The History of the Conquest of Peru | Page 3

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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 the
New World are undoubtedly afforded by the conquests of Mexico and
Peru--the two states which combined with the largest extent of empire a
refined 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 in their respective institutions, most naturally
suggests that of the other; and when I sent to Spain to collect materials
for an account of the Conquest of Mexico, I included in my researches
those relating to the Conquest of Peru.
The larger part of the documents, in both cases, was obtained from the
same great repository,--the archives of the Royal Academy of History
at Madrid; a body specially intrusted with the preservation of whatever
may serve to illustrate the Spanish colonial annals. The richest portion
of its collection is probably that furnished by the papers of Munoz. This
eminent scholar, historiographer of the Indies, employed nearly fifty
years of his life in amassing materials for a history of Spanish
discovery and conquest in America. For this, as he acted under the
authority of the government, every facility was afforded him; and
public offices and private depositories, in all the principal cities of the
empire, both at home and throughout the wide extent of its colonial
possessions, were freely opened to his inspection. The result was a
magnificent collection of manuscripts, many of which he patiently
transscribed with his own hand. But he did not live to reap the fruits of
his persevering industry. The first volume, relative to the voyages of
Columbus, were scarcely finished when he died; and his manuscripts,
at least that portion of them which have reference to Mexico and Peru,
were destined to serve the uses of another, an inhabitant of that New
World to which they related.
Another scholar, to whose literary stores I am largely indebted, is Don
Martin Fernandez de Navarrette, late Director of the Royal Academy of
History. Through the greater part of his long life he was employed in

assembling original documents to illustrate the colonial annals. Many
of these have been incorporated in his great work, "Coleccion de los
Viages y Descubrimientos," which, although far from being completed
after the original plan of its author, is of inestimable service to the
historian. In following down the track of discovery, Navarrete turned
aside from the conquests of Mexico and Peru, to exhibit the voyages of
his countrymen in the Indian seas. His manuscripts, relating to the two
former countries, he courteously allowed to be copied for me. Some of
them have since appeared in print, under the auspices of his learned
coadjutors, Salva and Baranda, associated with him in the Academy;
but the documents placed in my hands form a most important
contribution to my materials for the present history.
The death of this illustrious man, which occurred some time after the
present work was begun, has left a void in his country not easy to be