Guaman Poma: Nueva corónica. Translation 2002. Section 1

Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno. Transcription and Translation by Rolena Adorno

Section 1: Letter from the Author [Chapter 1. The first new chronicle (1-13). - 1.4. Author's letter to King Philip (8-10)]

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CARTA DEL AVTOR	LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR
CARTA DE DON Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala a Su Magestad al rrey Phelipo	Letter from Don Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala to His Majesty, the king Felipe
8 [8] Muchas ueces dudé, S.C.R.M., azetar esta dicha ynpresa y muchas más después de auerla comensado me quise bolber atrás, jusgando por temeraria mi entención, no hallando supgeto en mi facultad para acauarla conforme a la que se deuía a unas historias cin escriptura nenguna, no más de por los quipos y memorias y rrelaciones de los yndios antigos de muy biejos y biejas sabios testigos de uista, para que dé fe de ellos y que ualga por ello qualquier sentencia jusgada.	8 [8] Many times I have hesitated before accepting this said undertaking, and many more times after having begun it, I wanted to turn back, judging as rash my intention, not finding within my capacities the disposition necessary to fulfill that intention in the manner that was owed to histories that were not written down, except as recorded in the quipus [knotted cords] and recollections and accounts of the ancient Indians, by very old men and women, knowledgable eyewitnesses, in order to be able to certify their validity and to make the result worth as much as any legal judgment rendered.
Y ací, cologado de de [sic] uarios descursos, pasé muchos días y años yndeterminando hasta que, uencido de mí y tantos años comienso deste rreyno, acabo de tan antigo deseo que fue cienpre buscar en la rudeza de mi engenio y ciegos ojos y poco uer y poco sauer y no ser letrado ni dotor ni lesenciado ni latino como el primero deste rreyno con alguna ocación con que poder seruir a Vuestra Magestad, me determiné de escriuir la historia y desendencias y los famosos hechos de los primeros rreys y señores y capitanes nuestros agüelos y des prencipales y uida de yndios y sus generaciones y desendencia desde el primero yndio llamado Uari	And thus, finding myself with so many varied accounts, I spent many days and years irresolute until, vanquished by my own inclinations and the passage of so many years since the beginning of this kingdom, I at last bring to fruition a very old desire, which was always—despite my uncultivated abilities and my blind eyes, my little seeing and little knowing and not being a lawyer or a doctor or a licentiate or a Latinist, as is the first one in this kingdom—to find some opportunity by which to serve Your Majesty. So I decided to write the history and origins and descent and the famous deeds of the first kings and lords and captains, our grandfathers and lords, and the life of the Indians and their generations and origins from the first Indian called Uari

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DON FELIPE AIALA	DON FELIPE AIALA
9 [9] Uira Cocha Runa, Uari Runa, que desendió de Noé del [di]luvio, Uari Runa, y de Puron Runa, y de Auca Runa,	9 [9] Uira Cocha Runa, Wari Runa, who descended from Noah of the Flood, Uari Runa, and Purun Runa and Auca Runa [people of the era of war]
y de los doze Yngas y de sus ydulatras y herronía y de sus mugeres: rreynas, coyas, y ñustas, prencesas, pallas, señoras, curaca uarme, prencipalas y de los capitanes generales, chicheconas, y de los duques y condes, marqueses, capac apoconas, y demás yndios mandoncillos.	and of the twelve Incas and their idolatries and moral error and their wives, queens, Coyas; and Ñustas, princesses; Pallas, noble women, ladies; Curaca Uarme, principal ladies; and those of the captains-general, Cincheconas; and of the dukes and counts, marquises, Capac Apaconas [very powerful lords], and the rest of the Indian headmen
Y de la contradic[c]ión del Ynga lexítimo Topa Cuci Gualpa Guascar Ynga, con su ermando uastardo, Atagualpa Ynga, y de su capitán general y mayor, Chalco Chima Ynga, Aua Panti Ynga, Quis Quis Ynga, Quizo Yupanqui Ynga, Mango Ynga, que se defendió de los daños de los españoles en tienpo del enperador.	and of the conflict of the legitimate Inca, Topa Cuci Guallpa Uascar Ynga, with his bastard brother Atagualpa Ynga, and his greatest captains general, Chalco Chima Ynga, Aua Panti Ynga, Quis Quis Ynga, Quizo Yupanqui Ynga, Mango Ynga, who defended themselves from the attacks of the Spaniards in the time of the emperor [Charles V]
Y después de la conquista deste buestro rreyno de las Yndias del Pirú y del alsamiento contra Vuestra corona real, don Francisco Pizarro y don Diego de Almagro y Gonzalo Pizarro, Caruaxal y Francisco Hernándes Girón con los demás capitanes y soldados.	and after the conquest of this your kingdom of the Indies of Peru and the rebellion against your royal crown by Don Francisco Pizarro and Don Diego Almagro and Gonzalo Pizarro, Carvajal, and Francisco Hernández Girón, and the rest of the captains and soldiers,
Y del primero bueso bizorrey, Blasco Núñes Uela, y del uirrey, don Antonio de Mendoza del áuito de Santiago, y del uirrey don Andrés, marqués de Cañete, del uirrey don Francisco de Toledo, y del uirrey don Martín Enrríques y del uirrey don García Hurtado de Mendoza, marqués de Cañete, y del uirrey don Luys de Uelasco, del áuito de Santiago, del uirrey don Gaspar Súñiga Asuedo Monterrey, conde, y del uirrey don Juan de Mendoza y de la Luna, marqués.	and of your first viceroy Blasco Núñez Vela, and of the viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza of the Order of Santiago, and of the viceroy Don Andrés [Hurtado de Mendoza], Marquis of Cañete, of the viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo, and of the viceroy Don Martín Henríquez [de Almanza] and of the viceroy Don García Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis of Cañete, and of the viceroy Don Luis de Velasco of the Order of Santiago, of the viceroy Don Gaspar Súñiga Asuedo [Zúñiga y Acevedo] Count of Monterrey, and of the viceroy Don Juan de Mendoza y de la Luna, Marquis,
Y de la vida de Uuesos corregidores y escriuanos y de tinientes y de comenderos y padres de las dotrinas y de los dichos mineros, de los dichos españoles caminantes que pasan por los	and of the activities of your corregidores [administrators of colonial municipal districts] and notaries and lieutenants and encomenderos [grantees of Indian labor] and parish priests and the afore-mentioned miners, the afore-mentioned wandering Spaniards who pass by the

