4000003871

BooK VII.

Royal

Commentaries.

_ 2-5 7

CH A P.

,Vi!

·f

fJf

the Third Fejliva/

dedicated to the Sun.

• ,

l)~

!ne.u

celebrated four Feíl:ivals every Year in their Court; the principai

and moíl: folernn was the Eeaíl: of the Sun, called

Raymi,

of wbich we have

formedy given a refation

large. The fecond was che lníl:iti;ltibn of che Order

of Cavaliers, ofwruch alfo we have already difcourfed. We come now to the

twcr1-lalr,

with which we íball end, and concfude all the particulars relating to

their

Fefüvals; for as

their other more ordinary Feafis, which were perforrned

every

Moon,

and fuclí Feafl:s as were kept in honour ofViétories and Triurnp~

Wf:

íha1l

nor fáreher enlarge upon, leíl: they íhould feern tedious_ to che Reader,

onely we íhall

ay in gene

ral, Thac thefe Feafis were held in che-Temple of tbe

Sun

withaut P-

roc:effi.ons

into che open and publick places. And

we p

roceed

to the third FefHval, which they call

Cufquieraymi,

which they celebrated

ab.ou~

thf- time that their Seed and Mayz was fprung up, and

firft

ap_peai:ed ouc of the

ground; then they .fácrificed to che Sun many Lambs, barrén Ewes, and male

Sn~p, praying_ to him that he would be pleafed noc to fuffer che Froíl:

deíb(óy

their

Wheac; by reafon cbat che Vallies of

Coz:.co,

and

Sacfahuana,

and che Coun–

tries,thereabouc, are fubjeét to mighty Frofis, as are likewi[e all orber pares under

the fame Climate, whicb is fo very cold, that ir freezes there almoft che whole year,

and more particularly acour Midfummer, which is che depth of their Winter, ac

which time-the-Nights are commonly clear, but very íharp and freezing; which

foem as the

Jndian1

obferve, they put fue to th~ir Dunghills, to make a fmoke

and a fmorher, being of opinion rhat tbe ground under rhat thick covert gains

fome warmrh; and thereby che íharp keenneís of the Froíl:

much abated.

I re–

member to have feen this in

Co~co;

bue did not rnuch e:xan;iine, whether ic did

any good or not; fbr being rhen aYouth, I was noc

inquifitive into che caufes

ancl effeéts ofthings, as I was into che rnatcer which was done.

And now coníidering that che Mayz was a fort of grane, which

Wc\.5

the chief

nutrirnent of che

Indians.,

and which was rnoíl: damaged by che Frofis, chey there–

fore, to divert thac Judgment offered co tbe Sun rnany Sacrifices, wich Dances

and Drink-offerings, fupplicating him that he would be pleafed

íhroud cheir

Plantations from the damage of the Froíl:s. The Flefh of che Beaíl:s ílain at thefe

Sacrifices was diíl:ributed amongíl: chofe people who carne to che Fefüvai; for

befides t:he Lamb which was offered,.and entirely burnt to che Sun, cogether wirh

che Bloud and Entrails of all the otber Beaíl:s; .che Flefh.was dillribuced amongft

the

people, after the manner ufed ac che Feaíl: of

Raymi.

L 1

p.,