merchandise of those Grapes he might have sold them for four or five thousand Ducats For my part I did partake of those Grapes for my Father having made me the Messenger to carry them attended with two Pages I delivered to every principal House two large bunches of them CHAP. XXVI Of Wine and of the first Man that made it in Cozco and of the value of it ON the 21st of January 1570. being upon my departure for Spain I passed through the Plantation of Peter Lopez de Caçalla a Native of Llerena a place not far distant from Cozco he had been Secretary to the President of Gasca otherwise called Marcahuasi about nine Leagues from the City and there I met with a Portugal called Alfonso Vaez who was a great Husbandman and skilfull in Agriculture and a very honest Man he shewed me all his Ground and Plantations which were full of most rare and excellent Grapes but would not suffer me to gather one bunch of them which would have been very acceptable to a Traveller as I was and to one who loved them so well but he was not pleased to shew me so much kindness which when he perceived that I took notice of he told me plainly that I ought to pardon that piece of discourtesie for that his Master had encharged him not to meddle with so much as one Grape because he intended to make Wine of them as he afterwards did pressing them in a trough because he had no other convenience wherewith to tread or press them out and as a School-fellow of mine told me afterwards in Spain that this Peter Lopez de Caracalla resolved to gain the Jewel which Charles the 5th commanded to be given to the first Spaniard who from any of the Spanish Plantations should produce or be able to shew a certain quantity of Wheat Barley Wine or Oil the which this great Emperour and other Princes of glorious memory were pleased to hold forth as an encouragement to those who should well manure their Land that it might produce the Fruits of Spain which did not originally belong to that Countrey The quantity of Wheat or Barley which was required was about a Seame and of Wine and Oil about a hundred Weight of each which is four Arrobas of Spanish Measure and the Reward was to be of two pieces of Plate to the value of three hundred Ducats a piece the gain and lucre of which was not the chief motive that induced Pedro de Lopez de Caçalla to be thus industrious in his Plantations but rather the Glory and Honour he conceived of being renowned to posterity for being the first who made Wine from his own Vineyards near Cozco and thus much shall serve as to the first Wines which were made in my Countrey for other Cities of Peru such as Huamanca and Arequepa had them long before but they were a sweet sort of Haloca or Muscatel Wines Discoursing once in Cordova with a Canon or Prebend of Peru concerning these matters which we now relate he told me that he was acquainted in the Kingdom of Quitu with a certain Spaniard who was a very curious Person and one very skilfull in Husbandry especially in the manuring of Vineyards for he was the first that brought Vines from Rimac to Quitu and had planted a spatious Vineyard along the Banks of the River Mira which being under the Equinoctial Line is extremely hot and for the greater curiosity he shewed me twelve several Apartments one of which he pruned every month in the year and by that means had always fresh and ripe Grapes through all the months of the year In all parts of Peru they water their Vines because the Countrey is very hot and the Weather always of the same temperature so that when they would have their Vines produce their Fruit they afford them Water and vvhen not and that they vvould have the Sap fall to the root they vvith-hold the Water and aftervvards having cast their Leaves and again pruned them they open the Water-banks vvith vvhich the root being refreshed they spring and bud and produce their Fruit In the same manner it passes in some Vallies vvith the Mayz vvhere one surrovv is nevvly sovved vvhen another is half a foot high in grovvth and another is in the ear and ready to be reaped all vvhich is effected by the natural situation of the Climate vvhich makes no difference of Seasons and is indeed the effect of Nature rather than of Curiosity or any other good Husbandry In the Year 1560. vvhich vvas about the time that I departed from Cozco and some vvhile after it vvas not the custome to afford Wine at the Table upon any invitation of the Neighbours vvho vvere such as vvere Masters of Indians and common Guests unless one or so might require it for the sake of his Health being accounted a point of Luxury and Vice for any one to drink it for other cause than for necessity For vvhen the Spaniards laid their first foundations of this Empire they acted it vvith great sobriety and having began vvith hardship and temperance they easily continued a moderate and frugal Table so that their Guests vvhen invited vvould refuse Wine though it vvere offered them for they knew the price to be very dear being vvorth vvhen cheapest at least thirty Ducats the Arrove vvhich is but tvventy five pounds vveight and continued at the same price untill after the Wars of Francisco Hernandez Giron In the time of Gonçalo Piçarro and before it vvas vvorth from three hundred to five hundred Ducats the Arrove and in the Years 1554. and 55. the Vintage so generally failed through the vvhole Kingdom and such scarcity there vvas of it in the City of los Reyes that there vvas scarce sufficient for the Sacrament vvhich is celebrated in the Mass vvherefore the Archbishop D. Jeronimo de Loaysa ordered that half a Butt of Wine vvhich vvas found in a House should be conserved for the use and service of the Masses In such scarcity and want of Wine they remained for several Days and Months untill a ship arrived in that Port belonging to two Merchants of my acquaintance whom out of respect to their Noble Families I forbear to name importing two thousand Barrels of Wine part of which they sold at first for three hundred and sixty Ducats the Barrel and the latter parcel for no less than two hundred This account I received from a Master of one of the Vessels on which I embarked in my Voyage from los Royes to Panama for which reasons Wine is not commonly drank On a certain day a Gentleman who was Master of Indians invited another to dine with him who was Master of none and being in cheerfull conversation with five or six Spaniards more he desired a cup of Water to drink upon which the Master of the House sent him Wine but he refusing it said that he drank no Wine whereupon the Master replied that if it were so he should desire his
would not be deterred by Thunder Lightning or other Evidences of God's Wrath. But to return to our business in hand Francisco de Orellana found some Provisions amongst the Inhabitants on the River below who because they were fierce and wild and that the Women came forth with their Husbands to fight they gave it the name of the River of Amazons the which Term served to raise the Honour of this Atchievement and to induce the Emperour to bestow the Government thereof upon Orellana Proceeding yet farther down this River they found other Indians more civil or at least less brutish than the others who received them amicably and with good Welcome admiring to behold the Brigantine and Men so strangely habited but they treated them kindly and furnished them with as much Provision as they had occasion to use The Spaniards remained in this place for some days where they built another Brigantine for they were very much straitned for room in the first and having fitted themselves as well as they were able they adventured out to Sea and having sailed two hundred Leagues as the Sea-chart sets it down they arrived at the Island of the Holy Trinity after having passed so many Difficulties as before related and escaped such Dangers in the River as that they often gave themselves over to be Shipwrecked and lost At this Island Orellana bought a Ship with which he sailed into Spain where he requested His Majesty's Commission for the Conquest and Government of that Countrey To make this Enterprise appear with greater Reputation he alledged that it was a Countrey abounding with Gold Silver and Pretious Stones and in Testimony thereof he produced the Riches which he had brought with him His Majesty having accordingly granted the Request he made for the Government of vvhat he should there conquer Orellana made Levies of five hundred Souldiers the greatest part of vvhich vvere brisk young Gentlemen and principal Persons of Honour vvith vvhich he embarqued at St. Lucar but he dying in the Voyage his followers dispersed and disposed of themselves in divers parts And here was an end of this Design which found a success agreeable to the evil beginnings of it And now let us return to Gonzalo Piçarro and see what becomes of him whom we left in such sad Distress After Francisco de Orellana was dispeeded away with the Brigantine he built ten or twelve Canoes and other Floats wherewith to pass from one side of the River to the other so often as their Progress was interrupted by the impassable Mountains as at other times they had contrived and so they proceeded forwards in hopes to meet the Brigantine which they had dispatched for Provisions and to bring them Relief having met no other Enemy than Hunger in all these Travels At the end of two Months they arrived at that Point where the two Rivers met and where they expected to have found their Brigantine laden with Provisions which by reason as they imagined of the swiftness of the Current was not able to return to them And here it was that they found themselves deceived and to have lost all hopes of any possibility of escaping out of that Hell of a Countrey for we can give it no better Term where they had suffered such Difficulties and such grievous Miseries without prospect of deliverance from thence and here at the Conjunction of these two Rivers they found the poor honest Hernan Sanchas de Vargas who with constancy of Mind and on Principles of Honour like the true Son of a Gentleman endured with great Resolution Famine and all the Miseries to which he was exposed rather than violate his Faith and was contented to remain in that solitude that he might render an Account of the perfidious Faith of Orellana and of his villanous Designs all which was strange to Piçarro who much admired that there should be such Men in the World whose Actions should be so different to their Professions and unanswerable to the hopes which were conceived of them and with this News the Captains and Souldiers became so dismayed that they seemed to be reduced to the utmost point of Despair The General who conceived greater Disquiet and Torment of Mind than the others yet putting a good face upon the matter cheared them all up and encouraged them with hopes of better Fortune telling them that they ought like Spaniards to bear with equality of Mind these Labours and yet greater if any thing could be worse that the more Danger the more Honour and the greater would their Renown be in Histories which should declare their Adventures to future Ages That since it was their Fortune to become the Conquerours of that Empire that they should act like Men whom the Divine Providence had chosen for the accomplishment of so great a work The Souldiers observing such chearfulness in their Captain General who had more cause to resent those Evils than any other took Heart and Courage and proceeded on their Voyage by the Banks of the River sometimes on the one side and sometimes on the other according to the turnings and windings of the Land. But we cannot express the great Difficulty there was to carry the Horses upon the Floats for there still remained about one hundred and fifty of their number which they had brought from Quitu In like manner almost two thousand Indians were still alive which came with them from Peru who like Sons served their Masters with such Faithfulness and Affection as was admirable for in their great extremities of Hunger they brought them Herbs and Roots and wild Fruit with Toads Snakes and other kinds of Insects which were found in those Mountains all which went down with them and were digested by the Spaniards with a good Stomach for without them they could not have subsisted CHAP. V. Gonzalo Piçarro considers of returning to Quitu and those of Chili plot and contrive how they may kill the Marquis IN this Misery and Want they proceeded another hundred Leagues down the River without appearance or hopes of finding a better Countrey every place seeming worse and more barren than the other all which being considered and debated by the General and Captains they agreed to return again to Quitu if it were possible for now they were at a distance of four hundred Leagues from thence But in regard it was impossible for them to return against the Force of the Stream they resolved to take another way by the North side of the River for they had observed in their coming that there were not so many bogs and Lakes and moorish places on that side as on that by which they came So now entring within the Mountains and making their way with Bill and Hatchet which custome would have made less grievous had good nutriment presented to corroborate and sustain their Nature in it but we must leave them amidst these Difficulties to return to the Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro and see what Accidents befell him whilst his Brother was
Chapter of his Book CHAP. XVII The Summons which the Judges sent to Gonçalo Piçarro and the misfortunes which befell those who deserted his Cause A Lvarez having set Sail and at Sea it was reported at Los Reyes that he and the Vice-king were agreed to which they gave the greater credit by some circumstances in his behaviour before he departed and more especially because he did not expect the dispatches which the Judges were preparing and which Carate had purposely delayed with pretence that they should be forwarded the day following This matter much troubled the Judges for that this Alvarez had been the chief promoter and instrument of the Vice-king's imprisonment and had been more concerned therein than any of the others but whilst they were doubtfull of the meaning and intention of Alvarez it was thought fit to send a message to Gonçalo Piçarro giving him information of what had succeeded and to require him by virtue of their Commission from the King whereby they were authorised and impowered to administer Justice and to order and command such things as tended to the peace and welfare of that Countrey that he should immediately disband his Army and repair to the City in regard they had already suspended the execution of the new Laws which was the sum of the Petition for which they came and had sent the Vice-king into Spain which was a point of higher satisfaction than they had demanded or pretended unto before wherefore in regard all matters were appeased they required him to come in a peaceable manner without an Army and in case he should desire to have a Guard for the security of his Person he might if he pleased come attended with fifteen or twenty Horse This command being dispatched away the Judges would have seconded it by some Citizens for the better countenance of the matter but there was none that would accept the Office apprehending some danger might be in it saying that they might be blamed by Gonçalo Piçarro and his Party for taking upon them such a message to them who pretended to come for the security of their Estates against such as in general were enemies to them Hereupon the Judges sent Instructions to Augustine Carate Accountant General of the Kingdom that he together in company with Don Antonio de Ribera an inhabitant of that City should go and signifie these matters for which he was authorised by the Credentials which were given him and accordingly they departed and travelled as far as the Valley of Xauxa where Gonçalo Piçarro was encamped who being already informed of the message which they brought which he knew would be unwelcome to his People for they apprehending that this message was brought with intention to disband them and thereby defeat them of the hopes they had to sack and plunder the City of Lima might probably thereupon fall into a mutiny to prevent which Jeronimo Villegas Captain of Piçarro's own Company was dispeeded away with thirty Musquetiers mounted on Horseback to intercept the messengers in their way and having met them coming they suffered Antonio de Ribera to proceed to the Camp but they stopped Augustine de Carate and took his dispatches from him and returned him back by the same way that he came as far as the Province of Pariacaca where they detained him Prisoner for the space of ten days with terrours and threats unless he desisted from farther prosecution of his Message and in this condition he remained untill such time as Gonçalo Piçarro arrived there with his Camp. Thus far are the words of Carate which are again confirmed by other Authours who proceed and say That those of the Corporation of the City of Los Reyes made choice of Don Antonio de Ribera and Augustine de Carate Accountant General because they were both men acceptable to Gonçalo Piçarro and the least suspected by him for that Don Antonio was as it were his Brother-in-law having married the Widow of Francisco Martin de Alcantara Brother to the Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro and Carate was a Person who being a stranger in the Countrey had no engagements or obligations in any part of the Countrey for which cause as we said they suffered Don Antonio to pass by reason of his alliance but the Accountant Carate was stopped by them Thus much is confirmed by Diego Fernandez who adds farther in the twenty fourth Chapter of his Book That at the Council held by Gonçalo Piçarro and his Captains to consider of the Answer which was to be returned to the Message sent by the Judges they onely touched upon one point thereof to which Francisco de Carvajal like a great Officer and Souldier made this reply That whereas the Judges did require that Gonçalo Piçarro should come to them with a Guard onely of fifteen or twenty Horse they understood it to be so many in a Rank to which interpretation all the Captains in the Council agreed and concluded that it was necessary for the welfare of the Publick to create Gonçalo Piçarro chief Governour and in all other things they would comply with the Judges and that in case they should refuse to accept these Proposals they were resolved to put the City to Fire and Sword c. Thus far Diego Fernandez Palentino But now to return to Graviel de Rojas and Garcilasso de la Vega and other Inhabitants and Gentlemen of Cozco who deserted Gonçalo Piçarro and were fled to Arequepa whence not finding passage by Sea they travelled along by the Sea coast and being at length arrived at Los Reyes they found themselves much at a loss for that the Vice-king whose fortune they intended to follow was already taken and embarked by force for Spain and whereas the Judges had a chief hand in this Conspiracy against the Vice-king and thereby seemed rather to incline to the Faction of Gonçalo Piçarro than to Blasco Nunnez Vela they were resolved not to engage with them Though if we impartially consider of these matters we shall find that the intention of the Judges was not as ill Tongues scandalously reported but was to prevent worse and more dangerous consequences proceeding from the Vice-king who was abhorred and hated by all men of Estates and Interest in that Countrey against whom he came chiefly to put the new Laws in execution Howsoever these Gentlemen looking with a prejudicial eye upon those things which the Judges had acted refused to joyn with them whom they esteemed to be favourers of the cause of Piçarro And whereas no Party appeared to set up the Royal interest they knew not unto whom they might adhere for they found themselves in the power of their enemies not being able to escape from them either by Sea or Land for after the Vice-king's imprisonment all the Countrey declared for Piçarro but the greatest number of the contrary party remained in the City of Los Reyes not having any other place whereunto to repair others absconded themselves amongst their Friends and Relations for having been
Commission to make a new Conquest 858. He proclaims his Commission and Design 877. Many Souldiers flock to him and cause great Disturbance which is suppressed by the prudence of the Citizens of Cozco 878. He presents himself before the H. Court of Justice is dismissed and marries in Los Reyes 879. Hinojosa goes to the Charcas where he finds many Souldiers ready to rebell he entertains them with vain hopes 891. They conspire to kill him 892. His Death 894. Hernandez Giron conspires with the Souldiers to raise a Rebellion 911. He raises a Rebellion in Cozco and what happened that night 913. He takes the Governour opens the Prisons and kills Don Baltasar de Castilla and John de Carceres 916. Hernandez Giron appoints Officers for his Army 918. Two Cities send Ambassadours to him 919. He banishes the Governour of Cozco out of the City 920. Causes himself to be chosen Captain 922. He leaves Cozco and marches against the Justices 924. He comes to Huamanca the Scouts meet 927. Finding many of his Souldiers ready to revolt he resolves to engage the King's Army 929. He makes a Retreat 931. He defeats Paulo de Meneses 934. He comes to Nanasca and composes an Army of Negroes 936 937. He gains a Victory over the Marshal 947. His Proceedings after the Battel 952. He Plunders the Cities 952. The Silver which he took from two Citizens of Cozco 953. He orders his Lieutenant General Alvarado to take Bells from the Churches of Cozco to make Guns 953. He dares not adventure into Cozco but takes his Wife with him from thence 955. He depends much upon the Presages of Wisards 956. He resolves to give Battel to the King's Army 963. Hernandez proceeds forth to Battel and misses his Design 966. He flies away alone His Lieutenant General with an hundred Men take another way and are pursued by Paulo de Meneses 968. Hernandez is taken by two Captains which were sent in pursuit of him and is carried to Cozco 970. He is put to death and his Head fixed with those of Gonçalo Piçarro and Francisco de Carvajal 973. The Heirs of those who sided with Hernandez are restored to their Estates p. 1005. I. THE Idolatry of the Inca's in the first Age 6. The Inca's their Original 11. The Idolatry of the second Age 27. How the Inca's came to the Worship of God 28 29. Inheritance of Estates 109. The Idols which the Indians of Antis worshipped 119. The Interpreter Philip punished 557. Irreverent Impiety against the Sacrament punished 705. The Indians shew great fidelity to the Spaniards who took them in War 487. They are naturally simple and credulous 42. The Incan Kings forbid their Subjects to meddle with Quick-silver 345. And crimson colours to dig for them without Licence 346. The Justices deprive the two Generals of their Command 937. They pass with the Royal Army over the Rivers of Amanca and Apurimac 958. They enter into Cozco with their Camp 959. They come to the place where the Rebels had fortified themselves 961. They make Laws to prevent future Insurrections 972. they entertain troublesome Conferences with the Souldiers 973. Indians living in the Antis eat mens Flesh 7. Such as are taken in War they tye to a Tree and slice their Flesh and eat before their Faces ib. They afterwards adore their Bones if they suffer bravely ibid. The Indians carry the Train of Artillery on their Shoulders and how 959. The Inca Sayri Tupac is persuaded by the Vice-King the Marquis of Cannete to come out of the Mountains and how contrived 991. The fear and jealousie the Inca and his Governours conceived upon this message from the Vice-King 993. They consult the Prophecies and resolve to go 995. The Inca's Answer when he received a Writing which secured an Allowance to him 996. The Inca goes to Cozco where he was well received and He and his Wife baptized 998. The Inca Tupac Amaru is taken and imprisoned 1009. Process is drawn up against him and other Inca's and against the Sons of Spaniards born of Indian Women p. 1011. He is Baptized 1013. He is put to death ibid. K. THE King's Letter to Gonçalo Piçarro 763. L. LAws ordained by the Inca's 34 47. Lloque Yupanqui second King 38. The Learning of the Inca's 43. Lands allotted to every Indian and with what sort of Dung they manured their Grounds 135. Laws made by the Inca's 147. Languages different in Peru 249. And Languages used in the Court 253. New Laws made in the Court of Spain for better Government of the two Empires of Mexico and Peru 648. The new Laws are put in Execution 651. They cause great disturbance 654 659 673 675. Reports raised against those who favoured the new Laws 655. The Reasons given against them 664. Consultations thereupon 766. Lorenço de Aldana his prudent conduct 715. He suppresses many Jealousies and Fears in Los Reyes 721. He goes to the Valley of Los Reyes and sends Spies against Piçarro 772. Loyola the Governour his death 1016. M. MArriages amâ—â—gst the salvage Indians 10. Marriages how afterwards 106. Manco Capac the first Inca 14. Mayta Capac the fourth King 55. Chambers of the Moon and Stars c. 89. Women bestowed in Marriage by the Inca 105. Marriages amongst the Inca's 108. Musu and the Expedition thither 273. The Spaniards ill Success in Musu 276. Mayz Rice and other Seeds Pulse and Roots 318 319. Mines of Gold in Collahuya 344. Mulli the Tree and Red Pepper 322. Maguy the Tree and the Virtue of it 323. The Nation of Manta their Gods and Customs 361. A Miracle in Tumpiz 433. Miracles in favour of the Christians 541 544. Manco Inca endeavours his own Restauration 538. He makes an Insurrection 541. He lives in Banishment 557. Mexico described p. 651. Manco Inca and the Spaniards with him write to the Vice-king 670. Prince Manco Inca is unfortunately killed 672. Lope de Mendoça his Successes 741. Marriages with rich Widows to gratify the Spaniards who pretended to great Rewards 855. Mutinies punished at Cozco and the Originals thereof 881. Mutiny in Piura how appeased 931. Don Antonio de Mendoça is sent in quality of Vice-king to Peru 882. His Son Don Francisco is sent into the Charcas 883. Many People go to visit the Vice-king 886. The Story which an impertinent person told the Vice-king 887. The Death of the Vice-king ibid. The Marshal vid. Alonso de Alvarado Mendiola a Capt. in Hernandez his Army and Martin a Captain in the King's Army how they ended their days 933. Michael Cornejo how killed 934. The faithfulness of his Horse to him 935. Mendoça Don Garçia is sent Governour unto Chile His Skirmish with the Indians 1003. He returns to Spain 1007. N. THE Novitiates how they took their Degrees of Chivalry 225. How they made their own Arms and Shoos 226. The Prince underwent all the Rigours of a Novitiate 228. The Count de Nieva is chosen Vice-king of Peru 1007. O. THE Original of the Inca's of Peru
ended these sayings Lloque Yupanqui leaving many Sons and Daughters of his Concubines though but one who was his true Heir and Successour and two Daughters by Mama Cova his lawfull Wife died The Death of this Inca was greatly lamented through his whole Dominions for his gentle temper had gained him the affection of all and his Vertues procured him the esteem of a God and rank with the other Children of the Sun whom they Adored for Deities And now for diversion of the Reader we shall desist a while from prosecuting the Wars and Conquests which were almost all atchieved after the like manner with the former and shall relate something of the Customs they practised and the Sciences they attained CHAP. XI Of the Learning and Sciences to which the Incas attained and first of their Astrology THE improvement which the Incas had made either in Astrology or Philosophy was as yet for want of Letters very imperfect howsoever there were some certain men amongst them of good wit and understanding which they called Amautas who were subtile in their Argumentations and laid down certain Phaenomena of natural things but in regard they were unacquainted with Letters they could leave none of those conceptions they had formed unto posterity unless some few principles discovered by the Light of Nature which they denoted by Glyphicks or some uncouth and rude figures yet in Moral Philosophy they attained to a greater degree for their Laws Customs and Practices were their daily lessons and the doctrine of good manners being the work of the Magistrate an easie and constant improvement was made therein Of Natural Philosophy indeed they had studied little they knew not how to search into the secrets of nature or lay down the first principles of it they knew not what the qualities of the Elements were or could say that the Earth was cold and dry and the fire hot and dry they onely observed the effects of things that fire would warm and burn them Howsoever they learned something of Medicines and of the Vertues of certain Herbs and Plants which experience and necessity had taught them In Astrology they had proceeded yet farther for the apparent objects of the Sun and Moon and Stars yielded them more sensible matter for speculation they had observed the various motions of the Planet Venus the increase full and decrease of the Moon and when it was upon the change and conjunction with the Sun they called it the Death of the Moon The Sun especially afforded them the most profound matter of speculation they observed that by his motion the seasons of the year were distinguished the hours of the day counted and the days and nights measured in all which they attained not to a farther search or consideration than what was visible and materially presented it self before their eyes they admired the effects but laboured not to penetrate into the cause or know the reason of the various changes of the Moon or motions of the Planets They called the Sun Yuti the Moon Quilla the bright Star of Venus Chasca which signifies radiant other Stars also of greater Magnitude they observed but did not distinguish them by their particular names but onely under that general denomination of Coyllur which signifies a Star. And yet for all this sottish stupidity the Incas had observed that the Sun accomplished his course in the space of a year which they called Huata though the Commonalty divided it onely by its seasons and reckoned their year to end or be finished with their Harvest The terms of Summer and Winter Solstices they denoted by the large characters of eight Towers which they had erected to the East and as many to the West of the City Cozco being ranked four and four in several Positions those two in the middle being higher than the other two at each end and were built much in the form of the Watch-towers in Spain When the Sun came to rise exactly opposite to four of these Towers which were to the East of the City and to set just against those in the West it was then the Summer Solstice and in like manner when it came to rise and set just with the other four Towers on each side of the City it was then the Winter Solstice Pedro de Cieca and Acosta make mention of these Towers which served for their Almanacks and were the best cyphers they had to distinguish their times and seasons for they had not attained as yet to other measures by Days and Months though they kept an account by Moons as we shall hereafter declare by which and by their Solstices they divided one year from another these Solstitial Towers I left remaining in the year 1560 and may still be seen unless the Wars and Alterations have demolished those durable reliques They had likewise observed the Equinoctials for in the Month of March when they reaped their Mayz or Indian Wheat they celebrated their Harvest with joy and feasting which at Cozco they kept in the Walk of Colcan otherwise called the Garden of the Sun. At the Equinoctial of September they observed one of their four principal Feasts which were dedicated to the Sun which they called Citua Raymir and then to denote the precise day of the Equinoctial they had erected Pillars of the finest Marble in the open Area or place before the Temple of the Sun which when the Sun came near the Line the Priests daily watched and attended to observe what shadow the Pillars cast and to make it the more exact they fixed on them a Gnomon like the Pin of a Dial so that so soon as the Sun at its rising came to dart a direct shadow by it and that at its height or mid-day the Pillar made no shade but was enlightned on all sides they then concluded that the Sun was entred the Equinoctial Line at which time they adorned these Pillars with Garlands and odoriferous Herbs and with the Saddle they had dedicated to the Sun saying That on that day he appeared in this most glittering Throne and Majesty and therefore made their Offerings of Gold and pretious Stones to him with all the solemnities of ostentation and joy which are usual at such festivals Thus the Incas who were their Kings and the Amantas who were their Philosophers having observed that when the Sun came to the Equinoctial these Pillars made little shadow at noon-day and that those in the City of Quitu and those of the same degree to the Sea-coast made none at all because the Sun is then perpendicularly over them they concluded that the Position of those Countries was more agreeable and pleasing to the Sun than those on which in an oblique manner onely he darted the brightness of his rays for which reason the Pillars of Quitu were had in so great veneration and esteem amongst them that they worshipped and adored them and therefore Sebastian de Belalcacar in abhorrence of the Idolatry which the Indians performed towards them demolished
