The tercia parte: from 1610 the crown kept a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru, and printed its own justification for doing so

Claims

Every assertion below is bound to registered sources and carries its own confidence. Weight them; do not treat the page as uniformly authoritative.

1. The chapter announces two charges at once, and names them in its heading. Libro III, capítulo XXVIII of Juan de Solórzano Pereira's Política Indiana is headed "DE LA CARGA DE LA TERCIA PARTE, que se ha puesto de nuevo en las Encomiendas del Perú, y en todas, de venir à pedir confirmacion al Consejo. Y de la materia de las confirmaciones." Its printed SUMARIO runs to fifty-one heads. This entry is scoped to the first of the two, the tercia parte, and to §§1-14 of the body; the material on confirmations that follows is not used here and nothing in this entry rests on it.

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

2. The doctrinal opening states the rule the charge had to get around, and the exception that let it through. At §1 "Aunque no pueden los Principes regularmente poner nuevas cargas, ò gravamenes à los Feudos yà concedidos, como nos lo enseña el Derecho, esto se limita, quando acabadas las vidas, porque se concedieron, se devuelven à los mismos Principes, ò como los DD. hablan, se abren, porque entonces en las nuevas gracias, y mercedes, que hicieren de ellos, bien podrán poner todos los pactos, condiciones, y cargas, que quisieren, fuera de las que antiguamente solian tener en sí." A charge could not be added to a grant in being; it could be written into the next grant of the same thing. At §2 that distinction is applied: the encomiendas already provided by the viceroys and governors "surtian pleno efecto, y daban derecho irrevocable à los Encomenderos: Despues se mandó, que en las que de nuevo se proveyessen, se quitasse la tercia parte, y se fuesse metiendo en las Reales Caxas, para su desempeño, y que se viniesse à pedir confirmacion de la merced de ellas à su Magestad en su Real Consejo de las Indias, despachandose Cedulas muy repetidas, y apretadas sobre ambos puntos."

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

3. The financial reason is given plainly and it is an admission about the state of the royal finances in Peru. At §3 the Reales Caxas there had considerable debts, "por haverse vendido algunos Juros sobre sus rentas, y consignado otras à personas particulares, por varias causas, lo qual la experiencia iba mostrando ser muy dañoso, porque casi no tiene el Rey nuestro Señor otros reditos libres, y desembarazados, de que valerse en las muchas, y urgentes necesidades, en que se halla"; and no means gentler or freer of inconvenience was found "que ir pagando, y quitando estos empeños con los reditos de las Encomiendas, que fuessen vacando."

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

4. The first order was refused by the man who received it, and the refusal is reported without softening. At §4 a cédula was despatched at Aranda on 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros, then Viceroy of Peru, ordering that he provide no encomienda of those falling vacant until the Real Hacienda was cleared of the charges situated on it, "por estas palabras: Os encargo mucho, que con los Repartimientos, que fueren vacando, vais redimiendo las dichas situaciones, que se pagan de la dicha mi Caxa Real"; "lo qual el Marqués dexó de cumplir, alegando para ello algunas escusas, que tuvo por justas, y entre las demas el decir, que la facultad de encomendar, que se le havia dado libremente al principio de su Virreynado, parecia, que se le quitaba del todo por este camino."

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

5. The next viceroy was given a sharper instruction, and its wording concedes that the holders had a grievance while denying that it was a legal one. At §5 the Príncipe de Esquilache was named in his place, and by a cédula given at Oñate on the last of October 1615 was ordered "que todas las Encomiendas, que el Marqués su antecessor havia proveído, contra lo que se le ordenó, quitasse la tercia parte à los Encomenderos, que no podrian justamente mostrarse quexosos de ello, pues en rigor se les pudieran quitar del todo, como dadas contra orden expresso de su Magestad: y que en las que él de alli adelante huviesse de proveer, fuesse tambien quitando la dicha tercia parte, hasta que se hallasse hecho el desempeño." At §6 Esquilache executed it to the letter, "promulgando un Decreto general para ello, dado en Lima à 20. de Abril del año de 1616", and reported to the Council of the Indies.

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

6. The most telling turn in the chapter is what happened when the debts were paid. At §6 the viceroy reported that with what had already been applied of these thirds the Real Caxa "quedaba libre, y exonerada de todos sus empeños", and asked whether the encomiendas could therefore stop being granted with that charge. At §7 thanks were sent in a letter of Madrid of 17 March 1619, "y se le mandó, que sin embargo de estár hecho el desempeño, fuesse continuando la misma quita, ò detracion de todas las otras Encomiendas, que por lo de adelante fuessen vacando, incorporandolas en la Corona Real, pues duraban las necesidades, que obligaron à buscar este medio"; and he was to consider whether the thirds were better collected by the royal officials or by the encomenderos themselves, who kept the other two parts on giving sureties to pay into the Real Caxa at the accustomed times and places. An emergency measure outlived the emergency that produced it, by an order that says so.

