case they did they might easily worst them whensoever they made Head to oppose them And since that by this method things had succeeded well it were not good to change the course of their proceedings lest therewith they should change and alter the Current of their Fortune An Example whereof they had seen and proved by the Enemies success at Chuquinca How confident â—aid they were they of Victory and with what heat and courage did they assail us and how on a sudden were they overthrown and defeated Notwithstanding all this Discourse Hernandez declared his Resolution to beat up the Enemies Quarters that Night with the force of all his Army and that he would never turn his Back to the Justices for some Wise Old Woman had foretold good success to him in that place wherefore he intreated them all not to contradict or oppose him in this matter but to prepare themselves for that night's Enterprise Thus ending the Consultation the Captains arose very much discontented and out of humour seeing such a Resolution taken as was contrary to the common Opinion of all the Officers of the Army and which was so full of hazard and danger that they seemed rather to be led forth to Slaughter than to the doubtful chance of War And though the General observed sadness and a cloud on the Brow of all his Captains yet depending on his Sorceries and Enchantments nothing could alter the Resolution he had taken but Orders were given to prepare for an Assault after Midnight about setting of the Moon and because it would be then dark every one was to be cloathed in White to distinguish themselves from the Enemy After Sun-set a Muster was taken of all the Souldiers whereby two Souldiers appeared to be wanting who formerly belonged to the Marshal and were suspected to be revolted over to the King's Party but some who were willing to please Hernandez did aver that they were informed by Indians That one of those missing who was the most considerable of the two was seen and met on his way towards the Charcas and the other of less account was a Man so silly and without Sense that the Justices would never give credit to any Report he should make them These Stories were sufficient to satisfie Hernandez who with an unparallelled temerity gave orders for all things to be in a readiness against the hour appointed The two Souldiers who were fled came though late to his Majesties Camp where they gave intelligence of the intention of the Enemy to attack them that Night in two Bodies for perceiving that they did not attempt them within their Fortification they resolved themselves to be the first Assailants The Justices Officers and Counsellors who were of the most Ancient Conquerours of Peru and who by long experience in War were become great Souldiers were of Opinion that it was better to salley out of their Intrenchment and to draw up their Forces in the open Field rather than to fight within their Trenches which were strait and filled with Tents Mules and Indians which would be incumbrances and obstructions in the time of Battel And though many things were urged against this design saying That Cowards and Men of little Courage would fight better under the shelter of a Mud-wall than in open Field yet by Gods Mercy and Providence the first Resolution prevailed and both Horse and Foot were drawn forth into the Plain which formed a very handsome Squadron well furnished and provided with Musqueteers and lined with Pikes and Halberds and eleven pieces of great and heavy Cannon CHAP. XXVII Francisco Hernandez proceeds forth to Battel He misses of his design and retreats back again to his Camp. Thomas Vazquez revolts over to the King's Party Hernandez the Rebel declares a Prediction which was made concerning himself THE time being come that the Rebel calculated to be the auspicious hour he sallied out of his Fortress with 800 Foot of which as Palentino says 600 were Musqueteers and the rest Pike-men his Horse were few and not exceeding thirty in all His Neger Souldiers or black Guard to the number of 250 he sent by another way joining about seventy Spaniards with them to lead them on and to govern and direct them in what they had to do But in these they reposed no great Confidence intending them only to divert and amuse the Enemy who in the Night could not distinguish the difference of one from the other The Orders were that these Negers should assail the Justices in the Front and Hernandez in the Rear and in this manner they silently marched towards his Majesties Camp with their Matches and Lights covered In like manner the King's Squadrons were all drawn up in posture of battel and remained quietly and without noise with their Fires covered The black Guard came first to the Intrenchment before Hernandez where finding no resistance they entred in and killed all the Indians Horses and Mules which they found there together with five or six Spanish Souldiers who out of Cowardise had left the Army and hid themselves within the Intrenchment Hernandez coming afterwards fired a whole volly of shot into