redemption and represented by the Indians with gracefull and proper action nor were they altogether strangers to this divertisement because in the times of the Incas they usually represented their own Stories in Dialogues and therefore more easily improved in that Art to which they were formerly inclined by a natural aptitude It is observable how well they Acted a Comedy made by a Jesuit in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary which he wrote in the Tongue Aymara which is different from the Language of Peru the Argument was on those words in the 3 d Chapter of Genesis where it is said I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and that she shall break thy Head c. This was Acted by Children and Young men in the Countrey called Sulli And at Potow they rehearsed a Dialogue which contained all the Particulars of our Faith at which about 12000 Indians were present At Cozco another Dialogue was recited of the Child Jesus at which were all the Nobles and People of the City assembled Another was recited in the City which is called the City of the Kings where the Lord Chancellour and all the Nobility were present together with an innumerable company of Indians the Argument of which was the Most Holy Sacrament composed in Spanish and the General Tongue of Peru which was repeated by the Indian Youth in Dialogues and pronounced with such grace and emphatical expression with such air and handsome gestures intermixed with Songs set to pleasant Tunes that the Spaniards were much contented and pleased to behold them and some shed tears for joy to see the ingenuity and good inclination of those poor Indians that ever after they conceived a better opinion of them considering them not to be blockish rude and filthy but docible gentle and capable of improvement When these Indian Youths desire to commit any thing to memory which is given them in writing they go to those Spaniards who are acquainted with letters desiring them to reade the first lines to them four or five times over untill they have learned them by heart and to fix them better in their memories they repeat every word often to themselves and mark it with Pebbles or little Granes of divers colours of about the bigness of Pease called by them Chuy which serve for helps to their Memories and such industry and care they use till at length they have perfectly overcome the difficulty and learned their part or lesson Those Spaniards to whom the Young Indians have recourse for their Learning how great soever they are do not yet disdain to teach and inform them giving them all the encouragement they are able So that these Indians though naturally dull of invention have yet an aptitude to imitate any thing which is proposed before them John Cuellas a Scholar who was a Native of Medina and Canon of the Cathedral of Cozco who taught the Grammar to the Children which were of Spanish and Indian Parents and to others of best quality in that City can give us the most clear testimony thereof For he was moved to perform this charitable Office at the intreaty and instance of the Scholars whose Masters and Tutours in exchange for better preferments had forsaken their Charge for though every Scholar gave ten pieces of Eight a Month for his Learning yet it was but little in respect of their small number which perhaps were not above 17 or 18 in the whole Town I knew one amongst them who was an Inca called Philip and was Pupil to a rich and honourable Priest named Father Peter Saâ—chez who observing the ingenuity of this Youth took pains to instruct him in his Studies in which he profited so well that he became as good a Grammarian as any that was of the Spanish and Indian Bloud The change of many Masters was a great obstruction to their Learning for every one of them having a different way of Teaching they began not from the rules and principles formerly taught them but made them to begin from their own methods and forget what they had before learned which was a great prejudice to their proceedings untill this good Canon undertook to instruct them in the Latin Grammar which he continued for the space of two years amidst the Tumults and Wars raised between D. Sebastian de Castilla and Francisco Hernandes Giron which were the cause of much bloud fire and destruction and were of that continuance that scarce was one fire extinguished before another flame broke forth At this time this Canon Cuellas observing the great docility of his Scholars and their inclinations to be improved in all Sciences and the want of able and industrious Masters to cultivate the minds of this people would cry out and say Oh Children what pity it is that I do not see a dozen of you Students in the University of Salamanca And indeed this good Canon had reason so to say because his attendance at the Choire took him off from the employment of Teaching his Scholars with such sedulity as to make them perfect in the Latin Tongue Howsoever the little improvements they made were good evidences of their natural wit and understanding which now in these days praised be God is much advanced by that abundance of Learning and light of Sciences which the Jesuits have introduced amongst them And so much shall suffice to have discoursed on this subject it being now time to return to the History of the Succession of the Incas and of their Conquests and great Actions Royal Commentaries BOOK III. CHAP. I. Mayta Capac the fourth Inca gains Tiahuanacu and what sort of Buildings were found there THE Inca Mayta Capac having performed the Ceremonies due to the Obsequies of his dead Father resolved to visit the remote parts of his Dominions and though he had already in the time of his Father travelled those Countries yet being then in his Minority and under the Tuition of his Parents and Counsellours he had not the opportunity to demonstrate the Excellency of his Vertues nor yet to be observed by his people as he was now being an absolute Prince Wherefore after the example of his Ancestours he honoured and satisfied the several Provinces of his Kingdom with the lustre of his Presence giving such testimonies of liberality courage and generous disposition to his Curacas and all other his Subjects that they remained with great admiration of his Royal Vertues and Abilities of mind Having accomplished this Visitation he re-assumed the design of enlarging his Dominions after the example of his Ancestours covering his ambition and covetousness under the specious pretence of reclaiming the Nations from their barbarity and vain superstitions to a more civilized life and to the true and religious worship and adoration of the Sun Accordingly he raised an Army and in the Spring following he began his march with twelve thousand Men under the Command of four Generals and their Inferiour Officers taking his way as far as that place where the Lake
by knots of thread of divers colours they should be able to distinguish their Laws and reade them with their true sense and signification and so well by this invention to commit them to the knowledge of posterity that since they were established by their first Kings six hundred years are fully elapsed and yet are as faithfully and as lively conserved in the memory of that people as if they had been Laws of later date Such was their Municipal Law which treated of the particular advantage of every Nation and the Privileges and Immunities respective to every people They had their Agrarian Law which determined and measured out the bounds and limits of Provinces which was with singular diligence and rectitude observed for they had their sworn Measurers who meted out their Lands with Cords by Acres which they called Tupu whereby they made a just division to the Neighbourhood assigning to every one his just share and proportion They had also that which they called a Common Law which as they said respected every one unless Old Men and sick and Children and infirm which were exempted but all others were obliged to labour in matters relating to the benefit of the Common-wealth such as in the building of Temples Palaces for the King and the great Lords raising Bridges making and mending High-ways and other matters of like nature They had another Law which they named the Law of Brotherhood which laid an obligation on the people to be aiding and assisting one to the other in plowing and sowing and gathering in the Fruits and in building Houses one for the other without pay or expectation of reward They had another Law which they called Mitachanacuy which was as much as to say a rotation or a turn or circulation of labour which was no more than that in all the work which was performed by publick assistence the like account should be observed and measures taken as was in the division of the Lands that so no Province People Lineage or Person should be obliged to labour beyond their due proportion but that their Lives should have their turns and times mixed with recreation and leisures as well as labours They had also a Sumptuary Law which prohibited all kind of vanity and expence in Cloathing and Adornments of them with Gold or Silver or pretious Stones and especially all profuseness in banquets and delicacies in Diet were forbidden onely the Neighbourhood were enjoined to Dine two or three times a Month together in presence of their Curacas and then afterwards to exercise themselves in feats of Arms or in sports and divertisements which was esteemed a probable means to reconcile Mens affections and conserve them in love and friendship one with the other And this Law was also made in favour to the Shepherds and other Field-labourers that so they might tast some pleasures and recreations They had also a Law in relation to those whom they call Poor which was That such as were blind dumb lame old decrepit and lingering with any long or Chronical disease so as that they were uncapable of work should be cloathed and sed out of the King's Store Likewise it was a Law that out of these Stores all Strangers and Travellers should be provided for whom also Inns and places of refreshment were erected which they called Corpahuaci which is as much as a House of Hospitality in which Men had their charge and expence defrayed by the Publick And in this Law also it was Ordained that twice or thrice a Month they were to invite those which as before mentioned are termed Poor unto their Meetings and publick Feasts that so their miseries might receive some consolation and diversion by the common joy and society Another Law they called the Ordinance of good Husbandry which enjoined and required two things First that no person should remain idle or be exempt from labour for as we have said before even Children of five years of Age were employed in something agreeable to their capacities nor were the lame and infirm altogether excused but some work was given them which they were best able to perform for idleness which was punishable with much dishonour and infamy was not indulged on any pretence but what was of necessity and unavoidable And farther it was Ordained by this Law That the Indians should dine and sup with their Doors open that so the Officers and Ministers of the Judges might have free and open access to them at their pleasure for there were certain Officers appointed to visit the Houses of particular persons as well as the Temples and publick Houses and Edifices whom they called Llactacamayu and these were Monitors or Visitors appointed to oversee and make enquiry into the Houses of particular persons observing the order and regular care and diligence which the Husband and Wife used in their labour and families and what obedience and respect the Children paid unto their Parents the evidence and measures of which they took from the neatness and politeness of their Attire and from the cleanliness of their Utensils and good Housewifery in their Houses such as they found in all things cleanly they praised and commended in publick and such as were slovenly and nasty they punished with stripes whipping them on their Armes and legs or with such other infliction as the Law required by which care and severe inspection every one became laborious and that industry produced such abundance of all things necessary to humane Life that those things were given almost for nothing which now are to be purchased at excessive rates What other Laws and moral Constitutions they observed either relating to Men in a common or a single capacity they were all regulated and squared by the rule of right Reason and which may be known and collected from those particulars which we shall hereafter relate concerning the Lives and Customs of this People And we shall hereafter in the eight and ninth Chapters specifie the cause and manner why and how they came to loose these Laws and Customs which were thus worthy and commendable all which declined and fell with the Government of the Incas And that the barbarity of the Indians is much more savage and their living much less political and greater want of all things necessary in these days amongst them than was in the ancient times when the Incas bore the sway and rule in those Dominions CHAP. XII How they conquered and civilized their new Subjects THE Policy and Arts which the Incas used in their Conquests and the manner and methods they pursued in civilizing the People and reducing them to a course of moral Living is very curious and worthy to be observed For from the first foundation which their Kings laid of Government which served afterwards for an example or pattern to their Successours their Maxime was Never to make War on their Neighbours without just cause or reason so the Barbarity and Ignorance of the People seemed a good and lawfull motive and next
Of the Buildings Ornament and Furniture of the Royal Palaces THE Services and Ornaments of the Royal Palaces belonging to the Kings of Peru were agreeable to the Greatness Riches and Majesty of their Empire with which also corresponded the Magnificence of their Court and Attendance which if well considered might equal if not exceed the State and Grandeur of all the Kings and Emperours of the Universe As to their Houses and Temples Gardens and Baths they were all built of Free Stone rarely well polished and so well joined together and so close laid that they admitted no kind of Cement the truth is if any were used it was of that sort of coloured Mortar which in their Language they call Llancac Allpa which is a sort of slimy Cement made up like a Cream which so united and closed the Stones together that no seam or crevise appeared between them for which reason the Spaniards were of opinion that they worked without Mortar others said that they used Lime but both are mistakes for the Indians of Peru neither knew the manner or use of Lime Mortar Tile or Brick In many of the Royal Palaces and Temples of the Sun they closed up the Seams of their Building with melted Gold or Silver or Lead Pedro de Cieça a Spanish Historian saith That for greater Magnificence they filled the joints between the Stones with Gold or Silver which was afterwards the cause of the total destruction of those Buildings for the Spaniards having found these exteriour appearances of Gold and some other heaps of Metall within have for farther Discovery subverted the very Foundations of those Edifices in hopes of finding greater Treasure which otherwise were so firmly built as might have continued for many Ages Pedro de Cieça confirms the same at large and saith farther That the Temples of the Sun were plated with Gold as also all the Royal Apartments They also framed many Figures of Men and Women of Birds of the Air and Fishes of the Sea likewise of fierce Animals such as Tygers and Lions and Bears Foxes Dogs and Cats in short all Creatures whatsoever known amongst them they cast and moulded into true and natural Figures of the same shape and form of those Creatures which they represented placing them in corners or cones of the Walls purposely made and fitted for them They counterfeited the Plants and Wall-flowers so well that being on the Walls they seemed to be Natural The Creatures which were shaped on the Walls such as Lizards Butter-flyes Snakes and Serpents some crawling up and some down were so artificially done that they seemed Natural and wanted nothing but Motion The Inca commonly sate on a Stool of Massie Gold which they called Tiana being about three quarters of a Yard high without Armes or Back and the seat something hollow in the middle this was set on a large square Plate of Gold which served for a Pedestal to raise it All the Vessels which were for the service of the Inca both of the Kitchin and of the Buttery were all made of Gold or Silver and these were in such quantities that every House or Palace belonging to the Inca was furnished in that manner with them that there was no occasion when he Travelled to remove them from one place to the other In these Palaces also there were Magazines or Granaries made of Gold and Silver which were fit to receive Corn or Grane but they were rather places of State and Magnificence than of use The Inca had his Palace well furnished with Bedding and so many changes of Apparel that having worn a Suit twice he gave it to his Kindred or his Servants Their Bed-cloaths were Blankets like our Freezes made of Goats Wool and so soft and fine that amongst other curiosities of that Countrey they carried over some of the Blankets for the Beds of Philip the Second King of Spain these Blankets served them for Beds to lye on as well as Coverings But they would by no means be reconciled to Quilts or be persuaded to sleep upon them perhaps because that having seen them in the Chambers of the Spaniards they seemed too effeminate and soft for Men who made profession of a more hardy life and who had not created to themselves so many superfluous necessities as Men who ranged both Sea and Land for Riches and Treasure They had no occasion of Hangings for their Walls which as we have said they Adorned with Plates of Gold or Silver The Dishes of Meat provided for the Inca's Table were many because many Incas of his Kindred were his frequent Guests and his Servants were very numerous being all to be fed at the charge and care of the Inca. The usual hour of Eating for all sorts of people was from eight to nine in the Morning in the Evening they supped by Day-light making no more than these two Meals In Drinking they were more intemperate for though they did not Drink during the time of their Meal yet afterwards when they sate to it they drank commonly till Night But this was a custome amongst the Rich and Men of Estates and not amongst the Poor whose poverty obliged them to a necessity of being abstemious And the common custome and practice amongst all in general was to retire betimes to their repose and to rise early in the Morning to follow their Employments CHAP. II. How all the Ornaments and Curiosities which Beautified the Royal Palaces were made of Gold and Silver ALL the Royal Palaces had their Gardens and Orchards and places of Pleasure wherein the Inca might delight and divertise himself and these Gardens were planted with Fruit-trees of the greatest beauty with Flowers and Odoriferous Herbs of all sorts and kinds which that Climate did produce In resemblance of these they made Trees and Flowers of Gold and Silver and so imitated them to the life that they seemed to be natural some Trees appeared with their Fruit in the blossom others full-grown others ripe according to the several seasons of the year they counterfeited also the Mayz or Stalk of the Indian Wheat with all its Grane and Spikes Also the Flax with its Leaves and Roots as it grows in the Fields and every Herb and Flower was a Copy to them to frame the like in Gold and Silver They fashioned likewise all sorts of Beasts and Birds in Gold and Silver namely Conies Rats Lizards Serpents Butterflyes Foxes Mountain Cats for they had no tame Cats in their Houses and then they made Sparrows and all sorts of lesser Birds some flying others perching on the Trees in short no Creature that was either Wild or Domestick but was made and represented by them according to its exact and natural shape In many Houses they had great Cisterns of Gold in which they bathed themselves with Cocks and Pipes of the same Metal for conveyance of the Water And amongst many other pieces of State and Magnificence they had heaps or stacks of Faggots and Billets made of Gold and
the whole Empire and added to his Religion many new Rites and Ceremonies and introduced many laudable Customs and new Laws tending to the better regulation of Moral life He ejected many of the Idols formerly Worshipped by his Subjects out of the Temples and forbad many barbarous and abominable customs in use amongst them And that he might shew himself as great a Captain and Souldier as he was a King and Priest he reformed the Militia instructing them in the Discipline of War and for encouragement of his Souldiery he established new favours and honours for those that should deserve them He also enlarged and beautified the great City of Cozco with sumptuous Buildings and supplied it with new Citizens and Inhabitants and particularly he erected a Palace for himself near those Schools which his Great Grandfather Roca had founded For which Magnificent actions and for his sweet and gentle disposition he was beloved and adored like another Jupiter He reigned fifty years and as some say seventy during all which time he lived in great peace and prosperity at the end of which he dyed being universally lamented by his Subjects having his place allotted to him amongst the Kings his Predecessors and enrolled in the List and Number of their Gods. He was embalmed according to the custome of their Countrey and his Obsequies performed with cries and sighs and sacrifices and other ceremonies of Funeral which continued for the space of a whole year He left the Universal inheritance of his Empire to his Eldest Son Yupanqui and his Wife and Sister Coya Anahuarque besides which he left above three hundred Sons and Daughters and that in all with legitimate and natural Children he made up the number of more than four hundred and yet the Indians esteem these but few considering they were the issue of so great and so good a Father The Spanish Historians confound the Names of this Father and Son in one denomination calling the Father Yupanqui and the Son Inca whereas Inca was the Royal Title as Augustus was to the Emperours The cause of this mistake amongst the Spaniards arises from the Indians themselves who having occasion to mention these two Kings say Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui which the Spaniards misunderstanding take to be one person and so confound the Father with the Son though in reality the Indians make great difference distinguishing this Yupanqui from his Father and others by the sirname of Tupac which is as much as to say resplendent in like manner they distinguish another Inca Yupanqui by the Father of Huayna Capac and another Tupanqui by the Grandfather of Huascar and so give some distinction to them all which I denote for better clearing the History to observing and intelligent Readers CHAP. XXXV Of the Schools which he founded and enlarged and of the Laws he made for good Government BLas Valera discoursing of this Inca hath these following words Viracocha being dead and placed by the Indians amongst the number of their Gods the Grand Titu his Son succeeded in his Throne by the Name of Manco Capac untill such time as his Father gave him the Name of Pachacutec which signifies as much as if they should call him the Reformer of the World the which Name was verified by the many famous Actions he performed and the many wise Sentences and Proverbs which he uttered the which were so excellent and renowned that having deserved that August Title the former Name began to be forgotten This Inca governed his Empire with that vigilance prudence and courage both in War and Peace that he not onely enlarged it towards all the four quarters of the World which they called Tavantinsuyu but strengthened and corroborated it by such excellent Laws and Statutes as were judged worthy to be confirmed by the Wisedom of our Catholick Kings those onely excepted which had respect to the Idolatrous Rites of their Religion and to the permissions of their Incestuous Marriages This Inca above all things amplified and endowed with Honours and Revenues those Schools which the Inca Rocca had first founded at Cozco He encreased the number of Masters and Teachers commanding that no Officer Captain or Souldier should be capable of any Honour Office or Dignity but he onely that could speak and who was knowing and skilfull in the Language of Cozco And that no person might plead excuse for his ignorance therein he ordained and appointed several Masters to teach that Tongue to all the Nobles and to others capable to serve in publick employment so that the Language of Cozco became the common and universal Tongue of all Peru However of late I know not how by negligence of Officers 't is almost lost and forgotten to the great damage and obstruction of the Gospel Such Indiansâ— as to these days retain that Language are much better civilized and more intelligent than those others who are as gross and corrupt in their Manners as they are in their Language It was this Pachacutec who prohibited all persons unless they were Princes and of the Bloud-Royal to wear Gold or Silver or pretious Stones or Feathers of divers colours or the fine sort of Goats Wool which they had learned to Weave with admirable Art. He commanded that upon the first days of the new Moon and other days of Festival they should go decently but not gaily dressed by which means he made moderate cloathing to become a fashion which to this day is observed by the Indians who are Tributaries and hath that good effect upon them that thereby they are freed from the danger of bad Arts which oftentimes necessitate Men to exercise unlawfull contrivances for the sake of fine cloathing and gay apparel Though indeed at present those Indians who are Servants to Spaniards or live amongst them are become greatly corrupt in that particular not valuing their honour or consciences in comparison with the gallantry and finery of their Apparel This Inca likewise enjoyned great temperance in Eating though he gave more liberty to the Commonalty as well as the Princes in the excess of Drink He ordained particular Officers to oversee and take notice of idle Persons and Vagabonds not suffering any person to want business or employment but to serve his Father or his Master so that Children of five or six years of Age were not excused from some employment and work agreeable to their years Even the lame and blind and dumb had some sort of work put into their hands the Old Men and Women were set to affright away the Crows and Birds from the Corn and thereby gained their Bread and Cloathing And lest Men by reason of continual labour and toil should become weary and their lives burthensome he provided that for their better ease they should have three Days of repose and divertisement in every Moon by which they accounted their Month He appointed three Fairs in every Month to be held at the end of every nine Days so that such as lived in the Villages might at the end
thus employed in reducing and instructing the Provinces before mentioned other Nations which are seated to the Westward of these bordering on the Confines of that Province which the Spaniards call Puerto Viejo or the Old Port sent their Ambassadours to the Inca with Presents beseeching him to receive them for his Subjects and Vassals and that he would be pleased to send them Captains and Teachers who might instruct them in the way of living in Societies and how to manure their Lands that they might live like Men and not like Beasts promising for themselves all loyalty and faithfulness Those that made the first motion to send this Embassy were of the Nation of Huancavillca The Inca gratiously received their Address commanding that satisfaction should be given them in all their desires and so Teachers were sent to instruct them in Religion and in the Laws and good Customs of the Inca Enginiers were also sent them to make Aqueducts and manure their Fields and reduce them into Societies But afterwards the ingratitude of this people was such that contemning the favours and promises which the Inca had made them they arose up against his people and barbarously murthered them all As Pedro de Cieça in his Observations reports which because it serves to confirm the particulars we have often repeated in this History touching the gentleness and good-nature of the Incas who were always ready to teach and instruct the Indians who submitted to their Dominion we have here inserted the Words of de Cieça that so what we have said concerning the Incas may also be confirmed by the authority of the Spanish Writers His Words are these which follow To return then to our purpose I say that I have heard from Old Indians who were Chiefs in the time of the Great Topa Inga Yupanque that some of his Captains with certain Troops which they had drawn out from those Garrisons which he maintained in divers Provinces of his Kingdom had by divers ways of management reduced much people to the friendship and service of the Inca the principal sort of which went with their Presents to the Province of Paltas to pay their respects of reverence and duty to the Inca who courteously received them with all affection bestowing on several of them rich pieces of Woollen made at Cozco And whereas the occasions of the Inca required his return to his principal Provinces where he was so much esteemed that they styled him Father and honoured him with Titles of Supreme Eminence And such was his affable disposition towards all that his Fame was great and his Memory perpetual But in regard the occasions of his Kingdom were so pressing that he could not stay and in Person visit those Indians he committed the care of that Government to certain Officers who were Natives of Cozco and whose charge it was to instruct them in the manner of living that they might become rational Creatures and live with some form and rule But these did not onely shut their Ears to necessary instructions and disdain the Orders which the Officers of Topa Inga prescribed for their living under Laws in good society and using laudable customs and ways to live such as Manuring their Lands and other matters which contribute to the happiness of of life But in return for such benefits which they ill understood they killed their Instructors not suffering one of them to live and escape and this villany they acted without any provocation or any oppression whereby they might deserve ill from them It is said that when the Inga Topa heard of this Massacre temporizing with the present state of his affairs he dissembled the matter not having opportunity at that time to revenge the Death of those Captains and Subjects Thus far are the Words of Pedro de Cieça with which he concludes his Chapter To which we add that the Inca having finished the Conquest of those Provinces returned again to Cozco to take some repose and divertisement after his great labours and cares in War. CHAP. VII The Inca conquers Quitu and sends to his Son the Prince Huayna Capac to come to him THE Inca Tupac after some few years of ease and peace re-assumed again the thoughts of War resolving to turn his Arms against the Kingdom of Quitu being a Countrey great and famous of 70 Leagues in length and 30 in breadth the Soil fruitfull and capable by good Husbandry of great improvement and benefit to the Inhabitants Wherefore providing an Army of forty thousand strong he marched to Tumipampa which borders on the Confines of that Kingdom sending thence the usual Summons to the King of Quitu who styled himself after the Name of his Countrey This Prince was of a barbarous and rude nature and consequently fierce and cholerick feared by his Neighbours for the great Power and Dominion he had over them Wherefore relying on his own force he confidently answered that he was Lord and Sovereign himself and would acknowledge no other nor receive Foreign Laws but gave such as he thought fit to his own Vassals nor would he forsake the Gods of his Ancestors which were wild beasts and great trees such as afforded them flesh and wood and other benefits necessary for the support of life The Inca having received this answer would not immediately break into Acts of Hostility endeavouring for awhile to try the effects of gentle allurements and moderate terms according to the rule and maxime of his Ancestors But this kind usage operated little on the affections of the people of Quitu who grew more proud and insolent by the condescentions of the Inca which was the cause that when the War broke out it continued many months and years during which time many Skirmishes and Battels happened with great slaughter and damage on both sides Tupac Inca Yupanqui perceiving that this War was likely to continue long sent for his Eldest Son and Heir the Prince Huayna Capac that so he might exercise and practise him in the War commanding him to bring a recruit of twelve thousand Men with him his Mother was called Mama Occlo Sister of his Father according to the custome of those Kings who always took the Eldest Sisters for their Wives The Spanish Historians say that Huayna Capac in the vulgar Language of that Family signifies a Rich Youth But it is certain that those Indians in giving their Names and Sirnames to their Kings observed as we have said other Elegancies and Phrases in Speech different from the common Language having ever some respect to those symptoms and appearances of Vertue which they observed eminent and hopefull in their Princes adding other August Titles agreeable to the Prowess and Illustrious Actions performed in their Manhood And so because this Prince demonstrated in his Youth clear evidences of a Royal and Magnanimous Soul they gave him the Name of Huayna Capac which signifies as much as a Youthfull Spirit invigorated with inclination to heroick and illustrious Atchievements For when they gave
