4000003870

BooK .

Royal Commentaries.

c·

H A ·P.' XXXII.

How thefe two

Spaniards

arrived at

Cozco,

where they

found Crp/les in the

Te1nples

and Royal Palaces.

Hefe two Companions proceeding on their Journey towards

c~co,

arrived

on the

high

Promontory of

Carmenca,

from whence they took a

urvey of

the Imperial City, and much admired the neighbouring Towns and Villages which

encompaffed, or were adjoyoing to

it.

The people coming forth _to

me~t

them;

received them with joy and mirth, with Mufick and Dances, erechng Tnumphal

Arches in the ways, crowned with Flowers and Garlfinds, and firowing the fireets

with l\uilies

and lodged them in tbofe Royal Apartments, which were called

.Amarucancha,

belonging to

&ayna

Capa~

;

for being

their efiimation perfons of

Divine Race,

they

allotted thofe Chambers for them, which appertained to their

greateft and mofi beloved King.

cbe entrance thereunto was

very

fair

Tower,

being four Stories high, each of which had a cieling of Timber, in fuch manner

c;overed the Royal Chambers,

and

which were

lofty,

that

to fpeak in com–

pafs, the Turret above was as high as any Spire in

Spain,

unlefs

tliat

Seville.

The top thereof was in form of a Globe,

were all the Chambers ; and above

all, in the place of a Weather-cock or Vayne, ( which the

Indians

did not under–

fiand ) they had erected a Ball, which added much co the height, and was

large,

that the hollow of it containec;l above

flXtY

Foot in compafs

called by them

Sun-–

turh11aci,

which figoifies as much as the rare piece of Architeeture, there being no

other building adjoyning thereunto to fupport or hide

it.

In my time it was thrown

down or demolifhed, to make the Market-place more large and airy; though

the

trqth

is,

it took not up much place , and now in Heu thereof the

efuits have

eretl:ed a high

Colo[ef),

or Pyramid, as we have mentioned in the firfi Part of this

Hifrory. The next day after the

Spaniar.ds

arrived, the

Indians

carried them in

feveral Palanchines, or Seats, place

d on Men

s !boulders to fee and view the

City ;

and as they paffed, the people adored and worfhipped them after the manner of

their Gemilifm and Religion. Nor were the

Spaniards

lefs furprized ro fee the

Majefi:y of

Couo,

with the Grandeur and Riches of the Palaces and Temples;

which though much defaced, and defpoiled of their ancient beauty, by reafon of

the late Wars between the

lnctU,

and the Imprifonment of

Huafcar,

yet they could

not but much admire the excellent Architetture of the Royal Palaces, which

were built without thofe Inllruments and Engines, which are neceffary for the

eretl:ing fuch mighty Fabricks : But above all, they were much pleafed with the

rare Pavements, which were curioufiy in-layed with divers Figures on each fide

of the frream, which runs for above a

qu~rter

of a League through the

City

and the multitude of people, and the numbers of Merchants ( though the Com–

modities not many) were

great, as much pleafed them to behold ; efpecially

obferving the gentile behaviour of die Nobles, and the courrefie of the Commo–

nalty, who were all deftrous to ferve them, and gain their favour; and had

not been for the late Wars between the two Brothers, all things would certainly

have: appeared in much more beauty and fplendour : But above all, they much

admired to fee Croffes ereeted on the top of the high PinnaCles of their Tem–

ples and Palaces; the which, it feems, were introduced from the time onely that

Pedro de Candia

being in

Tumpi~

charmed, or made tame thofe wild Bealls which

\Vere let loo[e to devour him, and which onely by virtue of the Crofs which he

· held in his hand bee:ame gentle and domefl:ick

All which was recounted with

fuch admiration

the

Indians,

who carried the news of this Miracle unto

Couo,

that

"~hen

the Inhabitants of the

City

had underfiood it, they went immediately

theu SanCl:uary, where a Crofs of Jafpar-frone, as clear as Cbryfial, remained,

as we have

be~ore

mentioned; which when they had brought forth, they

with

loud Acclamations adored and \\ orfhipped

it,

conceiving that though the Sign

o o