The government of Peru was a despotism, mild in its character, but in its form a pure and unmitigated despotism. The sovereign was placed at an immeasurable distance above his subjects. Even the proudest of the Inca nobility, claiming a descent from the same divine original as himself, could not venture into the royal presence, unless barefoot, and bearing a light burden on his shoulders in token of homage. *32 As the representative of the Sun, he stood at the head of the priesthood, and presided at the most important of the religious festivals. *33 He raised armies, and usually commanded them in person. He imposed taxes, made laws, and provided for their execution by the appointment of judges, whom he removed at pleasure. He was the source from which every thing flowed, - all dignity, all power, all emolument. He was, in short, in the well-known phrase of the European despot, "himself the state." *34 [Footnote 32: Zarate, Conq. del Peru, lib. 1, cap. 11. - Sarmiento, Relacion, Ms., cap. 7. "Porque verdaderamente a lo que yo he averiguado toda la pretension de los Ingas fue una subjeccion en toda la gente, qual yo nunca he oido decir de ninguna otra nacion en tanto grado, que por muy principal que un Senor fuese, dende que entrava cerca del Cuzco en cierta senal que estava puesta en cada camino de quatro que hay, havia dende alli de venir cargado hasta la presencia del Inga, y alli dejava la carga y hacia su obediencia." Ondegardo, Rel. Prim., Ms.] [Footnote 33: It was only at one of these festivals, and hardly authorizes the sweeping assertion of Carli, that the royal and sacerdotal authority were blended together in Peru. We shall see, hereafter, the important and independent position occupied by the high-priest. "La Sacerdoce et l'Empire etoient divises au Mexique; au lieu qu'i's etoient reunis au Perou, comme au Tibet et a la Chine, et comme il le fut a Rome, lorsqu' Auguste jetta les fondemens de l'Empire, en y reunissant le Sacerdoce ou la dignite de Souverain Pontife." Lettres Americaines, (Paris, 1788,) trad. Franc., tom I. let. 7.]