Mankind is become much worse and less contented and having been formidable and dreaded in ancient times by all the World are now rendred mean and effeminate by the corruption of their Riches Now as to these two Opinions I leave every one free to follow that which seems best to him For I being a party and biassed by affection to my own Countrey dare neither pretend to favour that which applauds the grandeur and glory which Peru hath brought to Spain nor yet oppose the other lest I should seem partial and too affectionate to my own Cause And so we shall proceed and take the thread of our History passing by divine favour through the beginning middle and end of this famous Triumvirate We say then that
and make way for the effusion and spreading of his Holy Gospel At the end of many Months for a dispatch could not be sooner made the Ship arrived which Almagro sent with Provisions but without Men a misfortune so discouraging that one might believe they would rather have been induced to return home than persist in their resolution But God so influenced their Minds with strange hopes that they figured unto themselves a concurrence of all happy Omens in their favour for they no sooner saw the Ship than that they resolved to proceed in their Voyage and discover at least what Countrey and what People they were who inhabited under the Equinoctial a Region as yet unknown to the Spaniards With these Intentions they embarked and at length with much labour they got out of the Golf in which they were embayed for both the South wind which always blows in and the Current which always sets from North to South made it very difficult to surmount both one and the other for indeed it is a wonderfull thing to see and it were well if it were described in our Maps for the benefit of Navigation in what manner and with what rapidness those Streams run for with the violence of the Waves and force of the Current they make such a noise and raise such a froth as is most terrible to behold and is dangerous to Ships which being sucked in by those Whirlpools are certainly lost Many of these Currents cast up the earth and slime from the bottom that the Waters are very thick and turbid others are clear and limpid some are large and broad and others narrow but that which is most strange to see is the vast difference of one Water from the other that is of one Water which runs with a swift Stream from that which is still or runs slowly the Waters on each side are quiet and seem like a Wall to the rapid Stream which runs in the middle the reason of which I cannot comprehend It is sufficient for our purpose to tell you that their Navigation over such Currents and in an unknown Sea for many Days and Months was very difficult and therefore we cannot sufficiently applaud the courage of these thirteen Companions who would still adventure and struggle under all these Discouragements They suffered much by hunger for being but few in number they were cautious of hazarding themselves amongst the Indians onely they sometimes watched an opportunity to get Food and Provisions by stealth and robbery rather than by force of Arms or open appearance CHAP. XI How Piçarro and his thirteen Companions arrived in Peru. AT the end of two years after they had quitted the Island of Gorgona for so long they had been in making their Discoveries on the Coast not knowing well whither they went during which time we will leave the Reader to consider what Distresses and Hardships they sustained all which other Historians omit not counting the steps and degrees by which these Adventurers proceeded At length I say they arrived at Tumpiz where it pleased God to work a Miracle that those people might receive and embrace the Catholick Faith which was this the Ship being here arrived the Spaniards observed that the Countrey was well peopled and adorned with many good Houses and more stately Buildings than any they had seen in other parts became very desirous to make a farther discovery but how to contrive it was very difficult for they were fearfull to send one man singly lest he should be killed by the Indians nor durst they adventure in a Body for fear of the like fate at length to end the Dispute Peter de Candia being full of Courage and Christian confidence offered himself on this Adventure telling his Companions that in case he were killed their loss would not be much considering that he was but a single person and that if he came well off the greater would be the Wonder and the Victory which having said he immediately covered his Body with a Coat of Mail which reached to his Knees and put on a Helmet of the best and bravest sort he girt his Sword by his side took his Target of Steel in his left hand and in the right he bore a wooden Cross of about a yard and a half long which being the signal of his Redemption he confided more therein than in his Arms of Steel or Iron This Peter of Candia was a very tall Man and though I did never see him yet his Son with whom I went to School at Beaba shewed me the proportion of his Father in himself for being a Boy but of eleven or twelve years of age was as big as another of twice that age In this dress Peter de Candia left his Companions desiring their Prayers and Recommendations of him unto God and then with a grave and serious Countenance and Pace he walked towards the Inhabitants with as much Majesty as if he had been Lord Paramount of all that Province The Indians who were in great confusion at the Arrival of the Ship were much more affrighted when they saw a Man so tall and of so vast a proportion covered all with Iron with a Beard on his Face which had never been known or seen before amongst them Those who met him in the Fields ran away and gave an Allarm to their People and all taking Arms ran into their Castle or Fortress which was speedily filled with crowds but Peter still continued his grave Countenance and Pace towards them which when they saw they were in great admiration none daring to hurt him for they believed that he was some divine or heavenly Apparition but to prove what manner of thing he was the Curacas or Lords agreed to try him with the Lion and Tyger which Huayna Capac had recommended to their Custody as we have already related in the History of his Life which when they had let loose they expected that they should kill and tear him in pieces but this story is briefly related by Peter de Cieça in the Account he gives of the Conquests and Actions of Huayna Capac in this great Province of Tumpiz the which I thought fit to transcribe word for word that so I might have the Testimony of a Spanish Authour in confirmation of the truth of what I have wrote and with the same occasion describe the beauty of that pleasant Valley of Tumbiz for so that Authour writes In regard saith he that the Inhabitants of the Isle of Puna were always at variance with the Natives of Tumbez the Captains of the Inga built a Fortress which perhaps they designed with intention to employ the People and divert their Minds from their unreasonable Wars and Debates So soon as this Fortress was finished Guayna Capal came thither and commanded that a Temple should be built and dedicated to the Sun near to the Fortress of Tumbez and that two hundred Virgins chosen out of the most beautifull Ladies belonging to Noble Families of that Countrey should
kind Answer of the Inca eased the Spaniards of all the fear and suspicion they had conceived upon the rumour that the Inca was encompassed with a Guard of thirty thousand Men and so with great confidence taking their way towards the Royal Baths and Palaces they met about the middle of their Journey in an open Plain with those Companies of Souldiers which were sent out to receive them which so soon as Hernando de Soto espied he set Spurs to his Horse and boldly rid up to them with a full cariere giving them to understand that if they had been Enemies as they were Friends he alone had been sufficient to encounter with them and then turning and carveting with his Horse he came and stopt near the Commander in chief And here the Spanish Historians recounting this passage tell us that this Commander in Chief was Atahualpa himself and that Soto came up to his very Chair pransing with his Horse at which though Atahualpa seemed not to be dismayed or altered yet several of his people who ran away and fled to avoid his Horse he caused to be put to death But this Authour was mis-informed in the Relation he made for neither was Atahualpa there present nor whosoever he was did he put any to death for if their retirement was onely to give way or place to the Horse in his cariere as was probable it was so far from being a fault or to deserve punishment that it was a piece of civility and respect which they desired to shew unto those whom they esteemed to be Children of the Sun and to have done otherwise or to have obstructed the way and passage of these strangers would have seemed a piece of impiety and prophanation towards those whom they confessed to be of Divine Race and descended from the Heavens Nor was Atahualpa so stupid in his understanding as to slay his own Indians in the presence of the Ambassadours whom he had employed to pay Honour and Worship to them and to assure them of all security and protection Nor is it probable that Hernando de Soto would have been so rude and discourteous as to ride up to the very Nose of the King with whom he came to treat in behalf of the Emperour and the Pope By all which it is greatly to be lamented when we consider with how little care Men give Relations of passages which occur in those remote parts without regard to the reputation of that people The Inca Atahualpa as we shall declare more particularly hereafter shewed himself very generous and real towards the Spaniards and therefore it may be lawfull for us to render a character of his abilities discretion and understanding with which Nature had endued him For in regard we have made mention at large of all the Tyrannies and Cruelties which he committed the rule of History doth oblige us not to conceal the mixtures of Vertue which appeared in him unless we would approve our selves false by writing a Romance in