4000003871

Royal

Commentariú.

drefs to the King, and ochers to che

Incas,

in recurn to cheir lace Cornplemenr.

When they approached ·the

Inca,

it was wich deep .filence, and humble profira–

tion; and the

Inca

received them wich greac Courteíie, and gratious Counce–

nance; and in reg~rd ~e ~as t? pl~dge them all, he took che Cup .from every

Man's hand, touclung 1t w1ch h1s L1ps; though he drank more plenttfully oué of

che Bowl ofchofe to whofe Oignicy and Qualicy he bore fome p~rticular refpeét;

whac remained at che boccom of tbe Cup, me

Inca

cornmanded h1s Serv_ams, who .

were alfo

Incas

by privilege, to drmk of che remainder, which being done,

the

Cups

weie

again re_mrned to the Owners.

Thefe Cups havmg couched·the Hands and i,1ps of che

Capa Inca,

were ever

afcerwards conferved as facred Reliques, and held in greac Veneration, never

af–

terwards being applied to common ufes, but feparaced, as were their Idols, for

Worfhip and Adoracion; for in reality fuch was che interiolir Devotion whi'ch

they conceived towards cheir Kings, that we cannot exprefs the Love and Vene–

ration which thefe poor

Jndians

entercained of every chlng which had relation to

them.

· ·

· In chis manner the Healths being gone about, and every one pledged,-they all

returned orderly

their places; and chen the Dances and Songs bfgao; all Na–

tfons prefencing themfelves refpeétively in cheir Mafquerades, and Colours, and

ancick Pofiures, according

die faíhion of their Councrey; during

all

whicb the

drinking

íl:ill

wenc on, the

Incas

invicing each ocher, as alfo the Captains and

Cu–

racas

entertaining their Friends, aod Acquaincance, and fuch as were Neighbours

and Relations in cheir feveral Countries.

Thus were nine days fpent in the falerno ·celebration of chis Feaíl: of

Raymi;

where was plency of Meac and Drink (as we have faid) accompanied wich aU

kinds of Mirch and Jollicy; though the firfi day onely was appoinced for Sacri–

fices, and for infpeétion inco the Entrails of Beaíls, from whence they made their

Divinacions Qffuture Evencs. Afcer che nii:ie days were over, che

Curacas

caking

their leave of the King, returned to cheir refpeétive Countries, having received

encire fatisfaéti9n in the íolemn performance of the principal Feaíl, which chey

dedicaced to cheir God the Sun. When the King was employed in the War, or

was far remoce in vifüations of foreign Countries, he always obferved the folemn

Celebration of chis Feíl:ival, in that place, where his occaGons had drawn him

though not with the pomp and magnificence, as ic was performed ac

Couo;

wher~

in che abfence of the King, the Governour and High-Priefr, who were always

Incas

the Bloud, took care to celebrace che Feíl:ival, at which che

C11racas

their Deputies did appear for them, with a great concourfe of people from 'the

adjacent Provinces.

.CH A

P._