of this Leaf in the greenness and shape of it is like the Arbuteus onely the Leaves are so thin that three or four of them being doubled are not so thick as that of the Arbuteus I am pleased to find any sort of Fruits here in Spain to which I may compare them though the difference between them is so great that they may easily be distinguished one from the other When they gather the Leaves they dry them in the Sun but care is to be taken that they be not over-dried for then they lose much of their Virtue and being very thin soon turn into powder nor will they bear much moisture for they soon grow musty and rotten but they lay them up in Baskets of slit Canes of which many fine ones are made in the Antis With the Leaves of those big Canes which are about the third of a yard broad and about half a yard long they cover the top of the Baskets to keep moisture from the Leaves which is very prejudicial to them and to consider the great pains and care which is taken to nourish this Cuca and the provisions of all things which are made for it we ought rather to render thanks to God for his abundant blessings in the variety of his Creatures than to believe or conclude that what we write is fabulous or incredible if these fruits were to be planted or nourished in other Countries the charge and labour of them would be more than the benefit This Herb is gathered every four months that is three times a year and in the manuring of it care is taken to weed it often for the Countrey being hot and moist the Weeds grow apace and the Herb sometimes increases so fast that the season for gathering of it advances fifteen days so that sometimes they have four Harvests for it in a year the which a certain covetous Tithe-gatherer observing in my time farmed the Tithes of all the principal and rich Inheritances and Possessions about Cozco and taking care to keep them clear and clean from Weeds he so improved his Revenue that the year following the Farmer of the Tithes made two thirds more than what had been made in the preceding years which caused a Law Suit between the Farmer and the Proprietor but what the Issue was of it I that was then but a Boy did not much remark Amongst many other Virtues of this Cuca they say it corroborates the Gums and fortifies the Teeth and that it gives strength and vigour to any person that labours and toils onely by carrying it in his mouth I remember a Story which I heard in my own Country That a certain Gentleman both by Bloud and Vertue called Rodrigo Pantoia journying once from Cozco to Rimac met with a poor Spaniard for there are some poor there as well as here travelling on foot carrying a little Girl of about two years of age in his Armes and being an acquaintance of this Pantoja he asked him how he came to give himself the trouble of carrying that burthen to which the person that was on foot replied that he was poor and had not money to hire and Indian to carry it In this discourse with him Pantoja observed that his mouth was full of the Cuca and it being at that time that the Spaniards abhorred all things which the Indians did eat or drink because they had been abused to Idolatry and particularly they hated the Cuca as a base and stinking Weed which gave cause to Pantoja to ask him farther why he being a Spaniard did use those things which the Spaniards hated for his necessities could never be so great as to compell him to Meats or Customs unlawfull To which the Souldier replied that though he abhorred it as much as the Spaniards yet necessity forced him to imitate the Indians therein for that without it he could never be able to travell and carry his Burthen for that holding it in his mouth he found such refreshment and strength that he was able to carry his Load and perform his Journey with chearfulness Pantoja wondring at this Report related it to many others who afterwards making the same experiment thereof found that the Indians made use of it rather for their refreshment and necessity than for any pleasure in the taste which in it self is not very pleasant or agreeable Hereafter we shall discourse in what manner they carry it to Potosi and how they trade and make Merchandise of it As to that Plant which the Spaniards call Tobacco and the Indians Sayri we have already discoursed in an other place Dr. Monardes writes many wonderfull things of it As to Sarsa Parilla we need not speak much since the Virtues and excellent Operations of it are already known both in the new and the old World especially in the cure of the Venereal Disease and other acute Distempers There are many other Herbs in Peru of those medicinal Qualities that as Blas Valera saith if they were well known and searched into by some experienced Botanist there would be no need of bringing any Herbs or Drugs thither from other parts of the World. But our Spanish Physicians do so little addict themselves to the knowledge of Herbs growing in those Countries that even the Virtues of those formerly known by the Indians are forgotten which are so many that the study of them is difficult and abstruse the Indians know not their Virtues and Qualities but distinguish them onely by bitter and sweet sometimes eating them raw as we do Lettuce and Radishes and sometimes they make pottage of them and stew them with other things and which the poorer sort make the best part of their Diet having no store or abundance of Fish or Flesh to make their Food The bitter Herbs such as are the Leaves which they gather from the Bushes called Sunchu and the like they boil in two or three several Waters and afterwards dry them in the Sun and keep them for the Winter provisions for which also they gather all the little Snags and Cockles they can find on the Banks of Rivers or on the Sea-Coast CHAP. XVI Of their tame Cattel and of the great Caravans or Droves of them In the time of the Vice-king called Blasco Nannez Vela in the year 1544. and 45. amongst other Contagious at that time in Peru there was a Murrain amongst this sort of Cattel which the Indians called Carache being a certain Mange or Scab a Disease never known before in those parts it took them first in the Legs and Ventricle and then diffused it self over all the Body rising in Bunches three or four fingers high which sometime burst with Matter and Bloud and issued in that abundance that the poor Creature died in two or three days This Murrain was so contagious to the great trouble and affliction both of the Spaniards and the Indians that two thirds of the greater and lesser Cattel dyed both Paco and Huanacu and farther it extended it self to the
wild Huanacu and Vicanna though it was not so mortal amongst them because they belonged to colder Countries and did not herd in such droves as the tame Cattel This Murrain also extended it self to the very Foxes and affected them in so cruel a manner that as I remember in the Year 1548. when Gonçalo Piçarro was at Cozco and victorious after the Battel of Huarina I saw a great many Foxes which were seized with this Plague come into the City by night and in the morning were found dead in the Streets having great boils on their Backs from Head to Tail which were caused by this Plague amongst Beasts The Indians who were very superstitious in matters of this nature did from hence prognosticate the Death of Piçarro which accordingly ensued in a short time afterwards When this Murrain first began amongst the Cattel they applied many Remedies which served rather to encrease than abate the evil amongst which one was to kill or bury alive one of the kind which was infected as Acosta mentions in his 4th Book but in regard the evil encreased so fast that neither the Indians nor Spaniards knew in what manner to give a stop to it they at length made a trial how it might be done by fire or cauterizing then they tried to cure it by preparations of Mercury and Sulphur and Hogs-grease but all proved too violent Remedies so that the Cattel dyed the more speedily by them At length after many experiments made they found none better than to anoint the parts where the Scab arose with Hogs-grease melted and warm taking great care to observe if the Scratches began on their Legs and then to anoint them for the Murrain seized them first there before it spread it self into the upper parts This was the best remedy they found yet served for little untill the evil influences were over which were the causes of it And by reason of the great benefit which they found by this Grease they very much esteemed of Hogs though for the numbers of them they were cheap and yielded no great price It is observable that this general Plague upon almost all sorts of Cattel did not yet touch the wilder Animals such as Stags and Fallow-Deer because perhaps they were of another temper I remember that in Cozco they made choice of St. Antonio for their Saint and Protectour against this Murrain for which cause they solemnize a Festival to him every year Though this sort of Cattel be great and large as we have said and the Journies long which they travell yet they put their Masters to no charge either in their Meat or Shoeing or Stable nor in their Pack-saddles or Girts or Cruppers or Stays or other Utensils which our Carriers use for when they come to the end of their days journey they onely throw off their burthen and send them to feed on the Grass which the Land affords being at no charge either of Straw or Corn though they would gladly eat Corn if their Masters would be so kind as to bestow it upon them Then as to their shoeing there is no need of it for besides that they are cloven footed they have a kind of a callous or spungy matter on their Feet without a Hoof. Then for their Pack-saddles they have no need of them because they have so much wool on their Backs as serves in the place of a Saddle and keeps the burthen fast and close which the Masters of them take care to lade in such manner as that it may lie even and well poised and not touch so far as to gaul the Withers nor have they need of a Surcingle which our Carriers use for the Beast wearing no Pack-saddle all Girts or Cords may rub off the Flesh howsoever many of them travelling in a Drove were tied one to the other having 20 or 25 beasts running loose so as to ease and change the Burthens of those which were tired The Merchants in travelling carried their Tents with them which they pitched in the Fields wheresoever they found it convenient to lodge and repose and there unloaded their Merchandize so that they never entred into Villages or Towns because too much time and labour would be lost to put their Cattel to Grass and then to go and fetch them up In their Journey from Cozco to Potocchi in going and returning they are commonly four months besides the time that they are detained at the place for traffick and packing up their Merchandize One of this sort of Sheep which was of the best kind was worth in Cozco eighteen Ducats and one of the more ordinary twelve or thirteen The chief Merchandize brought from that City was Cuca and Garments for the Indians All that I have before spoken I have seen and observed with my own Eyes but how things have been ordered since my departure I know not I have traded with many of them for this commodity as the Merchants went and came and I am assured that some of these Travellers have sold a Basket of this Cuca for above thirty Pieces of Eight weighty Money And notwithstanding the value of their Commodities and that these Caravans or Droves of Sheep returned with thirty forty fifty and an hundred thousand Pieces of Eight yet such was the security of those Countries and the little danger they had of Thieves or Robbers that they lodged and slept in the open Fields without other Guards or Defence than their own The like security and confidence did Men use in their dealings and Merchandize as also in payment of their Rents or Loans of Money making no Conveyance or Writing or Obligation besides their mere Word which they kept and observed so punctually that when a Spaniard had lost Money by Play he would say to the Winner Tell such a one that the Money which he ows me he should pay to you in satisfaction of what you won of me at Cards These Words were esteemed as sufficient as a Bill of Exchange for such was the Innocence and the simplicity of those Countries that no scruple was made in giving all belief and credence thereunto and this was so common that whether the Person were a Merchant or a Souldier or a Lord of Indians his Word would pass and he was credited in every thing that he uttered and such was the security of the ways that it seemed the golden Age wherein was no fraud nor violence amongst Mankind And as I understand it continues still so in those Countries In times of Peace when all Wars were ceased many Nobles and Gentlemen having no employment thought it no diminution to their Honour rather than to remain idle to travell frequently to Potocchi and trade in Cuca and other Indian Commodities but then it was not esteemed honourable to sell or buy them by parcels but by the whole sale nor yet to deal in Spanish Commodities or to sell by the yard or open a Shop Howsoever many of them were pleased to travell with their Commodities it not
wonderfull and worthy of admiration the which word also was used by them when any thing was abominable or detestable in its kind The Master of this piece of Ore determined to carry it with him into Spain and present it to King Philip the Second as a curiosity greatly to be esteemed But I was informed by those who were in the same Fleet with him that the Ship in which that person embarked was cast away and that he was drowned and all his treasure with much more perished with him The Silver is digged with much more labour than Gold and refined with much more charge and difficulty There are many Mines in divers parts of Peru but none like those of Potosi the which were discovered in the year 1545 being about fourteen years after the Spaniards first possessed that Countrey as appears by the Record The Mountain in which these Mines arise is called Potosi but why it is so named I cannot tell unless it hath some signification in the proper Language of that Countrey for in the general Speech of Peru it hath none It is situated in the midst of a Plain in form of a Sugar-loaf is about the compass of a League at the bottom and a quarter of a League towards the top it is round and very pleasant to behold standing alone and single in a Plain which Nature hath adorned and beautified having added comeliness to that fame which its Riches hath made renowned and esteemed in the World. Some Mornings it appears with a cap of Snow the Climate thereabouts being something cold That Mountain in the division which was first made fell to the share of Gançalo Piçarro and afterwards to Pedro Hinojosa as we shall hereafter declare in case we may be so free as to bring to light some hidden and secret practices contrived in the times of War which Historians do often omit fearing to disparage the Actions of great Men and thereby create enmity and displeasure to themselves Acosta in his fourth Book writes at large of Gold and Silver and Quick-silver of which every day there are Mines discovered in that Empire so that I shall not need to write of them onely I shall mention some few remarkable things concerning those Metals and how the Indians melted and founded them before the Spaniards found out the use of Quick-silver and refer the Reader to satisfie his curiosity to that History of Acosta in which he writes of all these Metals and particularly of the Nature of Quick-silver at large 'T is observable that the Mines of the Mountain Potosi were first discovered by certain Indians who were Servants to Spaniards called in their Language Yanacuna who under the seal of friendship and promise of secrecy kept it concealed for some time enjoying to themselves the benefit of the first discovery but finding the Riches immense and difficult to be hidden they could not or would not conceal the intimation thereof from their Masters who opening the first vein of Ore found passage to a greater Treasure Amongst those Spaniards to whom this booty and fortunate lot happened there was one called Gonçalo Bernal who was afterwards Steward to Pedro de Hinojosa this Man discoursing some short time after the discovery of this Mine with Diego Centeno a Gentleman of Quality and other Noble persons concerning the rich and spreading veins of this Mountain declared it to be his opinion that in case this Mine were digged and the Silver melted which it would produce that Silver would become more common and less valuable than Iron The which assertion I have seen made good in the years 1554 and 55 when in the War of Francisco Hernandez Giron an Iron Horse-shoe was worth five Pieces of Eight or six Ducats and a Shoe for a Mule rated at four Pieces of Eight and two Nails for shoing valued at a Tomin or fifty five Maravedis I have seen a pair of Buskins or Spatterlashes sold at thirty six Ducats a Quire of Paper for four Ducats an Ell of Valentia Cloth dyed in grane at sixty Ducats and according to this rate all the fine Cloths made of Sigovia Wool their Silks Linen and other Merchandises of Spain were estimated but the War was the cause of this dearness because in the space of two years that it continued there arrived no Ships in Peru with the Commodities of Spain Moreover the great abundance of Silver which those Mines yielded caused it to be cheap and of no esteem that a Basket of Cuca came to be worth thirty six Ducats and a Bushel of Wheat valued at twenty four or twenty five Ducats at like rates they sold their Mayz and all their commodities for Shoes and Cloathing and their Wine also was sold at excessive prizes untill such time as it came to be imported in greater quantities And though this Countrey be rich and abounding with Gold Silver and pretious Stones yet the Natives are the most poor and miserable people in all the World. CHAP. XXV Of Quick-silver and how they melted their Ore before they discovered that Mineral WE have in the foregoing part of this History signified that the Incan Kings had a knowledge of Quick-silver but were unacquainted with the Nature or Use of it and onely admired the lively and quick motions of it howsoever having observed some certain noxious qualities and effects it produced such as stupefactions palsies and tremblings of the Nerves the Kings whose chief care was the safety of their people for which reason one of their Titles was Lovers of the Poor did absolutely forbid their Subjects to use or meddle with it and they being possessed with an apprehension of its noxious qualities abhorred it to that degree as not to think it worthy of their thought or word so that they had no name for Quick-silver unless they have coined one for it since the Spaniards in the year 1567 made a discovery of it and if they had any before they had certainly forgot it as Men are liable to doe who have no knowledge or practice of letters That which the Incas used and permitted to their Subjects was a sort of Earth of a pure Vermilion-colour beyond expression found in dust within the Mines of Quick-silver the Indians call it Ychma that which Acosta calls Llimpi is of a Purple-colour and extracted from other Mines for in those Countries they have Earth of all colours which serve us for Painting But as to this curious Crimson with which the Indians are so much affected it is also forbidden to be extracted without licence lest the people venturing themselves far into the Caverns of the Earth in the search of it should prejudice their healths and endanger their lives and therefore the use of it is forbidden to the common people and onely permitted to Ladies of the Royal Bloud Men never use it nor Women in years but such onely as are young and handsome who do not lay it upon their Cheeks as our Women do in Spain but onely draw it
the Discovery of the Indies as also with Alfonso the 5th King of Portugal with the Dukes of Medina Sidonia and Medina Celi who not receiving with good approbation the Proposals made them Friar John Perez and Friar Francis de la Rabida which last was the King's Cosmographer encouraged him to make his Applications to the Court of Spain where they believed his Propositions might find a gratious reception By these means Columbus was introduced into the Court of Castile in the Year 1486. where he delivered his Proposals and Petition to Fernando and Isabella King and Queen of Spain but they being embroiled at that time in their Wars against the Moors in the Countrey of Granada had little leisure to convert their thoughts to Projects of this nature And Columbus being but a stranger and poor in habit and without other Credit or Interest than that of a poor Friar whom they would neither vouchsafe to lend an Ear unto much less to believe was the cause of great Discouragement and Affliction to Columbus Onely Alonso de Quintanilla who was Auditor General gave him his Diet at his Caterer's House taking great pleasure to hear him discourse and promise high Matters and Riches which were to be fetched from unknown Countries and therefore to keep up his Spirits he gave him hopes one day to prevail with his Catholick Majesty in his behalf the which he accordingly effected for him by introducing him first to the knowledge of Cardinal de Mendoça Archbishop of Toledo who had a great power and authority both with the King and Queen of Spain This Noble Person having maturely examined and considered of the Proposals which Columbus made procured him an Audience with the King to whom at first his Propositions seemed vain Projects and without foundation howsoever he received good Words and hopes of a favourable dispatch so soon as the War with Granada should be concluded With this Answer Columbus conceived some satisfaction and began to be esteemed in the Court for untill that time the Courtiers turned all his Project into ridicule and derided it as a Dream or a melancholy fancy Granada being at length taken Columbus renewed his Negotiation with such success that he obtained his Demand and a Commission to go into the new World for Gold Silver Pretious Stones and other rich and valuable Commodities and to receive and take unto himself the twelfth part of all such Riches Royalties and Rents which he should discover and acquire in those unknown Countries without Damage or Prejudice howsoever to the Right which the King of Portugal pretends to those parts All which Articles of Agreement were made granted and concluded at Granada on the 30th of April in the year when that City was taken and subdued and confirmed in virtue of the holy Faith and with all the Privileges and Graces of the Royal Favour but in regard the King had no Money wherewith to furnish Columbus on this expedition Lewis de St. Angel Clerk of the Exchequer lent six Millions of Maravedis to him which make the sum of sixteen thousand Ducats And now here are two things particularly observable one of which is that with so small a sum as this all the Riches of the Indies accrued to the Royal Crown of Castile That so soon as the Conquest over the Moors was perfected the Wars with whom had continued for the space of eight hundred years the Conquest over the Indians was begun that so it may appear how zealous the Spaniards have ever been to exercise and employ their Arms against the Enemies of the Faith of Christ. By which it appears that by the continued and constant solicitations which Columbus used at the Court for the space of seven or eight years before he could procure his dispatch together with the help of sixteen thousand Ducats all Spain and the whole World hath been enriched And having now treated of the Royal Assent we shall descend to more common and particular matters to evidence the truth of this whole History CHAP. VI. The Value of common things before the Conquest of Peru. WHerein the Authour enlarging himself by particular instances at how cheap a rate all things were valued in Spain in the same manner as in the 2d 3d and 4th Chapters we have for brevity sake thought fit to omit and for better divertisement to the Reader we proceed to CHAP. VII Wherein two Opinions are declared concerning the Riches of Peru and the beginning of that Conquest HAving already described to what sum the Revenue of Spain did amount in former times it would now be very satisfactory if we could give an account to what a value it is amounted and improved in these days but I must confess that that would prove too difficult a work for me who have no interest or communication with the Officers of the Royal Exchequer nor such intimacy with them as to obtain so great a favour from any of them and indeed I am persuaded that if I had yet the vast quantities of Riches which pass through their Hands are almost incomprehensible and such as they cannot number how much less am I insufficient for this matter who have no skill or knowledge of that Wealth or as I may use our own Saying who know not what colour Flower or Meal bears Onely this we may aver as a matter clear and manifest that all the charge and expence for equipping out the Fleet against England in the Year 1588. was all charged on the Wealth of Peru besides which Philip the 2d King of Castile received eight Millions of Ducats from thence in the space of six years besides all other branches of his Royal Revenue the which sum was commanded afterwards to be paid in the term of every three years It is farther manifest and apparent that soon after Philip the third came to the Crown that the Kingdom offered another increase of his Revenue to eighteen Millions payable in the space of six years the which continues to these times besides all other Rents and Duties paid to the Crown By these and other particular instances before mentioned we may collect and imagine the great improvement hath been in the King's Revenue the several branches of which being much more various than those of private Estates and there having in every one of those branches been a considerable advance and improvement the sum thereof is become so prodigious and vast as can scarce be valued by the Skill of our Arithmetick By which we may conclude that if that Man is to be esteemed poor who can value his Riches Pauperis est numerare pecus how much must we be plunged in our account when we come to reckon and sum up the Revenue of that Monarch in the circumference of whose Territories as Cosmographers describe the Sun never sets All which Riches and Grandeur are to be attributed to the success and labours of this our Triumvirate And though it be true what we have said before that we had little
because that being charmed with pity for the miseries of the poor Indians they trembled and sell to make way for their flight and escape Some Historians say that the Spaniards not satisfied to see them fly pursued and massacred them untill the night put an end to their cruelty And then afterwards taking the plunder of the Field they divided the spoil which consisted of Jewels Gold Silver and many pretious Stones And Lopez de Gomara giving a relation hereof in the 114th Chapter of his Book saith That in the Palace and Bath of Atabaliba onely they found five thousand Women which though sorrowfull and destitute yet they put on a chearfull countenance when they saw the Christians treating them with Presents of fine Garments with Towels and other domestick conveniences as also with Basons of Gold and Silver one of which belonged to Atabaliba and weighed eight Arroves of Gold which makes two hundred weight English and was to the value of a hundred thousand Ducats but poor Atabaliba in the mean time being much incommoded by his Chains desired Piçarro that since it was his misfortune to fall into such misery that at least they would treat him well and ease him of that burthen Thus far are the Words of Gomara which I have extracted almost verbatim and which are of the same sense with that which is delivered by Augustine Carate To which Authours I refer my Reader in case any person desires to reade these matters more at large CHAP. XXVIII Atahualpa or Atabaliba promises a great Ransome to obtain his Liberty and what Endeavours were made for him THE Nobility which escaped from the slaughter of Cassamarca understanding that their King was alive returned to perform their Services to him in Prison onely a certain Commander called Rumminavi who was of a different opinion to all the rest and never assented to have Peace with the Spaniards or to trust them remained behind with the Souldiers under his Command and being enraged to find his Counsels rejected fled with his people into the Kingdom of Quitu with intention to make preparations for a War against the Spaniards and such provisions as were most conducing to his own safety But his real design was to levy a War against Atahualpa himself who having been a Rebel to his own Prince he thought it no crime to follow his example To which end being entred into the Kingdom of Quitu he immediately seized on all the Sons of Atahualpa â—â—â— pretence of dâ—â—ending and protecting them against the Spaniards but in a short time he killed them all together with Quilliscacha who was Brother to Atahualpa both by Father and Mother called by the Spaniards Yllâ—scas and moreover he killed Challcuchima and other Captains and Curacas as we shall declare in their due place The Inca Atahualpa being now in Prison and bound with Chains of Iron treated with the Spaniards for the price of his Liberty and offered for his Ransome as many Vessels of Gold and Silver as should cover the floor of the Chamber wherein he was â—â— and perceiving that the Spaniards shrugged their shoulders at it as either not believing him or thinking the proposal too mean as Gomara reports he immediately prosered to fill the Room to a certain red line which he had drawn on the Wall so far as he could reach with his hand provided that they neither put one Vessel within the other not battered or beat them close but onely heaped them one on the other until they arose to the mark and line which he had drawn And thus much we have extracted out of the 114th Chapter of Gomara's History But not to enlarge on the Particulars related by the Spanish Historians to whom we refer our selves we come in short to that which immediately concerns the Life and Death of those Kings the Incas and the utter destruction of them which was the first design and intention of this Treatise and then afterwards in its due place we shall relate all the most curious and notable passages which occurred in the Civil Wars arisen between the Spaniards themselves But now to procced Atahualpa sent for much Gold and Silver for payment of his Ransome which though amassed in great quantities yet wanted much of arising to the line which was drawn so that it seemed almost impossible to comply with the promises which Atahualpa had made wherefore the Spaniards murmured and said That since the Prisoner had not complied with the promises he had given within the time prefixed they could not but suspect that these delays were made on design to assemble greater numbers of Souldiers who might be able to master and kill them and then free and rescue their King. The Spaniards being jealous of some such project appeared angry and discontented which Atahualpa perceiving by their countenance for he was very quick of apprehension demanded the cause of that trouble which appeared in their faces which when he had understood from Francisco Piçarro he answered that if they were informed of the great distance of the places from whence he was to fetch his Vessels of Gold and Silver they would not entertain such hard thoughts of jealousie concerning his intentions for the greatest part of his Ransome was to be brought from Cozco Pachacamac Quitu and several other Provinces the nearest part of which was Pachacamac and that was at least eighty Leagues distant that Cozco was two hundred Leagues off and Quitu three hundred and that if they doubted of the truth of what he affirmed they might if they pleased send Spaniards into those parts to see and survey the Treasure which was there and in all places of that Kingdom and being satisfied with the quantity thereof might pay themselves with their own hands But the Inca perceiving that the Spaniards doubted of their security with those whom he would employ to conduct them to these Treasures he told them that whilst he was in Chains they were secure and needed not to fear or doubt of their safety Upon which Hernando de Soto and Peter del Barco Native of the Town of Lobon resolved to travel as far as Cozco When Atahualpa understood that Hernando would leave him he was much troubled for having been the first Christian he had seen he entertained a particular kindness for his Person believing that on all occasions and emergencies he would prove his Friend and Protectour Howsoever he durst not say any thing against his going lest it should beget a jealousie and contradict the profer he had made and which the Spaniards had accepted Besides these two Spaniards four others resolved to travel into other Provinces for discovery of the Treasures which they yielded one therefore designed for Quitu another for Huayllas another for Huamachucu and a fourth for Sicillapampa all which besides their primary intention of discovery received Instructions to observe whether any Levies were making for rescue of their King Atahualpa from his Prison but he poor Man being far from suspecting the Faith