the place of true History That which I report proceeds from the relation of many Spaniards who were present at all the action being such as I received from their own mouths at those times of conversation which they passed in my Father's family when a great part of their entertainment was to recount the many passages and accidents which occurred in this Conquest the same I have heard confirmed from several Indians who at the visits which they made to my Mother did frequently discourse of those Actions and particularly of what happened in the Reign of Atahualpa to the time of his Death attributing all the misfortunes which befell him to the Judgment of God for the Tyrannies and Cruelties he committed upon his own family And farther I am able to confirm the truth of these particulars from the reports sent me by my School-fellows who took the trouble to extract them out of the Historical Annals of their respective Countries where their Mothers were born as I said in the first Part of this History To these Relations I have the Authority farther to add of that curious and accurate Father Blas Valera who was the Son of one of those who was a fellow Prisoner with Atahualpa and was born and bred on the Confines of Cassamarca and so might have advantages to extract the Records from their Originals as he himself doth attest and indeed he hath been very large in describing the successes and passages which occurred in that Kingdom and which by comparing them with other Relations I have found agreeable to the truest reports And farther I do aver that I shall trace the same way that the Spanish Historians direct me making use of their Commentarles in such matters wherein they may be usefull to me and shall add and enlarge in what they come short or are deficient as in many things they may be for want of reading and knowledge of Historians CHAP. XIX Of the Reception which the Inca gave to the Embassy of the Spaniards BUT now to reassume again the Thread of our History We say That the Major General which was sent out to receive Hernando Piçarro and Hernando de Soto having performed his Complements and adored them with profound Veneration turned to his Captains and Souldiers and declared to them that these were the Sons of their God Viracocha at which the Indians made them a low Reverence beholding with great admiration their Aspect Habit and Voice and so accompanied them to the Presence of the Inca The Spaniards being entred were much astonished to behold the greatness and Riches of the Royal Palace and the number of the King's Family and Attendants and such was the wonder of both parties that it is not to be determined which was the greater The Ambassadours made their Obeisance after the Spanish Fashion with low Reverence to the Inca who was seated in a Chair of Gold with which the King was highly pleased and standing up he embraced them with much kindness saying Capac Viracocha Thou art welcome to my Dominions the which words Blas Valera repeats in the Indian Language being very skilfull in that Tongue the which I omit as not necessary Then the Inca sate down and Seats were brought also of Gold which were prepared by order of the Inca for the Ambassadours for they being esteemed for Kindred of the Sun it pleased the Inca to make no difference between himself and them and more especially because one of them was Brother to the Governour When they were sate the Inca turning his Face towards his Kindred who attended him Behold said he the very Face Countenance and Habit of our God Viracocha in the same manner and form as the Inca Viracocha our Ancestour described and reported to have appeared to him As the Inca was saying these things two young Maidens very handsome and of the Royal Bloud which they called Nusta entred into the Chamber each of them carrying two small Cups of Gold in their Hands filled with such Liquour as the
accordingly hath sent his Captains and Souldiers to execute his Commands as he did for the Conquest of those great Islands and Countries which are adjoining to Mexico and having subjected them by force of Arms hath reduced them to the acknowledgment of the true Religion of Jesus Christ for the same God hath commanded that so it should be For which reason the Emperour Charles the 5th hath chosen for his Ambassadour and Lieutenant Don Francisco de Piçarro who is here present that so the Kingdoms of your Highness may receive all the benefits of Religion and that a firm Peace and Alliance may be concluded and established between His Majesty and Your Highness on condition that your Highness and all your Kingdom become Tributaries that is paying a Tribute to the Emperour Thou maist become his Subject and delivering up your Kingdom and all the Administration and Government thereof Thou shalt doe as other Kings and Lords have already done and have the same quarter and conditions with them This is the first point Now as to the second When this Peace and Alliance is established and that thou hast submitted either voluntarily or by constraint then thou art to yield true and faithfull Obedience to the Pope who is the High-Priest and thou art to receive and believe the Faith of Jesus Christ our God. Thou art also to reject and totally to abandon the abominable Superstition of Idols which being done we shall then make known to you the Sanctity and Truth of our Law and the Falsity of yours the invention and contrivance of which proceeded from the Devil All which O King if Thou wilt believe me Thou oughtest to receive with readiness and good-will being a matter of great importance to thy self and to thy people for if thou shouldst deny and refuse to obey Thou wilt be prosecuted with the Fire and Sword of War untill we have constrained thee by force of Arms to renounce thy Religion for willingly or unwillingly Thou must receive our Catholick Faith and with surrender of thy Kingdom pay a Tribute to our Emperour but in case thou shouldst contend and make resistence with an obstinate mind be assured that God will deliver thee up as he did anciently Pharaoh who with his whole Army perished in the red Sea and so shalt Thou and all thy Indians perish and be destroyed by our Arms. CHAP. XXIII Of the Difficulty there was to interpret the sense and meaning of this Speech of Friar Vicente de Valverde UPon this Speech Blas Valera makes some Reflexions in order to the better understanding of his History saying that the Historians which treat of these matters make mention of this Speech of the Friar but howsoever with some variety for some leave out the first part and others the second and some have abbreviated it in their Relations But howsoever Blas Valera saith that John de Oliva and Christopher de Medina who were Priests and skilfull in the Indian Language and several other Writers have specified this Speech at large in both parts as spoken by Friar Vincent and they all agree that it was a most tart and rude Speech without any mixture of sweetness or allurement whatsoever and that the Interpretation thereof was much worse as we shall see hereafter and these Authours do much more approve the Speech which Hernando de Soto and Piçarro made to Atahualpa being more gentle and modest than the sharp and ill-natured Speech of Friar Vincent And now as to the Interpretation which was made to King Atahualpa of these Words we may believe it was very impersect and corrupt for this Philip the Indian who was all the Interpreter they had was a Native of the Island of Puna and born of common and bloekish Parents and was scarce arrived to the age of twenty two years and was not onely ill learned in the Spanish but also in the general Tongue spoken by the Incas at Cozco which is different from that used in Tumpiz for as we have said at the beginning the Language of Cozco is more refined in respect of all other Indians whose Language is barbarous and corrupt And moreover this Interpreter had learned his Spanish of himself without Rule and some Words onely which he had gotten up amongst the Souldiers and lewd People such as zounds and dammee and the like and besides he was but a Servant to the Spaniards and learned onely to speak like the Negroes and though he had been baptised yet he was ignorant of all the Principles of Religion having neither knowledge of Christ our Lord nor of the Apostles Creed This was all the Education and Learning which our first Interpreter had in Peru and accordingly the Translations he made out of Spanish were all imperfect and of a contrary sense not that he made his mistakes voluntarily from malice but from ignorance speaking like a Parrot things that he did not understand as for example when he was to declare and explain the nature of the Trinity as that God was three and yet one he would say God was three and one that is four the which appears by their Quipus which is their Knots used in the Countrey of Cassamarca where these Affairs passed and indeed he was much to blame if we consider that in the Peruvian Language they have no words to express the Trinity the Holy Ghost Faith Grace the Church the Sacraments and other Words of the like Mysteries for which reason the Spaniards who study that Language in our times and endeavour to express their mystical Notions are forced to coin new words most accommodated to the reason of this people and to the manner of Expressions of the most intelligent Indians who having understood something of the Spanish Language and Learning have of themselves framed new Words to supply the defects of their Speech whereby the Preachers are now able to express any thing in conformity to the understanding of their Auditory We have upon divers occasions given several Instances of the Barrenness and Defects of the Peruvian Language and therefore we ought not to lay the sole blame on our first Interpreter for even in these our Days which are twenty nine Years since that time there are almost as many gross mistakes made by our present Interpreters as were by Philippillio who never conversed with the Spaniards in other Language than his own In short I say that I never knew an Indian who spake good Spanish but two Youths onely who were my School-fellows and from their childhood went to School and learned to reade and write Spanish One of which was called Carlos the Son of Paullu Inca besides these two I have observed so little curiosity in the Indians to learn the Spanish Tongue that I never knew any of them who addicted himself to the study either of writing or reading thereof and never exercised any other means than what came by mere converse and common discourse nor were the Spaniards on the other side more studious in learning the
