4000003870

BooK

Roya]

Com1nentaries.

.CH

AP.

XXVIt. ·

How the

Spaniards

took.. the f!ing

Atahualpa.

Spanijh

Horfe fallying forth, attacked the Squadrons of the

Jndian1,

and

ran them through with their Lances without any oppolition, and at the

fame time

D. Francifco Pifarro,

and his Infantry,

affail€d

Atahualpa

with all theit

fury ; for chey imagined, that in cafe they could once make themfelves Malter of

that Jewel, (which was the King) they !hould foon gain all the Treafures of

Peru;

but the

Indians

with great

numb~rs

encompaffmg the King's Chair, did not offend

the

SpaniardJ',

but onely endeavoured to defend and cover their King from hurt:

and mifchief: Ho'-" foever the

Spaniards

wounded them on all fides, and lanced

them through the fides, though they defended nGt themfelves, onely interpofed

their bodies between the King and the

Spaniards;

in fine, with much £laughter

they opened their way to theKing ; the

fufr

that came up to him was

D. Francifco

Pifarro,

who laying hold on his

efiments, fell with him to the ground , though

fame Hifiorians fay that he took him by the Locks, which were very long ; but

that was a millake, for the

Incas

wear very iliort Hair.

In !hort, the

Spaniards

having overthrown

Atahualpa,

they took him Prifoner :

confirmation ofwhich

truth,

Gomara

hath thefe words : " There was not one

Spaniard

either killed or

'' wounded, onely

Francifco Pifarro

received a fmall hurt in his hand by a blow of

'' one of bis own S0uldiers, who firook at

Atahualpa

to knock him down ;

'' whence it

reported, that it was not

Pirarro,

bat another which took the King

Prifoner: With which Words

Gomara

ends his 113th Chapter.

Now to add unto his Hifiory what he hath omitted, ( as we have declared we

would) we aver, that this Souldier was called

Michael Aftere,

who afierwards

li–

ved in the City of

Huamanca,

where he poffe!fed fome Lands, and commanded

over the

.btdiAn.r.

When

Atahualpa

was fallen, this Souldier took off the co oured

Wreath which encircled his Temples ,

was as his Crown or Lau–

rel of Royalty, and kept it for his prize ; which gave occafion for the report,

that

Atahualpa

was taken Prifoner b

,.he Souldier, and not by

Pifarro;

but be the

matrer how it

ill, fince both v ere

near together, and the thing doubrfuU,

the Honour ought to be given to he chief Commander : Hovvfoever

Michael

Aftere

kept the coloured Wreath by him, untill the year

15'57,

vvhen he be–

fiovved it on the

Inca Sayritupac,

vvho then deferted the Mountains to vvhich he

vvas retired, as !hall be related in its due place.

The

lnrj.ian.r

feeing their King taken, and the

Spaniard..r

fiill

purfuing them with

wounds and !laughter, fiaid no longer, but all put themfelves to flignt; but not

being able to make their efcape by the way, (for the Horfe had po!feffed them–

felves of that pafs) they made towards a certain Wall, built of freezed Stone,

the time of the Great

l nctf-. Pachacutec,

when he had conquered

Caf[amarca;

and

being in great multitudes, and many hands, they over-turned above a hundred

paces of the Wall, and climbed over the Ruines, over which the Horfe not be–

ing able to follow

em, they efcaped into the Plains. And here a certain Au–

thour faith, that the Stones of thefe Walls were more tender and compaffionate,

th~n ~he

hearts of the

Spaniards;

becaufe that being charmed with pity for the

rn1fenes of the poor

Indian.I,

they trembled and fell, to make way for their flight

and efcape. Some Hi!l:orians fay, that the

Spaniards

not fatisfied

fee them

fly,

purfued and

maffacred

them, untill the night put an end to their cruelty : And

then afterward taking the plunder of the Field, they divided the fpoil which con–

fi~~d

Je\v~ls,

Gold

~1ver,

and many pretious

tone . And

Lopet:-

Go-martt

g1vmg a relation hereof

the 114th Chapter of his Book, faith,

" That in

'' the Palace and Bath of

Atabaliba

onely they found five thoufand Women ;

" which though forrmvfull and deftitute, yet they put on a chearfull coume–

nance \vhen they

faw

the ChrifHans treating them \Vith Prefents of fine Gar-

n n

men

459