The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

BooK V. J{oyal Commentariú. e 8 A P. 11. 'Of the Órder they obferved in numurzng thei~ · Lands; an,J what Feaft and Joy they made when 'th~y iilled , thé Grounds of the Inca; ánd of tÍ;e S1.m. I '· N cultivating ~heir Eands they obferved this Rule and Metbod; thofe of th; , Sun were preferred in tbe fuíl: place, then thofe belonging to Orphans, and VVidows, and Perfons impotenr, by reafon of age and fickilefs; all which remai- riing under the notion of poor, were by order of the Inca provided for, and their Lands manur~d by fpecial Command: .To perform which, there were Deputies appointed in every Parifh, or Gommunity of.the People, to rake care that thofe Lands were tilled and dreífed. Thefe Deputies were called Llaéfacamqyu, which • i~ as muchas Monitors of the People, .whofe charge it was according to the Sea- fons ofthe Year, torplow, and fowe, and reap~ and gather the fruit, laying it up in places whid~ they had built like Barnes to receive them. The fummons which the People had ~o this work, was by found of Trumpet, or orher loud lnftru- menr, to crave ,attention; and then the Crier: prodaimed , That fuch a day the ;work of thé poor was to be done, an~ therefore tha:t .every one íhould provide againíl: that time ro auend that fervice; and then where they were firft to be- gin, and how to proc~~d, either in that of the).r Relations,. or Neighbours, was !a!Iigned by the Over(eer. Every workman that carne to lábour in the fields of the Orphans, or Widows; ,or impotent brought his own Provifions with him.; for that the Poor were obliged. to no care, their infirmities and wanrs excufing them from other troubles, than a patient fufferance of their own evils. If the poor wanted feed to fow their Lands, it was.adrniniíl:red to them out of the pub- lick Granaries, of which we íhall have occaficri to fpeak hereafcer. The Lands of Souldiers, whilft they were aél:ually employed in the Wars; were rnanured with the farne care and manner as thofe of.rhe poor; their Wives, during the abfence of their Husba:nds, being.llíled into the namber of.Wldows, and. the Children.of thofe who were ílain in the Wars were provided for, and carefully educated; uritill the time of their Marriage. . . . The Lands of the poor being already tilled , .in the next place every private Perfon rnight attend to his qwi;l Farm, ~rid the .firíl: that had dorie was to help bis fellows: then the Lands of c~e Qtraca were to be ferved, and were the laft in or- der. after th9fe of the People; ,thG which was o.bfervecl fo feverely, thar in the Reign of Haayn,a Capac, a cer,tain lxdian Overfeer was hanged for tilliog the Land of a Curaca, \.vho was his Kinfmap_; before that of a Widow; and ro make the púnifhment more exemplaty, rhe Gallows was fet up iri che very-Land of thé Cu- rttca. The feverity of this Law was grounded ori rhe fame praétice, which was obferved in the Lands of the . Inca hirnfelf; • for that the Inca always preferred the Tillage of his Subjeél:s bef0re his·own, it being their fure Maxime, .that the Happinefs of the Prince depends..on the Pr9fperity of che People, wirhout which they become unable to ferve hitlJ; eicher- in times ofWar or Peace. ; . . The laft Lands to be tilled;Were thofe of rhe King, to which, and to th0fe of the Sun, che People in general applied dm:nfelves with greac.alacrity and rejoicing.; théy rhen at that work appeared.i,n.their beíl: Cloths, ful! ofGold and Silver places, and fearhers on their Heads, in the fame manner as they were dreífed on their fefiival days. \i'Vhen they ploughed, which feemed che more pleafant work · - .ihey fung the Sonnets rnade in praife of cheir Incas, with which the tirµe pa!fed f oi ~!y, that their Labour feemed a Recreation, fo great was- their Devotion' to" - \vards their God and their King. -