the Victory which the Cannarian had gained for had it been a Spaniard the Dishonour had been much less but to be overcome by one of their own Indian Vassals was an Affront and Disgrace which could portend nothing but ill fortune and being a People naturally superstitious and terrified with the apprehension of such Omens they never afterwards attempted any thing of Moment during the remainder of the Siege nor did any thing remarkable succeed unless the unfortunate Death of that worthy John Piçarro as we shall hereafter relate So often as I call to mind these Miracles and several others which God was pleased to work in favour of the Christians both at the Siege of Cozco and of los Reyes as we shall see hereafter I cannot but wonder that the Historians should be so silent therein especially since they were so clear and evident to all the World having in my youth heard them reported both by Indians and Spaniards with great admiration in memory of which after the Siege they dedicated unto our Lady that Gallery wherein the Spaniards were quartered and where now the Cathedral Church is built called by the Name of St. Mary of the Assumption and Advocation and the City it self they dedicated to St. James of Spain to both which Saints Anniversary Days of Feasts are appointed in thankfull remembrance for the gratious Benefits received the which Festivals begin in the morning with a solemn Procession and Sermon and then High Mass is celebrated and lastly the Day is concluded with the Sport of Bulls and other Recreations In the Porch of this Church which leads to the Market-place the Picture of St. James is painted mounted on a White Horse with his Buckler on his Arme and a Serpentine Sword in his Hand with many Indians dead and wounded under his Feet which Picture when the Indians beheld they said that a Viracocha like this was he that destroyed us in the Market-place In the Year 1560 when I departed from Cozco to go into Spain the Picture was then fresh the Insurrection of the Inca began in the Year 1535. and ended in 1536. and I was born in the Year 1539. so that I might well be acquainted both with Indians and Spaniards who had been actually in those Wars and Witnesses of those Apparitions which we have declared and I my self for five Years together have always been present at the Sports and Pastimes of those Festivals for which Reasons from plain demonstration I cannot but wonder why Historians have been silent in these particulars unless it be that they would attribute unto the valour of the Spaniards all the Honour of those Days without making due return of thankfull acknowledgment unto God for the Victories so miraculously obtained Many days after I had wrote this Chapter turning over the Leaves of the Book of Acosta I met with some thing to this purpose in confirmation of the Miracles which our Lord Jesus Christ and his Mother the Virgin Mary Queen of the Angels had wrought in the New World in favour of our holy Faith and Religion which when I had read and found my own Reports confirmed by his Authority I cannot express the Joy I conceived by this happy concurrence For since the Delivery of truth is my chief Aim and Design I cannot but be greatly delighted when I find my Relations confirmed either in part or in whole by the Authority of other Historians for I hate the Character of being either a Flatterer or a fabulous Writer which to avoid I have thought fit to produce the Words of Acosta in the 27th Chapter of his 7th Book which are as followeth When the Spaniards were besieged in the City of Cozco and so closely pressed and straitned that without the Assistence of Heaven it was impossible for them to escape I have heard from very credible Persons that the Indians threw Fire on the Roof of that House where the Spaniards were lodged and where now the Cathedral Church is built and though the Covering of the House was a sort of Thatch which they call Chicho or rather Ychu and that the Fire was made with a rasimy kind of burning Wood yet it took no hold on that combustible matter for our Lady appearing from above kept a constant Guard over that place and immediately extinguished the Fire all which the Indians visibly saw and remained with astonishment All the Relations and Histories which are wrote on this Subject report for a certain truth that in divers Battels which the Spaniards fought in New Spain and in Peru the Indians plainly discovered in the Air a Cavalier mounted on a white Horse with a Sword in his Hand fighting for the Spaniards whence it is that in all parts of the West-Indies great Devotion and Honour is paid to that glorious Apostle St. James and at other times in several difficult Encounters the Image of our Lady hath presented it self from which Christians have received inexpressible Benefits and were all these Apparitions and Wonders of Heaven particularly described they would swell a Volume too large for this History c. Thus far are the Words of Acosta who reports that almost fourty years after these matters were transacted he made a Voyage into Peru where he received Information of all these particulars And having said thus much we will return again to our Spaniards who remaining under such propitious circumstances of the Divine Providence were enabled to become the Masters of an hundred New Worlds CHAP. XXVI The Spaniards gain the Fortress with the Death of the worthy John Piçarro IN the 5th Chapter of the 8th Book of the first part we there mentioned the Loyalty which the Natives of the Cannaris bore towards their Kings the Incas and we then promised to declare how that on occasion of the great Love and Friendship which one of that Nation professed towards the Spaniards all the others withdrew their Obedience and renounced their Allegiance to the Incas In the 37th Chapter of the 9th Book of the first part we described the great Loyalty of that People towards their Princes we are now to give an account of the reason for which the same was afterwards denied The Cause was this When the Indians after the Victory observed the many Favours and Honours which the Spaniards bestowed on the Person of the Cannarian who fought the duel they became so entirely affectionated and devoted to the Spaniards that they denied all farther Service and Duty to their own Inca and from that time became Spies Informers and Betrayers of the other Indians and in the very civil Wars which the Spaniards had one with the other even to the time of Francisco Hernandes Giron the Cannarians which lived in Cozco under the Command of this Don Francisco the Cannarian and were then very numerous served for Spies and Informers against the Indians and in all the civil Wars which the Spaniards waged one against the other to that very War of Hernandez Giron the Cannarians who
vvithout use of Lance or Svvord not one of them escaping In the same manner they served Captain Morgovejo de Quinnones vvith sixty Horse and seventy Foot and after that they over-threvv Captain Gonçalo de Tapia as he vvas marching vvith sixty Foot Souldiers and eighty Horse and soon after that they defeared Captain Alonso de Gahete vvith forty Horse and sixty Foot under his Command So that on several passages of the vvay four hundred and seventy Spaniards vvere lost of which tvvo hundred and fifty vvere Horse Carate reckons them to have been three hundred and tvvo hundred and tvventy Foot But Peter de Cieça making up the account of the number of Spaniards which the Indians killed in this general Insurrection declares in the 82d Chapter of his Book as follovvs It is said that the Indians of this Province of Cunchucu were a stout and a warlike people for which reason the Incas finding some difficulty to subdue them did labour to win and allure them by fair words and obliging actions These Indians killed many Spaniards in divers parts to revenge which Marquis Piçarro sent Francis de Chaves to make War on the Indians in a most cruel and terrible manner in pursuance of which as some Writers report he burned and empaled great numbers of them The truth is about that time or a little before a general Insurrection was made in all the Provinces and on the way or road between Cozco and Quitu they killed above seven hundred Spaniards and such of them as they took alive they put to death with cruel Tortures God deliver us from the rage of the Indians for certainly they are a furious and bloudy people where they can get the Mastery and effect their desires though to excuse themselves they alledged that they fought for their Liberty and to free themselves from the Slavery and Tyranny of the Spaniards c. Thus far are the Words of de Cieça which are confirmed by Blas Valera who reports that above seven hundred Spaniards were killed in the late Insurrection of which above three hundred were Assasinated in the Mines and in their Possessions and Lands wherein they were scattered in pursuit of their gains and benefits and that four hundred and seventy which were sent for Succours were killed in the Mountains but these were not all dispeeded together but in several Detachments that so the first might arrive with better speed and diligence for it was never imagined that so much danger was in the way or that the Indians who were able to contend with and overcome ten Horse-men should be capable to overthrow sixty seventy or eighty Horse in a body besides the Infantry And though he presumed much on this opinion and on the confidence he had of his own people yet not having received intelligence of the first nor yet of the second that were sent he was greatly troubled wherefore to satisfie himself therein and to understand some news from his Brothers he dispatched away another Captain called Francis de Godoy