AUTHORITIES FOR PERU AND MEXICO. 301 



weales. It is no matter of marvell if there were so great LlB - VI - 

 and grose faults amongst them, seeing there hath been like-&quot;&quot; 

 wise amongst the most famous Law-givers and Philosophers 

 (yea, without exception, Lycurgus and Plato), and amongest 

 the wisest common-wealths, as the Romanes and Athenians, 

 where wee may finde things so full of ignorance, and so 

 worthy of laughter, as in trueth if the commonweales of the 

 Mexicaines, or of the Yncas, hadde beene knowne in those 

 times of the Romans and the Greekes, their lawes and 

 governments had been much esteemed by them. But we at 

 this day little regarding this, enter by the sword, without 

 hearing or vnderstanding ; perswading our selves that the 

 Indians affaires deserve no other respect, but as of venison 

 that is taken in the Forrest, and broght for our vse and de 

 light. 



The most grave and diligent, which have searched and 

 attained to the knowledge of their secrets, customs, and 

 antient government, holde another opinion, and admire the 

 order and discourse that hath been betwixt them. Of which 

 number is Polo Ondegardo, whome 1 vsually followe in the 

 discourse of matters of Peru, and for these of Mexico Juan 

 de Tobar, who had a Prebend in the Church of Mexico, and 

 is now of our company of lesuites, who by the commaunde- 

 ment of the viceroy Don Martin Henriques, 1 have made a 

 diligent and a large collection of the histories of that nation, 

 and many other grave and notable personages, who, both 

 by word and writing, have sufficiently informed me of all 

 those things I shall here set dowue. The other end, and 

 the good which may followe by the knowledge of the lawes, 

 customes, and government of the Indians, is, that wee may 

 helpe and governe them with the same lawes and customes, 



1 Second son of Don Francisco Henriquez y Almansa, first Marquis 

 of Alcanizes, by Dona Isabel cle I lloa. He was Viceroy of Mexico from 

 lf&amp;gt;(J8 to lf&amp;gt;80, and of Peru from loM to 158o. He died at Lima on 

 March 12th, liiKJ. 



