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BooK
IV.
Royal Commentaries.
ring to the very rigour of tbe lecter without more remorfe or compaffioo, chan
if they had deíl:royed a fwarm of Wafps, or drowned a litter of Whelps ; for
che
lnca1
defigning their Laws for che Rules of Humane life, would never fuffer
them to
be
fmíl:raced or eluded by the boldnefs of any thac attempred
to
break
them.
CH A P.
IV.
That there were many other Houfes o/ thefe SeleEi Virgins.
The feverity of the Law hefore-mentioned, is proved bJ
Example.
A
LL chat ·we have faid before had relation to the Houíe of chofe Virgins
at
Couo,
who were dedicated to the Sun :
Bue
beíides this, there were fe–
veral other Houfes for Women of che fame profeffion in divers of che principal
Provinces, which che
Inca
out of
his
bouncy and favour commanded to be bulle
and endowed ; bue into thefe, Ma~ds of all condiúons and qualities had admiffion,
as well chofe whof~ bloud was tainted with common mixture,
as
thofe who were
of che pure and limpid íl:reams of Royal Bloud.
The
Daughters alfo of
Curac-1s;
as a mark of favour, were fometimes admitted here ; fome Maids alfo of exaél:
beauty, and rare features, chough of che common race, .were fometimes alfo re–
ceived in, che which boch their Fachers and themfelves eíl:eemed for an exrraordi–
nary favonr ; bue chen chey were noc admicced under che notion of Wives, or
Concubines, to che Sun, bue ofche
Inca
onely. Howfoever, chey referved chem–
felves with the fame retirement and care as chofe of che Sun ; :md were attended
with young Maidens for their Servants, and maincained a.e che charge of che
Inca :
Their employment a.lío was the fame with chofe at
Couo,
being to Spin and
Weave, and make Garments for che
Inca,
which they performed in greac aqun–
dance, and in che fame manner as we have relaced of che others: Bue howfoe–
ver, chofe Veíl:mems were not eíl:eemed fo facred, as
to
be onely appropriared
to
che Perfon of the
Inca,
bue were fuch as the
Inca
beíl:owed on his greac Lords and
Captains, and ocher Subje&, whenfoever he was pleafed
to
honour them wich
fome fignal note, or mark of
his
favour.
Thefe alfo had their
Mamacunas,
or Matrons to overíee chem, as chofe had
which lived ac
Cou:o,
and were governed by the fame rules ; excepting chat chofe
who lived at
Couo
were all of the true Royal Bloud, and obliged to a perpetua!
Cloifl-er and Virginicy ; bue chefe were Maids of all
fom
and conditions, pro–
vided cl1ac they were beautifull, being noc defigned for Wives
e*
che Sun, bue
Concubines to che
Inca.
The Carne rigour of Law was praétifed againíl: chofe who debauched and de–
filed the Women of che
Inca,
as againíl: chofe who became Adulterers with che
Virgins eípoufed to the Sun; for die crime being che fame, required che fame pu–
nifhment ;
bue
as chere was never any fuch .offence commicced, fo chere ,~as ne–
ver any fuch feverity execuced; bue to rnnfirm thac there
was
fucha Law,
we
have che auchority of
.A,uguftin de Carate,
who in the feventh Chapcer of bis fe–
cond Book, difcouríing of che caufes of che violenc Deach of
Atahua!pa,
hath
thefe very words, which
I
have copied out
Verbatim,
being very much
to
our pur–
pofe.
And a1
(
faith he)
a!l
the
Al!egation1 which were made hermpon were a!l p1·ono1m–
ced
by
rhe Ton_g11e of the firme
Filipillo,
he interpreted nothing but what made to hi1 own
p11rpofe. What might be the ca11fe which 1110'1/ed him here,mto, can never be certain!J de–
rmnined; rhough it m,,ft be one of rhefe nvo rhin¡,s, eirhe-r that rhu
Indian
enmtained
prirnte Amoim wirh one of the
Wives
of
Atabaliba,
and expefld
by
hi1 d.ca1h to enjoy her
wirh