a Native of Carceres with a Party of forty five light Horse without baggage or other incumbrance not that they should proceed so far as Cozco but onely to enquire on the ways and get the best intelligence they could concerning their Companions Of which passage Gomara speaking in the 136th Chapter hath these Words Piçarro being much troubled that he received no Letters from his Brothers nor from his other Captains and being jealous of the misfortune which then had happened he dispatched away forty Horse under Command of Francis de Godoy to make enquiries of what had succeeded and to bring him intelligence thereof Godoy returned as they say with his tail between his legs and with two Spaniards in company with him who had belonged to Gahete and by help of their Horses had made an escape the ill news hereof which greatly troubled Piçarro was speedily seconded by Diego â—â— Aguero who fled for safety to los Reyes and gave a relation that all the Indians were in Arms and had burned all his Plantations and were very near with a most powerfull Army The news hereof greatly terrified the whole City in regard the Number of the Spaniards was much diminished howsoever Piçarro dispeeded Peter de Lerma de Burgos with seventy Horse and many Indians who were Friends and were become Christians to intercept them in their passage and hinder them from making too near an approach towards the City and he himself marched in the Rere with all the Spaniards that remained but Lerma fighting with good success drove the Enemy into the Rocks where he might have totally destroyed them had not Piçarro sounded a retreat That day one Spanish Horse-man was killed in the Fight but many were wounded and Pedro de Lerma had his Teeth beaten out Howsoever the Indians returned many thanks to their God the Sun who had delivered them from those dangers and in testimony thereof offered many Sacrifices unto him Then they removed their Camp to a certain Mountain near unto los Reyes through the middle of which runs a River where they continued for the space of ten Days fighting and skirmishing with the Spaniards but with the Indians who were their Enemies they avoided all Engagements Thus far are the Words of Gomara the which is confirmed by Carate almost in the same words and which if we well observe is more in favour to the Indians than to the Spaniards The truth of all which is this The Infidels having killed and destroyed many Spaniards on the Ways and Roads became so encouraged by their success that they resolved to attempt los Reyes and destroy the Marquis and all his people and being on their March thither with this intention about eight or ten Leagues from the City they encountred Pedro de Lerma and his Forces and engaged valiantly with them And in regard the Fight began in a Plain the Spanish Horse had a great advantage on the Indians and killed many of them but they afterwards making a retreat into the Mountains with loud shouts and with the sound of Trumpets and Drums allarum'd all the Indians round so that they encreased to the number of forty thousand And in regard the Mountains were sharp and craggy and that the Horses began to be tired and weary the Indians adventured to sally out upon them and to renew the Fight Pedro de Lerma had the misfortune to have his Teeth beaten out with a Stone hurled from a Sling besides which many Spaniards were wounded of which thirty two died to the great grief and sorrow of all likewise eight Horses died of their wounds though actually in the Battel there was but one Man and one Horse that was slain The Governour who came in the Rere observing how his Souldiers were distressed sounded a retreat which served for a Signal to the Enemy that he was marching to the Succour of his Friends at which the Indians being affrighted made a retreat and so ended the Battel of
better Scholars in reading and Writing and be more expert in all sorts of musical Instruments than the Spaniards had they onely the advantage of being taught nor would they prove ill Scholars in the Latin Tongue And moreover they are not more ignorant in our Books than we are in the knowledge of theirs for though we have now lived amongst them and have had Conversation with them for seventy Years yet have not attained to the knowledge of their Knots nor the nature of their Accounts when they in a short time have attained to the knowledge of our Letters and Ciphers which are evidences of their Ingenuity and good capacity And as to their Memory they generally exceed the Spaniards having by their Knots and Joints of their Fingers figured several Common places out of which they do extract particulars in their due Order for the help and benefit of the Memory And what is more strange the same Knots serve for divers Passages and Arguments of History and giving them onely the Subject they will run on with a History as currently as a Reader can his Book which is an Art unto which no Spaniard as yet hath been able to attain nor know in what manner it is performed and are all good Arguments of the acute Judgment and great Memory of the Indians As to their Art in Military Affairs take all things in their due Circumstances the People of Peru are more expert than those of Europe for shew me the most brave and famous Captains of Spain or France on Foot without Horses without Armour without Lance Sword Pistol or other Fire-arms let them appear in their Shirts without Cloths with a Sling instead of a Girdle and their Heads covered with a Cap of Feathers or Garland of Flowers instead of a Head-piece or Steel Bergandine let them march with their bare Feet over Briers or Thorns let their Diet be Herbs and Roots of the Field carrying a piece of a Mat in their Left hands instead of a Buckler and in this manner let them enter the Field to blunt the Edges of Swords and Halbards and Pikes with three Forks and let them stand the Stone-slings the poisoned Arrows and the skilfull Archer which will hit the Eye or the Heart or anything if in this naked and simple condition they become Conquerours I will then say that they deserve the Fame and Reputation of valiant Captains above the Indians but in regard it is impossible to put the Europeans in this state and condition or to persuade them to the use of such Arms Customs or Habit so humanely speaking they will never make trial or essay to gain Victories with such tools or instruments And on the contrary were the Indians armed as are the Europeans trained up with the same Military Discipline and instructed in the Art of War both by Sea and Land they would be more invincible than the Turks Of the Truth hereof Experience is the best proof for whensoever the Spaniards and Indians were equal in their Arms the Spaniards were slain in great numbers as for Example in Puno of Mexico and long before that in other places for the truth is when the Spaniards have been laden and encumbred with their Arms and the Indians free and light the Spaniards have been often defeated in open Battel as in Quitu in Chachapuaya in Chaquisaca in Tucma in Cunti in Sausa in Parcus in Chili and other parts Wherefore in comparing the Valour and Prowess of the Spaniards with that of the Indians both of Mexico and Peru there can be no measure or trial made by the Success or Conquests by reason of the great inequality in their Arms and above all the Invention of Fire-arms was more terrible to them than all the rest and seems something more than what is humane or natural and in reality the Victories which have been obtained in most parts of the new World and especially in Peru were wonderfull Effects of Divine Providence and rather to be attributed to the Power of God in favour of the Gospel than to the Valour of the Spaniards But though we may compare the Europeans and the Asitiaticks together in the point of Arms yet we cannot admit of any Comparison between the Spaniards and the Indians as to the Art of War in which no doubt but the Spaniards have much the advantage But to let pass this point and compare Indians with Indians there is no doubt but the Incas and the People of Peru were much the better Souldiers of which they have given us sufficient Testimonies by the many Conquests they made over the many Countries they reduced to their Obedience and enjoyed nor were they signalized for their Valour of late Years onely as some People vainly imagine but for above five or six hundred Years past amongst which many Kings of them have been very powerfull namely Manco Capac Inca Roca Viracocha Inca Pachacutec and those descended from that Line to the great Huayna Capac who was Emperour besides many other Captains of the same Bloud of whom we have treated at large in other places Thus far are the Words of Blas Valera after which short digression let us return again to our Spaniards CHAP. XXXI Of the differences which arose between the Almagro's and the Piçarro's and of the Imprisonment of Hernando Piçarro SO soon as Almagro and Piçarro saw that the Inca had disbanded his Army and was fled and had left unto them free possession of the Empire they began then openly to discover their Passions and turn their Arms each against the other one affected to rule and govern absolutely alone and the other prepared to prevent and disappoint him of the Possession of that supreme Power which neither admits a Superiour nor a Rival Thus Almagro required Hernando Piçarro to surrender the City to him and leave him in free possession thereof pretending that it was the Part and Division which belonged to him and not to his Brother as not being comprehended within the two hundred Leagues of Land belonging to the Marquis which were to be measured and set out from the Equinoctial Southward along the Sea-coast according to the Capes and Points and Bays running by the Sea-shore but certainly Land was never measured in that manner or by other Lines than by the High-ways Howsoever the party of Almagro insisted on this point and would understand no other Measures than by the Sea-coast which if Piçarro had granted and condescended unto though His Majesty should have enlarged his Jurisdiction an hundred Leagues farther yet his Dominion would not have reached so far as los Reyes much less could it have extended unto Cozco Howsoever these groundless Reasons and Fancies had so far possessed the Mind of Almagro and his Party that they would suffer no Contradiction or hearken to any Arguments to the contrary but violently resolved to abandon the Kingdom of Chili and return to Peru and Cozco from whence afterwards so many Ruines and Mischiefs did ensue To
