175 / 1070
BooK
V.
Royal Commentaries.
CH A P.
XVL .
The Order they ufed in impoflng and proporti0ning íheif
'ÍJ-i–
hute; a~d how the_
Inca
requited the
Curacas
in returñ
·
of thofe pretioiu things they gave him f or Prefents.
ce
T
HE Ei
ghth Law ordained and prefcribed the-~ aimei.- and rule Í1ow ev~ty
" ,
perfo_n
w.asto
be taxed for bis proportion of Tribute, for equality and juíl:
'' proportion wa
s·obferved in ali matters by them; and the.manner was this: Up–
" on a cértain day appointed, the principal People of every P,rovinc~, fuch as their
,t
Judges, .Tax-gatherers, Accountants, ·and Keepers of.their Knots in threads, af–
,, fembled together, by help of which", and oftheir Pebles, which were in number
'' as many as the Inhabitants of the Province were, they ni~de their Accounts fo
'' exaét, that I know not who are more to be ;commended, -~1ther_thofe who with–
" out figures of Arithmetick were able by a qúicker way, than our Accoumants,
to
'' rnake a fpeedy or juíl: reckoning, or the Governour and Miniíl:ers, who eflfilYap- . ·
'' prehendea the rnethod and reafon of their Accounts, by fuch obfcure and unin1-
" telligible ways to us.
,
"
By chefe Knots they were informed of the work done. by e-very
Indian,
what
" Offices he had aéted, what jonrnies he had undertaken by arder of his
Curaca,
or
"Superiour, whát Trade he had exercifed ; all which was· placed to his Accounc, .
'' in difcharge of his Tribute. Then they readily made appear
to
the Judges and
ce
Governours every thing diíl:inétly by it felf, as how much ProviÍton was laid up
" in the Stores, _ and what was tbe quality of thern, as Pepper , Cloths, Shoes ,
"Arins, and cither things, ~hich were rnatters ofTribute, togecher 1:vith rhe Gold,
~' Silver, pretious Stones, and Copper; and what'thereof appertaine~ to che
Inca;
ce
and what proportion unto the Sun: They alfo accounted for che Seores of every
'' Provi.nce; and farcher the Law ordained, tbat every
Inca,
Goverhour of a Pro–
,, vince, íhould keep a Copy of the Accounts·or Tally in bis own poífe/Iion, ·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 afcer the occ.aÍtons of che
Inca
were
" fupplh?d, were
to
be ttaofported to the cotnmon Maga.zines of the Councréy, and .
" there lodged for common fupport and rnaintenance ofthé Natives in the times of
" fcarcity. and famine, As to Jewels, -and pretious Stónes, Gold, -and Silver, Fea–
" thers of Birds, with various Colours for Painting, and Miniacure , wich divers
'' othei: Curiofüies, which the
CuracM
every year prefented
to
the
Inéa
~
they wer(j!
" all takep, and difpofed of for ador_nrnent of the-K.ing, and his near Relations; an_d
" then afrerwards, in cafe any overplus remained, or chat there was more than the
" occaÍtons·of che Royal Family required, they were
in
gr-ace and favour
to
the Cap,,
'' tains, and Lords, who prefemed them, recurned again to them; for rhough they
"were ch'e goods and produét of their own Countrey, and thac chey could noc make
'' ufe of thern; yet being réíl:ored with fuch obliging circumílancesJrorn the
Inca,
" the favour and honour w
as highlyeíl:eemed:
frbm
all which ic isevidem, tbat the
,
"Incas
enjoyed che finalleíl:
part.ofall che Tribute, ano that che Taxe-s and lmpoíi- ·
" tions were more for the
benefit of the People, than of the King._ The Temh
" Law enumerated, and partic~larized the feveralWorks and Employments which
" were
to
be perforrned by way of Tribute, for fervice,of the King and Countrey;
'' as making and plaining the High~ways, .building or repairing che Temples_of the
" Sun, ana other l<lolatrous Sanétuaries, erefüng publick Houfes, as Srore-houfes,
" and places for the Tribunals of Juíl:ice, and feats .for , the Governours, making
"Bridges, or taking clíe Employment ofMeífengers, whom they called
Ch,1fqui,
til..
" ling the Grounds, and incloÍtng Orchards , feeding Flocks and Herds of Cattel,
''. wacching the'Poífeffions, and fowed Lands, building Inns, and places of Hofpi–
'.'. taliry for Srrarigers and Travellers, and giving their attendance chere for fuccour,
.
ánJ
1