Native of Seville with whom I was well acquainted was sent in the Van or Forlorn Hope with one hundred and fifty Men to discover the Countrey which they found to be very quiet and in a peaceable posture by reason that their Inca Prince Manco remained in the Hands of the Spaniards and that the Indians were in very great hopes of his Restauration to the Empire Almagro left Captain Ruy Diaz and John de Herrada his intimate Friend to reside as Agents for him in the City of Cozco to raise Men and to send him Recruits and supply him with what was necessary for the War against the Kingdom of Chili it being reported to be a Countrey mountainous and the People Warlike CHAP. XX. Almagro enters Chili with the great detriment of his Army but is well received by the People of the Inca. MAtter 's being designed as before related Almagro departed from Cozco about the beginning of the Year 1535 carrying in his company with him Paullu the Brother of Manco Inca of whom we have formerly made mention as also the High Priest which was as yet maintained in Honour called Villac Omu by the Indians but by the Spaniards Villa Oma He was also accompanied with many Indian Nobles and many of the common sort who carried Arms and Baggage to the number of 15000 Men all which were sent by the Command of Manco Inca who imagined that such Services as these would oblige the Spaniards and ni common Gratitude engage them to â—surrender his Kingdom to him On this expectation he enjoined his Brother and the High Priest to attend the Viracochas whereby the Indians were much more ready to honour and doe them Service But in the Relation of this passage Historians mistake in not rightly timing matters saying That the Inca gave Instructions to his Brother to kill Almagro in the Charcas or in some other convenient place But this was afterwards certified when the Inca perceived that the Spaniards never intended to restore him to his Kingdom as we shall relate in its due place But as to the present Affair Saavedra who led the Van before came to the Charcas which is about two hundred Leagues distant from Cozco without the least misfortune or unhappy accident by the way worthy the notice for the Indians received them with all amicable and kind Treatment in every place where they came It was his fortune to meet in the Charcas with Gabriel de Rojas sent thither by Marquiss Piçarro with a Force of about seventy Men the which Saavedra would have taken without just reason for since the Vice of Discord could not find entrance into the peaceable Minds of the Indians it would make its way into the Humour of the Spaniards to put all into Flame and Combustion but Gabriel de Rojas having information hereof took another way to the City of los Reyes and so wisely avoided the Plot intended against him but the most part of his Souldiers joined with Almagro in his Enterprise against Chili In like manner Almagro came to the Charcas without any Accident which befell him on the way worthy the notice And now to proceed in his March he caused every thing that was necessary to be provided and because the Journey was a much nearer cut over Mountains than by the Sea-Coast he resolved to take that way and though Paullu and Villac Umu informed him that the way over the famous Mountain of the Cordillera was not passable by reason of the Snows but at a certain reason of the Year yet he would give no credence to their Words but told them that the Countrey of Peru was to yield and be obedient to the Discoverers and Conquerours of it and that the very Elements the Region and Climates and Heaven it self was to become propitious and favourable to their Designs as it had hitherto been With this Resolution Almagro departed from the Charcas and proceeded on his Journey by way of the Mountains for being jealous that Paullu did not faithfully advise him he slighted the Counsel which he had given him but they had not passed many days Journey through the Mountains before they began to repent of the Way they had taken by reason of the many Difficulties sustained therein The first that lead the Way being not able to pass by reason of the Depths of Snow were forced to throw it aside with their Hands and Arms which was the cause that they made short Days Journies At length their Provisions began to fail by reason that they were in the Way three times longer than they expected but their greatest inconvenience was the Extremity of Cold for according to the Description of Cosmographers the Top of that snowy Mountain reaches as high as the middle Region of the Air the which being extremely cold and the ground covered with Snow and the Season of the Year being about the time of our Midsummer when the Days are at the shortest it froze so excessively that Spaniards Negroes and Indians and many Horses were frozen to Death The poor Indians suffered most being ill provided with warm Garments so that ten thousand of the fifteen thousand Indians dyed with the Cold nor did the Spaniards escape who were better clothed for of them also one hundred and fifty dyed and so cruel and severe was the Frost that their Fingers and Toes were so benumbed that they were insensible of the freezing thereof untill they rotted off from their Hands and Feet I was acquainted with one of these persons called Jeronimo Castilla born at Camora of as good a Family as any is in that City Many of them lost their baggage not by violence of an Enemy because there was none in those parts to oppose them but were forced to relinquish and leave them the Indians being dead who carried their Burthens In fine after a tedious Journey the Spaniards passed the Mountain harassed and tired with their Travels and Labour and being come to the other side instead of Enemies they fell into the Hands of the Indians who were their Friends and who received them as kindly and treated them as well as if they had been their Countrey-Men and of their own Bloud for they being Inhabitants of Copayapu and Subjects of the Inca did in respect to Paullu Inca and the High Priest Feast and entertain the Spaniards with all the plenty and variety of Curiosities which their Countrey could afford And most happy was it for the Spaniards for had the Indians proved Enemies and not Friends and taken them unprovided and at that advantage they might all have perished and not one escaped During the time that the Viracochas refreshed themselves after their late Sufferings and Labours which were greater than can be expressed Paullu Inca and his Kinsman Villac Umu entertained Discourse with the Captains and Curacas of the Empire and gave them to understand all that passed in Peru relating to the Story of Huascar Inca and Atahualpa and how the Spaniards put him to Death in
which was concerted with them by your Brother Titu Atauchi from which we can now expect little benefit if we take our measures from the Treatment of your Brother Atahualpa who having contracted for and paid his ransome was afterwards put to death And we must attribute it to the Mercy and Providence of the Pachacamac that they treated not your own Royal Person when in their power and under custody in the same manner as they had done your Brother As to your Restauration to the Empire there is little to be expected from a Nation so entirely given over to Avarice for it is not to be imagined that those who are greedy of the fruit should restore the tree unto the true Proprietor but it is more probable they should destroy and put him and his out of the way left they should aspire to that Empire which they resolve to enjoy Wherefore since the Spaniards themselves have given just cause to suspect and doubt the performance of their promises your Majesty ought immediately without delay to raise as many Souldiers as is possible and make such other provisions as are necessary for War wherein no time is to be lost for that they being now divided into several parties may be more easily Massacred and cut to pieces than when united in one body In management of which design we must agree to attack them all at the same time in several places so that they may not be able to assist or succour each other We must also secure the ways and stop and hinder all intercourse and correspondence between them And in regard your Souldiers are so numerous that their Multitudes may easily overwhelm such a handfull as are the Spaniards and are able to throw the very Mountains upon them if your Majesty so commands nay if they refuse to grant them Succours onely and Provisions they must necessarily perish with famine being as it were besieged by your Subjects who encompass them on all sides But this resolution is to be speedily executed for the success of the whole design depends thereupon of which we need not doubt if we consider the justice of our cause Which having said the Captain ended his Discourse whereupon a general Insurrection was concluded and resolved In pursuance whereof Messengers were dispatched with great secrecy to the Captains and Officers in all parts of the Kingdom enjoyning them to raise what Souldiers they were able and upon one and the same day to surprize and massacre all their New-come Guests and to furnish and supply the publick Granaries or Magazines with all the Provisions they could amass and gather And in regard those Repositories were much emptied by the late Wars of Atahualpa they ought to be again furnished and supplied from private Stores for which satisfaction and reparation was promised to be made to every particular person after these Enemies and Tyrants were destroyed and confounded That in the performance of this Exploit the life safety and liberty of them all did consist from the least to the greatest of them even to the very Inca. Upon which Command of Prince Manco Inca all the Souldiers which inhabit the Countrey from the City of los Reyes to the Chichas which is three hundred Leagues and more in length made a general Insurrection and put themselves into a posture of War But on the other side of the Kingdom which is from los Reyes to Quitu all was quiet for that the people were destroyed by the Wars of Atahualpa and by the slaughter the Spaniards had made of them on occasion of the Imprisonment and Death of that King. In like manner Advices were sent by disguised Messengers to the Kingdom of Chili who were publickly to pretend that they were sent to enquire of the Health of Paullu and the High Priest Villac Umu but were secretly to inform them of the truth and depth of the design whose part therein was to fall upon Almagro and his people and utterly to destroy them without which there was no hopes for the Inca of Restauration to his Empire The people being in Arms the Inca gave unto the people their respective tasks and parts of the work those who were the In-land Inhabitants as far as from Atahuaylla and those along the Coast from Nanascu which were on the side of Chinchasuyu were to attempt Rimac and kill the Governour and his Company The people of Cuntisuyu and Collasuyu and Antisâ—â—â— were to undertake Cozco and there to kill Hernando Piçarro and his Brothers and all the Spaniards with them which were not above two hundred in all and Captains were named with inferiour Officers both for one and the other Army The success of which as to what relates to the City we shall declare in the Chapter following wherein the Mercifull hand of God did manifestly appear in favour of the Spaniards that the Gospel might be propagated amongst the Gentiles and their Idolatry confounded CHAP. XXIV The Insurrection of Prince Manco Inca and of the Two Miracles which were wrought in favour of the Christians THE Plot being thus laid the Inca gave Command that the Souldiers now leavied and in a posture of War should march towards Cozco and to the City of los Reyes to kill slay and destroy the Spaniards therein and also as many of them as they found scattered and dispersed over the Kingdom for by the great kindness and peaceable disposition which the Indians had shewn to them hitherto the Spaniards became secure and without fear or jealousie of any Mischief employed themselves in digging Gold out of the Mines with as much confidence as if they had been in their own Countrey The War having taken its beginning from the slaughter of many Spaniards that were labouring in divers places they marched to Cozco with all the privacy they were able and came thither on the day appointed and that very night following they suddenly fell on the Spaniards with loud Noise and Shouts being two hundred thousand in number many of which were armed with Bows and Arrows which they shot with Fire-balls into all the Houses of the City not sparing the very Palaces of their Kings nor any other excepting onely the Temple of the Sun and the Chambers belonging to it and also the Convent of the Select Virgins and the Shops of the four Streets where this House was situate and though these Houses were despoiled of their Riches and without Inhabitants yet their Reverence and Devotion towards those sacred places caused them to abstain from all sort of Sacrilege or violence thereunto They also thought fit to conserve from Fire the three great Halls in the Market-place where they usually celebrated their Festivals in rainy Weather intending to maintain them for the like use again after they had freed themselves from the Tyranny of the Spaniards One of these Halls was situate in the highest part of the City adjoining to the Houses of the first Inca Manco Capac as we have described in the Model of the City
that day which was very bloudy The Spaniards hereupon returned to the City and the Indians to their Quarter and Rendezvous where the Countrey flocking in they quickly made a Body of sixty thousand Indians under Command of their General Titu Yupanqui called by Carate Tiço Yupangui and by Gomara Tizoyo and with this force they pitched their Camp near the City having the River between to keep and defend them from the Spanish Horse There they offered Sacrifices and returned thanks to the Sun for having as they imagined given them an advantage over the Spaniards and caused them to retreat into their City and to give over the Fight The Historians who write of these matters say that the Indians offered their Sacrifices in thanks for deliverance from their dangers and farther they add that they continually skirmished with the Spaniards and not with the Indians who took part with the Spaniards scorning as it were to engage and fight against their own Vassals after they had had the Honour to fight with the Viracochas and though daily Encounters passed between them of little or no damage to the Spaniards because on the Plains the Horse had great advantage and could hem in and encompass the Indians on all sides yet the continual Allarums which were given the Spaniards both by Night and Day kept them still watchfull and tired them out with constant labour Moreover they suffered much for want of Provisions though they received some supplies from the Indians who were their Menial Servants and would every Night as they had practised at the Siege of Cozco go forth into the Enemy's Camp where pretending that they had revolted from their Masters would return back with Provisions and with intelligence of all the designs and intentions of the Enemy which was of great use to them for that when the Indians made any Attack upon them they were always in a readiness to receive them and it was by advice from them that Diego de Aguero and many others who had Plantations near los Reyes were not surprized before they had time by help of their Horses to secure their retreat within the Walls of the City But besides these humane Assistences God was pleased to work Miracles at that Siege in favour of the Christians as he had formerly done in that of Cozco for that the River to which they trusted much for their safety and was their best defence was the occasion of ruine and turned to their entire destruction for during the time of the Siege the Waters swelled above the banks so that whensoever they passed over to the Spaniards or were forced to return they received a loss for that being often put to flight many with fear cast themselves into the Waters and were drowned and yet this River was not so deep as many others are in that Countrey being commonly shallow unless in the Winter when the falls of the Land-waters make great Flouds howsoever the Spaniards made nothing to pass and re-pass it at their pleasure which when the Indians observed they concluded that the very Elements fought against them and were reconciled to the party of the Viracochas and that the Pachacamac who is the God which sustains the Universe had forsaken their Cause and favoured the Enemy Farther they considered that so soon as they saw the Viracochas drawn up in the Field their hearts failed them and that though they were a thousand to one yet they durst not engage with them all which were clear evidences that the great Creatour of the World did interest himself in favour of the cause and quarrel of the Spaniards The Indians being affected with these Apprehensions and with a clear manifestation of the Miracles of God they every day abated in their Courage and became so cowed and disheartned that from that time afterwards they attempted nothing of any moment and though they continued their Camp on the side of the River it was rather in obedience to their Commanders than in hopes of performing any thing to the ruine of their Enemies and the good of themselves In the mean time the Indian Domestick Servants gave intelligence to their Masters of all that was discoursed and designed in the Camp of the Indians and the Spaniards being sensible of the great Miracles which God wrought for them and that their Enemies observed the same they returned thanks for all those Wonders comparing their deliverance by means of this River to that which the Children of Israel received from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. And in regard their greatest Battels and Victories succeeded on the banks of this River they conceived a most especial devotion for the Blessed St. Christopher calling unto remembrance all the Wonders which are recorded of that Saint and which are painted commonly in Churches to describe and set forth the Miracles which God performed in the River by means of that Saint and afterwards in all their Battels and Skirmishes they invoked the Name of St. Christopher equally with that of St. James And after this Siege they called those Hills in which the Indians kept their Head-quarters the Mountains of St. Christopher because they were so near that nothing but the River parted them and the City and were the places where the Spaniards put an end to the War having entirely subjected and conquered the Indians CHAP. XXIX The Flight of Villac Umu Philip the Interpreter punished The Prince Manco Inca leaves his Empire and remains an Exile in foreign parts WE have in the foregoing Chapters declared how that Prince Manco Inca sent Messengers into Chili to advise his Brother Paullu and the High Priest Villac Umu of his Design to kill and destroy all the Spaniards that were in Peru as being the onely means thereby to recover his Empire desiring them to take the same course with Almagro and his People who were in those parts Now we must know that this Intimation was brought to Chili before Almagro was departed thence howsoever Paullu having consulted with his Friends did conclude and agree that they were not then in a condition to fight the Spaniards in regard that having lost above ten thousand Indians by Colds and Snow in passing the Mountains as we have formerly mentioned their Force was much decreased and not capable to oppose the Spaniards in open Field and that such was the Vigilancy of the Enemy as well by night as by day being always on the Guard that there was little hopes to take an advantage on them by surprise wherefore it was thought most convenient to dissemble their Discontents with a colour of Service and Fidelity to the Spaniards untill a more fit opportunity did happen for execution of their Design in order whereunto Paullu and Villac Umu being then together in Tacama which is a Countrey of Peru distinct from the Desarts of Chili as we have mentioned in the 22d Chapter of this Book they agreed that the High Priest should leave the Spaniards and be gone but that Paullu should
rather than of equity for it was an intolerable injustice in the King to take away those Slaves whom he had sold and yet not return the money for them and the price he had received and that Monasteries Hospitals and Churches and the very Conquerours themselves should be divested of their servants and slaves to make them vassals to the King And what was most unreasonable in the mean time a double duty and tribute was imposed upon the Indians which was intended for their ease and relief though in reality it proved their greatest aggrievance and oppression Thus far are the words of Gomara CHAP. III. Of the Discourse and Reports the People of Peru raised against the Promoters of the new Laws and particularly against the Civil-Lawyer Bartholomew de las Catas SUch Liberty the People generally took in their Discourses against all those who had been Contrivers and Promoters of these new Laws that they reported a thousand evil things of them and particularly of Frier Bartholomew de las Casas who being notoriously known to have had a chief hand in these new Regulations fell under the severe lash of their Tongues for as Diego Fernandez one of the first Adventurers and Conquerours of Peru reports they ript up a thousand Misdemeanours of which he was guilty before he entred into the profession of a religious Life and particularly how he had endeavoured to make himself the Conquerour and Governour of the Island in Cumana and that he had been the cause of the destruction and slaughter of many Spaniards by the false reports he had given to the Emperour of the State of Affairs in Peru making great and large Promises of advancing the King's revenue and of sending vast quantities of Gold and Pearl to the Flemins and Burgundians who resided in the Court of Spain Many of those Spaniards who had been employed in the Conquest of the Isles of Barlovento were well acquainted with Bartholomew de las Casas before he professed himself a Frier and were well informed of the effect and success of the Promises he made touching the Conversion of the Indians in the Isle of Cumana of all which Lopez de Gomara in the 77th Chapter of his History writes so particularly that it is probable he might have received a Relation thereof from some of the Conquerours of that Countrey in confirmation whereof and for the better authority of this his History I will here insert the very Chapter it self the Title whereof is as followeth Chapter the 77th wherein is contained a relation of the Death of those Christian Spaniards who followed Bartholomew de las Casas a Priest. Bartholomew de las Casas a Priest was in that time at St. Domingo when the Monasteries of Cumana and Chirivichi were in their flourishing state and condition and having heard a good report of the fruitfulness of that soil of the gentle and pacifick humour of the Natives and of the great abundance of Pearl which that Countrey afforded he sailed into Spain and demanded of the Emperour the Government of Cumana promising to improve and increase the Royal Revenue which was much abated by the frauds and abuses of those Officers who had it in managemet But John Rodriguez de Fonseca and Dr. Lewis Capatoa and Secretary Lopez de Conchillos contradicted him in his report and represented him as a person uncapable of such office and emploiment in regard he was not onely a Priest but a person of ill fame and reputation and ignorant of the Countrey and of the state of those affairs which he pretended to declare Howsoever upon the pretence of being a good Christian and of a new method he proposed by a more ready way to convert the Indians and upon promises of advancing the King's revenue and sending them store of Pearls he obtained the favour of Monsieur Laâ—ao Lord Chamberlain to the Emperour and of several Flemins and Burgundians who were men of power and authority in that Court. At that time great quantities of Pearls were imported into Spain so that the Wife of Xeures begged 170 * Marks of them which came on account of the King's fifths and many Flemins and others begged great quantities from the King. He desired to have Workmen and Artificers to be sent with him rather than Souldiers who were fit for nothing but to plunder and pillage and to be mutinous and disobedient to Commands He desired also to be accompanied with a new order of Knights who should wear a golden Spur and carry a red Cross of different shape and fashion to the order of Calatrava which distinction as it ennobled them so also it was a testimony that they went voluntarily and of their own accord Moreover Orders were sent to Seville to provide him with Ships and Seamen at the charge of the King and with this equipage he arrived at Cumana in the year 1520 with about 300 Artificers all wearing Crosses at which time Gonçalo de Ocampo resided at New Toledo who was much troubled to see so many Spaniards under the command of a person of that ill character and transported thither by order of the Admiralty and Council because the Countrey was of a different nature to what it was reported to be in the Court. Howsoever Bartholomew presented and shewed his Commission requiring that according thereunto they should quit the Countrey and leave it free for him to plant his People and to govern the place Whereunto Gonçalo de Ocampo made answer that with all ready obedience he did submit thereunto but howsoever he could not put those matters into execution without first receiving directions from the Governours and the Judges of St. Domingo by whose Commission he was placed in that station And in the mean time he passed many a jest upon the Priest on certain occasions which had formerly happened for he was well acquainted with him and knew his humour and his conversation sometimes he jeered his new Knights and their Crosses all which the Priest would put off with a Jest though he was inwardly troubled to be taxed with so many Truths which he could not deny And in regard they would not give him admittance into the Town of Toledo he built himself a House of Wood and Morter near to the Monastery of St. Francis which served him for a Magazine wherein to lodge his provisions stores and instruments during the time that he went to St. Domingo to make known his Complaints and seek a Redress Gonçalo de Ocampo went also I know not for what cause or reason whether on this occasion or for some Law-suit he had with the People of that place but certain it is that all the Inhabitants followed him so that the Town was abandoned by all excepting the Artisans and Mechanicks which he brought with him The Indians who were glad to make their advantages of these differences and quarrels amongst the Spaniards took this opportunity to demolish their Houses and to kill all the golden Knights and others which remained
way as they travelled than what was of indifferent things and of the pleasantness and fruitfulness of that Valley When they came to the passage of the River he was met by the Garcidiaz de Arias who was elected Bishop of Quitoo who with the Dean and Chapter of that Church and the rest of the Clergy remained there in expectation of his coming and at their meeting there was much joy and chearfulness And proceeding farther untill he came near to the City he was met by the Jurats and Corporation of the City accompanied with the Citizens and principal Gentry thereof and as all the three Authours do agree in their report the Commissary of the King's Revenue named Yllen Suarez de Carvajal went forth in the head of them all and being the chief of the Corporation did in the name thereof offer an Oath to the Vice-king whereby he was to swear that he would maintain the Privileges Franchises and Immunities which the Conquerours and Inhabitants of Peru had received and did hold of his Majesty and that in the Courts of Justice he would receive their Petitions and give ear to the Reasons they should offer against the new Regulations The Vice-king would swear no otherwise than that he would perform all that which was conducing to the King's service and to the benefit of the Countrey at which many took exceptions and said that he swore with equivocations and what would admit of a double meaning Thus far are the words of Diego Fernandez This Oath which the Vice-king took being onely in general terms and which might admit of such a sense as he himself would be pleased to put upon it was occasion of much discontent both to the Clergy and Laity so that all their mirth was dashed and every one turned sad and melancholy saying that nothing could be expected of good from such an Oath which rather administred just cause to fear and suspect that in a short time they should be dispossessed of their Indians and Estates which was a hard case for men of their age who were grown old and infirm by the labours and hardships they had sustained in their youth to gain and conquer that Empire Notwithstanding all which they conducted the Vice-king with great triumph into the City under a Canopy of Cloth of Gold supported by the chief Magistrates of the Town in their Gowns of crimson Sattin lined with white Damask the Bells of the Cathedral Church and of the Convents rang out and all sorts of musical Instruments resounded through the Streets which were adorned with green Boughs and triumphal Arches erected in various works and forms made of Rushes in which as we have said the Indians were very curious But yet so much sadness appeared in their countenances that all the solemnity seemed rather a performance of some Funeral Rites than triumph for receiving a Vice-king all their joy being forced and strained to cover an inward grief which lay heavy upon their spirits In this manner they went in Procession to the great Church where having adored the most holy Sacrament they conducted the Vice-king to the House of Don Francisco Piçarro where he and all his Family was lodged Some few days after which the Vice-king having notice of the great noise and stirs which were making in the Streets by those who were upon their return to Cozco with Vaca de Castro he presently suspected as Carate in the fifteenth Chapter of his third Book reports and with whom other Authours agree that Vaca de Castro had been the cause of all that noise and disturbance for which reason he ordered him to be seised and committed to prison and all his Estate to be sequestred The people of the City though they had no very great kindness for Vaca de Castro yet they petitioned the Vice-king in his behalf desiring him that since Vaca de Castro was one of his Majesty's Council and had been their Governour that he would not be so severe upon him as to commit him to the common Prison since that a person of his Quality though condemned the next day to loose his head might be secured in some decent and convenient Prison whereupon he was sent to the Town-house under bail of an hundred thousand Pieces of Eight in which Sum the Citizens of Lima had engaged for him With such rigorous courses as these the people being much disgusted many of them forsook the City privately departing by few in a company taking their way towards Cozco where the Vice-king had not as yet been received Thus far are the words of Carate the which is confirmed by Diego Fernandez almost in the same words to which he adds that Vaca de Castro remained a Prisoner in the common Gaol his words are these which follow Such as remained behind in the City often met in several Caballs and Counsels lamenting together the misery that was come upon the Land and the Inhabitants of it bidding adieu to all the Riches Liberty and Jurisdiction which they as Conquerours and Lords of Indians had gained and acquired which would be a means to unpeople the Countrey and to cause an abatement of the King's Customs and other parts of his Revenue and therefore they positively averred that it was impossible that the King's Commands could be executed herein or that ever there should be any new discoveries made or Trade and Commerce maintained for the future besides a thousand other inconveniences and damages which they alledged And with this fear and distraction of mind was every man possessed when some of the most principal persons pretending to make a visit to the Vice-king in hopes that he having proved and had some experience of the Constitution of the Countrey might be induced to alter his humour or at least render it more flexible and easie but so soon as any person touched on that string though with the greatest gentleness and submission imaginable he immediately put himself into a passion and by his authority forbade all farther discourse upon that point obviating all objections with the name of the King's pleasure and command which abrupt manner of treaty gave great discontent and excited in the minds of men rancour and malice against his person Some few days after the Vice-kings reception three of the Justices which remained behind with Doctour Carate who lay sick at Truxillo came then to Town upon whose arrival he immediately caused a Court to be called and appointed a place of Judicature to be erected in the House where he himself was lodged being the most convenient for his own accommodation as also because it was the most sumptuous Chamber in all the City He also ordered a stately reception to be made purposely for his Commission under the Great and Royal Seal which was put into a Case covered with Cloth of Gold and carried on a Horse decked with a Foot-cloth and Trappings of Tissue the which was at each end held up by Judges of the City clothed in Gowns of crimson