the Life and Safety of them all depended on this Vessel Which being now in this manner finished they lanched it into the Water with great Joy and Triumph imagining that herewith they should quickly escape out of all their Dangers and be freed from all their Difficulties but it proved otherwise for a few days shewed the contrary and gave them cause to repent that they had ever made it as we shall speeedily see by what follows hereafter CHAP. IV. Francisco de Orellana goes aboard the Vessel which was built and sails into Spain to demand the Government of that Conquest and of his End and Death ALL the Gold which they had gathered which amounted to about the value of one hundred thousand Pieces of Eight with a great abundance of Emeralds some of which were of great value as also their Iron and Iron-work and whatsoever was of any esteem they laded on their Vessel and such as were weak and sick and not able to travel were also put aboard And now after a Journey of almost two hundred Leagues they departed from this place taking their course down the Stream some by Water and others by Land keeping such a convenient distance each from the other that at night they always joined and lodged together the which Journey was performed with great difficulty both of one and of the other for those on the Land were forced to open a great part of their way with Hatchet and Bill and those on the Water were put to hard Labour to stemm the Stream and keep the Vessel from being forcibly carried down by the current from the Company of their Associates When at any time their passage was interrupted by some Mountain so that they could not keep by the Shore of the River they then ferried to the other side by help of their Vessel and of sour Canoes which were with them but this gave a great let and stop to their proceedings for the space of three or four days which was very grievous to Men starving and perishing with Hunger Having in this manner travelled for the space of two Months they at length met with certain Indians who by Signs and by some Words which were understood by their Indian Servants gave them intelligence that about ten days Journey from thence they would find a Countrey well peopled plentifull of Provisions and abounding with Gold and other Riches of which they were in pursuit and farther signified to them by Signs that this Countrey was situate on the Banks of another great River which joined and fell into that wherein they now were The Spaniards being greatly comforted and encouraged with this news Gonzalo Piçarro made Francisco de Orellana Captain of his Brigantine or Vessel and thereon put fifty Souldiers aboard giving them orders to pass down the Stream to that place where the two Rivers met and that there leaving the Goods he had then aboard he should lade his Vessel with Provisions and return towards them with all the speed imaginable to succour and relieve them in that great Distress of Famine of which many Spaniards were already dead and especially Indians who of four thousand were reduced to half the number According to these Orders Francisco de Orellana entred on the Voyage and in the space of three days without Oars or Sail onely by force of the Current he was carried the eighty Leagues before mentioned though in the opinion of all they proved to be more than an hundred notwithstanding which being come thither no Provisions were found as the Indians had promised wherefore considering what was to be done in that Extremity they concluded that to return again to Gonzalo Piçarro with this ill news they were not able in the space of a Year to perform that Voyage back against the force of the Stream which they had already with the help thereof been carried in three days onely And not knowing in how long time Gonzalo Piçarro would be able to perform his Journey thither Orellana resolved to change his Design and set up for himself and with these thoughts he set sail and casting off all care and regard to Piçarro and his Companions then in distress he resolved to take a Voyage into Spain there to obtain the Government and Conquest of those Countries for himself But this cruel Resolution was opposed by many of those who were then aboard with him who suspecting his evil Intention told him plainly that he was not to exceed the Order of his Captain General nor was it humanity to forsake his Companions in their great Distress knowing how usefull and necessary that Brigantine was to them In this point none was more zealous and urgent than a good Friar called Gaspar Carvajal and a young Gentleman Native of Badajoz named Hernando Sanchez de Vargas whom those of the contrary opinion made their chief and were so warm in their Debates on this Subject that the Quarrel had come to Bloud had not Orellana with fair and gentle Words appeased the Tumult for that present Howsoever he so worked afterwards with those who had opposed his Intention that with great Promises he enticed them all to his party and then rudely treated the poor Friar whom he had exposed to the same famine and misery had it not been for respect to his Habit and Profession as he did Sanchez de Vargas for whom he thought Death too mean a punishment unless attended with the direfull circumstances of Cruelty and therefore left him in that Desart encompassed with high Mountains on the one side and with a great River on the other and imprisoned both with Sea and Land he was left there to perish by Famine After which Francisco de Orellana pursuing his Voyage renounced in a few days the Commission he had received from Gonzalo Piçarro disclaiming all subjection to him but pretended to act as a Captain immediately depending on His Majesty The which Enterprise may best deserve the term of the highest piece of Treachery that ever was acted though in reality other Captains who have been concerned in the Conquest of this new World have been guilty of Actions as infamous as this Captain Gonzalo Hernandez de Oviedo Valdes who was Historiographer to His Catholick Majesty the Emperour Charles the Fifth in the 17th Book and 20th Chapter of his General History of the Indies relates villanous Actions of Treachery which were repaid in a Coin of the like nature by those who came to succeed them in the same Offices and places of Trust to confirm which Truth there is a Proverb which says Kill and thou shalt be killed and they shall kill him that kills thee Were it to our purpose to enlarge on this Subject we were able to produce many Instances of the highest Perfidiousness and Treachery acted after the time of this Historiographer but 't is not our business to rake into such horrible Stories and therefore we shall rather pass them by in silence than repeat those direfull passages from which Men
Conjectures might have been made upon the reasons of their departure but going thus away without any reason assigned the whole City talked and made a thousand Conjectures thereupon especially when it was known that they had burnt the Bridges of Apurimac and Amancay which were to be repaired at the expence and labour of the poor Indians upon which all the Countrey was in a confusion and rumours were spread that Francisco Hernandez Giron was up in Arms at Cozco and was become a Rebel But in the second Insurrection he made Alonso Palomino gave him his reward by killing him at a Supper as we shall see hereafter but Jeronimo Costilla escaped being not present at the Invitation But to return again to the present Acts of Giron we say that his Souldiers being dispersed and the chief Incendiaries punished the Agreement was performed and executed and Giron was released upon his Paroll and solemn Oath given to goe to the City of Los Reyes and there to present himself before the Royal Court of Justice and give them an account of the late Actions Diego Maldonado the Rich having a particular friendship with him by reason of their neighbourhood for they lived the next street one to the other accompanied him on his journey as far as Antahuylla being fourty leagues from Cozco and with the same occasion Maldonado visited his Indians and Plantations he had in those parts but Palentino saith I know not upon what ground that Giron was delivered into the hands of the High Sheriff Maldonado and of Captain John Alonso Palomino who were obliged at their own cost and charge to provide twenty Musquetiers to carry him to Lima and for better security the Mayor made him take the Oath of Fidelity c. I cannot imagin where this Authour received this relation so contrary to all truth and which sounds so like a Romance or a Poetical Fiction But this is most certain that Giron came to the City of Los Reyes and there presented himself before the Royal Court of Justice where the Judges committed him to prison but many days had not passed before he was enlarged and the whole City assigned him for hi◠confinement and in a short time afterwards they took his own obligation and discharged him upon the terms he offered And here it is reported that he married with a very Noble Lady young vertuous and beautifull and unworthy of those sorrows and afflictions which her husband brought upon her by his second Rebellion as we shall see in the sequel of this History With her he returned to Cozco where for some days and months I cannot say years he remained quiet howsoever in the mean time he conversed with none but Souldiers avoiding as much as he could all society and communication with the Citizens atlength he brought an Action against one of the principal Members of the City about an Horse which he challenged to be his though in reality he had no title thereunto for the truth was he had lost him in the late Wars of Quito having been taken from him by a stout Souldier and as lawfull prize sold by him to a Citizen for a round sum of money which was witnessed