Produced by Mark Rehorst, mrehorst@fmi.fujitsu.com
(See also #1323, a slightly different version with footnotes)
History Of The Conquest Of Peru
by William Hickling Prescott
"Congestae cumulantur opes, orbisque rapinas Accipit."
Claudian, In Ruf., lib. i., v. 194.
"So color de religion
Van a buscar plata y oro
Del encubierto tesoro."
Lope De Vega, El Nuevo Mundo, Jorn. 1.
Preface
The most brilliant passages in the history of Spanish adventure in theNew World are undoubtedly afforded by the conquests of Mexico andPeru—the two states which combined with the largest extent of empire arefined social polity, and considerable progress in the arts of civilization.Indeed, so prominently do they stand out on the great canvas of history,that the name of the one, notwithstanding the contrast they exhibit intheir respective institutions, most naturally suggests that of the other; andwhen I sent to Spain to collect materials for an account of the Conquestof Mexico, I included in my researches those relating to the Conquest ofPeru.
The larger part of the documents, in both cases, was obtained from thesame great repository,—the archives of the Royal Academy of History atMadrid; a body specially intrusted with the preservation of whatever mayserve to illustrate the Spanish colonial annals. The richest portion of itscollection is probably that furnished by the papers of Munoz. Thiseminent scholar, historiographer of the Indies, employed nearly fiftyyears of his life in amassing materials for a history of Spanish discoveryand conquest in America. For this, as he acted under the authority of thegovernment, every facility was afforded him; and public offices andprivate depositories, in all the principal cities of the empire, both at homeand throughout the wide extent of its colonial possessions, were freelyopened to his inspection. The result was a magnificent collection ofmanuscripts, many of which he patiently transscribed with his own hand.But he did not live to reap the fruits of his persevering industry. Thefirst volume, relative to the voyages of Columbus, were scarcely finishedwhen he died; and his manuscripts, at least that portion of them whichhave reference to Mexico and Peru, were destined to serve the uses ofanother, an inhabitant of that New World to which they related.
Another scholar, to whose literary stores I am largely indebted, is DonMartin Fernandez de Navarrette, late Director of the Royal Academy ofHistory. Through the greater part of his long life he was employed inassembling original documents to illustrate the colonial annals. Many ofthese have been incorporated in his great work, "Coleccion de los Viagesy Descubrimientos," which, although far from being completed after theoriginal plan of its author, is of inestimable service to the historian. Infollowing down the track of discovery, Navarrete turned aside from theconquests of Mexico and Peru, to exhibit the voyages of his countrymenin the Indian seas. His manuscripts, relating to the two former countries,he courteously allowed to be copied for me. Some of them have sinceappeared in print, under the auspices of his learned coadjutors, Salva andBaranda, associated with him in the Academy; but the documents placedin my hands form a most important contribution to my materials for thepresent history.
The death of this illustrious man, which occurred some time after thepresent work was begun, has left a void in his country not easy to befilled; for he was zealously devoted to