4000003870

BooK

--~ Royal

Commentaries.

CH AP.

VII.

That Go!J, and Silver, and other things of value, were not

given

by way

of Tribute,

but

of Prefents.

LL that great quantity of Gold and Silver, .and pretious Stones

which the

IncM

poffeffe(:f, were not Rents, nor Fruir.s

i~ing

from

Tr~bute,

but Pre–

fents which the People voluntarily offered to their Kmgs;

for

neither Gold nor

Silver were efteemea nece.ffary for maintenance of Peace, nor (as we

will

have

it)

the Sinews of

War~

nor reckoned as any part of Riches, or Efiate, !lor were they

meafures in buying or Jelling, or given in payment

the Sould1ers;

for

they

could neither drink nor fatisfie their hunger with thofe Mecalls, and therefore

were valued at no other rate, than for their glittering Lufire, and refplendent

Beauty deligned onely for Ornaments

adorn the Temples of the Sun, and the

Palacd of the

IncM,

and the Monafieries of the Virgins, as we have already made

appear, and fhall hereafter have occafion to prove

mo~e

at large.

~hey

found

out the Mines of quick-filver' but knew not the ure of 1t, onely that

was hurt–

full,

and of a quality noxious to the Head, and

for

that reafon prohibited the

People from gathering or medling with it.

\Ve fay then, that Gold and Silver was a free Offering from the Subje&

their Prince, and never demanded by them in way of Tribute, or Duty : and

· regard it was

cufi:ome amongfi: that People, never to appear before their Supe–

riours with empty hands, for when nothing better offered, even a basket of

dry

or ripe :fruit was acceptable: and that

alfo

it was accufi:omary

for

the

CuractU,

and

Princes, who had fovereign Authority over Subjeets ,

prefent themfelves be–

fore the

lnca

at the principal feafis of the

Year,

which were dedicated

the Sun,.

fuch as

Raymi,

and at otner times when Triumphs were cele8rated for great and

fignal

Vietories

or when

Prince and

Heir was

born, or

his

Head thorn, or

tnat the

Inca

viGted the Provinces, and the like, the

CuracM

did then never pre–

fume to

appear

before the

I nca,

and

kifs his

Hands, without their Prefents of

Gold,

or Silver , or pretious Stones, fuch as the

Indians,

who were their

a!fals,

had at their lei[ure times extraeted from the Mines;

for

in regard chat

the~

things ''ere not nece1fary for fopport of humane Life, the acquilition of them was

fcarce efieemed worth their labour, and the employment onely appointed

for

their

vacant hours; for when they knew that there

was no

other ufe

for

them,

but onely for the adornment of their Temples, and Palaces of rhe

Inca,

they then

efieemed them worthy their trouble,

for

no other reafon,

th'Ul

that they

might

appear with confidence before their Gods, who were the Sun and the

Inca.

Moreover befides fuch rich Gifrs as thefe, the

Curac11-1

did commonly prefem

the King Timber of the befi and firongeft nature for

his

Buildings,

with

excel–

lent

Mafi:ers,

and the rnofi able Artifts and Workmen to ereCl: them ;

for if

there

were any Perfons ingenious, or excellent in Arrs, or Crafrs, fuch as Silver-finiths,

Painters, Stone-cutters, Carpenters, or others, they \Vere always p!eferred and

recom:nended by the

Curac11-1

to the [ervice of the

Inca;

for

indeed fuch Perfons

thefe could find no Employment or Encouragement

vvith

the common People

every one of

which

had skill and art fufficient

for

building

his

own poor

Hut~

Cottage. where he

dwelt,

and making

his

O'-'

Shoes

and

Garments;

though anciently the Community had the care of providing every Family vvith

Houfe, yet .now, fince every.

fingle

Perfon hath learnt that myfiery, and become

a rare Arch1te0:, and can,

1th the affifience of a few Friends and _

el-

tions, be

able

form his

ov\:n

Ne0=

and

Habitation; the

Art

of Surveyors, and the

La–

bour

ofWorkmen

of htt!e ufe to them,

for

being poor, and

living

onely

with

defign

fupply

the

neceffit1es

of humane

Life,

they have

non

of rhofe fupe ..

fluities