Purchas his pilgrimes. part 4 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

CHAP. XV.

Briefe Notes of FRANCIS PIZARRO his conquest of Peru, written by [ 20] a Spanish Captaine therein employed.

A Certaine Spanish Captaine, whose name is not added to his Tractate writeth, that in Februarie 1531. he went with Pizarro from Panama, who arriued, and stayed three moneths at Tumbez, and thence went to Tangarara, and founded Saint Mi∣chaels, where he heard of Atabalipa or Atahualpa, and his warres with his bro∣ther Cusco: who sent a Spie thither, and as hee marched, presents, to Pizarro. Hee with tortures learned of two Indians what and where Atabalipa was. They marched on (he sayth) to Cax••malca, a Citie foure miles in circuit, entred with two Gates. On * 1.1 one side of the Citie is a great Palace walled about, with a great Court planted with trees. This [ 30] they call the House of the Sunne, whom they worship, putting off their Shooes when they enter. And such there are in euery great Towne. There were two thousand houses, in streets straight as a Line, the walls of strong stone, three paces (or fathoms) high; within are faire Fountaines of water, and in the midst a greater street then any in Spaine, walled about; before which is a For∣tresse of stone, with staires from the Street to the Fort. On one side of this Street is the Pa∣lace of Atabalipa with Gardens and Lodgings, the houses all painted with diuers colours: in one roome were two great Fountaines adorned with plates of Gold, in one of which runnes water so hote that a man cannot indure his hand therein, the other being very cold. The people are neate, the women are honest, weare a wrought Girdle on their long garments, aboue that a Mantle which couereth them from the head to the midst of the thigh. The men weare white [ 40] Frockes without sleeues. The women in a Palace made Chicha for the Armie. After the Armies * 1.2 approached, a Frier of the Order of Saint Dominike, went and told him that the Christians were his friends. The Cacique (Atabalipa or Atabuallpa) answered, that first hee would haue them restore all that they had taken in his Land, and after hee would doe as hee should see cause. The Frier with a Booke in his hand, beganne to speake to him the things of God; hee demanded the booke, and the Father gaue it him, and he threw it downe about his people. The Indian Inter∣preter ranne and tooke it vp and gaue it the Father, who suddenly returned, crying, Come forth Christians, come forth, and set on these Enemies, Dogs, which will not accept the things of God, whose Prince hath throwne on the ground the Booke of our holy Law. Thereupon the Gouernour sounded the Trumpets, and gaue a token to the Gunner to discharge the Ordnance, and the Spaniards on foot and horsebacke rushed on with such furie, that the Indians hearing the dreadfull thunders [ 50] of the Artilerie, and seeing the force of the Horses, fled: the Gouernour went directly to the Litter in which Atabalipa was whom hee tooke, many Indians whose hands were cut off bea∣ring the same Litter on their shoulders. Sixe or seuen thousand were slaine besides many which had their Armes cut off, and other wounded.

Atabalipa, by an Indian, sent to the other Indians, that they should not flee, for hee was still aliue in the Christians hands, whom hee commended for a good Nation, and commanded his to serue them. Hee was about thirtie yeeres old, a personable man, somewhat grosse, with thicke * 1.3 lips, and eyes incarnate with bloud; his speech graue. The next day the Spaniards got fiftie thousand Pezos of Gold (each worth one Ducket and two Carolines) and seuen thousand Markes [ 60] of Siluer, and many Emeralds, wherewith the Cacique seemed content: and said, that he would giue him as much Gold as would fill a roome to such a marke, higher then a tall man could reach * 1.4 by a spanne, the roome being twenty fiue foot long, and fifteene broad. The Gouernour asked how much Siluer hee would giue? he said, that hee would haue tenne thousand Indians, which

should make a partition in the midst of the Palace, and fill it with vessels of Siluer of diuers sorts, all which he would giue for his ransome. The Gouernour promised him his libertie on this con∣dition, and to worke no treason against the Christians. Fortie dayes were set, and twentie pas∣sed in which came no Gold. Then we learned that he had taken his brother Cusco * 1.5 his brother by the father, a greater man then himselfe. He had told some, that Atabalipa promised the Gold which he had, and hee would giue the Christians foure times as much as the other had promised: which being told to Atabalipa, he caused him suddenly to bee dispatched. Hee killed another of his brothers, which had said he would drinke in Atabalipas skull, but contrariwise he drunke in his; which I my selfe saw, and all that went with Hernando Pizarro. I saw the head with the skinne, the flesh drie, and the haires on, and his teeth closed, and betwixt them a Pipe of Sil∣uer, [ 10] and on the top a Cup of Gold fastned to the head, with a hole going into it. His Slaues put Chicha into the Cup, which ranne by the mouth into that pipe, whence Atabalipa drunke.

