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. I.

Mayta Capac, the fourth Inca, gains Tiahuanacu, and what sort of Buildings were found there.

THE Inca, Mayta Capac, having performed the Ceremonies due to the Obsequies of his dead Father, resolved to visit the remote parts of his Dominions; and though he had already in the time of his Father travelled those Countries, yet being then in his Minority, and under the Tuition of his Parents and Counsel∣lours, he had not the opportunity to demonstrate the Excellency of his Vertues, nor yet to be observed by his people, as he was now, being an absolute Prince. Wherefore after the example of his Ancestours he honoured and satisfied the several Provinces of his Kingdom with the lustre of his Presence, giving such testimonies of liberality, courage and generous disposition to his Cu∣racas, and all other his Subjects, that they remained with great admiration of his Royal Vertues and Abilities of mind.

Having accomplished this Visitation, he re-assumed the design of enlarging his Dominions after the example of his Ancestours covering his ambition and cove∣tousness under the specious pretence of reclaiming the Nations from their barba∣rity and vain superstitions, to a more civilized life, and to the true and religious worship and adoration of the Sun: Accordingly he raised an Army, and in the Spring following he began his march with twelve thousand Men under the Com∣mand of four Generals and their Inferiour Officers, taking his way as far as that place, where the Lake Titicaca empties it self; which being the Countrey of Col∣lao, plain and even, and the people simple, and yet docible, it was the more invi∣ting, and more easily subdued.

Being come to this stream which runs from the Lake, he made floats, on which he Ferried his Army to the other side, and then sent his usual Summons to the next Inhabitants, requiring them to submit to his Government and Religion. These Indians having heard the report of those Miracles which the Incas had per∣formed, without much difficulty submitted to his Commands; and amongst the rest, the people of Tiahuanacu were reduced to obedience; of whose great and incredible Edifices, it is requisite, that we should declare something in this place. Amongst the mighty Works and Buildings of that Countrey, there is a certain Hill, or heap of Earth thrown up by hand; which is so high, that it is a subject of great admiration; and lest with time it should settle, or sink lower, it is founded on great Stones cemented together: And to what end this was done,

no man can conjecture, Unless it were like the Pyramids in Egypt, to remain for a Tro∣phy of the Greatness of that Monarch who erected it. On one side of this mighty heap are the Statues of two Giants cut in Stone, with long Robes to the ground, and Wreaths or Binders about their heads; which being much impaired by time, shews the Antiquity of them. There is also a strange Wall to be seen, raised with Stones of an extraordinary bigness; and what is most wonderfull to consi∣der, is, how, or in what manner they were brought thither by force of Men, who had not yet attained to the knowledge of Engines fit for such a work, and from what place they were brought, there being no Rocks or Quarries but such as are at a far distance from thence. There appear also many great and lofty Edifices; and what is more strange, there are in divers places great Portals of Stone, and many of them whole and perfect, made of one single and entire Stone; which being raised on Pedestals, are found by those who have measured them to be 30 foot in length, and 15 in breadth, which Pedestals, as well as the Arches of the Portals, were all of one single Stone: And then we may consider how great those Stones were before they were shaped, and what tools of Iron were requisite for such a labour.

The Natives report that these Buildings, and others of the like nature not men∣tioned here, were raised before the times of the Incas, and that the Model of the Fortress at Cozco was taken from them, as we shall hereafter more particularly de∣scribe: Who they were that erected them, they do not know, onely they have heard say by tradition from their Ancestours, that those prodigious Works were the effects of one nights labour; which seem, in reality, to have been the be∣ginnings onely, and foundations for some mighty Structure. Thus much Pedro de Cieça in his Remarks concerning Peru, and its several Provinces relates; to which I shall farther add, what a certain Priest called Diego de Alcobaça, who was my School-fellow; and whom I may call my Brother, because we were both born in the same house, and his Father educated me as my Tutour and Master: This per∣son, I say, amongst the many relations of things which both he and others sent me, concerning my own Countrey; coming to speak of the Buildings of Tiahua∣nacu, hath these words:

In Tiahuanacu, which is a Province of Collao, amongst many other Antiquities worthy of immortal memory, there is one particularly famous, adjoining to the Lake, which is called by the Spaniards Chucuytu, though its true name be Chuquivitu; this is a Pile of Monstrous Buildings, to which is an open Court of 15 Yards square every way, the Building is two Stories high; and on one side of this great Yard or Square is a large Hall of 45 foot in length, and 22 in breadth; the Covering appears to be Thatch, like those on the Temple of the Sun, in the City of Cozco: All this Court, or Yard, which we mention, with its Walls, Floor, Hall, Roof, Portals and Jams of the doors, and back-gate to this Building, is all of one entire Stone, hewed out of a Rock; the Walls of the Court, and of the Hall, are three quarters of a Yard thick, and such also is the Covering or Roof; which though it may seem to be Thatched with Straw, is yet of Stone; for the Indians have worked it so artificially, and with those natural lines, that the Stones appear like Straw laid in the most curious manner of Thatch: the Waters of the Lake beat against the side of these Walls; and both this, and all the other Edifices here about, were all, as the Natives report, dedicated to the Maker of the Universe. Moreover, besides these Works, there are divers other figures of Men and Women cut in Stone, so naturally, that they seem to be living: Some of them are drinking with Cups in their hands, some are sitting, some standing, some are walking in the stream which glides by the Walls; other Statues there are of Women car∣rying Children in their armes, and in the folds of their garments; others with them on their backs, and in a thousand other manners and postures. The Indi∣ans of these days report, that for the great Sins of that people, in having stoned a Stranger, who passed through their Province, God in his judgment had con∣verted those Men and Women into Stone.

These are the words of Diego de Al∣cobaça, who hath been Vicar-General of many Provinces in that Kingdom, and Preacher of the Indians; for being a Native of Cozco, and of Spanish and Indian Bloud, and consequently acquainted with the Indian Language, was most able to in∣form and instruct that people; and in all probability, he was the most likely Man to deliver the most true and authentick Relation of those Countries.