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.

Royal Commentarie1:' _BooK V. people, every one ferved him with fuch chearfulnefs and ala~rity, that a Spanifh Hiíl:orian rnuch adrniring thereat, ufed thefe words: .. " The RIChes of chofe bar- « barous Kings confiíl:ed in che Number of their ,Subjeél:s, who were all Slaves ' ' co them; and what is m~fl wonde11,ful~ is, that allt~e l~bour and toil chey ufed " for tbeir Kings, was their greaceft delight and recreat1on ; and fuch was the " good rule a11d order obferved in ic , chac no labour was cedious, but racher of " comentm~nc and fatisfaétion. The[e \yords are not my own, but che expreffi- ons of 'l_ofeph de Acofta, a Perfon of good ~uthoricy, w.hich 1 gladly infert here 1 as in orher places, to defend my felf agamfl the Malic~ and Obloquy of chofe who are ready to charge me with Fables forged in honoqr and favour to my own Kíndred and Coumrey. And this is whac we have to fay of the Tribute which was given to chefe ldolatrous Kings. Therf:: \~ª6 aoqcher fort of'fribute which che Kings exaéled from che Impotenr, and fl)qh ,¡¡s were calle~ Poor; anct chnt was, chc¡.t every one was obllged from fo many q4ys, to fuch a tiine,, to delivGr imo th~ hanps of che Governours aReed filled with Lice. lt i~ f'aid, that che ·ri;ª'fon why che fnfa1 required chis füange for~ of Tribute, was, tlw fo no perfo~; how impotent foever, rnighc pretendan entire e'lj'.em-ptlon from Tribute; and beeaufe Lice were the eafieft Tribute, the King exaéted fuch :is ~hey could pay ; and che racher, thac fo chis people by foch obligati9n might be forced for paymenc to clear and make clean chemfelves of Verrnine, and nor pmend ~-o be void of all employfl'Jent; and che care of chis Collefüo11was encharged to a Deaurion, or Officer of t~n, as before memioned. By fuch Aéts of merey and compaíflQn as this towards che Poor, che- Inca meri- ted cpe Tide of a Lover of che Poor, the which Name he affumed to himfelf amongíl: his other Digni~s--aQd Titles of Honour. The perfons exeqlpt frmn all Tribut~ 1 were che lncM of the Bloud-Royal, che ·Pr¡efis an9 Miniílers of the Temple, che C11racM ,ªnd Sovereign Lords, Colonels, and Caprains, and Centurions, choug~ they were not of the Bloud-Royal ; alfo GovernoQrs, Judges, Minifters of Srace, during che time of their Offíces, chey were onely obliged ~o attend cheir charge and employmencs, withour ocher crou- ble or ~iverfion : Ali Souldiers who we,re aélually in Arms, :ind arrending in tke War, were e:xcufed from other Services; and Youths under che Age of rwency five years, beiog umill rhat time efi:eemed Servants to cheir Fachers, and withouc power over themfelves ; and noc capable to difpofe of themfelves in Marriage, were not obliged to pay any fort of Tribute ; as alfo new-married perfons for the firíl: year were diípenfed with in rhat p articu lar. Old Men frorn fifry years and upwards, as alfo W omen, and Ma.ids, q.nd Widows, and Married people were alío exempt from Tribute, rhough che S panif h Writers alledge, that Women were obliged umo that payment, becaufe chey were obferved to work and Jabour as o- ther people; bue l~ erein they were miíl:aken, for that Vvomen were no~ obJiged tó this labour by way of Tribute, but onely for che help and affiílence of d:ieir Parents or Husbands, that fo they might more fpeedily diíparch their tasks, and finifh the labour allotted to chem. It was alfo an excufe for any to prove himfelf to have been fick and indifpofed in his health; che lame alfo and the blind, but not che dumb nor de:if were freed from cheil.' perfonal laqour; the which belong- ing properly to every panicular perfon, became a debe noc to be remitted, unleís on the preceding Condüions and Provifoes. And thus much Bl:u Va/era alledges fo agreeabl~ room: fenfe, as if what we fhall hereafrer declare in this matter, or have already herein delivered, had been onely a Copy, or Extraét, out of his Wri- ting.s. C HAP.