piety void of passion and worldly interest gained that respect and favour amongst them that they would not take away his life the friendship we had amongst several of them saved us also for many of those who adhered to Piçarro were yet Friends to my Father and would say turning to us what have these Children and old People done or what punishment have they deserved for the faults of another Howsoever after this we had certainly perished with hunger had not the Incas and some Ladies of their Family who were related to us sent us secretly and by private ways some Food wherewith to support our selves but such was the fear and dread they had of these Tyrants that the Provision was so little as was scarce able to sustain us A certain Cazique who was under the command of my Father called Don Garcia Pauqui who was Commander over two Plantations which are situated on the Banks of the River Apurimac seven leagues distant from the City one of which is called Huayllari was more kind and faithfull than all others relating to us for he not fearing the threats they had given adventured with danger of his life to relieve us and came one night to our House to give us notice that we should sit up and watch the night following for that about such an hour he would send us in twenty five Bushels of Mayz which he accordingly did and about seven or eight nights after he sent us in the like quantity which was a sufficient provision to relieve us during the eight months of our famine and restraint untill the time that Diego Centeno entred into Cozco as we shall relate hereafter I have thought fit to mention this particular passage to shew the faithfulness and loyalty of this good Curaca and record the same to the honour of him and those who descend from him But besides the Charities we received from this good man Pauqui I received some other relief from a noble Person called John Escobar who at that time had no command over Indians though some years afterwards Doctour Castro bequeathed some to him upon an intermarriage between him and the Daughter of Vasco de Guevara begotten on the body of Maria Enriquez both Persons of Honour and Quality This worthy Gentleman John de Escobar who lodged in the House of Alsonso de Mesa in a certain Street built in the midst of my Father's Rents very much compassionating our wants and penury desired my Tutour to give me leave to come every day to dinner and at night to supper with him we accepted very kindly the dinner but as to the supper we thought it not convenient to keep our doors open at that time of the night for we were hourly in sear of being massacred for which we had good grounds being always threatned by them and none put us into more fear than Harnando Bachicao who was Master of the Ordnance for though he went not out with them yet he mounted some Cannon at his own House and made a Battery upon ours which in the Map or description we made of the Town just fronted with his nothing being between us but onely the two Market-places of the City which he had certainly levelled to the ground had not some Friends and Relations interceded for us Nor did the Relations of those others who revolted fare better than we though they evidenced a more particular malice and anger against my Father as one who had more signally been concerned in this revolt than any other Graviel de Rojas was as deeply engaged as he but having his Houses and Possessions in Chuquisaca the City of Plate they had not the same opportunity to be revenged on him Having thus vented their anger upon the Houses of those Citizens of Cozco who had revolted from their cause they returned again into the Road of Los Reyes to meet Pedro de Puelles and the people who followed him but they were very tedious in their march to Huamanca by reason of the great Incumbrance of their Cannon which followed the Camp. Jeronimo de la Serna and Alonso de Carceres who had revolted with the two Ships to Los Reyes reported amongst other things to the Vice-king how that Gonçalo Piçarro was elected General Representative of the whole Empire and that he was raising Men and providing Ammunition and Artillery to march unto Los Reyes This report being brought to the Vice-king and the Justices which as yet was news to them for as we have said before the Roads being all stopt they had received no other intelligence of Gonçalo Piçarro than that he was come from Cozco to the Charcas but so soon as they understood that he was raising Men they immediately dispatched away Orders to the four Cities requiring and commanding them to receive Blasco Nunnez Vela for Vice-king by Commission from his Majesty And that in case they had any aggrievances they should send their Commissioners to the City of Los Reyes there to represent their Complaints and demand Justice in those matters wherein they judged themselves aggrieved And in order hereunto as Gomara says the Vice-king sent Friar Thomas de San Martin to assure Gonçalo Piçarro that he had no Commission to his hurt or prejudice but rather Instructions from the Emperour to reward and gratifie him for his many labours and services performed towards his Majesty And therefore desired him that laying all fears and jealousies aside he should dismiss his people and come freely and frankly to him to converse and treat upon affairs Thus far Gomara Now we will proceed to the Rebellion of Pedro de Puelles CHAP. XI Wherein is related how Pedro de Puelles rebelled against Blasco Nunnez Vela and revolted to Gonçalo Piçarro and how others whom the Vice-king sent after them to fetch them back did the like and joined with the contrary Party BEsides the Orders which the Vice-king sent to the four Cities and the Message which he had dispatched to Gonçalo Piçarro he likewise sent his Summons to Pedro de Puelles to come and serve his Majesty the success of which we may find written by Diego Fernandez in the sixteenth Chapter of his Book and by Augustine de Carate in the tenth Chapter of his fifth Book who give a relation thereof almost in the same words When the Vice-king was first received in the City of Los Reyes Pedro de Puelles a Native of Seville came to kiss his hands being at that time Deputy Governour for Vaca de Castro in the Town of Guanuco And having lived long in the Indies he was highly esteemed by the Vice-king for his great experience so that he gave him a new Commission to be Deputy Governour of Guanuco enjoyning him to get the People of that City in a readiness that in case necessity should require they might at an hour's warning appear with their Horse and Arms. Pedro de Puelles obeyed the Commands of the Vice-king and not onely put his own Citizens into
Fernandez Palentino adds as follows When news was brought to the Vice-king of these ill Successes he greatly resented them clearly now perceiving that his Affairs went cross and that the affections of the people were tainted with rebellion Howsoever that he might in some manner revenge the disloyalty of Captain Gançalo Diaz who had so ignominiously broken his faith and word with him and since he could not inflict a punishment on his person he caused the Colours or Ensign of his Company to be trailed along through the Market-place in the sight and view of the Captains Souldiers and of all the City and commanded the Serjeants and Ensign of the Company of Gonçalo Diaz and of all the other Companies to run the points of their Lances into his Colours and tear them in pieces in dishonour and to the ignominy of the absent Captain but Gomez Estacio who was Ensign to that Company and other the Associates who were to support the Colours were not a little netled at this Affront as if it had in some manner reflected upon themselves and more particularly Gomez Estacio found himself aggrieved because the Vice-king had commanded him to trail the Colours with his own hand and from that time he became disaffected to the Vice-king and a friend to the Cause and Party of Gonçalo Piçarro And though it be granted that many did approve the action of Gonçalo Diaz and did agree that the dishonour shewed to his Colours was but just and no more than what his infidelity deserved Howsoever they were well enough pleased to see the power of the Vice-king weakened whose ruine and down-fall they desired by the better fortune and success of Gonçalo Piçarro Thus did nothing thrive which the Vice-king acted but all turned to his prejudice of which he was sensible though he strove to conceal his inward trouble and put the best face upon it that he could Thus far are the words of Diego Fernandez And now men who were disaffected began to blame the Council which was given to the Vice-king to send Gonçalo Diaz against his Father-in-law and as other Authours say it was much wondered that the Vice-king should be so much overseen as not to consider the inconvenience of engaging the Son-in-law against the Father between whom there had been no quarrel or ground of displeasure And in like manner reflecting on the concernment of Gomez Estacio Ensign of Gonçalo divers were of opinion that it was an Affront given him without any Cause and that it was improperly done to command him who had in no manner been engaged in the Treason of his Captain to be an Executioner of a disgrace which could not be acted without great reflexion on himself Thus did the hatred which men had conceived against the Vice-king turn all the actions he did to a bad interpretation CHAP. XII A Pardon and safe Conduct is given to Gaspar Rodriguez and his Friends His death and of divers others NOW to set forth what these Authours report of Gaspar Rodriguez whom Carate sometimes mentions by the name of Gaspar de Rojas we are to observe that he was a brother of the good Capain Perançures de Campo rotondo who was slain in the battel of Chupas and after his death he came to the inheritance and possession of his Indians which Vaca de Castro bestowed upon him by special Grant. This was the Gentleman who rashly and without consideration seized upon the Cannon which were at Huamanca and carried them to Cozco and was greatly engaged in the designs of Gonçalo Piçarro but observing that many of the principal Citizens who had taken part with Piçarro had relinquished his Cause and fled from him he also resolved to follow their example and revolt to the Vice-king but being conscious of his Crime in carrying away the Cannon he thought it best and most secure to obtain a Pardon for the same both as to life and estate before he trusted himself in the hands of the Vice-king whom he knew to be a man of a morose and severe disposition and one who would not spare him in case he fell into his hands without such a Precaution and to make his access and pardon the more easie by an appearance of some signal service he treated with some friends of his persuading them to pass over to the other party following the example of those other noble Citizens who had lately done the like and with them he so prevailed that they resolved on the point and as a preparation thereunto to demand their Pardon first and to receive a Protection or Letter of safe conduct freely to come and offer their service But whilst these Matters were in agitation Pedro de Puelles as the Authours report arrived very opportunely for had his coming been delayed but three days longer it is the general opinion that all the Army of Gonçalo Piçarro had of themselves been dispersed and disbanded Howsoever these new recruit did not alter and remove the intentions of Gaspar Rodriguez and his Companions from their former purpose in pursuance of which they communicated their design to a certain Priest a Native of Madrid called Baltasar de Loaysa with whom after I was acquainted in Madrid in the year 1563. I cannot say that I knew him before being very young though he knew me very well when I was a child being a friend of my father's and one who had a general acquaintance with all the noble families of that Empire Gaspar de Rodriguez and his friends treated with this Priest who was more fit for a Souldier than a Priest and persuaded him to take a journey in their behalf to Los Reyes and to obtain a Pardon for them with a Letter of Licence for their Security and with that occasion that he should give an account of the number of those who were come lately to join with Piçarro and of those who were gone off and to assure him that the Affairs of Piçarro stood on that uncertain foundation that so soon as he and his accomplices were gone off that all the other Forces of Gonçalo Piçarro would speedily disband With this Message Baltasar de Loaysa privately departed from the Camp of which so soon as Piçarro had notice he immediately sent after him to fetch him back but having taken a by-way out of the common road they missed of him and he got safe to Rimac where the good news he brought made him welcome to the Vice-king for the intention of Gaspar Rodriguez and his Companions was of great importance to him the joy whereof the Vice-king not being able to suppress and esteeming it necessary to be divulged for the encouragement of his people the secret took air and was made publick which being with all expedition wrote back to Gonçalo Piçarro Gaspar Rodriguez was seized with his Companions and were all afterwards put to death Howsoever before that was known Baltasar de Loaysa was dispatched with the Pardon and Letters of safe-conduct which he desired
which was no sooner done but it was divulged over all the City as Carate reports whose authority we rather follow in these passages than any other because he was present at these transactions and thereupon the Citizens and other persons who were inclined and secretly well-affected to the Cause of Gonçalo Piçarro and his Party did really imagine that in case he were deserted by Gaspar Rodriguez and his Accomplices it would strike so great a damp to Gonçalo Piçarro and his Souldiers as would cause them to disperse and break up their Camp as despairing of their design and then the Vice-king would remain triumphant to execute his new Laws without any contradiction or restraint upon him to prevent which some of the Citizens and Souldiers resolved amongst themselves to send a party of light Horse after him hoping speedily to overtake him It was in the month of September 1544 when Loaysa with one person onely in his company called Hernando de Cavallos left the Town and the next night afterwards was pursued by twenty five light Horsemen the principal of which were Don Baltasar de Castilla the Son of Count Gomera Lorenço Mexia Rodrigo de Salazar well known for his crouch-back and was the person famous for taking Don Diego de Almagro Junior in Cozco there were also with them Diego de Carvajal surnamed the Gallant and Francisco de Escobedo Francisco de Carvacal Pedro Martin de Cicilia alias Pedro Martin de Don Benito with others to the number of twenty five all which company together travailed with so much expedition and diligence that in less than fourty Leagues distance from Los Reyes they overtook Loaysa and took all his papers and dispatches from him and sent them away by a Souldier who crossing the Countrey came by a shorter cut than the common road to the Camp of Piçarro and acquainted him with the whole matter who at first secretly communicated it to Francisco de Carvajal who was lately made his Major General in the place of Alonso de Poro who was fallen sick then he imparted it to other Captains and Persons of quality who were not privy nor concerned in the Confederacy and having considered of the matter amongst themselves they all generally agreed some from a principle of particular enmity others from envy others from covetousness fearing to lose their Indians and their Possessions that it was necessary for example unto others and to deter them from the like perfidiousness to punish this act of Treachery with the greatest severity and accordingly it was concluded amongst those who were unconcerned in this safe Conduct and Pardon to kill Gaspar de Rojas Philip de Gutierez the son of Alonso de Gutierez who was Treasurer to his Majesty and born at Madrid and also Arias Maldonado a Gentleman of Galicia who with Philip Gutierez had loitered two or three days Journey behind in Guamanga upon pretence of certain businesses to be done there in order to their Journey but during their stay at that place Gonçalo Piçarro dispeeded Pedro de Puelles with a party of Horse to take off their Heads but the execution of Gaspar Rodriguez was more difficult for he was then a Captain in the Field and actually at the head of almost two hundred Lances and being a person very rich of great interest and very popular they could not act their design publickly upon him and therefore they had recourse to this Strategeme Gonçalo Piçarro commanded an hundred and fifty Harquebusiers of Captain Cermenno's Company to be in a readiness and having given out to each of them private Arms and placed the Artillery in good order he called the Captains to come to him telling them that he had certain advices which he had lately received from Los Reyes to communicate to them And being all come and amongst the rest Gaspar Rodriguez Gonçalo Piçarro stept out of his Tent which was well guarded with Cannon and pretending as it were some other business in the mean time the Major-General Carvajal comes to Gaspar Rodriguez and laying his hand on the hilt of his Sword drew it out of the Scabbard advising him to call for a Priest and confess for that he was to die immediately Gaspar Rodriguez resisted a while pretending to be innocent and to clear himself of those accusations which were against him but that would not serve his turn for immediately they cut off his head The execution of these men terrified the whole Camp and more particularly those who were conscious to themselves of being Complices in the same Action for which those were put to death and these acts of severity were the more affrighting because they were the first which Gonçalo Piçarro had committed since the usurpation of his tyrannical Power Some few days afterwards Don Baltasar and his Comrades came to the Camp bringing Baltasar de Loaysa and Hernando Cavallos as we have said Prisoners but the day before he knew that they were to enter into the Camp he sent his Major General Carvajal before him with orders that wheresoever he met them he should put them to death but such was the good fortune of Loaysa and Cavallos that they mistaking their way the Major General was disappointed of his prize and the Prisoners were brought to the Camp where so many intercessours appeared in favour of the two Delinquents that Loaysa was released and sent away without any provision made for him but Hernando de Cavallos was continued and carried away with the rest of the Army Thus far is the account given by Carate in the fifth Book and the eleventh Chapter In fine they killed Gaspar Rodriguez and his Accomplices whose death was hastened and occasioned by their applications to the Vice-king for a Pardon and a safe Conduct which he and his adherents demanded for safety of their lives as Gomara confirms in the 164th Chapter of his Book The Vice-king's Pardon and a safe Conduct was general for all Piçarro Francisco de Carvajal Benito de Carvajal and some few others onely excepted at which Piçarro and his Major-General were so much offended that they immediately hanged up Gaspar Rodriguez Philip Gutierez with the rest which are the words of Gomara In this manner this poor Gentleman Gaspar Rodriguez de Campo Rotondo ended his days for being of an unquiet spirit he was neither well with those who were called Tyrants and Rebels nor with those who were esteemed for Loyalists CHAP. XIII Of the Death of Agent Yllen Suarez de Carvajal and of the great mutiny and disturbance he caused in Peru. DUring all these troubles and slaughters in the Camp of Gonçalo Piçarro there happened an accident sad and tragical in the City of Los Reyes which Gomara in the 159th Chapter of his Book relates to have been in this manner Lewis Garcia San Manes who was Postmaster in Xauxa brought certain Letters which were wrote in Cyphers by Benito de Carvajal to the Agent Yllen Suarez his Brother the Vice-king presently took a jealousie upon the
Cypher and a suspicion of the Agent 's faithfulness and shewing them to the Judges demanded their opinion whether they were not ground sufficient to put him to death to which the Judges replied that it were convenient first to know the contents of them Hereupon the Agent was called for who coming did not seem as they say to be startled or change his countenance though he was severely treated with sharp words but took the paper and read it without hesitation Doctour John Alvarez noting the words which he read the sum or substance of all the Cypher was the number of Souldiers that were with Piçarro and what his intentions were who were in his favour and who not and in fine declared that he would watch his opportunity to slip away and come to the service of the Vice-king so soon as he could disengage himself according to the Counsel which the Agent had given him After which the Key of the Cypher was called for and the matter being thereby disclosed it was found to agree with the interpretation given by the Agent and to verifie the truth thereof Benito Carvajal came to Lima two or three days after Blasco Nunnez was seised not knowing any thing of the death of the Agent Thus far are the words of Gomara Howsoever there still remained upon the mind of the Vice-king such a jealousie of the Agent that like an evil Spirit it still haunted and followed him never suffering him to be at rest untill at last the direfull effects thereof broke out in the very Chamber of the Vice-king where the Agent was assassinated without any cause or reason for it which struck a greater terrour into the minds of the people on this side than was the late consternation in the Camp of Gonçalo Piçarro so that neither Party was free from Tragedies of their own And particularly here happened out one the night following occasioned by the flight of Baltasar de Castilla and others afore-mentioned The three Authours report this History almost in the same manner and first we shall repeat what the Accountant Augustine Carate says upon this Subject and then we shall add that from the others which he hath omitted That which he relates in the eleventh Chapter of his fifth Book is as follows and herewith we will return to the Subject of our History Some few hours after Don Baltasar de Castilla and his Companions were departed from the City of Los Reyes in pursuit of Loaysa as is before-mentioned the matter was not so secretly carried but that it came to the knowledge of Captain Diego de Urbina who was Major-General to the Vice-king for he going his Rounds in the night through the City and calling at the Houses of some of these who were fled neither found them at home nor their Arms nor Horses nor the menial Indian Servants which belonged to them upon which suspecting what was faln out he directly went to the Vice-king's Lodgings who was then in Bed and told him that he had reason to believe that the greatest part of the people had deserted the City The Vice-king was greatly troubled as was reason at this report and arising from his Bed gave immediate order to sound an alarm and that every man should stand to his arms and calling his Captains gave them order to go from House to House and make enquiry who were absent that so he might be informed of the number of those who were departed And having accordingly made search and found that Diego de Carvajal Jeronimo de Carvajal and Francisco de Escobedo were missing who were Kinsmen of Agent Yllen Suarez de Carvajal it was instantly believed that he was engaged in the Plot and in favour of Gonçalo Piçarro for it could not be imagined that his Kinsmen could have acted herein without his consent or at least without his knowledge in regard they all lodged under the same Roof and onely had two different Door to each Apartment but for better assurance of what was suspected the Vice-king sent his Brother Vela Nunnez with a guard of Musquetiers to bring the Agent before him and he being in Bed they caused him to rise and dress himself and so carried him to the Lodgings of the Vice-king who having not slept all night was laid upon his Bed with his Arms on to take some little repose And the Agent being introduced by way of the Court-yard-gate those who were then present report that the Vice-king presently arose and said Is it so Traitour that thou hast sent away thy Kinsmen to serve Gonçalo Piçarro To which the Agent made answer I beseech your Lordship not to call me Traitour for in reality I am not so then replied the Vice-king I swear by God that thou art a Traitour to the King. I swear by God said the Agent I am as good a Servant to the King as your Lordship At which words the Vice-king became so enraged that coming in his fury to him he stabbed him in the breast with his Dagger though the Vice-king denied to have done it himself but that his Servants and Halbardiers of his Guard hearing how insolently he answered gave him so many wounds with their Halberts and Partisans that he dyed upon the place without so much time as to confess or speak one word And lest being a person generally well-beloved the manner of his death should cause some mutiny and disturbance amongst the Souldiers of which an hundred every night kept watch within the yard of the House the Vice-king gave order to have his Corpse conveyed away by a certain private Gallery leading to the Market-place where some few Indians and Negroes received it and buried it in a Church near thereunto without other Shroud or Winding-sheet than onely his own Scarlet Cloak which he usually wore Three days after which when the Judges seised on the person of the Vice-king as we shall relate hereafter one of the first things they laid to his charge was the death of the Agent and the Preamble to their Process was that being carried about midnight into the House of the Vice-king he never since that time appeared and it was proved that they had wounded and buried him So soon as this murther was made publick it occasioned much talk and murmuring in the Town for every one was assured that the Agent was a true Friend to the Vice-king and his Cause having been the chief Instrument to persuade the Town of Los Reyes to receive him against the sense and opinion of the major part of the Judges These matters happened out upon Sunday at night being the thirteenth day of September 1544. Thus far are the words of Carate which are confirmed also by Diego Fernandez who in the seventeenth Chapter of his Book adds this farther They conveyed says he his Corpse by a certain Gallery and buried them in a corner or nook of the great Church near adjoining thereunto but some few hours after that his anger grew cool and that the
Marquis had performed to the Crown as also for other Causes which they alledged in favour and honour of Gonçalo Piçarro himself For now fortune being of his side the people began to speak favourably of him and he carrying himself with pretences of restoring to them their Liberty was generally cryed up and beloved of all and especially succeeding the Vice-king who was hated and detested by all mankind Thus far are the words of Diego Fernandez After which Carate in the thirteenth Chapter of his Book proceeds and says The Instrument for constituting Piçarro Governour being passed he made his Entry into the City in State and triumph In the first place Captain Bachicao led the Van-guard with two and twenty Pieces of Cannon made for the field which were carried on the Shoulders of six thousand Indians as we have mentioned before with all the other train of Artillery and Ammunition thereunto belonging and as they marched they fired the Cannon in the Streets and for Guard to the Artillery thirty Musquetiers and fifty Gunners were appointed After which followed the Company under command of Captain Diego Gumiel which consisted of two hundred Pique-men after which followed Captain Guevara with a hundred and fifty Musquetiers and then came the Company of Pedro Cermenno consisting of two hundred Harquebusiers immediately after which followed Gonçalo Picarro himself with three Companies of Foot attending like Foot-men by his side and he mounted on a very fine Horse and cloathed with a Coat of Mail over which he wore a thin Coat of cloth of gold after him marched three Captains with their Troops of Horse in midst of which Don Pedro Porto Carrero supported the Royal Standard on his right hand Antonio Altamirano carried the Ensign of Cozco and on the left Pedro de Puelles carried the Colours in which the Arms of Piçarro were painted after which all the Cavalry followed armed in form and point of War. And in this order they marched to the house of Licenciado Carate where the other Judges were assembled which was a default on Carate's side for he ought rather to have received him in the place of publick Judicature but here Piçarro leaving his Forces drawn up in the open Market-place went up into the Chamber where the Judges attended and received him with due order and respect and having taken the Oath and given the Security which is usual he went to the Town-house where the Mayor Sheriffs and other Officers received him with the accustomary Solemnities and thence he went to his own Lodgings and in the mean time the Officers quartered the Souldiers both Horse and Foot in the private houses of the Citizens giving order that they should entertain them upon Free-quarter This entry of Piçarro into the City and his reception there happened towards the end of the month of October 1544 being forty days after the imprisonment of the Vice-king and from that time forward Piçarro attended wholly to the management of his martial Affairs and to matters relating thereunto leaving all civil Causes and proceedings in Law to the Judges who held their Courts in the House of the Treasurer Alonso Riquelme And then he sent to Cozco for his Deputy Alonso de Toro to Arequepa for Pedro de Tuentes to the Villa de Plata for Francisco de Almendras and to other Cities for the principal Governours thereof Thus far are the words of Augustine Carate To which Fernandez Palentino in the sixteenth Chapter of his Book adds and says That Diego Centeno having accompanied Gonçalo Piçarro in quality of Procuratour for the Town of Plate as far as Los Reyes he there found that Piçarro had preferred his great Friend Francisco de Almendras to be Captain and chief Justiciary of that Town and therefore he desired him to move Piçarro that he might be dismissed and go along with him to the Villa de la Plata because his House and Estate was in those parts which license being obtained they travelled together to the Charcas where some time afterwards when Diego Centeno declared for the King he surprised and killed him and though in excuse hereof it may be alledged that it was done for the King's service yet he can never wipe off that blot of Ingratitude for during the time of the Conquest when Diego Centeno came very young into the Countrey he was supported and provided for in all his necessities and in the time of his sickness by Francisco de Almendras who was a rich and a principal person of quality in those days and took the same care of him as if he had been his Son the which benefits and kindnesses Diego Centeno publickly owned and when they were in private he called him Father as Almendras called him Son and therefore he ought for ever to be branded with Ingratitude unless the publick concernment for his Prince be able to untie and abolish all other private obligations and endearments whatsoever Gonçalo Piçarro finding himself now invested in his Power and Government which he held both by virtue of the Royal Grant given to his Brother the Marquis in whose right he pretended thereunto and now by the consent and election of the Judges began to give out his own Commission to Officers both Military and Civil and to sit and hear Causes which he dispatched with great readiness administring Justice with Reputation and Authority to the contentment and satisfaction of the whole City but these smooth and chearfull proceedings were mixed with their troubles and misfortunes For Captain Diego Gumiel who untill this time had always shewed himself zealous and passionate in the cause of Piçarro began to alter his humour and speak against him because he had refused to grant him a piece of Land with a Command over Indians which he asked of him in behalf of a certain Friend of his and with that occasion he railed against the Judges saying that they had unjustly taken away the Government from the Son of Marquis Francisco Piçarro to whom it appertained by lawfull inheritance descended from his Father in virtue of a Grant from his Majesty to confer it upon one who had no right nor title thereunto and for that reason he declared that he would use his utmost endeavours that the Son of the Marquis might recover his own Inheritance Gumiel frankly discoursing at this rate without regard to the place where or the person to whom he vented his passion at length the reports thereof coming to the ears of Piçarro he gave his immediate Orders to his Major-General that he should examine this matter and take such course as might restrain the licentious Tongue of that Captain for the future It is certain that the meaning of Piçarro was not to put Gumiel to death though Carvajal put that interpretation upon it and having asked some questions about the matter and hearing them confirmed went directly to Gumiel's Lodgings where without more to doe he strangled him and drew his Body into the Market-place saying give way Gentlemen for
their milk they learned to pronounce the Name of God on no other occasion than of Prayers and Praises to him But whilst Gonçalo Piçarro was solemnizing the Festival appointed in honour to his new Title of Governour he did not forget his dependence on Spain and therefore proposed first to his Captains and Friends in private and afterwards publickly to the Citizens of Los Reyes that it was necessary to send Messengers to his Majesty to render an account of all that happened unto that time beseeching his Majesty in behalf of that whole Empire to confer the Government thereof upon Gonçalo Piçarro representing it as a matter much conducing to the service of his Majesty and to the common peace and tranquillity both of Indians and Spaniards And moreover that Piçarro should dispatch a private Agent as from himself who should lay before his Majesty the many services and labours which he had sustained for the enlargement of the dominions of Spain in those parts this Proposal was approved by the common consent of all and generally the World was of opinion that a Proposition of this nature tending so much to the welfare of the people to the increase of his Majesty's revenue and enrichment of his Subjects would not be refused onely Francisco de Carvajal as Diego Fernandez Palentino relates in the twenty eighth Chapter of his Book was of another opinion and declared that the best Agents to persuade in Affairs of this kind were a good body of Musquetiers Horse and Arms And though it was true that Subjects ought never to take up Arms against their King yet when they had once drawn the Sword they ought never to put it up again and that for the present if they would send Messengers they should be the Judges themselves who having been the persons that had imprisoned the Vice-king they were the most able to render an account to his Majesty of the reasons and causes which moved them thereunto This opinion was seconded by Hernando Bachicao but the votes of two men could not over-rule the sense of the whole Court who decreed to send Doctour Texada and Francisco Maldonado Usher of the Hall to Gonçalo Piçarro into Spain with instructions to represent unto his Majesty the present state and condition of their Affairs It was also ordered that these persons should embark on a Ship then in Port besides which there was no other at that time and whereon Licenciado Vaca de Castro was a prisoner and stood committed by order from the Vice-king and now remained in expectation how the present Governours would dispose of him not judging it fit to fail for Spain without the Orders of some over-ruling power 'T was farther agreed that Hernando Bachicao should have the Charge to provide the Ship with Men and Guns and thereon to transport their Agents to Panama of which Vaca de Castro being informed by a Friend and Kinsman of his called Garcia de Mont-alvo he presently apprehended that in case they brought him ashoar from the Ship some mischief might ensue to him or at least some treatment not beseeming his quality and condition he resolved with the assistence of his Kinsman Mont-alvo and of the Servants then with him to weigh Anchor and set sail for Panama The matter succeeded as was expected and desired for there was not one person of Piçarro's faction then aboard and the Mariners were all for Vaca de Castro who was very well beloved and esteemed by the people of the Countrey Piçarro was greatly troubled at this disappointment for the sending of his Agents into Spain he esteemed to be the onely means to set matters right and well understood at that Court. CHAP. XXII How much Gonçalo Piçarro was troubled for the Escape of Vaca de Castro and what disturbance it caused Hernando Bachicao goes to Panama The Vice-king sends abroad his Warrants to raise Men. HEreupon as all the three Writers agree it was conceived that this Escape of Vaca de Castro could not be contrived without a Conspiracy of several persons concerned therein so that immediately an Allarum was given over all the Town the Souldiers were put in Arms and all those Gentlemen whom they suspected as well such as were Natives or Citizens of Los Reyes as those who had fled from Cozco and those who were of the Vice-king's party were all seized and committed to the publick prison and amongst them Licenciado Carvajal was one to whom Major General Carvajal sent order that he should at that instant confess and make his last Will and Testament for that it was decreed he should presently be put to death Carvajal with all readiness submitted to the sentence and began to prepare himself for the same the Executioner stood by him with his Halter and Gibbet and urged him to finish his Affairs howsoever he continued something long in his confession no question but he expected to dye without any reprieve howsoever such as considered the quality of his person and condition were of opinion that he ought not to have been brought under those circumstances but since it had so fallen out it would be dangerous to suffer him to live but then it was considered that in case Carvajal were put to death many of those who were now in custody would follow the same fate which would be a great loss to the Kingdom to be deprived of the most principal persons thereof who had always been faithfull to the Interest of his Majesty Whilst Licenciado Carvajal remained under these sad apprehensions certain sober persons went to Gonçalo Piçarro and told him that it were well to consider in this case how great an Interest the Licenciado Carvajal had in his Coutrey and that the Agent Carvajal who was his brother was put to death by the Vice-king for no other cause or reason than because his man followed the party and side of Piçarro and therefore for the very merit of his brother and for the services of this person he should spare his life who was and might be of great use and benefit to him for the future And as to the escape of Vaca de Castro all the World was well satisfied That neither Licenciado Carvajal nor the others who were imprisoned upon suspicion were concerned therein and that all this jealousie did arise from the vain censures of some people for which there was no just cause or ground To all which Declaration Gonçalo Piçarro answered little but seemed angry and disturbed commanding that none should move him farther in that matter Hereupon Carvajal and his Friends resolved to proceed another way which was by means of the Major General to whom they secretly presented a Wedge of gold to the value of two thousand pieces of Eight and promised him much more the which having accepted he began to be a little backward and cold in the execution of the sentence and went and came so often untill at length both Carvajal and all the others who were imprisoned were set at liberty So this