the Fortification without receiving any return from thence but finding that the King's Party fired all their Musquets upon them with their whole Train of Artillery from another place they were much amazed in regard that contrary to their expectation the Enemy had quitted their Intrenchments and drawn up in open Field Howsoever no great hurt was done on either side for the Night being very dark every one shot at random and without any aim Had these Vollies of above 1300 shot passed by day and so near each to other it had been impossible but that the Fields should have been covered with the Bodies of the slain The Rebel perceiving that he was disappointed of his design gave himself over for lost and so retreated back to his Fortification in the best order that he could Howsoever he could not retire in such manner but that 200 of his men forsook him who formely belonged to the Marshal and who now making use of this occasion to escape threw down their Arms and revolted to the Justices In the mean time the King's Forces would have pursued the Enemy in their flight but were countermanded by their General and other Officers who ordered that no man should stir out of his Rank but should keep his ground the which Rule was happily observed for a Party of Horse perceiving that the Enemy intended not to fight sallied out upon them to obstruct their retreat in which Action a Cornet of Horse was killed and three Citizens of Cozco were wounded namely Diego de Silva Antonio Ruyz de Guerara and Diego Maldonado the Rich the Wound of this last was never cured to the day of his death which happened to be eleven or twelve years afterwards for it was always kept open by the advice of Chyrurgeons and Physicians who were of opinion that the nature of the Wound was such
and proportioned 157. Titles of Honour how conferred 229. Tobacco 327. Tumbiz surrenders to the Inca's 352. The Treasure which the Spaniards sound in Cozco 501. John de la Torre his Riches and how gained 753. His proceedings at Cozco 807. Alonso de Toro his death 769. New Troubles in Peru 866. Don Francisco de Toledo is chosen Vice-king of Peru 1008. He returns to Spain where he is severely reproved by his Catholick Majesty 1016. His Death 1017. V. OF Virgins dedicated to the Sun 99. and of their Rules and Emploiment 100 102 103 104. Of the Vicuna 195. Inca Viracocha appears to the eldest Son of Yahuarhuacac 125. Inca Viracocha receives intelligence of the Enemies March 158. And the bloudy Battel which followed 160. Viracocha bestows Gratuities on his Souldiers 163. Pursues his Conquest and returns to Cozco sees his Father takes on himself the Government which his Father resigns to him 164 165. Of the word Viracocha and why the Spaniards were called by that Name 167. The Inca Viracocha gives order for building a Temple in memory of his Uncle Viracocha who appeared to him 169. Viracocha gives a Name to his eldest Son and prophesies concerning the Invasion of the Spaniards p. 180. His Death 182. The Vallies of Pachacamac and Rimac and their Idols 234. Valdivia killed with his men by the Indians of Chili 288. Other ill Successes 289. Valdivia the City how destroyed 290. Of the Vine and who first planted the Grape 388. Vicente Valverde a Frier makes a Speech to Atahualpa 449 450 451. The difficulty to interpret the Speech 450. Vaca de Castro received for Governour by the People of Rimac 626. His good Government 645. He goes to Los Reyes 659. He is imprisoned 667. He makes his escape 707. He comes to Spain 709. Verdugo his Actions in Truxillo Nicaragua and Nombre de Dios 730. Vela Nunnez brother to the late Vice-king his death by John de la Torre and how 753. Pedro de Valdivia is made Governour of Chile 859. His own People prefer Articles against him 860. Vasco Godinez is set up by the Souldiers for their General after the Death of Don Sebastian de Castilla 900. He puts Don Garcia Tello de Guzman to death 902. Vasco Godinez and several of his Souldiers are imprisoned 906. and is put to death 908. W. WHoredom how punished and how permitted 114. Wild Beasts as Lions Bears Tigers Apes Monkies c. 332. Of their Wheat 387. Of Wine and the first man that made it in Cozco 389. W. CApac Yupanqui fifth Monarch 68. His Conquest designed 272. Ya-huarhuacac Prince his Name whence derived 117. He is the seventh King his Fears and Conquests and the Disgrace of his eldest Son 123. Yucay the Valley described 179. Yauqu his Conquests 210 212. Yupanqui Inca his Retirement and quiet Life untill his death 293. Yllen Suarez de Carvajal Agent is put to Death 689. The Jealousie the Vice-king conceived of him 688. THE END Royal Commentaries BOOK I. CHAP. I. How the New World was Discovered ABOUT the Year 1484 a certain Pilot Native of Helva in the County of Niebla called Alonso Sanchez usually Traded in a small Vessel from Spain to the Canaries and there Lading the Commodities of that Countrey sailed to the Maderas and thence freighted with Sugar and Conserves returned home into Spain this was his constant course and trafick when in one