by another Souldier who knew how he came by him Howsoever in regard the Souldier who sold him had followed Piçarro's Party the Horse was kept privately and unknown to any besides the Master himself but at length the Horse coming to be discovered the Citizen was contented to sell him to Giron at an under rate rather than to bring the Souldier into question who might have been hanged or sent to the gallies for the same so that this suit about the Horse served onely to shew his good-will and kindness towards his Companions and Equals who were Lords over Indians and enjoyed Estates for as I observed he never kept company or entertained communication with them but onely with Souldiers and with them he spent his whole time and employed his chief concernment as will appear some few days afterwards For certain Souldiers as stout and as mutinous as the others observing the little rigour and severity which was used against the insolence and mutinous behaviour of Francisco Giron and his Associates were encouraged to attempt the like Outrages but being few in number and without any Head that was considerable they resolved to find out one be he what he would and so publickly was this matter discoursed and treated that it became the common talk of all the City of Los Reyes and atlength the rumour was so far spread that it came to the Ears of the Mayor of Cozco who being thereupon requested to take cognizance of the Matter to examine the Plot and to punish the Offenders he excused himself saying that he was not to create more Enemies than those formerly who were Hernandez Giron and his Adherents and as for those Troubles then acting the incumbence lay on the Court of Justice to suppress and prevent them and in case they held themselves unconcerned he for his part would not intermeddle with Affairs which belonged to a superiour power Whilst these things were in agitation in the Countrey a certain Inhabitant of Cozco called Don John de Mendoça a Martial man and one kind to the Souldiery happened to come then to Town with intention rather to aggravate matters and incite others than to concern himself either one way or the other So soon as he came to the City he treated with the principal Complotters who were called Francisco de Miranda and Alonso de Barrionuevo who was then High Sheriff of the City and with Alonso Hernandez Melgarejo This Miranda told him that the Souldiers had with general consent chosen him for their Commander in Chief and Barrionuevo for his Lieutenant the which Mendoça discovered to certain Citizens who were his Friends advising them to avoid such danger from the Souldiery and to abandon the City but when he perceived that they slighted his Counsel he then travelled to the City of Los Reyes publishing all the way he went how that all Cozco was in an uproar and that the City had taken no notice of him either going or coming Palentino mentions the flight of Palomino and Jeronimo Costilla to have been at this time which had been two years before as we have noted it before CHAP. XVI The Justices send a new Mayor to Cozco who doth Justice upon the Mutiniers The Original of these Disturbances is here related UPON the rumour which Don John de Mendoça caused to be spread in the City of Los Reyes the Judges appointed the Mareschal Alonso de Alvarado to be Mayor of Cozco giving him Commission to punish the insolent and mutinous Souldiers there and to hinder that growing Evil which for want of due correction was come to a degree unsupportable So soon as this new Officer was come to Cozco he apprehended some of the Souldiers who to save themselves had impeached a certain Citizen called Don Pedro Portocarrero And having well
He was much lamented by all that knew him being a person of great goodness and honour as appears by the entertainment and reception he gave to Francisco de Carvajal his Wife and Family when he found them in the Market-place of Arequepa destitute of Lodging or Money or Friends to entertain them Notwithstanding this success which the Rebels had in pursuit of their enemies who fled before them yet their loss was greater by the revolt of many of their own Souldiers to the King's party which caused them to give over the pursuit and sound a retreat lest the example of those who fled should be the cause of a general mutiny and defection amongst their Forces John Rodriguez de Villalobos a Citizen of Cozco was one of those who revolted that day from Hernandez whom though he had endeavoured to engage to him by the marriage of his Wife's Sister yet the loyalty he owed to his Prince was of greater prevalency with him than the bond and tie of alliance but Hernandez seemed to make light of his desertion swearing in contempt and disdain of him that he was more troubled for a Sword he carried with him than he was for his person or any other concernment relating to him And farther to shew his confidence and the assurance he had to prevail he again publickly declared that he gave free liberty to any man who was weary of his service to pass over to the side of the Justices for he pretended not to entertain forced and pressed Souldiers but willing and faithfull Friends As to Paulo de Meneses himself he left his Souldiers and fled to Chincha which Palentino testifies in these words When Paulo de Meneses says he saw that his Souldiers fled and that his Body of Horse ran away in full carriere he turned out of the way and passed through a sandy Countrey towards the River Pisco and with three other Companions who followed him came to Chincha c. Thus far this Authour As the Rebels returned from the pursuit they gathered up all the Arms Coats Cloaks and other things of burthen which the King's party had scattered in the way and thrown from their Horses and Mules to ease them in their flight like those who are in a storm at Sea throw their Goods and Lading over Board to save their Vessel and their Lives And such was the fortune of these Royalists who but even now being in a condition to threaten their enemies with a total destruction were in the next moment forced to flight and entirely defeated In this place it will be no great digression from our purpose to relate a story concerning the faithfulness of an Horse which I knew towards his Master because it is rare and curious and because such accidents as this seldom happen in the world In this Battel of Spurs as we may call it there was a certain Gentleman engaged of his Majesty's party called John Julio de Hogeda as Citizen of Cozco and one of the first Conquerours of that Empire who amongst other Horses which he kept was mounted that day at Villacori upon one with black spots and running full speed as Palentino saith Hogeda fell from his Horse which seeing his Master on the ground gave a stop amidst three hundred other Horses and Beasts of burthen and would not stir untill his Master got up again and was mounted on his back which faithfulness of an irrational Beast saved the life of his Master and may be recounted for a story without example unless it were another of the like nature performed by the same Horse of which I my self was a witness at Cozco where after the War was ended certain Gentlemen exercising their Horses after the Genet fashion as they usually did in the common course every Sunday it happened that a School-fellow of mine of mongrel race whose Father was a Spaniard and his Mother an Indian called Pedro de Altamirano Son of Antonio de Altamirano one of the first Conquerours being mounted on this Horse and running full speed by a Window on his left hand he espied a fair young Lady looking out from the House belonging to Alonso de Mesa the sight of whom caused him to forget his race and at the next course having the Window on his right hand he turned his head two or three times to see the beauty of the Lady The third time passing the same place the Horse being sensible that his Rider checked him in his carriere he strained harder than before to gain the Race but the young Gallant being more intent on the beauty of his Mistress than the Government of his Horse he leaned too much on one side and fell to the ground which when the Horse perceived he gave a stop in his full speed and staid without moving untill the Gallant arose and again mounted upon him and then he continued his course to the great admiration of those who were present All which I my self saw from a Gallery of my Father's House the which action may serve to confirm the truth of the former unto those who had not the faith to believe it at the first And so we shall return to the Army of the Justices where we shall find nothing but animosities and troubles and changes of Officers and places of Trust. CHAP. XIII The Justices deprive the two Generals of their Office. Francisco Hernandez comes to Nanasca A Spie carries the news of the many changes The Rebels compose an Army of Negroes SUch were the quarrels and dissensions in his Majesty's Camp between the two Generals that the Captains and Souldiers were scandalized thereat and troubled to see on all occasions things diversly and contrarily disposed The Generals being informed of these complaints and murmurings of the Souldiery were persuaded at the instance of several principal persons to dine one day together in order whereunto with much intreaty they brought the Justice Santillan from his quarters two leagues off where he was retired to a meeting with the Archbishop and after Dinner they were made Friends to the great satisfaction as Palentino saith of the whole Army The same day towards Evening news was brought to the Camp of the defeat and rout given at Villacori at which they much admired having according to their best intelligence received daily advice that Paulo de Meneses was much stronger than the enemy The Justices Captains and other Officers were highly sensible of the loss they sustained by this defeat and found by experience that the original of that and other misfortunes proceeded from the discord and misunderstanding of the two Generals to the great disgrace and discouragement of the Imperial Army And though they endeavoured as much as was possible to palliate this loss saying that those who came over from the enemy made reparation for the numbers of those who were killed yet they could not digest the loss of reputation which the Royal Army sustained by the contrariety of their opinions and opposite commands and therefore calling
