BooK
I.
Royal
C
ommentaries.
C H
A P.
II.
Of
the excellent Fruit and Advantages which have refulted
from
the
Vnion
and Agreement
of
thefe three
Spaniíh
Ca–
?Jaliers.
T
í-lis ~riple accor~ which thefe _three
Spaniard1
máde at
Pavama,
puts
ine
in
mmd of chat confederacy which che three Roman Emperours made ac
Lay–
no,
a place near
Bo!ogna;
but·yec in comparing them one wich che ocher, they ·are
fo
differenc in their feveral circumfumces, that they fee!Tl to hold no ágreeable
comparifon or fimilicude; far on che one fide chofe were Emperours, and thefe
but privare and poor Perfons; chofe tre:!ated of.the Divifion of che old World,
which had been che Prize and Conqueíi of their Roman Ancefrours, and which
they defired to enjoy wich Réac~ and plenty
~
bue thefe engolfed themfelves into
Toils and Labours, to gain che Empire of a new World, which was
fo
u_nknown
to chem, .chat chey were ignorant both of che difficulcies they were to fuíl:ain in
che Conquefts, .and of che 'value of their Viétories when acqúired.
If
alfo we
confider che intentions and effeéts of one and che other, we !hall find che fame di–
verfity, far chat Triumvirace, compofed
'OÍ
three Tyrants, was concluded and
efrabliíhed on no ocher ground, than to exercife a tyrannical Powei' over all che
World, and to affiiél: and defüoy; bue ~bis was a defign of three generous Gen–
demen, each of which deferved an Imperial Crown, having no ocher end than·to
eorich che World with unknown Treafures, as every days experience proves, and
as will be made manifefr in che following Chapters. Moreover che intention of
that Triumvirate was
to
betray their Allies, -Friends and Parents into che hands of
their Enemies, but chis was
to
facrifice themfelves for the advancage .of ochers~
that chey might acquire a bénefit equally proficable to Enemies, as well as Friends;
ali which appears
by
chofe im·menfe Rlches which daily iífúe from the Bowels of
Ehe unknownWorld, and are communicaced not onely to Chrifüans, bue even to
the Gentiles, Jews, Moors, Turks and Hereticks, who enjoy the benefit of chefe
generous Labours. · 1,3ut that which we ought prirnarily to coníider, thac
by
our
Triumvirace Chrillianity was fuíl: introduced inco the great Ernpire of
Peru,
and
a Gate opened to che preaching of the Gofpel , by which many faithfull Souls
have heen gachered .inco the bofome of che Church;
fo
chat who is it that can
fufficiencly admire or expreís the greatneís of this Encerprife. Oh thou greac Name
and Family of the
Pifarros,
how much are all the Nations and Inhabicanrs ofthe
old World indebted unto chee, for thofe vaíl: Riches they have extraél:ed from
the new; and how much more do chofe two Empires of
Mexico
and
Peru
owe to
thee, for thofe chy two Sons
Hernando Cortes,
and
Francú Pifarro,
and for thy
Bro–
chers,
Hernando
Pif
arro, rohn Pifarro,
and
Gonyalo Pifarro,
oy wbofe
indefatigable
fabours thofe poor
Indians
have been drawn from the darknefs of obfcure
lgno–
rance
to
the true light and knowledge ofche Gofpel. How much therefore is this
Triumvirate to be approved, and applauded above that of che three Roman Em–
pero,urs; of which
Guichiardin,
in
hls
Hiíl:ory of
F!orence,
gives this Cenfure.
Lai–
no,
a place famous for the League contraéted between
Marcus Antonim, Lepidu,
ar,d
Otavianus,
who under the cerm and notion of a Triumvirace contrived, and execu–
ted fuch abominable pieces of Tyranny, as had never before been praétifed, or
named at
Rome;
bue our Triumvirate deferves a quite different Charaéter, as the
Writings of
Lopn de Gomara, A ugu/fin de Carate,
and other modern Hiíl:orians will
ahnndamly prove, whofe Books and Relations we fhall as afeen quote , as our
fübjeét matter on which we creat !hall require a confirmatlon from cheir Autho--
ricy.
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H h h
1-
CHA Pº