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 Commentarier. CH A P. XVI. The Order they ufed in impoflng and proportiening íheif 'ÍJ-i- bute ; a~d how the. Inca requÚed the Curacas in returñ · of thofe pretioM things they_gave him far Prefents. ce T HE Ei ghth L aw ~rdained and prefcribed the ·m~hner a~d rule how ev~ty " , perfon w.as to be taxed for bis proportion of Tribute, for equality and juíl: ' ' prop ortion w as ob ferved in ali matters by them; and the_manner was this: Up- " on a cena.in day appointed, the principal People 0f every P.rovinc~, fuch as tbeir ,t Judg es, .Tax -gatberers, Accountants, and Keepers oüheir Knots iri threads, af- ' ' fembled rogether, by help of wbich', and of their Pebles, wbich were in number ' ' as many as the Inhabitants of the Province were; they níade their Accounts fo ' ' exaét, that I know not who are more to be :commended, -d.ther_thofe who .with- " out figures of Arithmetick were able by a quicker way, than our Accoumams, to "make a fpeedy or juíl: reckoning, or the Governour and Miniíl:ers, who eafily ap- " prehendea the mechad and reafon of their Accounts, by fuch obfcure and unin.- ' ' telligible ways to us. , " By thefe Knots they were informed of the work done .by every Indian, what "Offices he had aéted, what jonrnies he bad undertaken by order of his Curaca, or "Superiour, whát Trade he had exercifed; all which was· placed to his Accoum, . ' 'in difcbarge of bis Tribute. Then they readily 'made appear to the Judges and " Governours every thing difünaly by it felf, as how much Provifion was laid up ce in the Stores, .and wbat was tbe quality of them, as Pepper, Cloths, Shoes, ce Arins, and cither things, ~bich were matters ofTribute, togerher i;vith 'the Gold, ~' Silver, pretious Stones, and Copper; and what'thereof appertainecd to che Inca., " and wbat proportion unto che Sun: They alfo accounted for che Stores of every " Provmce; and farcher the Law ordained, tbat every Inca, Goverhour of a Pro- ,, vince, fhould keep a Copy of the Accounts·or Tally in his own poífeliion, as a " means to avoid and prevent ali fraud and cheats in the Miniíl:ers. A Ninth Law "was, that what overplus remained of Tribute after the occ.afions of che Inca were " fupplied, were to be ttaofported to the comrnon Maga-zines of the Coumrey, and " chere lodged for common fuppórt and maintenance of thé Nacives in the times of " fcarcity. and farnine, As to Jewels, .and precious Stónes, Gold, -and Silver, Fea- " tbers of Bi.rds, with various Colours for Painting, ami Miniamre, wich divers ' ' other. Cur¡ofüies, which the CuracM every year prefented to the Inca~ they wer(!! " all takep, and difpofed of for ador.nment of thefüng, and his near Relations; and " tben afrerwards, in ca[e any overplus remained, or tbat there was more tban the " occafions of the Royal Family required, they were in gr-ace and favour to the Cap,- ,, tains, and Lords, who prefemed chem, returned again to tbem; for rhough they "were ch'e goods and produét of their own Countrey, and that rhey could not make· ' ' ufe of them; yet being reíl:ored with fuch obliging circumílancesJrom the Inca, " che favour and honour was highly eíl:eemed: from all which ir is evident, that the , "Incas enjoyed che finalleíl: part,of all the Tribute, ano that the Taxes and Impoft- . ' ' tions were more for the benefit of the People, . than of che King._ The Tenth " Law enumerated, agd particu.Jarized the feveral Works and Employrnents which "were to be performed by way of Tribute, for fervice,of che King and Countrey; "as making. and plaining the High-ways, building or repair~ng the Temples.of che " Sun, ano ocher Idolatrous Sanétuaries, erefüng publick Houfes, as Score-houfes, " and places for the Tribunals of Juíl:ice, and fears ,for . the Governours, making " Bridges, or taking the Ernployment of Meífengers, whom they called Chafqui, til-' " ling the Grounds, and inclofing Orchards, feeding Flocks and Herds of Cattel, '~ watching the'Poífeffions, and fowed Lands, building Inns, .and places of Hofpi- '.'. tallry f6r Strangers and Travellers, and giving their attendance there for fuccollr, . . árn;i