matter being over they began to contrive the manner how Hernando Bachicao might be dispatched away as was agreed for which there now happened an opportunity by the arrival of a Bregantine from Arequepa which being freighted for this purpose and armed with some of the Cannon which Gonçalo Piçarro brought from Cozco Bachicao embarked thereupon and with him Doctour Texada and Francisco Maldonado with about sixty Musquetiers who offered themselves voluntarily on that voiage And thus coasting along the shoar upon information that the Vice-king was at Tumbez he arrived early one morning in that Port where being espyed by some people belonging to the Vice-king an Allarum was presently given that Gonçalo Piçarro with a strong force was coming by Sea which put them all into that affrightment and consternation that the Vice-king with all his force consisting of about a hundred and fifty men fled away to Quitu but some of them remained behind to receive Bachicao who took two Ships which he sound in the Port and with them sailed to Puerto Viejo where and in other parts he raised about a hundred and fifty men whom he embarked aboard his Ships but the Vice-king without other stop or stay hastened to Quitu Thus far Augustine Carate who hath made clear several Passages which were confused and obscure in other Writers But now to return to the Ingot of Gold which Francisco Carvajal received It is certain that he made a Trade of such Bribes as these where the Accusation was false and then he would suspend the Execution of the Sentence untill means were made with Gonçalo Piçarro for a Pardon and in this manner he got great sums of money but in case the crime objected were true than nothing could prevail with him neither Presents nor Intreaties to delay the speedy execution of Justice for he was zealous and faithfull to his Party both in punishment of Enemies and in the good treatment and reward of Friends and Abettours of his Cause but Historians give him the Character of a most covetous and cruel person 't is true he had both one and the other in his nature but not in so high degree as is reported for though he was guilty of great effusions of bloud yet it was for the advancement and security of his own party which he acted in pursuance of his Office being a Captain and a chief field Officer of which hereafter in prosecution of this History we shall give some instances of my own knowledge and shall make some remarks upon the behaviour of several Captains of Piçarro's party which I received from the report of those who were familiarly acquainted with their actions and persons We have mentioned before how Licenciado Alvarez procured the Liberty of the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez Vela and how another Ship joined with them whereon his brother Vela Nunnez was embarked and that they sailed together to the Port of Tumpiz where they landed and erected a Court of Justice for that as the Historians say he had a clause in his Commission that he might hold a Court with assistance of one Judge or Co-assessour with him by virtue whereof they dispatched several Warrants Orders and Manifests into divers parts setting forth in the Preamble thereunto a relation of his imprisonment and of his escape as likewise of the coming of Gançalo Piçarro to Los Reyes with all other particulars which had happened untill that time and in fine concluded that all his Majesty's loving and loyal Subjects should come in and partake in this cause In pursuance hereof he sent divers Captains to Puerto Viejo to raise men as also to Saint Michael and Truxillo and upon the same errand Captain Jeronimo de Prereyra was sent as far as Pacamuru which the Spaniards call Bracamoros And moreover he directed his Warrants over all the Countrey to bring in Provisions and all the Gold and Silver which was found in the Exchequer for that his Majesty's service required to have it employed against so many Enemies who were in rebellion against him but in regard that in all the Cities and places to which those Commands were sent there were different parties and men stood variously affected some whereof went to Piçarro others to fly from him and not to join with his faction betook themselves to the mountains and by secret and by-ways came at-length to the Vice-king equipped with Arms Horses and Provisions according to every man's ability which much rejoiced and comforted the Vice-king to see the affection of the people to him in the time of his distress but this satisfaction continued not long for as ill fortune would have it he was forced by Hernando Bachicao to retire into the In-land parts of the Countrey by which means his Friends left him and he himself sustained great inconveniences and hardships untill the time of his death as we shall see in its due place Gonçalo Piçarro having intelligence that the Vice-king was in Tumpiz he thought it not convenient or safe to suffer him to rest there and therefore sent some Captains with their forces to disturb him and cause him to remove his quarters from thence The Orders and Warrants which the Vice-king issued forth were for the most part betrayed into the hands of Piçarro being brought to him by those with whom they were intrusted by means of which Piçarro received intelligence of all the designs of the Vice-king which to prevent he dispatched his Captains Jeronimo de Villegas Gonçalo Diaz and Hernando de Alvarado to scoure all the Coast along to the Northward and intercept the people who were going to join themselves with the Vice-king and thereby he suppressed the forces of the Vice-king before they could get head and overcame them without a Battel CHAP. XXIII Of the Actions performed by Bachicao in Panama Licenciado Vaca de Castro comes to Spain where an end is put to all his negotiations The Vice-king retires to Quitu HErnando Bachicao as we have said having surprized two Ships belonging to the Vice-king and forced him to retire into the In-land parts of the Countrey he pursued his Voiage to the Port of Panama and in his way he met with two or three other Ships but whose they were and with what they were laden for brevity sake we shall omit to mention and because Fernandez Palentino in the twenty ninth Chapter of his Book makes a long Discourse thereupon we shall refer our selves to him and onely say that he took those Ships with him and sailed from Port to Port of which there are many in those Seas taking refreshments at his pleasure without fear or apprehension of any Enemies when he arrived at the Islands of Pearles which are about twenty Leagues distant from Panama whereof so soon as the Inhabitants had notice as Augustine Carate saith in the sixteenth Chapter of his Book they sent two of their Citizens to know of him with what intension and design he came thither requiring him not to enter with his Souldiers within the
pardon howsoever he banished them from the Province confiscated their Indians and fined them in four thousand pieces of Eight a piece thence he marched to Truxillo gathering in his way all the Men and Money he was able he laid Taxes on the people and gathered them in haste and then he passed to Los Reyes where he formed a Body of above two hundred Men and took the road to Cozco by way of the desart and being come to Huamanca as some Authours say he brought that place under Tribute and made them pay the Impositions which he laid upon them Whilst these Matters were in agitation there were designs plotting in Los Reyes to take away the Life of Lorenço de Aldana for at that time people were so uneasie and unquiet that upon every small occasion they were ready to fly into a mutiny and conspire against their Governours for which the principal Authours were put to death And this was the third Plot which was contrived in Los Reyes which ended with the death of three or four of the chief Conspiratours and of five or six more than in Huamanca with Francisco de Carvajal who being accused by those in Los Reyes were upon their confession put to death It was in Huamanca also where Carvajal received the News of the retreat of Diego Centeno and the Attacques which Alonso de Toro had made upon him and that he was returned victorious to Cozco upon which intelligence Carvajal thought it not necessary to proceed farther considering that Diego Centeno was retired for which cause and because he was not willing to meet with Alonso de Toro he resolved to return to Los Reyes and the rather because these two great men were at odds on occasion that Gonçalo Piçarro had taken from Alonso de Toro his Office of Major-General and conferred it on Francisco de Carvajal on pretence that the other was sickly and infirm which rendred him uncapable of that Charge but Carvajal was scarce come◠to Los Reyes before the news overtook him that Diego Centeno had passed the Mountains in pursuit of Alonso de Toro and that he had taken fifty of his men Prisoners and that they had revolted and taken up Arms on the Enemy's side and that Alonso de Mendoça was retreated another way upon this intelligence he resolved to turn against Diego Centeno as he accordingly did and took his way by Arequepa to avoid meeting with Alonso de Toro notwithstanding which both Alonso de Toro and the Government of Cozco receiving advices thereof wrote a joint Letter to Carvajal desiring him to take Cozco in his way for that it would seem a disparagement to that City which was the Head of that Empire to be neglected and that his Forces designed against Diego Centeno should seem to issue out of Arequepa than from Cozco Carvajal consented to their desire rather from hopes of increasing and augmenting his Forces in that City than a desire of compliance with their request and so hastning to Cozco he and Alonso de Toro had a meeting with unkind looks and jealousies each of other though outwardly and in publick their enmities were not manifested howsoever the day following Carvajal took four of the Citizens of Cozco and without any intimation thereof to Alonso de Toro hanged them up which served to foment the quarrel and differences which were between them And now Carvajal having increased his numbers to three hundred men all well armed and appointed one hundred of which were Horse and the rest Foot he marched with them to Collao where Diego Centeno was quartered and being come within ten leagues thereof Centeno grounding an opinion on a report that the Souldiers of Carvajal were discontented and would not fight but revolt to his side took an assurance one night with a Party of eighty men to beat up the quarters of Carvajal and accordingly came so near that they could hear one another speak but he soon found himself deceived for Carvajal put himself in so good a posture to receive him that every person was in order of Battel nor were the discontents amongst the Souldiery so great as were reported for otherwise it had been impossible for one single Man to have contained three hundred in due obedience to him Howsoever it is most certain as all Authours agree that Carvajal was ill beloved by the generality for he was very ill-natured and severe towards his Souldiers paid them ill and perhaps with nothing but bad words and worse performances but howsoever the story goes it is strange that he should perform such great actions with men so much discontented and who had evil wills and inclinations towards him It is certain that he was very cruel in his own nature but not to those of his own Party but to such as were Traitours and revolted from his to the contrary Party like the Weaver's Shuttle from one side to the other for which reason they were called Weavers but we shall speak more at large hereafter of Carvajal who most certainly was a very brave Souldier having been bred up under that great Captain Gonçalo Fernandez de Cordoua Duke of Sesa and other renowned Commanders of those times but as to Diego Centeno he perceiving that matters did not succeed according to his expectation made his retreat in good order and still defended himself with some loss untill by degrees his Forces being diminished he was totally defeated CHAP. XXIX Carvajal continues his pursuit after Diego Centeno A strange piece of Cruelty committed by him upon a Souldier and a trick which another plaid upon him SO soon as it was day Carvajal pursued the Enemy with his Foot drawn up in form of Battel the Horse advancing before to fall on them in the Rere but Diego Centeno made his retreat good and the night following and for three or four nights following he continually alarm'd Carvajal in expectation that some parties would fall off from the Enemy and revolt unto him but finding his hopes deceived in that point he got his Forces into fast places and acted on the defensive part and at length began to march away with all speed twelve thirteen and sometimes fifteen leagues a-day and as some Authours report he sent away his Baggage before and what else was cumbersome whilst he with a select number of men well armed marched in the Rere Howsoever the Enemy pursued so close after them that notwithstanding the long marches which Diego Centeno took they scarce lost sight of them for about two dozen of Pikes which marched always in the Front did continually gall them untill at length they were utterly destroyed whensoever Diego Centeno came to any narrow Pass he then made a stop and faced the Enemy and maintained it for three or four days untill the Baggage and whatsoever was cumbersome had advanced twenty leagues before and then he would follow with all haste to overtake them and when he was come up to his Companions they would all say We wish
so went to Piçarro and informed him of the design of Vela Nunnez to make his escape for which they cut off his Head and hanged and quartered another concerned in the same Plot howsoever it was the common talk that this piece of cruelty was acted at the persuasion onely of Licençiado Carvajal for Piçarro had a kindness for Vela Nunnez whom he loved for his good nature and sweet disposition and never inclined to put him to death And this was the fate of this poor Gentleman by the false accusation of a treacherous fellow who was a Villain of the highest nature Francisco de Carvajal having some days before received intelligence of Piçarro's march to Los Reyes and his orders to meet him there he came to the Charcas with intention to joyn his Forces with him at the City it self Piçarro upon the news of his approach went a great way to meet him and caused a triumphal reception to be made for him as due to a Captain of his merit who had defeated so many Enemies and gained so many Victories Carvajal left Alonso de Mendoça for Governour of the City of Plate under Gonçalo Piçarro and brought with him about a million of pieces of Eight which he had digged from the Mines of Potocsi and from the Indians who are free and not under subjection of any Lord so that Piçarro was now furnished with plenty of money and then Carvajal took his opportunity to press him farther upon the Subject of making himself King repeating the same arguments which he had used in his Letter And here let us leave them their Officers and their Friends and particularly the inhabitants of the several Cities of that Empire employed in keeping all things peaceable and in quiet condition to the security and protection as well of Indians as Spaniards and to the increase and propagation of the Holy Catholick Faith by catechising and preaching to the Natives and to the advantage of Trade and of every private man's concernment which was so diminished and impoverished by the late Wars and Revolutions that no man durst pretend to an Estate for fear that it should be taken away either by the violent force of Tyrants who bare-faced plundred and pillaged all they could seise and lay their hands on or else by those who pretended to borrow it for the service of his Majesty And now as the Proverb is That it is good fishing upon turn of the Tide let us pass over into Spain and let us see what his Imperial Majesty is there designing for reducing to obedience the Rebels in Peru and to set at liberty the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez The End of the Fourth Book Royal Commentaries BOOK V. CHAP. I. Licençiado Pedro de la Gasca is chosen by the Emperour Charles the Fifth to reduce Peru. WHilst matters were transacted in Peru in the manner before related Diego Albarez Cueto and Francisco Maldonado arrived in Spain in Quality of Ambassadours the first of which was sent from the Vice-king and the latter from Gonçalo Piçarro and both went to Valladolid where the Court then resided under the Government of the Prince Don Philip who ruled that Kingdom in the absence of the Emperour his Father who like a Catholick Prince was at that time actually employed in the Wars in Germany against the Lutherans labouring to reduce them to the obedience of the Holy Mother the Church of Rome These Ambassadours did severally inform the Prince's Highness and the Royal Council of the Indies in the best manner they were able of all the transactions and successes which had happened in Peru untill the time of their departure from thence for then the Vice-king was still living The ill news of these great revolutions and troubles of that Kingdom caused many thoughts in the mind of the Prince for remedy of which his Highness summoned a Council of the most wise and grave persons and of most experience then residing at the Court which were the Cardinal Don John Tavera Archbishop of Toledo Cardinal Don Fray Garcia de Loaysa Archbishop of Seville Don Francisco de Baldes President of the Royal Council and Bishop of Ciguença the Duke of Alva the Count of Osorno Francisco de Los Cobos Lord Lieutenant of Leon Don John Cunniga Lord Lieutenant of Castile Ramirez Bishop of Cuenca and President of the King's Bench in Valladolid all the Judges of the Royal Council of the Indies besides several other persons of great Quality all which as well as the Court in general did admire that those Laws and Ordinances which were made and designed for the universal good as well of the Indians as of the Spaniards of Peru should have such a different effect and prove the cause of the destruction both of one and of the other and so to endanger the Kingdom as even to put it in hazard of being alienated from the Crown of the Emperour To prevent which many consultations were held and great debates did arise thereupon some were of opinion that it was to be done onely by force of Arms and that immediately Souldiers were to be sent thither under the command of several experienced Captains but this opinion was opposed by the difficulty of such an enterprise for that the charge of shipping Souldiers Arms Ammunition Horses and Provision would be very great the Voyage was long the Navigation difficult and subject to a thousand hazards being to pass two Seas Other Counsels there were of the more moderate and grave sort of men who were of opinion that since all those disturbances were caused by the rigour of the new Laws and the severe and indiscreet manner of putting them in execution by the Vice-king the remedy thereof ought to be by contrary applications which was that the new Laws should be absolutely abrogated and declared invalid and that to declare and publish them for such a person should be sent of a mild gentle and affable temper◠and one of experience of the world of prudence and capable of Government in the times of Peace and yet a Souldier knowing how to manage a War if occasion should require The Person elected for this employment was Licençiado Pedro de la Gasca a Presbyter of the Church and a Member of the General Council of the Inquisition and one in whom all the fore-mentioned qualities did concurr and being thus elected he was offered to his Majesty for his approbation upon receipt of these Letters of recommendation Orders were given in such manner as Gomara writes in the 175th Chapter of his Book which I have thought fit to repeat word for word because he seems to be more plain and clear herein than any other Authour whatsoever When the Emperour saith he had received the news of the great disturbances in Peru and of the imprisonment of Blasco Nunnez he highly resented the insolence of the Judges who durst attempt so daring a piece of injustice against their allegiance and also condemned the proceedings of Gonçalo Piçarro as not tending
unanimously chose Centeno for General of the new Enterprise At first they consulted whether it would be most advantageous for them to march to the City of Arequepa or to Cozco where they knew that Antonio de Robles resided with three hundred men well fitted and appointed but as yet they knew not what to resolve upon for it seemed a hazardous matter to attack a body of men with so much disadvantage of numbers but afterwards considering that they carried with them the specious colour of the King's Authority and the powerfull name of Loyalty they resolved on the question and to march directly to Cozco But let us leave them here on their Journey to relate other actions and successes which were carried on and passed in divers parts and at the same time in those Countries which were so many and various that I seem to be entred into a Labyrinth from whence I shall endeavour to extricate my self in the best manner I am able hoping for the Reader 's pardon and acceptance in case I fall short in the relation where such great variety of affairs hath happened We have mentioned before how that Lorenço de Aldana Hernan Mexia de Guzman John Alonso Palomino and John de Yllanes were by order of the President sent by Sea to Peru these by the way came to Tumpiz where Bartolmeo de Villalobos was Governour under Gonçalo Piçarro who observing that their four Ships had remained four days before the Port and had not entred he suspected that they had changed their Copy and were revolted to the other Party upon which supposition without other grounds he dispatched a Messenger to Piçarro with this information The news was first carried to Captain Diego de Mora who was then in Truxillo above a hundred leagues distance from Tumpiz who was from thence to forward it with all expedition to Gonçalo Piçarro Diego de Mora upon receipt of this Advice dispeeded the Messenger to Los Reyes but he himself remained doubtfull which side to take whether he should adhere to Piçarro or revolt from him but whilst he was thus considering within himself the news came that the new Ordinances were repealed and a general Pardon granted by his Majesty for all Treasons and Crimes which were past wherefore remaining no longer in suspense he packed up all his Houshold-stuff took what Gold and Silver he had and therewith embarked his Wife and Family on a Ship and with â—orty of his Souldiers of which some were Inhabitants of Truxillo he sailed to Panama the news of these four Ships being come to Los Reyes though the particulars thereof were confused and obscure it being not known who or what they were yet it served to put the People into a great consternation and caused every one to prepare for a War. At the same time news coming of the revolt of Diego de Mora his place was immediately supplied by a Commission given to Licenciado Leon and he sent by Sea to Truxillo but meeting a few days after with Lorenço de Aldana and his Associates in his way he turned to their side the like also did Diego de Mora and all of them returned together to the Port of Truxillo where Diego de Mora landed with his forty men to recover them of the sickness into which they were fallen at Sea but he marched farther into the Countrey as far as Cassamarca publishing in all places how that the late Ordinances were repealed and a general Pardon given for all Treasons and Crimes already committed upon this news all people generally came in and offered themselves for his Majesty's Service amongst which were John de Saavedra a Native of Sevil Gomez de Alvarado John Porcel to whom Piçarro had lately wrote advising him to prepare matters in a readiness for War. In short all the people of those places and Provinces coming in they formed a Body of about three hundred men under the command of Diego de Mora and declared for the Emperour of which Bartolmco de Villalobos then quartering at Tumbiz receiving intelligence he gathered what Forces he could and marched into the inland Countries intending by way of the Desart to pass over to Gonçalo Piçarro but his men gave a stop to his Journey persuading him to change his way and his intention and return to Piura and keep that Town for the Emperour as he had done before for Gonçalo Piçarro to which he assented though much against his will. The like happened in Puerto Viejo which Francisco de Olmos held for Piçarro who upon news of the many revolts and of people turning to the service of the Emperour went with some persons in whom he much confided unto Huayllqui which was a place governed by Manuel Estacio with Commission from Piçarro and there without farther ceremony taking him by the hand he stabbed him to the heart with his Dagger and immediately set up his Majesty's Standard And thus with the news onely of a general Pardon and revocation of the late Ordinances without other persuasions or forces the hearts and inclinations of all the Captains chief Commanders and People were turned and reduced to the service of his Majesty Of all which Gonçalo Piçarro and his Party were not ignorant for they received intelligence daily how matters succeeded at which they were much troubled and with great reason for seeing how people daily fell from their Party they feared that many others would follow the same example whereupon they entred into frequent consultations but with such confusion and disorder that nothing was concluded onely it was agreed to burn the five Ships then in Port together with all the Boats and Vessels which were there This Counsel was said to be given by Licenciado Cepeda and Licençiado Benito de Carvajal men who were better Lawyers than Souldiers and better skilled in Books than in the Politicks for they believed that the Ships and Vessels then in Port would give people opportunity to escape and turn to the Enemy and for want thereof they would be forced though against their wills to side with their Party The burning of the Ships was ordered during the absence of Carvajal who was gone for a weeks time about twenty leagues from Los Reyes to direct some important affairs then in hand but when Carvajal returned and heard of the burning of those Ships he grievously lamented the issue of that fatal Counsel and amongst other things he said to Gonçalo Piçarro Sir You have ordered five Guardian-Angels appointed for the defence of the Coast of Peru and destruction of your Enemies to be consumed with fire had you reserved but one for me I should therewith have given you such an account of my actions as should have surpassed all my former services and have given the world cause to envy my great successes for with some Musketiers which I would have put aboard I would have undertaken to engage all the Fleet of the Enemy for according to the intelligence we have from Panama all the
Diego Maldonado to see what operation his advices had worked in him and understanding that he was gone from thence the night before he went immediately to Piçarro and seigning much concernment for his services he told him Sir Maldonado is fled and since it is visible how your forces diminish daily my opinion is that you should raise your Camp from hence and march towards Arequepa and farther to prevent Fugitives in their intentions I would advise you upon no pretence whatsoever to permit any person to return to the City And as to my own Company I am secure enough of them for there is not one of them who demands leave to goe to the City but give good example unto others onely with your permission I would goe to the City with some few of my Souldiers in whom I repose the greatest confidence and whom I know to stand in want of several necessaries with which having provided themselves in my presence I shall then return with them and with the same occasion I will make search for Diego Maldonado who as I hear is fled to the Monastery of St. Domingo from whence I will endeavour to bring him to you by whose exemplary punishment men may for the future be afraid to fly and abandon your cause and interest Piçarro reposing great confidence in the faithfulness of Martin de Robles who was deeply engaged with him in all matters for it was he who had taken the Vice-king and prosecuted him to death and performed other pieces of notorious service he gave him his permission with all readiness to goe to the City hereupon Martin de Robles in the first place made bold with the Horses belonging to Maldonado as the confiscated goods of a Traytor and calling those to him of his Company for whom he had most kindness and in whom he most confided who were about thirty in all he immediately went to the City of Los Reyes and thence took the direct road to Truxillo publickly declaring that they were going to the President and had renounced Piçarro who was a Tyrant When this News came to the Camp no man would hardly believe it thinking it impossible for Martin de Robles who was a person so deeply concerned with Piçarro in all matters to forsake him at the last But when the truth was confirmed it was the common opinion that that very day the Camp would break up and every man shift for himself or that they would kill Piçarro and make an end of the dispute at one blow but such was the gentleness and generosity of Piçarro's disposition that it entred into no man's thoughts to perpetrate so execrable a villany upon his person all their designs being onely to leave and revolt from him Howsoever Piçarro put a good countenance upon all his misfortunes pretending to esteem lightly of those who had denyed him and saying that if he had onely ten good friends who would stick by him he should not despair of making a new Conquest of all Peru as Palentino says in the sixty fourth Chapter of his Book CHAP. XIV Licenciado Carvajal Graviel de Rojas and several other Citizens and Souldiers of note fly from Piçarro BUT these frequent revolts did not end with the flight of Martin de Robles but rather a general defection was feared for the night following Lope Martin Prereyra of the Portugal Nation made his escape he was one of the first Conquerours and one with whom I was well acquainted whereupon Gonçalo Piçarro to prevent other escapes at least on that side of the City he ordered Licenciado Carvajal with a party of Horse to guard that part and not to suffer any person to pass that way One would have thought that this Carvajal had given sufficient assurances and pledges of his Fidelity that his faithfulness to the Cause ought not to be suspected and yet for all this he fled away and revolted and by his example opened a door for every man to escape away and be gone for he was followed by all his Troop of Horse as also by Pedro Suarez de Escobedo Francisco de Escobedo and Jeronimo Escobedo who were his Kinsmen and all took the great Road to Truxillo these also were accompanied with Licenciado Polo Marcos de Retamoço an Ensign of good esteem Francisco de Miranda and Hernando de Vargas with many Souldiers of chief renown The flight of these persons could not be so concealed but that it was quickly made known to the next Quarter from whence Graviel de Rojas followed the same example who was the person on whom Piçarro had not long before conferred the honour of carrying the Standard which he had taken from Don Antonio de Ribera whom he had left in Los Reyes to govern the City because he was a person of great abilities and related to him by kindred and engaged with him as deeply as any in all his designs Graviel de Rojas was followed by many others amongst whom were his two Kinsmen Graviel Vermudez and Gomez de Rojas both Persons of Quality the flight of these Officers was not presently known abroad because the Quarters of Licenciado Carvajal were in the Out-guards which Gonçalo Piçarro and his Souldiers esteemed to be well secured by them and reposed all confidence imaginable in their fidelity but so soon as it was divulged it caused great noise and rumour in the Camp and Piçarro himself was particularly concerned for Licenciado Carvajal and was grieved that he of all the men in the world should forsake him and considering what could be the cause of his discontent or disgust he was sorry that he had not married him to Donna Francisca Piçarro his Cosin-german supposing that if he had so done he had obliged him by perpetual bonds of alliance and again he fansied that he must have been disobliged because having nominated him to have commanded some Forces he had afterwards put John de Acosta over his head of all which he complained to Francisco Carvajal his Lieutenant General blaming him for giving him the ill counsel which had disobliged his Kinsman to which Carvajal made answer that since the Licenciado had been so bold and daring as to forsake and abandon his cause even in his presence and was so resolved upon it as to adventure his life in the Act it was better to be rid of him than to entertain him in his service since he might have carried three hundred men away with him in case he had employed him in the place of Acosta In the like manner said he such men as these turned to your side and party at a time when their occasions required your assistence to help them to their Estates and to conserve their Lives and Honours and at that time they denyed and renounced the Emperour they persecuted his Vice-king to the death and now the tide being turned they deny and sell you and entirely abandon you and why for no other cause certainly than that they think they have no farther need of you
