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;R.oyal Commentaries.
B O O K
IV.
C HA P.
l.
Of the
Convent of
thofe Virgins who were dedicated
to
the
Sun.
A
MON G·sT
the many things worthy ofObfervation, which thofe
Heathen Kings followed in cheir vain Religion and Gentilifin; che
Profeffion which fome of their Women made of perpetua! Cha–
füty,
and the Retirements which were builc far them in feveral
Provinces are not here to be omitted;
.wd
far better underílan–
ding who thofe Women were, to whom they dedicated them–
felves, and wherein they were employed, we fhall declare very difünétly, be–
caufe it is a matter which che
Spanifh
Hiíl:orians touch bue ílightly, and as che
Proverb goes, as the Cae doch a Coal of fire: and particularly we íhall here treac
of che Hou[e ac
Co~co,
becau[e cha
e
that was che model or paccern ofali che refr..
In chac Cicy is a certain Lane, which chey call
Acllahuad,
which is as much as che
Hou[e of che [eparaced Virgins: This Lane paífed chrough che cwo Screecs, which
lead from che Markec-place to che Convenc of Sc.
Dominick_,
which ,was anciently
che Temple of che Sun; one of chefe Screets paffed direétly from a Comer of che
Markec-place, bending on che left hand cowards the greac Church
to
che Norrh–
ward. When, in che Year
1
570.
chac
I
depaned from chac Cicy, this then was
che chief Screec far che Merchancs; and the other Screec which paífes frorn the
middle of che Markec-place, where in my time che Prifon was, led direétly on
che righc hand
to
che faid Convenc of Se.
Dominick_:
The Front of chis Houfe was
juíl
oppofice
to
che Marker-place, and opened becween chofe cwo Srreecs befare
mentioned; che b:ickfide of it bordered on another Screet, which croffes Eaíl:
to
Weíl:;
fo
chac chis Hou[e was placed in an open fquare becween che Markec–
place and the chree Streecs; and- becween chis and che Temple of che Sun
there
was a [eparace pile of Buildings, wich che great
Area,
or Courc-yard, befare che
Temple. Whence we plainly perceive the miíl:ake ofchofe Wricers, who repare,
thac chofe Virgins had cheir Lodgings wichin che Temple of che Sun; and rhat
chey were Prieíleffes, and Affifiants
to
che Prieíls in cheir Ofíei·cories and Sacri–
fices.
For in regard ic was che defign and incencion of che
lncM
to
feparace chefe
Virgins from che converfation, and fociecy of Men; and that as Women weré
noc permicced co encer \\ ithin che Temple ofcheSun, fo neicher were men allow–
ed
admiffion imo che reciremems of cheíe Virgins; ic cannoc be racionally belie–
ved chacchefe Virgins could have any ocher than a diílinél: Houfe, diíl:ant and dií–
joined fi-om
:my
ocher;
and
far chis reafon chey called them che feleét, becauíe
O
a
'
they
;J