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BooK
VI.
Royal Commentaries.
CH A P.
XXIII.
Of the Order in which they J,.·an/4.. one
ro
the other.
T
HE
Inca
being feated on
his
Chair of Maffie Gold , raifed on a Pedeíl:al of
·
the fame metal, he fent a Meffage to his Kindred called
Hanttn Co~co,
and
Jlurin Cu~co,
thac they íhould in bis name dritill: a }1ealth ro chofe
lndians,
who
were the moíl: famous and renowned in their refpefüve Nátions. Firft chey no–
rninated
Ehe
Captains, who had fignalized their valour in che War, b~ing for
their
Marcial Exploits, preferred before the
Curacru;
and
in
cafe a
Curaca,
whd
was
a Lord over fome Vaffals, µad n,erited alfo che hortour of a Captain, they
called and inemioned ·him with both
Jitles.
In tbe next place thé
Inca
felit to in–
Vite
unto dtirlking, the
Curaca..
who lived in the parts adjacent, near to
Cateo,
be–
ing fuch as had been reduced by the
firíl:
Inca Manco Capac,
and for chat reafon ha~
ving the privilege of being called
Incru,
they were preferred in che néxt place to
the
Jncru
of
the Royal Bloud, and before all other Natiofls; for it was a Maxime
amongíl: chofe Kings never
to
alter or diminiíh chofe Titles ofHonour or Privi–
leges which cheir Anceíl:ours had be!towed as favours on cheir Subje&, bue were
rarher willing to confirm and enlarge them.
Now their fortn and manner of Drinking one to another, was this; all che
In–
dians
geMrally (according-to cheir condition and·quality) had and do
füll
keep a
couple
1
0f Cups
t!o
drink
i'n,
equally matched, being .of che fame fize ánd íhape,
and of the fa1t1e Métal, ejther of Gold , giJver, or Wood, tnat·
fo
every Mali
rnight dtink alike, and have his equaJ propdrti0n one with the othet.
He
thát
rnvitecd tó che Drin,k, held up bis:two Cups in each hand, and then gave
to
him
wh0m he inYi~ed the·Cup whiéh was in bis Right-hartd; in caíe he wére of greater
Qmifity, ánd
if
he were ofinferieur Degree, then'that in bis Left, and then both
drank ac the fam~ time; •and after~
1
ards receivió'g bis Cup again-, he returned to
his place'; tt1oégh c@mrnonly at chefe Feáíl:s che Perfon inviting was greater tbarr
the Perfon inviced,
fo-
rhat che Invication was arl evidence of grace and favour of
th((:,
Superioot
t6
his lnferíoúr; choogh frorn chis Cuft:ome afterwards it carne;
chat when che lnferiour invited che Superiour, it was by way ofacknowledgmenc
· of bis Service and Vaffalage.
.
In
ob[ervance of chis common Cuíl:ome ofinvitation, the
l ncru ,
who carried
the Drink from the King, faid to the Perfon invited,
The
Capa Inca
hath
fent
me to
invite you
to
drinking, and
I
am come to drinlz with you in his name_.
Whereupon the
Captain, or
Curaca,
took che Cup into his Hands, and lifting up his Eyes unto
the Sun, as if he would return him thanks for che great Favour he received from
his Off-fpring; and chen having taken che Draughc with füence, returned back
the Cup , making figos of profound Reverence and Adoration w.ith his Hands;–
and kifling che Air with his Lips.
But it is
to
be noted, that che
Inca
did never fend Invitations ofdrinking to
ali
the
Curacas
in general, but to fome particular perfons of them, who were fam9us
1
and had a great imereíl: with their People, and well beloved by che Commonal–
ty,
and were Men zealous of che publick good; for chis matter of publi& good
was che great concernment to which the
lnca,
che
Curaw,
and all che Mioiíl:ers
of
War and Peace bended their chief aim and íl:udies. To other
Curacas
the
In·
ca&
who carried the Cups drank in their own, and not in che name
of
che
Inca,
with which the
Curacas
were abundancly fatisfied, acknowledgiog
ir
an fionour -
fµfficient for them
to
drink with one who was of che Family, and allied to che
Sun, as well as che King him[elf
The firíl: Ceremony ofDrinking being finiíhed, then i:mnediately rheCaptains
and
C11racas
of che feveral Nations made their Invitationsin che fame manner and
order as they had been themfelves invited
s
fome making their immediate Ad-
.
drefs