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

7. The crown's own justification is printed verbatim because the author thought it notable, and it is the single most quotable passage on the legal nature of the encomienda in this chapter. At §7 "luego se añadieron estas palabras, que por notables, me parece se deben poner à la letra: Y haviendose discurrido, y mirado sobre la materia con mucha atencion, ha parecido, que supuesto, que esta es donacion gratuita, aunque remuneratoria, no se hace agravio à nadie dandole la Encomienda con esta carga. Y estando mi Hacienda en el estado, en que se halla, es cosa justa, y conveniente, que por todos los caminos possibles se procure su aumento, mayormente en materia, de que se puede sacar fruto tan considerable. Hacerlo executar assi, pues es tan facil, y la justificacion en sí notoria: pues assi como Yo puedo dar una Encomienda con pension en favor de un tercero, la puedo justa, è indubitablemente aplicar, y reservar para mí, siendo mi voluntad, mayormente procediendo de mi hacienda, ò de cosa, que puedo dar, ò dexar de dar." The argument turns entirely on the grant being a gratuitous donation and not property. The charge is said to have been confirmed by cédulas of Madrid of 6 May 1619 and 28 June 1622, reported by Antonio de León.

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

8. The holders petitioned and won a limit, and the limit was justified by the crown's need to keep something to reward people with. At §8, because by this route within a few years all the encomiendas would end up incorporated in the Corona Real if the thirds were taken off every one that fell vacant, "los del Perú suplicaron à su Magestad por persona de D. Bartholomé Oznayo, embiado para este, y otros efectos por su Procurador General, que se sirviesse de declarar esta duda, ò templar este rigor, como mas conviniesse"; and a cédula given at Madrid on 9 March 1622 declared that no encomienda could be terciada more than once, "de suerte, que las otras dos tercias partes de cada una de ellas, se conservassen enteras, para que en ellas se fuesse continuando la gratificacion de los benemeritos", the operative words closing "Y porque à pocas provisiones se consumiria toda la Encomienda, sin quedar qué encomendar, y para escusar este inconveniente, y qualquier genero de duda, lo executareis, que assi es mi voluntad, &c." A general procurator for the province obtained a standing limitation on a fiscal measure.

   confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

9. A compensation rule accompanied the charge, and it shows the administration trying to keep faith with people it had already promised. At §9 it was also ordered that what was taken by reason of the tercia parte from encomenderos who had been ordered to be provided and accommodated in rents or encomiendas of a stated amount "se les supliesse en otras Encomiendas, que despues fuessen vacando, y para esto se despachan Cedulas particulares cada dia."

   confidence 0.85Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

10. A second petition settled where the money had to be delivered, and the principle behind the answer is a general one about taxpayers. At §10 the encomenderos who wanted to administer and collect the whole encomienda themselves, giving sureties for the third, complained that they were compelled to deliver at their own cost into the Real Caxa of Lima the sums it came to; a cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 to the Marqués de Guadalcazar, Viceroy of Peru, declared for the past and the future that they should comply by putting the thirds "en las Caxas de los distritos donde estuvieren, sin embargo de que en los titulos, y despachos de ellos, se diga ayan de meter el dicho tercio en la dicha Caxa de essa Ciudad de los Reyes." The reason given is that the rules of the common law teach "que los tributos, diezmos, y qualesquier otras contribuciones, que los Provinciales ayan de pagar al Rey ò à otras publicas funciones, no tengan obligacion de llevarlas por su costa, y riesgo fuera de sus Provincias."

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

11. The geographical reach of the charge is stated, and it is narrower than the chapter heading suggests. At §11 "es de advertir, que he ido diciendo, que estas tercias partes se quitan, ò sacan en las del Perú, porque en otras aun no se ha practicado esta introduccion, excepto, que en el Nuevo Reyno de Granada, de qualquier Encomienda por una vez se paga Media-Annata; sino es que sea tan tenue, que no baste para ello", the payment to be specially mentioned in the titles issued for such encomiendas by a cédula of Madrid of 15 October 1622 reported by Antonio de León. The tercia parte is a Peruvian measure; New Granada got a lighter one.

