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.

1 , BooK V. Royal ommenta.rier. of what we have related, touching ch Beginning~, Cuftoms, ~w.s and Gov~~ .. mene of chis people. . . ' . . _And becau[e he hath wrote on .chis fubjeét .with much .perfpicuicy, arder and · elegancy of e~reflion, 1 have chought _fit to f\Gorn .chis lfi!lory, aód /uP.Ply .the defefü of it by fome of chofe Excellenc1es which 1 have cop1ed f~om bis Works. • :\"'f e HA t>. xt l b¡ ihe Laws a~d Statutes ~hlch .the ,Íncá~ fhade fer th~ good.and-henefit o/ their $uhje~ls. · ' 1 ¡' Tl-iat whiéh no~ idímediateÍy.fóÚows éo_iicemkg che G~vernment Óf che In~ ca1, we have far .che better confirmation and authoncy of what we h~ve - already declared, Tranílated T'erhatím out of che Elega'nt Latin of Bias Vi!lera: " The Jndlans of Peru, faith he, began to lay fome Foundations of a Political Go- " vernment in the Reigns of 'che Inca, Manco C apac, and of the Inca Roc1e, whd " was alfo one of their Kings ; for befare rhac tj.me, in all .preceding Ages, they " lived like Bruces, .in all filthiriefs and l;Jefüality; without order, rule, or any go~ " vemmenc : But from that time they pegan tO educate theirChildren with fome " mean rudiments of learning ~ and td eriter inco civil anq mutual .communica- " ·tion ; chey then alfo began ro Clóath themfelves, not onely with a refpeél: to ~' modefty, but likewife far ornámenc; they then plowéd ánd cultivated rheir " Fields wich induíl:ry and labo1.1r, and therein afforded mutual affiíl:ence each to " ocher; they -~. coníl:icuced Jutlges, and k,ept Courcs, they builc Houfe5 ~' both far prívate Dwellings and publick Meetings; wich many other thingS " cotnmendable, ancP worthy of prai[e. Thofe Laws and Statutes which theii: . " Princes from the mer~ light of reafon diél:ated and prefcribed to them , they " readily embraced, atfd thereunto direéled and conformed all their Aél:ions in " that exa&: manner, thát for my partl cannot biat prefer--thefe Inca s of Peru, no~ " ondy befare che ltihabitants of China and ·rapan, and all thc5fe.of ch~ Eaft-Jndies ; " bue e ven before the Nacural Gentiles of Afia, and .the Nativ es"üf-Greece: For if " it.be :well.confidered, the labour and indufüy which.Numa Poinpflim'eierci[ed irí " frar nmg ánd - éóníl:i~ting Laws agreeable to che humo~ and, difpofition of che " Rqmans; aµd-that.Solon was an ~cellent Legiílatour for the Atheniam, and Licur- " gm for che Lacede~niam, is not much to be ádmired, becaufe they were Med - " experr, and knowiri'g in all the poihts of Humane literacure ; which was a great " advantage, and availed cheqi much in compofingLaws and Cufro'ms proper and ~' neceílary for rhofo prefent days¡ and the háppinefs and wdfare of future Ages~ . " But it is íl:range and wonderfull, chat théfe peor Jndians; who had none of chofe " helps nor advantáges; ího~ld be able to lay fuch et folid foundation of excellent " Laws, which ( (!gcepcing the -Errour of their Idolarr9us Worlliip) were cruly " ratióµal and comparable iri every ref~él: to the Confütutions ©f the mofi lear-:- " ned_Statefmen, and whicH thefe cdníl:ant Indians conferv~ with facr~dnefs and ce veneraiion tinto this da.y : And-which is moíl: füangé~ i:hat without letters 01: " wricing, and ónely by knots of thread of divers tolours tHey füduld be able cd " diíl:inguifh théir Laws, ' and reade them with rheit true fen[e and. fignifü,:a- , .. tion ; and fo well oy th1s invention fo cdmmit therri tó the' krtowled~e of p'o~ " fierity, that ftricé che.y were eíl:abliíhed by their fíríl: .f(:tngs.; fix hunc;lred . y~;tt~ " áre fully elapfed, and yet are as faithfully and ás lively conferveg in che memo7 " ry of that ~édple , ~- f chey had beén Láws of latei.- qate: .Such was their " Municipal Law, whi tl' a:ted of che particular advancage of every Nacion , ' ' and che Privileges and m~nities re[peétive to every people. T hey h ad their - ~ .Agrari..cn Law; which determined 'and meafured out tlie bounds a.nd _limits of - U i, ~' P rovin~~~