Anno 1533. the Gouernour gaue his brother Hernando leaue to goe with a Companie of Spa∣niards to Guamachuc••, and there he found an hundred thousand Castiglians of Gold, which they brought for Atabalipas ransome. Diego Almagro came with an hundred and fiftie men to our succour. Because the Gold came so slowly, Atabalipa willed the Gouernour to send three men to Cusco, laying the blame on his imprisonment, which made the Indians not to obey him. These Christians were carried by Indians in Hamacas, a kinde of Litters, and were serued. They arriued at Xauxa, where was Chilicuchima, a great Captaine of Atabalipa, the same which had taken Cusco, which had all the Gold at his command. He gaue the Christians thirty burthens of Gold, of which each weighed an hundred pounds. They said it was little, and he gaue them fiue bur∣thens [ 20] more, which they sent to the Gouernour by a Negro, whom they had brought with them. They went on to Cusco, where they found Quizquiz, a Captaine of Atabalipas, which made * 1.6 little account of the Christians. He said that if they would not restore his Master for that Gold he would giue, he would take him out of their hands: and sent them presently to a Temple of the Sunne, couered with plates of Gold. The Christians without the helpe of any Indian (for they refused, saying they should die, it being the Temple of the Sunne) with Pickaxes of Brasse * 1.7 disfurnished the same, as they told vs afterwards, and spoyled the Temple. Many Pots and vessels of Gold were also brought (which there they vsed for their cookery) for ransome of their Lord Atabalipa. In all the house, there was such store of Gold, that it amased them. They were [ 30] amazed to see one seat in their house of Sacrifices which weighed nineteene thousand Pezos of * 1.8 Gold: in another where old Cusco lay buried, the pauement and the walls were couered with plates of Gold and Siluer, which they did not breake, for feare of the Indians displeasure, nor many great earthen Pots there, couered with Gold likewise. In that House were two dead and embalmed, neere to whom stood a woman with a Maske of Gold on her face, which fanned a∣way the winde and Flies. Shee would not let them enter with their shooes on: they went in and tooke much Gold, but not all, for Atabalipa had intreated them, because there lay his Fa∣ther. They found there a great house full of Pots and Tubs, and vessels of Siluer. They would haue brought much more then they did, but that they were alone, and aboue two hundred and fiftie leagues from other Christians: but they shut it vp, and sealed it for his Maiestie, and the [ 40] Gouernour Francis Pizarro, and set a guard on it.

Ouer the Riuers as they passed, they found two Bridges together, one open for the vulgar, the other shut for the passage of great men. Hernando Pizarro trauelling ouer the Mountaines with his Horse, where the way was made with hands in many places as a Scale or Staires, which * 1.9 ware off his Horse shooes, commanded the Indians to shooe his Horses with Gold and Siluer, and so came to the Citie, bigger then Rome, called Pachalchami * 1.10, where in one filthie chamber was an Idoll of wood, which they said, was their God which giues life to all things, at whose feete were many Emeralds fastned in Gold. They haue him in such veneration, that none may serue nor touch him, nor the walls of the house, but such, as they say, are called by him. It is certanie, that the Deuill there speakes to them, and tells them what they should doe. They come [ 50] 300. leagues off to him, and offer him gold, siluer, and iewels, giuing it to the Porter which goeth in and returnes them an answer. They which serue him must be pure and chaste, abstaining from eating, and women. All the Countrie of Catamez payeth him tribute. The Indians feared that the Idoll would haue destroyed the Spaniards: which neuerthelesse entred without scruple, and brought very little Gold thence, for the Indians had hidden it all; they found the places whence they had carried great store; so that they got not aboue 30000. Pezos, & of a Cacike 10000. more. Chilicuchima sent them word, that he had store of Gold for them at Xauxa, but deceiued them.