love from all men but these men soon afterwards received the reward due to their deserts Nor was the behaviour of Francisco de Espinosa less scandalous in his journey to the Charcas but rather worse if worse can be For in his passage he robbed and plundered all he could find which as a certain Authour says amounted to the value of sixty thousand Ducats and in Arequepa he killed two Spaniards one of which had Lands and Command over Indians in the City of Plate he hanged a Judge and an Officer of the Court and all four of them for no other reason than because they had served the King and in his return to Cozco he burn'd seven Indians upon pretence that they had given information of his departure to certain Spaniards who were fled from him All which he acted without Commission or Order from Gonçalo Piçarro or his Lieutenant General but merely out of his own arbitrary Power and Lust intending thereby to evidence his great zeal to the cause of him who was not pleased with such service for when he was informed of his Cruelties he abhorred both his person and his actions for Piçarro was of a mercifull nature and did neither approve of these nor other Cruelties committed by Carvajal of the like nature But to divert the Reader awhile from the sad relations of such Barbarities we will mention one generous action performed by a person infamous in those days whereby it will appear that he was not altogether so wicked as Historians describe him CHAP. XXV Of the Gratitude which Francisco de Carvajal shewed in Arequepa to Miguel Cornejo in return of those benefits and kindnesses which some years before he had done for him WE have now an occasion presented to declare some good actions performed by Francisco de Carvajal in lieu of the many bad ones which Writers report of him We formerly left him on his way to Arequepa in pursuit of his flying Enemies Upon News of his approach not onely those who fled from the Battel of Huarina but likewise the Inhabitants who were about fourty in number abandoned the City and took the way to Los Reyes along the Sea-coast So soon as Carvajal was entred into the City and had received information of their flight without stop or stay or repose so much as of one hour he dispatched twenty five of his chief and choice Harquebusiers after them commanded by an experienced Souldier who had all been instructed in the School of an excellent Master and were for their bravery termed his Sons and these made such expedition in the pursuit of them that they overtook them two days journey from Arequepa and seizing upon every one of them they brought them back again to the City not suffering one man of them to escape Amongst these was a noble Gentleman one of the first Conquerours and an Inhabitant of that City called Miguel Cornejo who had some years before much obliged Francisco de Carvajal when he came first into Peru before he had Lands or Estate or had acquired any Fame or Reputation or Interest in that Countrey the manner of it was this Carvajal travelling with his Wife Donna Catalina Leyton one maid-servant and two men-servants came to Arequepa where finding no Inn nor House of entertainment to receive him he remained in the Streets for it is to be noted that in those times and many years afterwards there were no Houses of publick entertainment in all Peru nor were there any when I came from thence in the year 1560 but Travellers were used to take up their quarters with the Inhabitants of the Countrey or Province for such was the generosity of those Gentlemen in those days who had Lands and Indians allotted to them that they frankly received all Strangers into their Houses affording them entertainment not onely for days and weeks but also for months and years and likewise furnished them with Clothes untill such time as they were able to provide for themselves the which generous and obliging usage was the common custome and practice of that whole Countrey In this condition was Francisco de Carvajal in that City without friend or acquaintance or house whereunto to resort and so remained for the space of three hours on horse-back with his whole family in a corner of the Market-place when Miguel Cornejo having taken notice of him as he was going to Church at his return went up to him and asked him what his business was so long there since for above three hours he had observed him in that place Sir answered Carvajal I have no kindred friends or acquaintance in this Countrey and there being no Inns or places of publick entertainment whereunto I might goe to be received I am enforced to stay in this corner of the Street To which Miguel Cornejo replyed Your Worship hath no need of another Inn than my House whereunto if you please to goe you shall find us all ready to serve you to the utmost of our power After this he carried them to his House and entertained them untill such time as that Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro bestowed some Lands and Houses on Carvajal in that City for he was one of those choice Souldiers which Don Antonio de Mendoça Vice-king of Mexico sent to the assistence of the Marquis Piçarro when Prince Manco Inca had raised great Forces against him as we have formerly related in its due place When Francisco de Carvajal understood that Miguel Cornejo was amongst the prisoners that were taken he caused them all to be brought to his presence and having seen Cornejo he took him aside and began very kindly to complain and chide him Is it possible said he that you should fansie and imagine me to be so ungratefull as to forget the kind and charitable entertainment I received from you some years past in this very City or to believe that in return thereof I should not embrace all occasions to make known my gratitude is it possible for me to be so short of memory as not to remember how kindly you took me and my Family to your own home when there was no place to receive us and entertained us there for days and months untill such time as Marquis Piçarro of glorious memory had made other provisions for me And having ever conserved the thoughts hereof in my mind I carried great respect to every thing wherein you were concerned for though I had sufficient information that Diego Centeno was concealed within your possession and though I knew the very Cave it self where he was hid and nourished by your Indians yet I winked at it and took no notice thereof that I might not give you trouble nor bring you under a prejudice or ill notion with my Lord the Governour I might then easily if I had pleased sent some Files of Musquetiers and have brought Diego Centeno to me but for your sake I forbore to persecute him notwithstanding the mortal enmity between us Nor indeed did I much value
to the Souldiers by whom he was desirous to be esteemed a Favourer of their pretensions and reasons of complaint as will appear by the Answer he gave at his return to the Judge Cianca when he was brought before him For in excuse he alledged that he absented himself from the City that the Souldiers might not engage him in the Mutinies they intended and force him to be their General Upon which Allegation the Judge committed him to prison in the House of John de Saavedra who was one of the principal Citizens of Cozco and having made Process against him he remitted him to the farther censure of the President and suffered him to go upon his paroll and upon Oath taken that he would proceed directly and present himself before his Superiours Accordingly Hernandez went to the City of Los Reyes but was detained three months on the way because the President at first would not see him nor give him admittance into the City untill at length he received licence and the favour to kiss the President 's hand some days after which the President being desirous to comply with his Martial Spirit and to clear the Kingdom of a sort of insolent and mutinous Souldiers conferred the honour of a Commission on him impouring him to make a Conquest of the Chunâ—hus with the Title of Governour and Captain General of all that Countrey which he should conquer at his own cost and hazard excepting out of his Commission those Frontiers which bordered on his Conquest namely Cuzco the City of La Paz and the City of Plate Francisco Hernandez was much pleased with his Commission intending thereby to gain an opportunity to rebell against his Majesty which had been long in his mind and which he at length put in execution as we shall find by the sequel and in order thereunto he remained in Rimac untill such time as the President embarked for Spain as shall be declared hereafter During the time that the President was employed in the Valley of Apurimac in sharing unto every man his proportion and lot the Judge Cianca received intelligence that the Licençiado Polo who was sent to be Judge in the Charcas had taken Francisco de Espinosa and Diego de Carvajal the Gallant and sent them prisoners who were the two persons employed by Gonçalo Piçarro in Arequepa and the Charcas after the Battel of Huarina and there committed those disorders which we formerly mentioned but these men before they came to Cozco wrote a Letter to Diego Centeno intreating him to intercede for them and at least obtained so far a remission of their Crimes as might not extend unto life but unto banishment out of the Kingdom In answer hereunto Centeno replyed That he should gladly comply with their request in case the enormity of their Crimes were capable of so much mercy and could admit of excuse and alleviation before the Lords the Justices but since they had been so cruel as to burn seven Indians alive without any cause or provocation he feared that the Gate was shut to all mercy nor durst any Man appear with arguments of intercession in a cause so vile and dark as theirs Some few days after this Answer was given these Offenders were brought to Cozco where they were hanged and quartered and their Quarters disposed in several ways to the great satisfaction both of Indians and Spaniards who rejoiced to see a Cruelty so justly revenged CHAP. V. The Government of Chile is given to Pedro de Valdivia The Articles which his own People prefer against him and by what means he is freed by the President AMongst the many great Divisions and Distributions made by the President Gasca in the Valley of Apurimac the Government of the Kingdom of Chile was conferred on Pedro de Valdivia with Title of Governour and Captain General of that great Kingdom containing five hundred leagues in length and moreover he received a full Commission to divide the Countrey amongst the Adventurers and such as had deserved well of the Crown The benefit of which Commission Pedro de Valdivia enjoyed a long time with great prosperity and affluence of fortune untill his Riches became his snare and were the cause of his ruine together with a hundred and fifty Spanish Gentlemen more who were all slain with him as we have already related in the first part of this History in the Life of Inca Yupanqui and have there anticipated this Story which was memorable and worthy observation and inserted it out of its due place in regard the Successes of that Kingdom were impertinent to our purpose but the present passages belonging to the Dominion of Peru fall within the verge of our History and are the proper subject of our Discourse of which Diego Hernandez a Citizen of Palencia gives this account in one of his Chapters the Title of which is this That by the same humane Laws some men may be condemned and put to death and others guilty of the same Crime may be freed and acquitted The same Authour hath another Chapter number 94. the Title of which is this In what manner the President sent to take Pedro de Valdivia The Articles which the People of Chile preferred against him and in what manner the President brought him off It hath been already mentioned in this History how Pedro de Valdivia came out of Chile and how afterwards the President made him Commander of the Provinces he should conquer And to prepare himself for that undertaking Valdivia went from Câ—zco to the City of Los Reyes with intent to furnish himself there with all necessaries and what might be required for that Conquest And having raised his men of which some were of those who had been banished out of Peru and others condemned to the Gallies for having been concerned in the late Rebellion and having provided all other matters he caused them to embarque on some Ships which set sail from the Collao of Lima but Pedro de Valdivia went himself by Land to Arequepa And whereas at this time several Complaints were brought against him to the President accusing him to have carried with him several condemned persons and that many outrages were committed on the way by People who had his command and authority so to doe Orders were sent to Pedro de Hinojosa to intercept him in his way and by some dexterous management to bring him back to the President Pedro de Hinojosa accordingly met him and asked him civilly whether he would not return again to give satisfaction to the President for what was alledged against him which Valdivia refusing to doe Hinojosa accompanied him in a friendly manner for a whole day's journey when watching his opportunity he seised upon him with six Musquetiers and brought him back to the President by which time several of the Plaintiffs from whom Valdivia had taken the Gold as before mentioned were come from Chile and had preferred Articles in writing against him wherein they accused him for having taken the Gold
have enough for a person of your quality for I have heard that you are the Son of in your own Countrey naming his Father's Trade The Captain for so I call him presently replyed He lyes who told your Lordship so and so doth he who believes him and therewith he presently went out of the room fearing lest some body should lay hands upon him for his saucy Speeches but the President patiently endured all these affronts saying he was to suffer and sustain much more for the service of the King his Master besides which gentleness he used the Souldiers with much civility and entertained them with hopes and assurance to provide for them hereafter As Diego Hernandez confirms in the first Book of the second Part of his History Chap. 3. in these words We are to observe says he that during all the time that the President remained in Lima being about seventeen months great numbers of People flocked thither to demand relief for supply of their necessities and reward of their services for as hath been said many of the King's servants who were left out in the first division greatly complained of their hard usage About this time several Estates fell to the King by the death of Diego Centeno Gabriel de Rojas Licenciado Carvajal and others and consequently there was some more matter and substance wherewith to answer the expectation of some Pretenders but this not being a full supply served onely to increase the troubles of the President who by his gentle and civil Answers gave a general satisfaction to all people Some of the Pretenders kept a secret correspondence with the Under-clerks to give them information how Estates were distributed and those communicated all to the Captains and Souldiers with whom they had friendship and some had a sight of the Books themselves wherein they saw to whom such Lands were given and to whom such a Command and Lordship and it is now commonly believed that those Books were falsified and that the President himself who was a subtile understanding person did connive thereat and give permission to have the particulars secretly exposed so that every one might be the better satisfied with his Lot especially when they saw themselves nominated and designed to such an Estate and it is certain that there are some men who to this day are of opinion that they are deprived of the Lot and Portion which the President appointed for them and one person so entertained the thought thereof in his head that he became mad when he found himself disappointed But the President Gasca's great care and incumbence was to carry with him a good sum of Gold and Silver to the Emperour of which he had already amassed a million and a half of Castellano's which being reduced to Spanish Crowns of three hundred and fifty Maravedis to the Crown made two millions and a hundred thousand Crowns besides the Treasure which had been expended in the late War. And now the time for the President 's departure growing near which was a happiness greatly desired by him he hastned with all expedition possible to be gone lest some dispatch should arrive to detein him longer in the Kingdom And having finished and completed the remaining part of the Divisions he folded and sealed them up with order that they should not be opened and published untill eight days after he had set sail from the coast and that the Arch-bishop should confirm the Divisions he had made by Act and Deed from himself After this upon the twenty fifth day of January the President went from Lima to Collao a Port about two leagues distant from the City and upon Sunday following before he had set sail he received a Pacquet from his Majesty which seasonably came to his hands and therein his Majesty's Royal Signature to take off the personal Services And now whereas he was very sensible that the Countrey was much unquiet and discontented and full of ill affected men by reason of the Divisions made of Guaynarima and because many of the King 's true and faithfull Servants were left destitute and unrewarded whilst those who had taken part with Gonçalo Piçarro had shared amongst themselves the richest and best of all the Countrey And being now resolved upon his departure he published a Proclamation whereby he suspended the execution of his Majesty's Royal Signet for taking off personal services untill he had rendered a relation to his Majesty of the true state of that Countrey and of what else he conceived appertaining to his Majesty's service alledging his power so to doe in regard his Commission and Authority did not cease untill he had personally appeared in the presence of his Majesty and given him a verbal account of his Affairs and received his pleasure therein And so on Monday following he made sail carrying all the Gold and Silver with him which he had been able to gather Thus far Palentino who therewith concludes the Chapter CHAP. VIII The cause of the Stirrs and Insurrections in Peru. Some Persons condemned to the Gallies are entrusted to Rodrigo Ninno to conduct them into Spain His great discretion and wit whereby he freed himself from a Pyrate NOW as to what this Authour mentions touching the suspension which the President made of that Act whereby his Majesty takes off the personal services that is the services which Indians perform to the Spaniards It is clear and apparent that those late Ordinances executed with the rigour and ill nature of the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez Vela were the cause of all those Commotions which harassed the Empire and took away the life of the Vice-king and had been the destruction of so many Spaniards and Indians as have been related in this History And whereas the President himself brought the revocation of these Ordinances and by means thereof and by his wise and discreet management the Empire was again recovered and restored to the obedience of his Majesty It neither seemed just nor decent for his Imperial Majesty nor agreeable to the particular honour of the President to introduce those new Laws and Statutes again which were formerly rejected and made void especially that of freeing the Indians from personal services towards their Lords which was the chief cause of all the complaints and troubles amongst them for which reason the President often said to several of his friends that he was resolved not to put that Law in execution untill he had first by word of mouth discoursed with his Majesty of the inconvenience thereof well knowing by experience that that Law would never be digested by the people but always prove a Scandal and Offence and perhaps put all things again into confusion and embroile whensoever the same were but moved or intreaty onely to be put in execution But the Devil as we have before mentioned designing to interrupt the peace of that Countrey that thereby he might hinder the propagation of the Gospel and the increase of Christianity contrived all means to unsettle and
with him for the safety of his life and freedom telling him that he was obliged to return thanks to Almighty God for this great deliverance to which the Souldier made answer and said that he rendred thanks to his Divine Majesty and to St. Peter and to St. Paul and to St. Francisco Hernandez Giron by whose merits and means he had been saved and that he could not doe less in acknowledgment thereof than to go and serve him the which he accordingly did as we shall see hereafter Besides this Souldier above forty more were delivered out of prison most of which would have been sentenced to dye and others at least condemned to row in the Gallies which was the best they could expect but those Citizens and Souldiers who were not so deeply concerned as others the Marshal was pleased to set at Liberty without any farther process but these prisoners refused to accept thereof but to be brought to their Tryal as Palentino saith Chapter the fortieth in these words Some of the Prisoners understanding that they were to be set at liberty without tryal refused to accept thereof without a sentence in their cause because they became liable thereby to be taken up again and punished when the Judges or their Enemies were desirous to accuse them wherefore to make dispatch in this matter he fined Gomez de Solis in five hundred pieces of Eight to be paid as Fees to his Keeper and Guards Martin de Almendras had the like Fine as also Martin de Robles others were condemned in two hundred a hundred fifty and twenty pieces of Eight proportioning the Fine according to the ability of the person rather than to the degree and quality of his Crime Thus far Diego Hernandez Moreover the Marshal gave order to provide Arms and to make Pikes in those Provinces where wood was plenty and to make Powder in case necessity should require Some few days afterwards came two Commands from the Justices the one suspending the execution of the Decrees formerly made for freeing the Indians from their personal services which was to last for the space of two years and to take off many other things which caused great Commotions and Disturbances amongst the Inhabitants and Souldiers of that Empire and had been as the Governours well knew the spring and original of those rebellions mutinies and factions which raged in the minds of the people the other Command was a Commission constituting the Marshal Captain General of the Forces raised against Francisco Hernandez and with an unlimited power to expend his Majesty's Treasure in this War as far as occasion should require and to borrow or take up money in case the Exchequer should fail By virtue hereof the Marshal appointed Captains both of Horse and Foot besides other Officers whom we shall name hereafter He designed to make Gomez de Alvarado his Lieutenant General but he refused it because another Gentleman who was brother to the Marshal's Wife pretended thereunto called Don Martin de Avendanno for whom the Wife made great instance and as it were compelled her Husband much against his own inclinations to conser it upon him and though he was a young man and of little or no experience he condescended thereunto rather than to raise War in his own Family He also dispatched Warrants and Orders to the Curacas to gather what provisions they were able and to appoint eight or nine thousand Indians to carry the baggage of the Army He sent also into several parts to raise Men Horse and Arms and to take up all the Slaves they could find And here we will leave them in these Preparations to see what becomes of Francisco Hernandez and what he is acting and carry on the business of both Parties as the method of History requires Whilst these things were in agitation in the City of Los Reyes and Potocsi Hernandez was not negligent of what concerned his interest but ordered Thomas Vazquez with a squadron of about fifty Souldiers well armed to march to the City of Arequepa and in his name to take the possession thereof and to treat peaceably with the Citizens letting them know that the Corporation of Cozco had made choice of him to be Captain General and chief Justiciary of all the Kingdom In like manner he sent Francisco Nunnez a Citizen of Cozco to Huamanca whom he had enticed by fair and flattering promises and with the Command of a Troop of Horse to be of his Party though in truth fear rather than all his favours induced him thereunto and with him John Gavilan was sent with fourty other Souldiers whose Orders and Instructions were the same with those of Thomas Vazquez and that moreover they should tell the City that though they had assured him already by their Ambassadours that they would join and correspond with him in all his designs yet for farther confirmation thereof he required them to call a Court to ratify their former engagement and to own and acknowledge him in that Sphere and Station wherein he acted The truth is Hernandez sent and employed these two Captains out of a design to give reputation to his cause by the specious colour of union between him and two Cities rather than from any expectation he had of bringing them over to his side and party for he was not ignorant that they had already retracted their former assurances and repented of the Offers they formerly made him Besides the Commissions and Instructions given to these Captains he delivered letters to them for particular persons who were men of power and interest in their Countrey also Letters from himself and from the City of Cozco to the Corporations of those Cities desiring them to join with them in this cause which was for the common good and welfare of the whole Empire He also caused the City of Cozco to write unto the City of Plate in the same manner and to the same effect as to the other Cities and Hernandez himself wrote Letters to many Planters in the Charcas and to the Marshal Alonso de Alvarado and to his Wife Donna Anna de Velasco the substance and Contents of which was so ridiculous as served onely for sport and laughter and were not thought worthy of an Answer He that hath the Curiosity to reade them may find them in the History of Diego de Hernandez Chap. 27. CHAP. VII The Justices nominate Officers for the War. The several Pretenders to the Command of Captain General Francisco Hernandez leaves Cozco and marches against the Justices NEWS coming to Los Reyes that Francisco Hernandez increased daily in men reputation and authority the Justices thought it time to appoint their Captains and Officers for the War. Paulo de Meneses was named for Lieutenant General and Don Antonio de Ribera Diego de Mora Melchior Verdugo a Knight of the habit of St. James and Don Pedro de Cabrera were made Captains of Horse but the two last refused this Preserment as too mean for men who had so
a Counsel the Officers by a Royal Mandate discharged the two Generals of their Commands and conferred the Office of Commander in Chief upon Paulo de Meneses and constituted Pedro Portocarrero his Lieutenant-General which likewise caused murmurings and discontent in the whole Camp and men talked loudly that it was a shame and reproach to them to make choice of an unlucky fellow who but the other day had lost a Battel and had rather deserved ignominy and punishment for his ill conduct and to be debased to the meanest Souldier in the Field than to be raised to the highest dignity and place of command Howsoever the election was confirmed and the resolution notified to the two Generals who made some demur thereupon but they were over-ruled and forced to submit and farther it was agreed to pursue the Rebels with eight hundred men and for better expedition to march without Baggage or other incumbrance but this determination met with delays like the rest so that it was not put in execution till three days afterwards For the Justice Santillan being upon his return to Los Reyes was attended on his way with a numerous train of Friends and Relations to the number of about an hundred and fifty persons to the great diminution of their Forces and discomposure of their affairs of which Santillan being made sensible by one of his Friends who told him that the taking many men from the Army would look like a Rebellion and give his Adversaries occasion to pretend that he was jealous of his safety and suspicious of Plots and designs against him he presently apprehended the inconveniences and dismist his Friends and Kindred desiring them to return to the service of his Majesty in the Army which was much more necessary than their attendance upon him which they accordingly performed so that Santillan entred into Los Reyes with no greater attendance than of his own Servants By this time Hernandez was come to Nanasca being about sixty leagues distant from Los Reyes to which place he had marched without let or hindrance whatsoever for such had been the confusion and difference in his Majesty's Camp that nothing could proceed to his hurt or interruption and for his better advantage and information of every thing the Justices gave ear to the proposal of one who was a Serjeant in the King's Army and had been a Souldier in the Plot and Conspiracy of Diego de Rojas who offered to adventure into the enemy's Camp in the habit of an Indian and to bring them from thence a true information of the state of their affairs The Justices assenting hereunto gave him free license so that he as a false and treacherous Spie went over to Hernandez and told him that he had clothed himself in that habit to pass more easily to his Army for that in the King's Camp there were such quarrels and discords amongst the Officers and discontents amongst the Souldiers who had no will or courage to fight that nothing but destruction could be the end and issue thereof and for that reason out of a principle of self preservation he resolved to save himself in his service Moreover he reported that the Justices were much troubled and confused upon the news they had received that the City of St. Michael de Piura was in Rebellion against his Majesty and had declared themselves for Hernandez Giron and that a certain Captain named Pedro de Orsna was coming from the New Kingdom with many men in favour also of Hernandez all which being of great encouragement to his people he caused them for better credit thereof to be declared by publick out-cry But to qualifie this news a little he told them that the Marshal was coming from the Charcas with a powerfull force of twelve hundred men but they charged the Spie to make this report or at least to moderate it and say that he came with no more than six hundred men lest it should prove too great a discouragement to the Souldiers At the same time letters were intercepted from the Camp of the Justices conveyed by an Indian directed to a Souldier for which both of them were hanged though the Souldier after he had endured the torment twice would make no confession and that after his death in the Collar of his doublet a Parchment was found with a Pardon from the Justices for Thomas Vazquez The which Pardon was presently published by Hernandez with Assurances in the name of the Justices of great Rewards and of Lands with Services of Indians to whomsoever should kill Hernandez and other principal persons who were about him But before the Defeat given at Villacori Francisco Hernandez had raised a Company of Negroes consisting of about an hundred and fifty black fellows which they had taken out of the several Plantations Villages and Colonies which they had plundered to which he afterwards added above three hundred Ethiopian Souldiers and to encourage them the better he formed them into Companies distinct from the others Of these he ordained a Captain General called Mr. John who was an excellent Carpenter for I was well acquainted with him and had been a Slave to Antonio Altamirano as I have formerly mentioned Their Lieutenant was Master Antonio to whom a principal Souldier of the King's Camp had surrendered his Arms it is not fit to name him though I was well acquainted with him the report whereof coming into Spain caused a Gentleman who had lived in the Indies and was acquainted with this Souldier to send him a Sword and a Dagger handsomely gilt more in scorn to upbraid his Cowardise than on the score or in token of friendship which occasioned much discourse after the Wars were at an end Besides these chief Officers he appointed their Captains and gave them leave to make choice of their Ensigns Serjeants Corporals Drummers and Pipers and make their own Colours All which the Negroes performed very handsomely which was a means to allure and invite many of that sort from the King's Camp who seeing their Relations and Kindred so highly honoured and advanced in the Camp of Hernandez were induced to follow their example and so were engaged against their Masters during all the time of this War. The Rebels made great use of these Souldiers whom they sent abroad with a small party of Spaniards to forage and gather provisions which the poor Indians in fear and dread of them and to rescue themselves their Wives and Children from their Cruelties did readily administer and supply them with which afterwards was the cause of great famine and distress in the Countrey CHAP. XIV The Marshal makes choice of Captains for his Army He comes to Cozco and marches against Francisco Hernandez The unfortunate death of Captain Diego de Almendras IN the mean time whilst matters were thus transacted in Cozco Rimac and Villacori the Marshal Alonso de Alvarado who was in the Kingdom and Provinces of the Charcas remained not idle or unactive for as we have said before he
