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.

~44 Roy¡¡,l Commentaries.. l~obK V. ,( . ,.· ¡ ' •• ,, H· ._ 1i :- · .-·-.,e A P:. , . ' IX~ t 1 ' • • r 1 ' ' fhai the P~op!e ~ere ]upplied with Clothing, ~nj that nq -Beggars were a!Jowed among(i them. 'I \ ·. . .. r 'AS by this go 1d Order, and Method, the Souldiery was well•provided wirh ~ Olothing, fo with the like ,care every two years a certain proportion of Wóol was dillributed to the Commonalty, and co the CuracM in gener:il, where- with to make Garments for themfelves, their Wives, and their Families ; and it was the Office of rhe Decurions to fee, and render an account to the Superiour Offi- cers, how far this Wool was employed to the ufes, unto which ir was deíigned. Tbe lndians were generally very poor in Cacee!, and-the CuracM chemfelves for the moll pare were MaHers of fo few as were not fufficient for fupply· of them- felves anOtheir Families; .whereas on th$! othe~ íide, the Sun, and the Inca, had _fuch vaíl: F locks and Herds , as were almoll rnnumerable. The lndifms repon, .that wh.en che Spaniard.t carne firíl in amongíl them, their flocks of Catre! were grea ter tha n their Paílures could feed, and I have heard from my Father, and others who lived in his time, that the Spaniard-1 made great Defüuétion of che ,Cartel, as we fhall hereafter have occafton more larg~ly ro relate. fo' the hot Countries rhey gave them Coc_rons to fp1? for che clochmg of t~emfelves and Fa- milies; fo thac evety one havmg a fuffic1ency 0f Food and Ra1ment, none could prbpefly be cerme<l'poor, nor could any be forced to beg, becaufe his Neceffities w~ 1 ·e · fupplied; ir is true, chat none could be c:illed rich, if Riches be placed in af. 'fluence and abundance; for as none wamed, fo noon had móre than his Needs requirnd. What we have declared ac-large, is confirmed by Acofta in a few words, who in the 1 5th Chapter of his 6th Book, fpeaking of Peru, hatb this paffage: " Ar the feafons they' íhore cheir Cattel, and rhen divided unto every one fuffici- " ene for himito fpin, and weave for his own, and che clothing of his Houre and " Family, and how diligent he was in his work, and how well he complied ~' ~1 irh his Task, was carefully infpeél:ed by an Officer, appointed for that·Affair: " what Wool or Cortan remained after fuch Diviíion, was laid up in che com- ' ' mon Storehoufes, which was performed with that good Husbandry, that rhey ~< were found full when che Spaniard1 entred their Countrey. And herein no " thinking Man can without due reflexion admire and wonder at the Providence " of chis People, arnj their political Governmem; for though rhey hac.l not been l~ refined wich the pure Deétrine of rhe Chrillian Religion, nor yet had been " .taught the Rules of aM@nafücal Life, yet they had learned chat point (which " \Ve cal! perfeél:ion) how-, and in what manner to provide ali neceífaries both " for che King and his People, without appropr iating any thing to a particular " poffeffion: And chus Acofla ends rhis 1 5th Chapcer, which he entitles, The RevenHe and TribHte ofthe Inca. ·In another Chapter following, difcouríing rhere of the Offices held by che f;idi,rns , he touches many points which we have alrea- tjy declared, and which we fhc.ill have occaf1on to fpeak of more ar large hereafcer, he hath farther thefe expreís words. " The lndians of Peru had chis Rule and " Maxime arnongft them, that ít was neceffary to teach their Children fo foon as \ " chey were capable, chofe work~ which were conducing co humane Life; for in " regard they had no Trades amongfl: them, fuch as Shoemakers, Weavers, and " che like, whofe Profeffion it was to make Shoes and Clocbing for orhers, as " well as themfelves; bue every one applyed himfelf to make and provide chat " of which he had need anq occaíioní fo rhat ali knowing how to weave and , " fow, provided themfelves with Garmencs out of the Wool which the Inca di- . " ffributed to them. Every one knew how to plow, and manure his Land wich- ,, out pu.tting himfelf ro the charge of Labourers; every one was a Carpenter, ·" and Mafon ~ and was able co build his own Houfe, efpecially che Women ~' were che mofi: ingenious and diligent of any; for being b1:ed up, aod educáted "ifl