as well Spaniards as Indians who were inwardly affected with such passionate expressions Upon Notice of this Sentence the Friers of the City of Cozco flocked to the Prison to instruct the Prince in the Christian Doctrine and to perswade him to be Baptized after the example of his Brother Don Diego Sayri Tupac and his Uncle Atahualpa The Prince readily accepted of the offer to be Baptized and told them that he was glad to obtain the benefit of the Christian Ordinances upon the Testimony and Authority of his Grand-father Huayna Capac who declared That the Law which the Christians taught them was better than their own and being by Baptisme received into the Church of Christ he would be called Philip after the name as he said of his Inca and King Don Philip of Spain But this Function was performed with as much Sadness and Sorrow as that of his Brother 's was celebrated with Joy and Triumph as before declared Though this Sentence against the Prince was published every where and that all we have said and much more appeared which we for brevity sake omit which might perswade the World that the same would be executed yet the Spaniards of the City as well Seculars as Religious were of Opinion that the Vice-King would not proceed to an Act so unhumane and barbarous as to kill a poor Prince deposed and dis-inherited of his Empire which could never be pleasing and acceptable to King Philip whose Clemency would rather have ordered his Transportation into Spain than passed this Condemnation of him to death which he had never deserved But the Vice-King it seems was of another Opinion as we shall see presently in the following Chapter CHAP. XIX The Sentence is executed upon the Prince The endeavours used to prevent it The Vice-King refuses to hearken thereunto With what Courage the Inca received the stroak of Death THE Vice-King resolving to execute his Sentence which he believed to be for the Safety and Security of the Empire caused a Scaffold to be raised in the chief place of the City This was so new and strange a resolution to all People that the Gentlemen Friers and other grave Persons were so concerned for it that they met together and drew up a Petition to the Vice-King representing to him the Barbarity of the Fact which would be scandalous to the World and disapproved by his Majesty That it would be much better to send him into Spain for tho' Banishment be a lingering Torment yet it is a token of Clemency much rather than the Sentence of a speedy Death a Petition being drawn up to this effect with design to be delivered with all the supplication and intercession in behalf of the Prince the Vice-King who had his spyes abroad and by them was informed of the Petition which was preparing with the Subscription of many hands thereunto resolving not to be troubled with such Importunities gave Order to have the Gates of the Court shut and no Man suffered to come to him upon pain of Death And then immediately he issued out a Warrant to have the Inca brought forth and his Head cut off without farther delay that so the disturbance of the Town might be appeased by a speedy execution whereas by giving time a Combustion might be raised and the Prince rescued out of his hands Accordingly the poor Prince was brought out of the Prison and mounted on a Mule with his hands tyed and a Halter about his Neck with a Cryer before him publishing and declaring that he was a Rebel and a Traytor against the Crown of his Catholick Majesty The Prince not understanding the Spanish Language asked of one of the Friers who went with him what it was that the Cryer said And when it was told him that he proclaimed him an Auca which was a Traytor against the King his Lord which when he heard he caused the Cryer to be called to him and desired him to forbear to publish such horrible Lyes which he knew to be so for that he never committed any act of Treason nor ever had it in his Imaginations as the World very well knew But says he tell them that they kill me without other cause than only that the Vice-King will have it so and I call God the Pachacamac of all to witness that what I say is nothing but the Truth After which the Officers of Justice proceeded forward to the place of Execution As they were entering into the Chief Place they were met by great numbers of women of all Ages amongst which were several of the Blood Royal with the wives and daughters of the Caciques who lived in places adjacent to the City all which cryed out with loud Exclamations and cryes accompanied with a flood of Tears saying Wherefore Inca do they carry thee to have thy Head cut off What Crimes what Treasons hast thou committed to deserve this usage Desire the Executioner to put us to Death together with thee who are thine by Blood and Nature and should be much more contented and happy to accompany thee into the other World than to live here Slaves and Servants to the Will and Lust of thy Murderers The noise and outcry was so great that it was feared lest some insurrection and out-rage should ensue amongst such a Multitude of People then gathered together which was so great that with those who filled the two Places and the Streets leading thereunto and who were in Balconies and looking out at Windows they could not be counted for less than 300 thousand Souls This combustion caused the Officers to hasten their way unto the Scaffold where being come the Prince walked up the Stairs with the Friers who assisted at his Death and followed by the Executioner with his Faulchion or broad Sword drawn in his hand And now the Indians seeing their Prince just upon the brink of Death lamented with such groans and out-cries as rent the Air and filled the place with such noise that nothing else could be heard Wherefore the Priests who were discoursing with the Prince desired him that he would command the People to be silent whereupon the Inca lifting up his right Arm with the Palm of his hand open pointed it towards the place from whence the noise came and then loured it by little and little until he came to rest it on his right thigh Which when the Indians observed their Murmur calmed and so great a silence ensued as if there had not been one Soul alive within the whole City The Spaniards and the Vice-King who was then at a Window observing these several passages wondred much to see the obedience which the Indians in all their passion shewed to their dying Inca who received the stroke of death with that undaunted Courage as the Incas and Indian Nobles did usually shew when they fell into the hands of their Enemies and were unhumanely butchered and cruelly treated by them as may appear in our History of Florida and other Wars which were carried on
all the other Nations we have before mentioned as guilty of this sin Their Marriages were contracted on condition that the Parents and Friends of the Bridegroom should first enjoy the Bride before the Husband Those which they took in the War they flea'd and filling their Skins with Ashes they hanged them up at the Gates of their Temples in signal of Victory or in the publick places where they danced To this people the Inca sent his accustomary Summons requiring them either to submit themselves to his Empire or prepare to defend themselves by Arms But this people of Manta had a long time since been well assured that their force was not sufficient to resist the power of the Inca though they had been able to have made an Alliance with the neighbouring Nations for considering that they were a brutish sort of people without Government Union or Law there was no possibility of reducing them within any terms of confederacy and therefore they all with much facility submitted themselves to Huayna Capac The Inca received them very gratiously treating them with kindness and rewards and having placed Officers and Governours over them and Instructours to teach them their Religion Laws and Customs he proceeded afterwards in his Conquest to another great Province called Caranque In the parts adjacent there were many other Nations all brutish living without Law Religion or Government The Conquest of them was performed without any difficulty for they never attempted to defend themselves and if they had it would have been to little purpose being all of them though united together an unequal match for the power of the Inca. In the subjection and disposal of these people the same rules and methods were used as with the former over whom Governours and Instructours were sent to preside that they might rule and teach them Proceeding forward in these Conquests they came at length to other Provinces more barbarous and sottish than any as yet inhabiting along that Coast for the Men and Women cut and slashed their faces with sharp flints and moulded their Childrens heads into a deformed shape different to what nature had given them For so soon as their Infants were born they clapt a smooth Plate upon their foreheads and another on the hinder parts of the head the which was straitned every day harder and harder untill they came to the Age of four or five years by which time the head was grown broad on each side and consequently the forehead low and the face contracted in the length And to make themselves yet more deformed they cut off the hair behind and on the crown of the head leaving onely locks on each side nor were these locks of hair combed or pleated but frisled and frowsed to make their countenances yet more monstrous and deformed their food was for the most part Fish for Fishery was their chief employment likewise they are Herbs and Roots and such wild Fruits as the Woods produced they went naked and worshipped the Gods which their Neighbours adored These Nations were called Apichiqui Pichunsi Sava Pecllansimiqui Pampahuaci and the like These people being reduced the Inca proceeded to another Nation called Saramissu and then to another named Passau which is situated directly under the Equinoctial line and these were yet