414 / 1060
Royal
Commentaries.
BooK
IX.
niards
had newly planted themfelves
in
Peru;
I remember that
in
the
Year
15
5'5'
or
---56
Gar fia
de
Melo,
who was then TreaCurer for his Majefiy
in
Couo
fent
t~
my Lord
Garyilaj[o
de
la Vega
a prefent of three
Af~agus,
where he
h~d
them
or
where they
grew,
is
not known; onely he defirea
him
to accept
and eat
that
curiofity of
Spanijh
Fruit;
the Afparagus were very
fair
ones, two of
which were
as big as a middle Finger, and the third of a yard long
5
the other was
thicker
but !horter, but all of them fo render, that they were eafil.y broken.
My
Father'
that he might doe the greater honour
to
this
Sp_anijh
Plant, ordered that che
Afpa~
ragus fhould be boiled on a Pan of Coals
in
his own Chamber.,
in
prefence
of
feven or eight Gentlemen, who were at Supper
with
him. When theAfparagus
were boiled, and a fauce for them made with Oil and Vinegar,
Garcilajfo
divided
the two largefi among the Guefi:s
at
his Table,. and the third
he
took wholly
to
himfelf, defiring them to pardon him for that time, if he carved himfelf the lar–
gefr portion of the
Spanifh
Fruits.
In
this
manner the Afparngas
were eaten
with great chear- and mirth , as if the Phenix had been
to
be divided amongft
rhem;
and though
I
ferved then at the Table, yet nothing thereof
fell
to
my
!hare.
About
that
time
alfo Captain
Bartholomew
of
Ferl'a~tU
fent
my Father three
Vif–
naga fialks, (which grow llke our Fennel Seeds, and are
for
picking
the Teeth,)
the which being brought from
Spain,
were accepted with much
thankfulnefs,
and
\ ere ferved at the Table to
a
Stranger after Dinner, one
of
the Straws
being gi·
ven him with much Ceremony.
,
About this time alfo Annifeeds were produced
in
Coz.,co,
and {l:rewed
in
all their
Bread, which was of greater efteem than
all
the
N~etar
or
Arnbrolia which the
Poets menrion; at thls rate the inconfiderable things of
Spain
were efieemed
in
Peru
at the
firfr,
which may ferve to pleafe the curiofity of after Ages, when they
reade the Hill:ory of the
full:
acrions and humours of their Forefathers.
How–
foever I do not find that either Afparagus have thrived, or that
Vifnagas
have
been produced in that Countrey, though other Plants,
Corn,
Herbs and Cattel
have multiplied in exceeding abundance.
In like manner they have planted Mulberry Trees, and brought over
Silk·
Worms , which before that time were not
in
Peru;
but the Silk which they
produce
will
not hold Winding, or S inning , by reafon of fome great defeet
in
it.
.