of these Voyages meeting with a most violent Tempest and not able to bear sail he was forced to put before the Wind for the space of 28 or 29 days not knowing where or whither he went for in all that time he was not able to take an observation of the height of the Sun and so grievous was the storm that the Mariners could with no convenience either eat or sleep At length after so many long and teadious days the Wind abating they found themselves near an Island which it was is not certainly known but it is believed to have been St. Domingo because that lyes just West from the Canaries whence a storm at East had driven the Ship which is the more strange because the Easterly Winds seldom blow hard in those Seas and rather make fair weather than tempestuous But God who is all-sufficient intending to bestow his mercies can make causes produce effects contrary to their nature as when he drew water from the Rock and cured the blind with Clay in like manner his immense goodness and compassion designing to transmit the light of the true Gospel into the new World made use of these unusual means to convert them from the Idolatry of Gentilism and from their foolish and dark superstitions as shall be related in the sequel of this History The Master landing on the shore observed the height of the Sun and so noted particularly in writing what he had seen and what had happened in this Voyage out and home and having supplied himself with fresh water and wood he put to Sea again but having not well observed his course thither his way to return was the more difficult and made his Voyage so long that he began to want both water and provisions which being added to their former sufferings the people fell sick and died in that manner that of 17 persons which came out of Spain there remained but five onely alive when they arrived at the Terceras of which the Master was one These came all to lodge at the House of that famous Genoese called Christopher Colon because they knew him to be a great Seaman and Cosmographer and one who made Sea-carts to sail by and for this reason he received them with much kindness and treated them with all things necessary that so he might learn from them the particulars which occurred and the discoveries they had made in this laborious Voyage but in regard they brought a languishing distemper with them caused by their Sufferings at Sea and of which they could not be recovered by the kind usage of Colon they all happened to dye in his house leaving their labours for his inheritance the which he improved with such readiness of mind that he underwent more and greater than they in regard that they lasted longer and at length he so well succeeded in his enterprize that he bestowed the New World with all its riches upon Spain and therefore deservedly obtained this Motto to be inscribed on his Armes To Castile and to Leon The New World was given by Colon. In this manner the New World was first discovered for which greatness Spain is beholding to that little Village of Helva which produced such a Son as gave Colon information of things not seen or known before the which secrets like a prudent person he concealed till under assurances of silence he first disclosed them to such persons of authority about the Catholick Kings as were to be assistant and usefull to him in his design which could never have been laid or chalked out by the art of Cosmography or
Sun. These People who were not much above a hundred in number were but small in the beginning the greatest not exceeding a hundred families and the lesser consisting of about twenty five or thirty which afterwards by the privileges and encouragements which the Inca Manco Capac bestowed upon them as we shall hereafter declare they increased exceedingly many of them extending themselves into a thousand Families and the lesser to three or four hundred at least the which immunities and favours being confirmed and augmented by Manco Capac and his Successours the people increased and flourished till all was destroyed by the barbarous Tyranny of Atauhualpa Now in these our times and about twenty years past those Colonies which Manco Capac planted on this side and almost all the People of Peru do not now possess their ancient dwellings because a Vice-Roy as we shall shew in its proper place joined them afterwards uniting five or six into one and sometimes seven or eight as was most agreeable to his purpose from whence many inconveniences accrued to that People which we omit because they are grievous and ungratefull to repeat CHAP. XII In what manner the Inca taught and instructed his Subjects THE Inca Manco Capac as he planted his Colonies so every where he taught them to plow and cultivate the Land how to make Aqueducts and Conservatories for their Water and all other matters tending to the more commodious well-being of humane Life he gave them also some rules of Civility necessary in society for maintenance of Friendship and Brotherhood as the Laws of Nature and Reason dictated that laying aside all animosities