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Royal Commentarier.
BooK
II.
rake an aécount of the Births and Burials of all thofe that were boro, or died
'tliat year, under their jurifdiétion, and of thofe who wenr
to
the Wat. Thofe
people whom they conquered, though fubdued by force of Anns, yet they did
never plunder or take away their goocts.
This word Decurion, which is compofed from the Latín
Decem,
which is ten
ánd
cura
~are
;
that is, a G!re over ten; anfwers direétly
to
the
Jndian
word
Chu:.
ca c.:imayu, ~hunca
fignifying ten, and
camayu
care
~
and by information of thefe the
ÍnCM
carne to a knowledge of the number of their Subjeéts in every Province
that
fo
according thereunto they might proporcion the Taxes and Irnpoficions fo;
publick Works , fuch as the building ,of Bridges, making and repairing High–
ways, ereéting Forts and Royal Paleces, with what number of Souldiers they
oi1ght to ferve the
Inca
in
bis
Wars. By thefe computations alfo the
Inca
was
berter enabled to fend Provifions into thofe Provinces, which by reafon of tre
íl:erility of the year occaíioned by Flouds, or unfeafonable weather, were become
wanring of Coro, or Cotrons, or Wool ; all which "'ere adminifired, and fenc
with fuch readinefs and expedition, that as
B/a,s Va!ern
often fays, the
Jnca,s
took
fuch care of tbeir Subjeéls, providing for them in ali their neceflities, rhat rbey
mighr 1:acher be íl:yle9 Fachers o( their Cou~trey, ~nd Guardians of rbeir Pupils,
tban Kings over Sub¡eéts ; and to exprefs th1s care m one word, the
lndian1
gave
them
tbe title of
Lovm of rhe Poor.
And leíl: the Superiour Governours íhould be remifs, or negligent, in the exe–
cucion of rheir Offices; chere was a Monitor or Remembrancer appoinced, called
Tumy-ricoc,
which is as much as a Supervifor or Informer; and his duty it was
co
pur
che Officers in mind of the matters relating to cheir Governmenr ;
fo
tbat in
cafe any of thefe fhould be found remifs in bis cbarge, or guilty of any crime ,
'his punifhment was always proportioned to bis quality, rather than
his
faulc;
it
being an opinion amongíl: chem, thac the leaíl:
evil
was noc
co
be tolerated in
a
Miniíl:er of Jufüce, who was cho[en by che Sun and che
Inca
to
eradicate Evils,
and t 1erefore was obliged
to
be more uprighc
and obfervanc of
che Laws, chan
che
otber
Subjeéts,
CH A
P.
VI.
Of certain Laws Ordained hy the
Incas,
ancl of the Opinion,
That the
Incas,
and thofe of the Royal Bloud, can doe no
wrong; or offencl contrary to Law.
P
Ecuniary :Muléts, or ConfifcatÍoh
ót
Goods, wete never impoíed by che
In·
ca1
in way of punifhment for any offence, chey eíl:eeming noching fatisfac. ·
tory to Law but that which required che extirpation of che Evils, racher tban the
Life of che Offendour ; for that all other remedies give bur one!y encouragement
and liberty to tranígré'fs.
If
a
Curaca,
or Loi-d, rebelled, which was always
pu–
niíhed with moft feverity by the
lnra ;
:lí\d tbclt thereby he forfeited his life; th~
Eíl:ate nctwitbflanding defcended to bisSon, orto his Heir, but wich due admo–
nición, thac by fuch example he íhould beware of che Treaíon and Rebellion of
his Father;
fo
likewife if any
Cacique,
or Officer was deprived of his place, or
liis
Sei_gniory for faults comrnitted, che ne:kt Heir fucceeded in
it,
wbecher he were
á
Son or
a
Brother : che fame rule alío was obferved amongíl: the Souldiery, wbofe
Commanders were Natives of tbe Countrey, and cheir Generals, or chief Com–
·111anders, were Princes of the Bloud, under whom the Captains and Superiour
Officers efleemed it for a particu\ar honour and fa\'.our
to
ferv~. No
J
udge had
power to moderace che Semence of
Law
by any Rule of Eqmry, bur rathei: to
,
.
·
exaél: