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 Commentaries. BooK V. " Month~ of the Year in Service of the Inca, which was in difcharge of their Tri- ' ' bute the rernainder of the Year was their own, free, and might diípofe of rhem- " felv;s as they thought fit; this was a particular Trade and M~flery, and fuch as " laboured in it were called Srnekers. That fort of Copper wb1ch they called An· " ta ferved them in the place of Iron) of which they made their Knives and Car- " p;nters Tools, and the great Pins with which rhe \N ornen tucked up their Cloths. " and hereof they made great and large Plates, w~ich ferved for Looking-glaífes ~ " and likewife of the fame Metal they made ali their Rakes and Hammers ; fo rhat " being of an Univerfal ufe to t!1em, they preferred it befare ~old or ~ilver , and '.' for that reafon worked more m tbe Mmes of Copper, rhan m the ncher Mines " of Gold or Silver. " •The Salt which they made, wherher it were from their Salt Springs, or Sea· " Water, a'S alfo Fifh taken in the Seas, or Rivers, or Lakes and Fruir growing " from their Wild Trees, as alfo Cottons and fine Rufhes were by Commarld of " the Inca deemed and judged to be the Common .Efiate of the people, and the " Goods of the Inhabitants in every Province, of which rhey had.right and licence . " to take and ufe as muchas their oc~aíions did require; l:1ut of thofe Trees which " any particular perfon had planted, the Fruit was pecuUar, and appropriated onely " to the ufe of hlm who planted thern. .. ' " The Corn which the Countries yielded far Bread, and thofe alfo which pro- " duced other Grane, were by order of rhe Inca divided into three parts, and ap· " plied to different ufes. The firíl: was far the Sun, his Prieíls and Miniíl:ers.; rhe " fecond was far the King, and far the fupport and rnaintenance of his Governow-s " and Officers, whom he difpatched and ernployed in foreign tparts ; and the rhird " was far the Natives and Sojourners of che Provinces, which was equally divided " according as the needs which every Family required. i::his was rhe divilion " which che Inca obferved and proporcioned in all p:ms of his Empire ; fo thac ce chere was no orher Tribute required of che Jndians payable eicher ~o their King, " or their Lords or Governours, orto the Temple or Prieíl:s, or any perfon, or for ce any other matter or rhing whatfoever. What overplus remained of rhe King's " Proviíions, were at the end of the Year tranfported to che Comrnon Stores of " the people ; and •whac overplus remained to the Sun, was diíl:ributed amongl1 " the poor, the lame, and che blind, and ochers who were in any manner difabled ; " bue no diíhibution hereof was made, untill fuch time as the Sacrifices were " completed, whir;h were rnany ; and plentifull provilion made for rhe Priefis "and Miniíl:ers of the Temple, who were almoíl: innumerable.