more barbarous than the rest for they owned no Gods nor did the thoughts of a God ever enter into their consideration for they were not associated in any political communion nor had they Houses but lived in hollow Trees which are very capacious in those Mountains they had no propriety in Wives nor Children but mixed together as they casually met and used Sodomy in an open manner they knew not how to cultivate the Land or doe any other thing which is conducing to humane life Their Bodies were naked without any habit their Lips they cut and slashed both within and without their Faces they painted in four quarters with divers colours one part was yellow another blew another red and another black changing the colours as they thought fit They never combed their heads but suffered their hairs to grow long and matted being full of straw or dust or any thing that fell upon them in short they were worse than beasts In the year 1560 when I went for Spain I remember I saw some of these people at a place where we touched to take fresh water and remained there for three or four days and there these people came out to us in their Boats made of Rushes to trade with us and sell us their great Fish which they struck with their Fisgigs which they performed with such dexterity that the Spaniards took great pleasure to see them and would bargain for them before they struck them their price was made for Bisket and Flesh for they had no value for Silver their Privities they covered with leaves or barks of Trees not for the shame they had of them in the way of common modesty but out of respect to the Spaniards in short they were salvage and barbarous above imagination It is said when Huayna Capac observed the barrenness of those Countries being nothing but Mountains and the bestiality of that nasty people which was so stupid that he despaired of ever reducing them to a tolerable Oeconomy that then he should say to his people Come and let us return again for these deserve not the Honour of our Dominion At which words the whole Army faced about and returned leaving the people of Passau in their ancient filthiness and brutality CHAP. IX Of the Giants which were in that Countrey and the destruction of them BEfore we conclude our History relating to the affairs of this Countrey we cannot omit one notable particular which the Natives by tradition from their Forefathers have received telling us of certain Giants which came to that Countrey by Sea and landed at that Point or Cape which the Spaniards call St. Helen's because they first discovered it upon that day and though the Spanish Writers mention Giants yet there is none who treats of them so much at large as Pedro de Cieça doth who took his information from the people of that Countrey where these Giants resided we shall make use of his Relation and rehearse his words verbatim as he sets them down for though Joseph Acosta and the Accountant-General Augustine de Carate touch those particulars yet none describe them so much at large as Pedro de Cieça whose Words are these in the 52d Chapter of his Book Seeing that there are many reports of Giants in Peru which according to common fame landed at the Cape of St. Helen which lyes near to Puerto Viejo I have thought fit to declare my opinion in the case without regard to the variety of common report which often magnifies things above the truth The Natives of this Countrey having received it by tradition from their Fathers tell us that many Ages past there was a sort of Men of an extraordinary size which arrived
at that Countrey in great Junks they were so large that a Man of our ordinary stature reached but to their knees and that their bodies being proportionable thereunto as we may measure the body of Hercules by his foot were strange monsters to behold their Heads were great covered with long hair hanging to their shoulders their Eyes were as big as Saucers they had no Beards some of them were cloathed with the Skins of Beasts others were naked and without other covering than long hair which nature had given them They brought no Women with them but being arrived at this Point they landed and seated themselves in the manner of people under Government of which there remain some Ruines to this day But in regard they found no water they set themselves to make Wells which they digged out of the hard living Rock so that they may continue for many Ages and which speak the great and mighty strength of those robustious Men and being very deep they yield a most sweet and pleasant water very cool and wholsome to drink These great Giants or over-grown Men having seated themselves and provided Cisterns for their Drink the next thing was to make a sufficient provision for their Victuals for they had already almost consumed the whole Countrey for one of these great Men was able to eat as much as fifty of those ordinary people that were Natives of the place so that food beginning to want they supplied themselves from the great quantities of Fish which they took from the Sea which yielded to them in great abundance They lived with great abhorrence and in ill correspondence with the people of the Countrey for their Women they could not use without killing them and the Natives for that and other causes as much detested them but being weaker than they the Indians durst not attempt or assault them though they often entertained Consultations in what manner to take advantages upon them Some years being passed since these Giants resided in those parts and having no Women fit for them with whom to couple for propagation of their race their numbers began to diminish and wanting the natural use of Women by the motion and instigation of the Devil they burned in Lust one towards the other and used Sodomy publickly in the face of God and the Sun without shame or respect one to the other The which abomination being detestable in the sight of God as the Natives report it pleased his Divine and pure Majesty to punish this unnatural Sin with a Judgment extraordinary and agreeable to the enormity of it For being one day all together conjoined in this detestable Act there issued a dreadfull Fire from Heaven with great noise and thunder and immediately an Angel proceeded from this flame with a glittering and flaming Sword with which at one blow he killed them all and then the Fire consumed them leaving no more than their bones and skulls which it pleased God to suffer as reliques to remain for an everlasting Memorial of this Judgment Thus much is the Relation of the Giants the which we have ground to believe because the bones of Men are found there of an incredible bigness and I have heard Spaniards say that they have seen the piece of one hollow Tooth to weigh above half a pound of the Butcher's weight and that they had seen one of the Shank-bones of an incredible length and bigness besides which evidences their Wells and Cisterns are clear testimonies of the places of their habitation But as to the parts from whence they came I am not able to render any account In the year 1550 being in the City de los Reyes when Dos Antonio de Mendoça was Vice-king and Governour of New Spain there were certain bones of Men digged up which were of Giants or Men of an extraordinary proportion and I have heard also that at Mexico there were bones digged out of a Sepulchre which for being of an extraordinary size might be the bones of Giants By which testimony of so many persons it plainly appears that there were Giants and those bones might be the reliques of those mighty Men of which we have already spoken At this Cape of St. Helena which as I have said is upon the Coast of Peru and bordering near to Puerto Viejo there is one thing very considerable and that is a Mine or Spring of Tar of such excellent quality and which issues in that plenty as may serve to Tar a whole Fleet of Ships Thus far are the Words of Pedro de Cieça which we have faithfully transcribed out of his History to shew the Tradition which the Indians have of these Giants and the Spring of Tar which issues out about that place which is a matter also very observable CHAP. X. Of the Words which Huayna Capac uttered relating to the Sun. THE King Huayna Capac as we have said commanded his Army to return from the Province called Passau the which he made his extreme and frontier Countrey to the Northward which having done he returned again to Cozco visiting his Provinces in the way doing them all the favours he was able and administring Justice to those which did demand it of him Returning at length to Cozco after this long Journey of some years he arrived there about the time that the principal Feast of the Sun was to be celebrated called Raymi And the Indians tell us a story that upon one day of the nine that this Festival continued the Inca took a liberty to fix his eyes upon the Sun which was a freedom yet unknown and esteemed a prophanation so to doe or to behold the circle wherein he moved on which object whilst for sometime he continued his sight the High Priest who was one of his Uncles and stood next to him said Inca what is it you doe know you not that this is not lawfull Hereat the King withdrew his Eyes for awhile but presently after lifting them up again fixed them upon the Sun which the High Priest observing reproved him for it and told him Sir consider what it is you doe for you not onely doe an action which is unlawfull in it self but you give ill example and scandal to all your Court and the people of your Dominions who are here present to perform that venerable adoration which they owe to your Father as their sole and supreme Lord. Hereupon Huayna Capac turning to the High Priest told him that he would ask him two Questions which he required him to make answer unto I being said he your King and universal Lord is there any of you so bold as to command me for your pleasure to arise from my seat and take a Journey to those parts whereunto you shall direct me How replied the High Priest can any person be so impudent and daring Is there any Curaca said the Inca the most rich and powerfull of all my Subjects who will adventure to disobey my Commands in case I should dispeed him post from hence