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 : illustrated with sculptures / written originally in Spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega ; and rendered into English by Sir Paul Rycaut, Kt.

CHAP. XXIV.

Of their Wheat.

FRom the Relation of Birds and Fowl, we are next to pass to Corn, Plants, Len∣tils, and such other things as were wanting in Peru: And as to this point we must note, that the first person that imported Wheat into my Countrey (for so I call the whole Empire of the Incas) was a certain noble Lady, called Mary of Esco∣bar, who was married to Diego de Chaves, both Natives of Truxillo; I was well ac∣quainted with her, when I lived at my own Plantation, but many years after she came to Peru, she removed to Cozco; but her Husband I did not know, for he dy∣ed at Los Reyes.

This Lady, worthy of all good fortune, was the first that imported Wheat to the City of Rimac in Peru; for which great benefit she received no thankfull returns from my Countrey, though for a less valuable consideration the Gentiles adored Ce∣res for a Goddess: I know not the year precisely in which it was brought; but this I am sure, the quantity was so small, not exceeding half a Bushel, that they sowed the Corn three years for its increase, dividing it into small parcels of thirty and for∣ty Granes to a neighbour; which was given also for friendship sake, that so every one might enjoy something of the new Harvest.

For this great benefit which this worthy Woman did to Peru, and for the many services performed by her Husband, who was one of the first Conquerours, a Plan∣tation of Indians was bestowed upon her in the City de los Reyes. In the year 1547, Wheaten bread was not as yet eaten in Cozco, though there was some Wheat found in the Countrey: And I speak it upon this ground, because I do remember, that when Don Fraysolano Dominico, Bishop of that City, fled from the Battel of Harina, he quartered in my Father's house with fourteen or fifteen of his Companions, and my Mother entertained them with Bread of Mayz; and the Spaniards were then so famished with hunger, that they had not the patience to stay untill the Dinner was made ready, but taking whole handfulls of the raw Mayz, devoured them as if they had been sugred Almonds. It is not certainly known who was the first that impor∣ted Barley, it is probable that some Granes of it being mixed with the Wheat, might grow up with it, for we observe that they are never purely and entirely separated.