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. Royal Commentaries. 1 . CH A P. In what the Tribute was paid, and ,in what quantityj ancl what Laws were made in relation to the fame. ce cOming now to difcourfe of thofe Tributes which the ln(a Kings of Peru ej(i '" aél:ed of rheir Subjefü, they were fo fmall and inconfiderable, diat if we· ' ' duly refleét on the quality and quantity of the Matters required, we may boldly ' ' affirm, thar che great c~fars, wl:io were ftyled Auguíl: and Pious, were not to be " compared tóthefe lncM, in refpeél: of that proteél:ion and compaffion they had to- , . " wards their Peoplc; ; for .indeed, if i~ be well confidered, tliefe Princes feemed ce to have paid Toll and Tribute to their Vaífals, rather than they unto their Kings,. " whofe care aod bufinefs it was to lay out themfelves for the good and welfare ot ' ' their people. The quantity of their Tribute being reduced to the Account and " Meafures we make in thefe days, would be very inconfiderable ; for the days " work of the Laboúrers, and the value of the things in ' themfelves, and the con- " fümption which the Incas made of their Stores' oeing al! duly calculated' it will " be found that rnany lndians did not pay the 'value of four Ryals of our Money, " And lell: this fmall Tribute íhould feem burrhenfome in the payment thereof, d- '" ther to their Inca, or their Curaca, they expreífed much joy and chearfulneíS when " they carried it into che Stores; having fome confideration that the Tribute wa's " but fmall, and yet greatly tended to the confervation and benefit of themfdves " and the publick. Thote Laws and Statutes which were made in favour of the " Tributaries, were fo faithfully and inviolably conferved, ~h:tt neither the Gover- " nours, nor Captains, nor Generals, nor the Inca himfelf had power to corrupt or ''-cancel them in prejudice of his Subjeél:s. Tñe which Laws are thefe which fal- ce low. The Firll: and principal Law was this: That whofoever hath at any 6mé « been free, and exempt from Tribute, cannot at any time afcerwards be obliged, ' ' to the payment thereof. Thofe diat were free and pl'ivileged,_ were all chofe of l.t the Bloud--Royal, all Captains of high or low degree, even the very Cemurions, ce with their Children and Grandchildren ; together with the Curaw, and all thofe « of their Generation ; Souldiers alfo aél:ually employed in the 'i\T ar were excu- cc fed ; and Y 0ung Meo, untill they arrived at the Age of twenty five, \vere not "witbin the Order, becaufe unrill that time they were judged to be under che Tui- " tion, or Pupillage of their Parents. Old Men of fifty years, and upwards, were " alío exempted from Tribute ; as likewife all Women, whether Virgins, or Wives, "pr Widows: The fick and infirm, untill they had recovered their healrh, were " excufed ; and the blind, and lame, and deaf, and durnb, were employed in füch · re Tribucary Work as they were capable of. The Second Law was, Tbat aJl orhers ; ce unleíS Priefrs and Minill:ers attending on the Temple of the Sun, and the Sek:él; " Virgins, were 'ª11 without any limitation, or reíl:riétion, ( exc.ept befare excep1ed) " obliged to payll\ent of their Tribute. A Third Law was, That no Índian what- ' ' foever was obliged to pay his Tribute, or any pare thereof, out of his own Srores " or Eftate, but onely by his Labour, or in difcharge of his Office, or by the time " which h€ employed in the publick Service of his King aµd Countrey ~ and here- " in every Man was equal, the Rich being not farth .r charged than .he that was " Poor : We call him. Rich that ,had many Children and Servancs, wbo affiíl:ed "him in his Work, and fpeedily to diípatch the task ofTribute which was impo- " fed upon him ; for a Man might be Rich in other ~bings, and yet Poor in this " particular. A Fourth Law was, That no Man could be obliged to any other La- " bour, but that which was properly his own, unlefs it were i:ipon Tillage of Land, " and in the Wars, for thofe were Matters of common éoncernment. A Fifrh " Law was, Thg,t' nl2l Nation, or Province, in payment of their Tribute; was ob- ,, liged to any Contribution, but of that which was of the Growth of rheir owri e" X ~ ~' Ommrey s