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 II. Royal Commentarie!. Sourhward che Countrey Colla, which extends it felf to the Zur. In thefe fuur Pr9vinces are comprehended many great Countries, and amongíl: che reíl: che Kingdom of Chile, which concains about 600 Leagties in length cowards che Zuri ;md is within tbe Province of Colla ; and che Kingdom of ~ta, '\vhich is wirh- in che Diviflon of Colla, runs 400 Leagues to che Northward: So that .to name ~bofe Qganers, is as muchas to [ay, Eaíl: and. \;ve(l:, &c. according to which, che principal ways leading to che City were fo called. The IncM laid one mechód ahd r\}le in their Government, as che beft: means ro prevent all mifchiefs and diforders-; which was this, That of ~ll che people in every place, whecber more or lefs, a Regiíl:er fhould be kept ; and a Diviuo¡1 made of teh ¡md ten; over which one of che ten, whom chey called the Decu; rion·, was made Superiour over che other niné ; th~n every five Divifions of this na~ure hada Decurion over thern, ro whom .was éomrnitted the charge ahd care bÍ fifry ; then over che two Divi(tops of fifty a Superiour pecurion was coníl:i- tuted to fupervife ~t hundred ; fp f\ye Divifions of á hundred had their Captairi which commanded. five hpndrcd; and la(Hy, ten Divifions had their General ove+ a ch0ufand; for no Decqr\qQ h4d a great~r nw;11ber to govern or accóunt for 3 rhe charge of one thoufand 5@ing ~íl:eemed a fufficient care for any thá.t by bis Q.nder-Ofµcers wóuld undertake to ·accouqt for his people, and rule theni welt · ..The Decurio,ns of ten bad .a doµ~lé dut}! incumbem on them, one was with d.ilig~nce :md care to fuccour, ~nd fufiain chofe whicjl were under their Divi- fion ; giving ;in account to his Superióur Officer, in cafe any of them fhould be 1 in want or Qeceffity of any thing ; as of Coro ro fqw or eat, or Wool to cloath them, or Materials to re-buifd t\1eir houfes, deíl:royed by fire, or any other acci- qent, or íhould fall into any extremity whatfoever. His other duty was to be Cenfor Morum, 9r Monitor of their aétions, taking notice, and giving i1iformátion of the faults and irregularities of thofe under him , which he ~as to report to his Superiour Offjcer ; who, according to the nature of the Mifdemeanciur, had tbe power of punifhment; howfoever, the lower Officers had _klower ro chaíl:if~ the leffer defaults; that fo for every petty Mifdemeanour, they needed not tO have tecourfe to the Superiour, or General of them all; whereby delays in Law- fuirs were avoided, and long proceífes, which tire and confume the people,' were fpee- dily ended ; and licigious Caufes and vexatious Aétions decermined witliout Ap- , peals .from one Judge to another ;_ and in cafe of pu?~ick differences between t~o Provmces, they were always dec1ded by the definmve fentence of one Jufüce, which che Inca coníl:ituted by a fpecial Commülion. · What Officer foever, either of higher or Jower degree, that was negligem or temi{$ in his duty incurred a penalty agreeable to the natúre of his defaul t. If he adminiílred not the affiíl:ence required, or neglected to Indiét an Offender; though it were but the omiffion of one day without a lawfull éxcufe ; he was not onely liable to anfaer for his own default, but to receive the puniíhment due to' the crime of the Offendour. And in regard every one of thefe Decurions had a Superiour over him, who eyed and wacched h¡s aétions, they were all diligenc in their duties, and impartía! in their juíl:ice ; no vagabonds or idle perfons duríl: appear, or trefpaffes were committed; for the Accufation was readily brought in , and the punifhrnent was rigorous, which in many fmall cafes was even capital ? not fo much for che fin it felf, as for the aggtavacion thereof, being cornmitted againfi: the Word and Comrnand of the Inca, whom they refpeéted as a God' 5 aad though che Plaintiff or the injured perfon were willing to let fall his Suit, and remit the penalty to the Offendour; yet the courfe of the Law will íl:ill proceed; irnpofing a puniíhment agreeable to. th~ quality of the crirne, either 'death, or füipes, or banifhmenc, or che like. ' In Families firiét feverity was obfetved to keep their Children wichin the rules of modefiy and decent behaviour : for time w~re Laws even againíl: the il1 man- ners of Children ; for whofe mifcarriages the Decurion, as well as the Father, was refponfible: So that the Children of the Indians, who are náturally of a gen- tle and complying tet_})per, are educated in great awe, and m~d~ modeíl: by rhe correétion and examp1e of their Parents. In times of Vv ar che Generals and Captains affiuned che fame power over tbeir Souldiery, and took the Carne care of tnem, as the Decurions clid in rhe time ot Peace, whofe Offic€5 ( befides the matters befare meotioned) oblig€d them to F take 33