I know, from the statements of the aged Orejones, that these Incas were innocent of any abominable sin, that they did not practise the evil custom of eating human flesh, nor were they guilty of public vices and irregularities. On the contrary, they punished such crimes in others. If God had permitted that one influenced by Christian zeal, and not by avarice, should have given them complete knowledge of our sacred religion, they were a people who would have been impressed by it, as we now see in the good order in which conversion works. But we must leave what has been done to the judgment of God, who knows all; and in what may be done hereafter we must beseech Him to give us grace to enable us in some measure to repay those people to whom we owe so much, and who had given such slight offence to justify the injury we have done them, Peru and the rest of the Indies being so many leagues from Spain, and separated by so vast an ocean. CHAPTER XXVI. _How the Incas employed councillors and executors of justice; and of their method of reckoning time._ As Cuzco was the principal city in all Peru, where the kings resided during the greater part of their time, many of the chief people of the empire lived there also, whose knowledge and ability fitted them for royal councillors. All affirm that, before any measure of importance was decided upon, these councillors were consulted. The most trustworthy travelled much, in all parts, inspecting the roads, superintending the government of the city, seeing that no offences were overlooked, and that culprits were punished. The Incas understood so well the administration of justice that no one ventured to commit an offence. This is to be understood with regard to such crimes as robbery, rape, or conspiracy. But many provinces carried on wars, the one with the other, and the Incas were not always able to prevent them. Justice was executed at the river which flows near Cuzco, on those who were taken there, or who were brought as prisoners from other parts. Here their heads were cut off, or death was inflicted in other ways. Mutinies and conspiracies were punished more severely than other crimes. Thieves, and those who were convicted as such, were also severely punished, and their women and children were looked upon as degraded.