They brought him and other great men to Atabalipa, which put coarse Cloth on them be∣fore their entrance, and did him great reuerence, lifting vp their hands to the Sunne, with thankes that they had seene their Lord, and came by little and little neerer him, and kissed his [ 60] hands and feet, who shewed great signes of Maiestie, and would not looke any of them in the face. They tied Chilicuchima to a stake, and set fire to him, to extort a confession of old Cuscos Gold from him, which (much burned first) said that Quizquiz had it in keeping: and that old Cusco, though dead, was still obserued, and had victuals set before him; and told of another Pa∣uilion,

where were great vessels, from whence the Gouernour sent and fetched much Gold. The Christians came from Cusco with aboue an hundred and ninety Indians laden with Gold. Some vessels were so great, that twelue Indians had much adoe to bring them. The Gouernour mel∣ted all the small pieces, which I can well tell, for I was keeper of the house of Gold, and saw it melted, and there were aboue nintie Plates of Gold: there were in that roome two hundred great tankards * 1.11 of Siluer and many small, with pots and other peeces very faire. I thinke I saw weighed of the Siluer 50000. Markes. There were also in the same roome eighty tankards of Gold, and other great peeces: there was also a heape higher then a man of those plates of ve∣ry fine Gold; and to say truth, in all the roomes of the house were great hils or heapes of Gold and Siluer. The Gouernour put them together and weighed them before the Offi••••rs, and then [ 10] those some to make the shares for the company. The Gouernour sent the Emperour a present of 100000. pesoes in fifteene tankards, and foure pots, and other rich peeces. Euery footman had 4800. Pesoes of gold, which made 7208. Duckets, and the Horsemen twice as much, besides other aduantages. Before the sharing he gaue Almagros company 25000. * 1.12 pesoes, and 2000. pesoes of Gold to those which had staid at Saint Michaels: and much gold to all that came with the Captaine, two or three great Cups of gold a peece to the Merchants, and to many which had gotten it, lesse then they deserued. I say it, for so it fared with me. Many presently, a∣mongst which I was, demanded leaue to returne to Spaine, and fiue and twenty obtained it. When Atabalipa heard they would carry the gold out of the Country, he sent for men to come * 1.13 and assault the Gouernour. A few dayes before two Sonnes of old Cusco came thither and lodg∣ed [ 20] with the Gouernour, one * 1.14 of them was naturall Lord of the Countrey. Vpon newes of for∣ces comming, they brought Atabalipa by night to a stake to burne him aliue, by the command of the Gouernour; but he said he would be a Christian; whereupon after Baptisme th••y strang∣led him that night, and the Countrey was quiet. The Gouernour made the eldest Sonne of old Cusco Lord of the Countrey, which caused great ioy to the Natiues. Wee arriued in Siuil, Ianu∣ary the fifteenth 1534.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cax••malca or Cassamarca de∣scribed.
• * 1.2

  Chicha is a kind of Drinke made of Maiz. Frier Vincent. This is denied by Inca Vega, because (it seemes) the thing seemes odious, rather then false: and he might not tell tales offen∣siue to Spanish eares: epsecial∣ly to the Friers which authori∣zed his Booke to the presse.
• * 1.3

  Atabalipa ta∣ken; descrip∣tion of his per∣son.
• * 1.4

  A Marke is in these discour∣ses 8. ounces.
• * 1.5

  These first entrers of Peru call both Huay∣na Capac and Huascar by the name of their chiefe Citie Cusco.
• * 1.6

  Iourney to Cusco, and gold there.
• * 1.7

  In the inside, &c. See sup. in the Inca Vegas relation.
• * 1.8

  Huayna Capacs Sepulchre.
• * 1.9

  Poore shifts for horse shooes.
• * 1.10

  This was the Temple of Pa∣chacamac, in the former re∣lation. This Idoll perhaps was that which the Natiues had kept from before the In∣cas conquest, for then they worshipped none. Estet••s treatise of this Voyage is in R••musio.
• * 1.11

  Cantari.
• * 1.12

  Others say 100000.
• * 1.13

  Atabalipas pre∣tended trea••on
• * 1.14

  Manco.