BooK
I.
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f
·
Roya]
Com1nentaries.
-
.CH
AP.
XXVIt. ·
'
How the
Spaniards
took.. the f!ing
Atahualpa.
T
HE
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
V
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 :
In
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
is
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
fo
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,
in
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
t
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
to
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
of
Je\v~ls,
Gold
~1ver,
and many pretious
tone . And
Lopet:-
de
Go-martt
g1vmg a relation hereof
in
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 n
~
~'
men
459
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