Arts To which answer was made that their General had no Opinion of the Magick and Witchcraft of the Indians which were fooleries rather than any real contract or dealing with the Devil And herein they had some reason as we have proved and evinced by several Instances in the first part of these Commentaries Book the 4. Chap 16. One of which was their Prognostication of good or bad Fortune by the palpitation or twinkling of the Eye and another sort of Divination they took from the buzzing or singing of the Ears which as we mentioned in the foregoing Chapter so we shall hear repeat it again having the Authority of a Synod held in that Empire whereby this vain Superstition is condemned by a Catholick Cannon and Advertisements are given to Confessors to let them know that the Indians take their Superstitious Divinations from seeing and hearing That of the hearing I have observed many of them to use in this manner when they found at any time a humming or buzzing in their right Ear they said that some Friend or Kinsman was speaking well of them and to know who this Friend was they would clap the Palm of their right hand to their Mouth and breathing hard upon it they would think of some Friend and then carry it close to the Ear and if the humming did not presently cease they would think of another Friend and do as before and then of another and he with thoughts of whom the humming went away it was concluded that he was the person who spake well of the Party In like manner when they found a humming in their left Ear they would say that an Enemy spake ill of them and to find out who it was they used the like application of their left hand and he with whom in their thoughts the humming ceased they concluded such person to be the evil speaker and from that time they would conceive malice against him and for ever prove his Enemy And upon such fooleries as these the Friends of Hernandez declared that the Indians had no Art in Necromancy nor was any Faith to be given to their Prognostications The Rebel Hernandez overtook his Army in a plain which is behind the Fortress of Cozco where as Palentino saith he made a visit to Francisco Rodriguez de Villa fuerte who was Justice in ordinary of that City complaining highly of the Citizens of Cozco and swearing that he would kill and destroy them because they had done him all the mischief that they were able but he had a mind to quarrel with them because they espoused not his Cause nor followed him as he desired From thence he marched his Army over those Hills which are Eastward from the City as his Astrologers had directed and carried his Wife with him to the great grief of all her Friends and Relations saying That he would not leave her in the power of his Enemy to revenge themselves on her for the Crimes of which he himself was only guilty and so he proceeded to the Valley of Orcos about five Leagues from the City And here I will leave him for a while to speak of the Present which the Son of this Francisco Rodriguez de Villa fuerte made me in Spain though I had formerly never seen him nor had any other acquaintance with him than by intercourse of Letters The second Son I say of this Gentleman was sent into Spain to study and lived in Salamanca several years where he improved greatly in all Sciences he was called Don Feliciano Rodriguez de Villa fuerte which name agreed properly with the Gallantry and Ingenuity of his Spirit At the beginning of this Year 1611 this Gentleman did me the favour to send me a little Box about the length and breadth of half a Sheet of Paper all filled with Holy Reliques wrapt up in several parcels with Inscriptions thereon what and of whom they were and amongst the rest there was a little piece of the Holy Cross put into a Frame of Wood curiously Carved and covered with a Glass and gilded about the Cross which was easie to be seen With this Box of Reliques he sent me two Dials made by his own Hand one of the Sun with a Needle turning to the North the Shadow on which perfectly shews the Hour of the Day Another Dial was of the Moon curiously wrought according to the exact Rules of Astrology with all the Circular Motions divided into twenty nine parts which make up the Days of the Lunary Moneth It hath also the true Figure of the Moon with its Increase and Decrease its Conjunction and Full It also by the shadow cast on it the Gnomen thereof being altered according to the age of the Moon shews the Hour of the Night it hath also many other Curiosities which I shall omit in this place all which was made by his own Hand without any other aid or directions whatsoever both as to the Material Part as also to the Mathematical to the great admiration of many curious Men as well Virtuosi as others And for my part I cannot but glory and boast very much to see a Man born in my Country and my City to have been the Master of so excellent a piece of Ingenuity and Learning so much admired by the Artists of this part of the World the which may serve for a demonstration of the Natural Genius of the People of Peru and their capacity to receive all Arts and Sciences as well those who are of Mongrel Race between Spaniards and Indians as all others born there the which we touched upon before and signified how much some have been improved therein by the Industry and Authority of our Schoolmaster John de Cuellar who was a Canon of the Holy Church of Cozco who taught Grammar in that City though but for a short time Praised be our Lord God for the same Amen Which having said we shall return to Peru to relate the success of his Majesties Army in their March having left them formerly in the City of Huamanca CHAP. XXIII The Royal Army passes the Rivers of Amancay and Apurimac with more facility and ease than was expected The Scouts and Van of the Army come to Cozco WHen the Kings Army marched out of Huamanca in pursuit of Francisco Hernandez of whom they had received intelligence that he had taken the way towards Cozco they proceeded with all care and due circumspection having their Scouts and Spies before them When they came to the River Amancay they forded it over where it was most shallow but for their Footmen who were laden and such as carried the Artillery they made a Bridge at a place with much ease where the River is very narrow At this place an unlucky accident fell out which was this Captain Antonio Luxan having passed the River stooped down on the side of the Bank to drink and taking up the Water with his Hands as he was rising up both his Feet slid from under him on the Rock whereon
Top-Mast head that they might see he was still alive and had escaped both the Fire and the Water And so giving out his Orders to the other Ships to prosecute their Voyage to Nombre de Dios he returned to Spain to renew his Commission and Instructions all his Writings having been consumed by the Fire and having procured his Dispatches he again put to Sea with the Fleet which transported Marquis de Cannete the Vice-King to Peru as Palentino reports though he mentions nothing of the disaster of the Galeon CHAP. IV. The Vice-King arrives in Peru. He puts new Officers into places of Trust. He writes Letters to the several Governours THe Vice-King Don Andres Hurtado de Mendoça departed from Panama and with a fair Wind arrived at Paita which is on the Confines of Peru from whence he dispatched his respective Orders to the Kingdom of Quito and other parts thereabouts He also wrote to the several Governours of the Empire and sent a Gentleman who was a Kinsman of his Family on a particular message to the Royal Chancery at Los Reyes but being a Youngman he made too long a stay at St. Michaels Town entertaining himself in Diventisements neither decent nor honest upon notice whereof the Vice-King sent him express Orders to proceed no farther and when he himself came to that City he commanded him to be taken into Custody with intent to send him Prisoner into Spain resolving never to pardon any Messenger or Officer of his who did not diligently observe the Commission and Orders he had given him He also sent away Don Pedro Luys de Cabrera into Spain with other married men who had left their Wives at home But the Truth is it was more the fault of the Wives than of the Husbands who had sent for them and given them credit for considerable Sums of Money to defray the charge of their voyage But these Women being delighted with Sevile which charms all those which have resided in it have refused to obey the Husbands Summons and prevailed with the Justice to send Commands to recal them into Spain There were three of these Women whose Husbands I knew in Peru and were men possessed of considerable Estates in Land to the value of a hundred thousand Ducats of yearly Rent all which upon their deaths would have descended to their Wives had they resided upon the place but being absent the Right and Propriety devolved to the King I could name particularly their Names but out of respect to their Reputation 't is better to conceal them The Vice-King proceeded forward on his way with all the gentle demeanour and courtesie imaginable rewarding some and giving fair words and promises to all who demanded a remuneration for their past services All which he acted with Art and Design that a report of his Candour might fore-run his coming and the minds of men quieted by a prepossession of his intentions to gratifle and reward every man as he deserved It was also the talk of common fame that the Vice-King intended to select a Cabinet Council of four Persons of the most intelligent and experienced men of the Empire who were impartial and unbiassed and who by long and antient practice in Affairs were able to render an account of every Man's Services and Merit The Persons commonly named were Francisco de Garay Citizen of Huanacu Lorenzo de Aldana of Arequepa Garçilasso de la Vega and Antonio de Quinnones of Cozco this was the fancy of the common people it being well known that every one of these men was endued with a Talent sufficient to govern Peru in case the Reins were committed to their hands And with this imagination the Inhabitants of this Empire both Clergy and Seculars comforted and pleased themselves saying that such a Prince must be sent from Heaven into whose heart God had infused the thoughts of making choice of such Counsellours Palentino in the second Chapter of his Book hath these words The Vice-King saith he proceeded on his Journey to Los Reyes declaring as he went his Intentions to reward every man as he deserved but the common voice of Fame gave out that he would confer his Favour on all without reflection on any thing that was past This report brought multitudes of people to Truxillo and many of those who had been Delinquents and faulty in their Duty to his Majesty towards all which the Vice-King carried himself very fairly and gave out in his discourse that by those men who had revolted from Hernandez Giron to the King that Country had been saved And in this manner he amused the minds of the people that those who formerly durst not adventure to Cozco and other parts without a strong Guard and much circumspection were become at last confident and assured of safety by indulgence from the Vice-King Thus far this Authour To which we are farther to add and say That upon the News of the arrival of the Vice-King the Inhabitants of Cozco were greatly pleased and satisfied every one depending on the report which common Fame spread abroad of his Clemency and good Intentions Howsoever Thomas Vazquez and Piedrahita lived retired at their Country-houses more out of shame than fear of their safety For tho' they had followed the Rebellion from the first beginning of the Insurrection and concerned in all the Blood and Murders had been committed yet having renounced the cause of the Rebel at a critical time and in such a conjuncture as gave him the fatal blow his Majesties gracious Pardon under the Great Seal of the Chancery was conferred upon them on confidence of which they came freely to the City when their occasions called them thither tho' with a modest Train and with such Equipage as became men who being under a Cloud had retired into a kind of voluntary Banishment amongst their Indian Vassals And with such caution did these men live that during the three years that my Father Garçillasso de la Vega was Governour of Cozco I never saw them there unless it were John Piedrahita who upon some extraordinary occasion of business came by night to make my Father a Visit and give him a relation of his Solitary Life but never in the day time appeared publickly on the place Howsoever Alonso Diaz who was a Citizen never absented himself from home but lived quietly in his own house tho' he had been another of those who had concerned himself in the Rebellion of Hernandez And this was the truth of this Story which our Authour makes such a stir about and would insinuate things scandalous and offensive to the Hearers The Vice-King came to the City of Los Reyes in the Month of July 1557 where he was received with that Pomp and Grandure which was due to his Royal Office and to the Quality of his Person having the title of Marquis given him from his Lordship over Vassals for tho' other Vice-Kings had been Marquises yet none of them before assumed the Title of their Marquisate
to provide a New Governour for that Empire having in the place of that good Man Don Diego de Azevedo who lately dyed appointed Don Diego de Cunniga and Velasco Count de Nieva to succeed in the Office of Vice-King who dispatched his Affairs with such diligence that he departed from Spain in the Month of January 1560 and arrived in Peru in the Month of April following So soon as he came to Payta which is a Town within that Dominion he dispatched away a Servant of his with a short Letter to the Vice-King Don Andres Hurtado de Mendoça giving him advice of his arrival within the Dominions of Peru with Commission from his Majesty to govern that Country and that therefore he should desist from intermedling further in the Affairs thereof Don Andres Hurtado having received intelligence of the coming of this Messenger gave Orders to have him well received and treated all the Way of his Journey and being come to the City of Los Reyes he had there Honourable Lodgings provided for him with Presents in Jewels and Gold and Silver to the value of six and 7000 pieces of Eight and upwards But the Messenger lost all these upon a Pique and Exception which the Vice-King took at the Title of Lordship which was ordered to be given and not of Excellency the which he so highly resented and suffered the thoughts of being slighted and neglected by his Successor without Reason or Justice so far to run in his head that it strnck him into a deep Melancholly which so prevailed on his Spirits that being a Man of great Years and not able to struggle with the Disease he ended his days before the new Vice-King arrived at Los Reyes who also enjoyed not long the happiness he expected in his Government in which he had not been many Months Seated with the Solemnity used on such occasions before a strange Accident hastened his Death of which he was the Author and brought it upon himself But the manner of it being scandalous to relate we shall leave it as it is and proceed on to other particulars Don Garcia de Mendoça who was Governour of Chile having received intelligence of the death of his Father made such haste to return into Peru and thence to prepare for his Voyage into Spain that many people reported that he hastned away more out of fear of the Araucans than ont of a desire he had to assist at the Funeral of his Father And that with the like precipitation he quitted the Territories of Peru not to be subject to the Dominion of another At length he arrived in Spain where he continued until he returned with a Commission to be Governour of Peru where he imposed that Taxe on the Spaniards and Indians which is paid by them unto this day As to his other ways of gain his Contracts and Commerce we shall pass them all by being not within the compass of this History For my intention being only to write as far as to the Death of the Prince who was lawful Heir of that Empire second Brother of Don Diego Sayri Tupac of whose coming out of the Mountains his Baptism and Death we have already given a Narrative So that now we shall hasten to a conclusion of this History King Philip the Second having received advice of the unfortunate end of the Vice-King Don Diego de Cunniga was pleased to appoint the Lawyer Lope Garçia de Castro who was President of the Royal Council of the Indies to succeed in that Office of whom we have formerly made mention on occasion of the Pretensions which I had in Spain on score of my Father's Merit which he opposed This Lope Garçia de Castro being a Person of great Prudence and of that Talent of Wisdom which was required to Govern that Empire was dispatched suddenly away with Title of President and General Governour of all that Empire that so by his good Conduct those many Confusions might he composed and unhappy Accidents rectified which had been caused by the sudden Deaths of preceding Governours And indeed his Wisdom answered expectation for he governed those Kingdoms with such moderation and gentleness that he lived to return again into Spain in peace and quietness and to be placed in the same Chair of the Council in which he lived with much Honour and afterwards dyed like a good Christian. When my Friends understood that this great Person was returned to his Seat in the Supream Council of the Indies they advised me to renew my Pretensions to the right I had unto my Mother's Estate on score of my Father's Services and Merit For they were of Opinion that Castro having now seen and been acquainted with Peru which my Father had helped to Conquer and in which my Mother's Ancestors had a right of inheritance he might become my Advocate and change his mind in what he formerly argued against me But I having buried and laid aside all my pretensions and lost my hopes could not be perswaded to leave my Cell wherein I live with more Security Honour and Profit and where I have with God's Assistance had leisure to write this History which tho' it prove little to my Honour and Profit yet praised be God for all CHAP. XVI Don Francisco de Toledo is chosen Vice-King of Peru. The Causes which were alledged for prosecution of the Prince Inca Tupac Amaru And the imprisonment of that poor Prince DOn Francisco de Toledo second Son of the Family of Count de Oropeta succeeded Lope Garçia de Castro in the Government of Peru and was elected thereunto for his great Vertue and Christian Piety being so devout a Gentleman that every eight days he received the most Holy Sacrament He was sent to Peru with the Title of Vice-King and received at Los Reyes with the State and Solemnity agreeable thereunto and governed with that Gentleness and Moderation that no man could take occasion either to mutiny or rebel He had scarce been two years in the Government when he resolved to bring out from the Mountains of Villca pampa the Prince Tupac Amaru the Legitimate Heir to that Empire being the Son of Manco Inca and Brother of Don Diego Sayri Tupac of whom we have given a large Relation in this eight Book he was the lawful Heir because his Elder Brother left no Son but a Daughter only of whom we shall speak in due place The intention of the Vice-King in this matter was sincere and real and with no other design than after the Example of his Predecessor Don Andres Hurtado de Mendoça to advance his own Honour and Reputation by an action so generous and heroick as to reduce such a Prince to the Service of his Catholick Mejesty and to civilise him as it were by calling him from the Barbarity of those mountains where he lived like a Fugitive and a Salvage Person To bring this Design about the Vice-King acted according to the former methods and sent Messengers to him inviting him
acquaintance or communication with the Officers of His Majesties Royal Exchequer yet at length by the friendship which I gained with John de Morales a Native of Madrid who was a very honest and intelligent Gentleman I procured some account of the King's Revenue with which he was pleased to oblige me for the better advance of this History which I now write the which was so difficult a work to him that he kept me three months before he could satisfie me therein and at last he delivered me this following account which I have extracted verbatim from his own Paper Your Worship was pleased to desire of me that to serve a particular occasion of yours I would set down in writing the rents and value of all his Majesties Revenue the which is a business so difficult that I cannot summ within any tolerable compass of certainty And indeed though the King hath desired it and commanded it to be given in for the better direction and measures of his Council of the Treasury and ordered all to be put into a Book yet that work is not as yet begun nor do we know when it will be begun much less when it will be ended for there are such vast Rises and Falls such Advances and Abatements that nothing can be delivered with any certainty every thing running in such different chanels as is impossible to reduce them to any coherence of method but in the bulk or lump we may affirm that the Revenue of the King is a prodigious Mass of Wealth and Treasure Thus far are the Words of Morales which we have willingly alledged in confirmation of the truth of what we have said being desirous not to write any thing but that which we can avouch on good ground and authority And for farther proof of this difficulty and how hard a thing it is to sum up the Revenue of this King of Spain now Emperour of the new World I shall produce the Testimony of John Botero a great and an universal Historian who after he had made a calculate of the Revenue of the King of China and of the Rents which Galizia Asturias and Portugal anciently yielded to the Roman Empire with what was the Revenue of the Kings of Navarre France the Emperour Poland England Duke of Lorrain King of Scotland Swedeland and Gothland as also what was the Income of the House of Austria of the King of Narsinga the Neriffe of Egypt and of the Gran Signor yet coming to the Revenue of our King of Spain he is there silent for which I can render no other reason than because this Authour coming to this Account he found himself so plunged and immersed therein that he durst not adventure to fathom the same not having as I imagine numbers sufficient to sum up the Tribute of his many Kingdoms and with them the immense Riches imported from Peru. And in confirmation of the great Treasure with which Peru hath enriched all the World I have this farther Testimony to offer from the most Reverend Father Don Paulo de Laguna who was President of the Council of his Majesty's Exchequer and afterwards President of the Council of the Indies and Vice-king of the New World and in the Year 1603. was elected Bishop of Cordova this great Person discoursing one day with his Confessour and others concerning the immense Riches of Peru did confidently affirm that from one Mountain onely of Peru there had been transported into Spain untill the Year 1602. two hundred Millions of Pieces of Eight which had been registred and that at least one hundred Millions more had been imported without Register And I can farther add said he that twenty five Millions in Gold and Silver have been brought into Spain by one Fleet in my time The Standers-by hearing this answered We could never believe it my Lord but that we receive it from so authentick an Authour as your Lordship What I say replied the Bishop I know for a certain truth and moreover I assure you that all the Kings of Spain joined together from King Pelayo to these times have not been Masters of so much Money as King Philip the 2d hath been After which testimony from so great a person we shall not need to add or require farther proofs for what we have alledged But such as look on the Riches of Peru with more than a common Eye are of opinion that they have rather been hurtfull than good or beneficial to Mankind for that Riches have been the cause of Vice and not of Vertue having inclined the Nature of Men to Pride and Ambition to Gluttony and Luxury for enjoying an affluence of Fortune they have given themselves up to Sloth and Effeminacy becoming neither fit for Government in the times of Peace nor yet for Hardship and Labour in the times of War employing their whole thoughts and time in contriving new Dishes and Liquours to please their Appetite and fantastical Fashions for their Clothing in which they are arrived to that height of extravagance that they scarce know what to wear and are come to that undecency of Dress that their Habit is more correspondent to Women than to Men. And as the Rents of the Rich have been raised to maintain the Lusts and riotous Living of great Persons so have the Poor been oppressed and reduced to Rags and Famine to support the Pride and Luxury of their Landlords And the truth is the Poor are become much more poor than formerly for the quantity of Money being increased which is all accumulated into the Coffers of the Rich hath enhansed the price of Provisions and Commodities to that degree that the Poor starve by the abundance of the Rich and though the Rich have a plenty of Money and may out of their great stores enlarge their Charities towards the Poor yet their Alms do not answer the price of Provisions which the plenty of Money hath raised in the World so in short they conclude that the Riches of the new World not having increased the Provisions necessary for the support of humane Life but rather served to make them dear and Men effeminate having enfeebled them in their Bodies and Understandings and debauched them in their Habits and Customs of living the generality of Mankind is become much worse and less contented and having been formidable and dreaded in ancient times by all the World are now rendred mean and effeminate by the corruption of their Riches Now as to these two Opinions I leave every one free to follow that which seems best to him For I being a party and biassed by affection to my own Countrey dare neither pretend to favour that which applauds the grandeur and glory which Peru hath brought to Spain nor yet oppose the other lest I should seem partial and too affectionate to my own Cause And so we shall proceed and take the thread of our History passing by divine favour through the beginning middle and end of this famous Triumvirate We say then that
these three great Men having entred into an Agreement and Society together and assigned to each other his several and distinct Charge and Office. The first thing they did was to build two Ships upon one of which Francis Piçarro in the Year 1525. departed from Panama with an hundred and fourteen Men by license and permission of the Governour Peter Arias de Avila and having sailed about an hundred Leagues they arrived at a Countrey very mountainous and subject to Rains The Natives were as fierce and rugged as the Countrey they inhabited and in great numbers sallied forth to join Battel with the Spaniards of which they killed some and in four Skirmishes Piçarro received seven wounds with Arrows but he being well armed none of them proved mortal howsoever they were forced to leave the Countrey to their great discouragement repenting now of the design they had undertaken Almagro soon afterwards departed from Panama in quest of Piçarro and coming to the same Land which was appointed for their Rendezvous were entertained with the like treatment for the Indians being fleshed by the success of the late Skirmishes sallied out against the Spaniards with like courage and having killed many of them and beaten out one of the Eyes of Almagro he was forced likewise to leave the Countrey but what land or part this was the Spanish Historians do not tell us At length Almagro going in search of Piçarro joined with him at Chinchama where they agreed again to land their Men but this Countrey proving as mountainous and as subject to Rain as the other and the People no less fierce and warlike sallying out upon them in great numbers forced them again to retreat unto their Ships bestowing on them a thousand Curses and Reproaches at their departure All which is related at large by Lopez de Gomara to whom I refer the Reader in case he desires to know more particulars of that Expedition CHAP. VIII How Almagro returned twice to Panama for Succour and Recruits AFter this ill success Almagro returned to Panama for new Recruits and brought with him eighty Men and yet for all this force the two Captains durst not attempt the Conquest of any Countrey by reason that the Natives made a bold and stout resistence howsoever sailing along by the Sea Coast they came at length to a Countrey called Catamez which was plain and level without mountains and abounding with such quantities of Provisions that they furnished themselves with all things necessary for humane sustenance and there observing that the Indians wore great Studs and Plates of Gold on their Faces with fine Emeralds and Turquoises the Spaniards became again elevated in their hopes not doubting now but to make a good Voyage and to gain Riches and Wealth to their full satisfaction But soon after the Spaniards lost the hopes and expectation of all their imaginary Wealth so soon as they saw the Indians come down upon them in great numbers with good Orders and with desire and courage to fight with which the Spaniards became so discouraged that they durst not engage with them and though they were at least two hundred and fifty Men yet by common consent they departed and landed at a certain Island called the Cock Island where having remained for several days sometimes in hopes and again depressed with fear as their different Rencounters and Successes were promising or adverse they began for the most part to despond and wish they had never adventured on the Enterprise onely the Captains and Commanders remained firm and constant to their first Design resolving either to overcome or dye in their Enterprise With this determination they agreed that Piçarro should continue in the Island and that Almagro should return to Panama to fetch Provisions and more Recruits but many of the Souldiers growing weary and timorous desired to return with him which Almagro refused to admit or to carry Letters lest the Souldiers advising the dangers and hazards they had sustained to their Friends at Panama should bring a Disreputation and Discouragement on their whole Design which they had formerly magnified having cried up the vast Treasures of those unknown Countries In pursuit of which the resolute Constancy which these Chiefs had shewed enhansed the estimate of those hidden Riches But whatever the Captains could doe to hinder the Intelligence which the Souldiers might give of their Disastures to Panama they could not prevent or disappoint the Advices which Men in Distress contrived to send for their Relief for a certain Person who was a Native of Truxillo and for being of the same Countrey with Piçarro had greater Obligations to follow the Fortune of his Leader found out a way to fold up a Paper within a bottom of Cotton Yarn made up in the bigness of an Egg in which Writing all the Disastures and ill Successes of their adventure were related being directed to a certain Friend subscribed by many of the Souldiers giving an account of such as were dead and slain and of the present straits and necessities they were in as also of their Confinement not being suffered to return to Panama at the foot of which Advice or Intelligence these four Verses were written Good Mr. Governour We pray you consider That there goes the Fetcher And here stays the Butcher I remember that when I was a Child I often heard these Verses repeated whensoever Discourses occasionally were made concerning the Conquest of the New World which became afterwards like a Proverb or old Saying frequent in the Mouth of every one and in reality they proved very prejudicial to these Chiefs whose Design was wholly lost and all the Money they had spent and Labours they sustained came all to nothing When afterwards I came into Spain and found those Verses inserted in the History of Lopez de Gomara I was much pleased to see them there recorded because I remembred to have heard them in the times when I was in the Indies CHAP. IX Piçarro is forsaken by all his Souldiers onely thirteen Companions remain with him WHen Almagro returned to Panama it was then about a year since this Enterprise was first begun at which time he found a new Governour called Pedro de los Rios a Gentleman of Cordova who having received and perused the Petition of the Souldiers he sent a certain Judge called Tafur to the Cock Island with Commission to free all such as should be desirous to return unto Panama This Report being rumoured abroad such as before had engaged themselves to go with Almagro began to withdraw themselves saying that since those who were already on the place were weary of their Employment and desirous to return home it would be to little purpose for them to take up the Cudgels which the others had laid down the which misfortune Almagro greatly lamented having lost all his hopes and Piçarro when he found himself abandoned and forsaken of all his Men without regard to that Faith and Engagement of Articles by which they had