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A SV MAGESTAD	TO HIS MAJESTY
10 [10] tanbos rreales y caminos y rríos y mojones y todo el rreyno del Pirú de las Yndias y de los dichos uecitadores y jueses y de los caciques prencipales y de yndios particulares pobres y de otras cosas.	10 [10] tanbos [royal way stations] and roads and rivers and landmarks and the entire kingdom of Peru of the Indies, and of the said inspectors and judges and of the prominent native lords and poor common Indians and of other things.
E trauaxado de auer para este efeto las más uerdaderas relaciones que me fueron pocibles, tomando la sustancia de aquellas persona, aunque de uarias partes me fueron traydas, al fin se rredugían todas a la más común opinión. Escogí la lengua e fracis castellana, aymara, colla, puquina, conde, yunga, quichiua ynga, uanca, chinchaysuyo, yauyo, andesuyo, condesuyo, collasuyo, cañari, capanpi, quito. Pasé trauajo para sacar con el deseo de presentar a Vuestra Magestad este dicho libro yntitulado Primer nueua corónica de las Yndias del Pirú y prouechoso a los dichos fieles cristianos, escrito y debojado de mi mano y engenio para que la uari[e]dad de ellas y de las pinturas y la enbención y dibuxo a que Vuestra Magestad es enclinado, haga fázil aquel peso y molestia de una le[c]tura falta de enbinción y de aquel ornamento y polido ystilo que en los grandes engeniosos se hallan.	I have worked to find for this effect the most truthful accounts that it was possible for me to obtain, taking the meaning and substance from those persons, although they were brought to me from many places, and at the end reducing them all to the most prevalent opinion. I chose the Castilian language and speech as well as Aymara, Colla, Puquina Conde, Yunga, Quichiua Ynga, Uanca, Chinchaysuyo, Yauyo, Andesuyo, Condesuyo, Collasuyo, Cañari, Cayanpi, Quito. I worked very hard to fulfill my desire to present toYour Majesty this said book entitled First New Chronicle of the Indies of Peru and of use to the said faithful Christians, written and drawn by my hand and natural talent so that their variety and that of the pictures and the creativity and design to which Your Majesty is inclined will make light the burden and bother of a reading lacking in inventiveness and that ornament and polished style which is found in those of great genius.
Para egenplo y conseruación de la santa fe católica y para la emienda de las herronías y prouecho para ynfieles de su saluación de sus ánimas, exemplo y emienda de los cristianos, ací de los saserdotes y corregidores y comenderos y meneros y españoles caminantes, caciques prencipales y de yndios particulares. Rreciba Vuestra Magestad uenignamente este umilde pequeño seruicio, aconpañado de mi gran deseo, y esto me será una dichosa y descansado galardón de mi trauajo.	For the sake of the conservation of the holy Catholic faith and for the correction of moral error, and for the benefit of nonbelievers and the salvation of their souls, and as a guide to reform for all Christians, such as priests and corregidores and encomenderos and miners and vagabond Spaniards, native lords and common Indians, may Your Majesty favorably receive this small humble service which is accompanied by my great desire, for this will be for me a joyful and uplifting reward for my efforts.
De la prouincia de los Lucanas a \\ primero de enero de 1613 // de 161[ ] años. Su umilde bazallo, Don Felipe de Ayala, autor.	From the province of Lucanas on \\ the first day of January of 1613 // of 161[ ] years. Your humble vassal, Don Felipe de Ayala, author.

Transcription and translation: Copyright 2002 by Rolena Adorno