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

12. The general levy that followed is dated and its cause named, and the passage is unusual in a work of this kind for saying that the tax hurts. At §12 today on all encomiendas, and on other things that are or may be of royal grace and favour, offices, benefices, renunciations and dispensations, another Media-Annata is levied "por los nuevos Decretos, y Pragmaticas, que para ello se promulgaron en España, y se mandaron estender à las Indias el año de 1633. por pedirlo assi el grande aprieto de tantas Guerras, en que se hallaba su Magestad, y los excesivos gastos, que en ella se le ocasionaban, los quales han obligado à valerse de este, y otros medios de sacar, y juntar dinero, sintiendolo, el que los manda executar, no menos que los que los vienen à pagar, y assi espero en Dios, que han de cessar, como fueren cessando estas desventuras, y que la paz tan desseada nos volverá el sossiego"; "Porque bien sabido es por todos el daño, que causan tales imposiciones, y lo que se mandan escusar en Derecho." The European wars are given as the cause of a tax levied in America.

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

13. The one question of construction the author takes sides on is whether the crown's third came off the top, and he decides it against the treasury. At §13 the Licenciado Antonio de León appears to say that it does, "por estas palabras: Y este tercio es preferido, y se saca primero, y ante todas cosas de las Encomiendas. Pero la razon del Derecho, y de la equidad, me hacen sentir lo contrario: conviene à saber, que se han de sacar de ella prorrata los gastos, contribuciones, y diminuciones, que tocaren à la gruessa de toda la Encomienda, y son annexos à ella", because the King chose to enter at the part of the quota of these encomiendas and to subrogate himself in what could have been given and settled on any private person, so there is no reason why the third should be excused the costs that fall on it.

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

14. The author then discloses that he argued that question for his own family, and the disclosure is printed here rather than left in the footnotes because it bears on the weight of the opinion. At §14 "De que Yo me valí en la causa de una hermana mia à quien se havia dado la Encomienda de los Ancoraimes, que cae en el districto de la Ciudad de la Paz, con esta carga de pagar al Real Fisco cada año la tercia parte, y que ella gozasse el Beneficio, que llaman, de las Especies"; and he adds a Capítulo de Carta of 17 March 1619 to the Viceroy of Peru, the Príncipe de Esquilache, ordering that if it seemed convenient he leave the Beneficio de las Especies to the encomenderos on condition that they pay the tercia parte, the royal officials' costs being deducted, "por estas palabras: Que esta misma hacienda en valor, havida consideracion al tercio, baxadas las costas, se pague por el Encomendero en dinero en la Caxa, y Oficiales de cada distrito." The legal opinion at §13 is the opinion of a man who had a family interest in it, and he says so himself.

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary

15. What this entry establishes and what it does not. It establishes that from a cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 the Spanish crown reserved to its treasury a third of the income of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru; that one viceroy declined to apply the order and the next promulgated it at Lima on 20 April 1616; that when the debts it was raised against were reported paid the deduction was expressly continued, with incorporation into the crown as its stated direction; that the crown justified the charge on the ground that an encomienda is a gratuitous donation which it may equally reserve to itself, in words the treatise prints verbatim; that the holders of Peru, petitioning through their Procurador General, obtained a cédula of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice; that a further cédula of 28 June 1621 relieved them of carrying the money to Lima; and that a Media-Annata was extended to the Indies in 1633 because of the crown's wars. It establishes nothing about what the Indians of these encomiendas paid. Nothing on these pages says the tribute owed by the towns changed, and this entry does not assert that it did or did not. It establishes no sums: not one figure, total or account appears in the paragraphs read. Not one of the cédulas, letters or decrees was opened in its own register; they are known here only as this book prints or reports them; and the author discloses at §14 that he argued one of the chapter's questions on behalf of his own sister, who held one of the affected encomiendas.

    confidence 0.9Política Indiana, libro III, capítulo XXVIII, the chapter heading with its printed SUMARIO and §§1-14 — the tercia parte, by which a third of every encomienda falling vacant in Peru was reserved to the royal treasury: the cédula of Aranda of 14 August 1610 to the Marqués de Montesclaros and his refusal to comply, the cédula of Oñate of the last of October 1615 to the Príncipe de Esquilache and his general decree at Lima of 20 April 1616, the crown's own justification of the charge quoted verbatim from the letter of 1619, the Peruvians' petition through their Procurador General and the cédula of Madrid of 9 March 1622 barring any encomienda from being terciada twice, the cédula of Madrid of 28 June 1621 on where the third was to be paid, the extension of the Media-Annata to the Indies in 1633, and the author's disclosure that he argued the costs question in his own sister's case · primary