and passions one against the other they should doe as they would be done by maintaining without partiality the same Law for others which they allow for themselves but above all he recommended to them a respect which they ought to bear towards the Bodies of their Wives and Daughters for in that vice they were the most blameable and barbarous and in order hereunto he made Adultery Murther and Robbery mortal crimes and punishable with death He ordered that no man should have more than one Wife at a time and that in their Marriages they should confine themselves to their Tribes that they might not make a confusion in the Lineage and that from twenty years and upwards they might marry because before that time their prudence was not ripe enough to manage their Affairs nor govern their Families He employed others to gather the more gentle sort of Cattle into flocks which ran dispersed and wild through the Woods and Fields causing them to make garments of their Wool according to the Art which the Queen Mama Ocllo Huaco had taught them for spinning and weaving he shewed them also how to make that sort of Shoes which they now wear and which they call Usuta Over every one of these Colonies he ordained a Chief which they called Curaca and is the same which Cacique signifies in the Language of Cuba and Sancto Domingo which is as much as a Ruler over Subjects and these were chosen for their merits for when any one was more gentle affable pious ingenious and more zealous for the publick good than others he was presently advanced to Government and to be an Instructor of the ignorant Indians who obeyed him with as much reverence as Children do their Parents and till these things could be put into execution and till the Earth could produce these fruits which by labour and art of Cultivation might be expected a general store of Provisions were collected into a common place to be distributed agreeable to the necessities and largeness of Families And that they might not live without Religion he prescribed the Rites and Ceremonies for their Idolatry he appointed out the place and design where and how to erect a Temple to the Sun that they might sacrifice to him for in regard they esteemed him the great God of all by whose heat and light they lived the Fields produced their Fruits and their Cattle multiplied and that they received a thousand favours and benefits from him it was but natural reason for them to acknowledge these benefits and especially they esteemed themselves obliged to render service and adoration to the Sun and Moon for having sent their own Children to them who had reduced them from a Life of Beasts to the present condition and state of humane Reason It was likewise ordained that a House should be built for Virgins dedicated to the Sun and that the same should be possessed by none but such as were of the Royal Bloud and Family and supplied from thence so soon as the number of the Royal Race was sufficiently increased All which he ordained and appointed to his People that they should inviolably observe in gratefull acknowledgment of the benefits received promising on the other side that in reward thereof they might expect perpetual additions of good to them from the blessings of the Sun who had revealed these secrets and sent his Messengers to the Indians to instruct and guide them in the ways of Wisedom all which matters and much more the poor Indians believed and by tradition have conserved to these our days it being the main point of their belief that the Inca was a Child of the Sun of which and of such like fables they greatly boast and that none but such as was of Divine progeny was able to have directed or prescribed things of such sublime and elevated an understanding as these CHAP. XIII Of the Titles and Dignities which the Inca for distinction sake and to procure greater Honour and Reverence bestowed on his own Family THE Inca Manco Capac having employed himself for many years in the matters before related for the good and benefit of his Subjects and perceiving that thereby he had produced in their minds a real sense of gratitude towards him and a readiness to yield to him and his who were Children of the Sun all due Honour and Reverence he judged it requisite for the more effectual impression of this Awe and Respect to dignifie himself and those descended from him with noble Titles and Habits different from others Wherefore first he ordered that after his Example all his Posterity should go with their Heads shorn wearing onely one lock of Hair but this shearing was performed with great difficulty for they had not yet arrived to the invention of Scissors but with a sharp flint cut the Hair as well as they were able whence it was that a certain young Inca said to one of my Schoolfellows with whom he was taught to write and reade that Had the Spaniards introduced no other invention amongst us than the use of Scissors Looking-Glasses and Combs they had deserved all that Gold and Silver which our Countrey produces The other Mark of Distinction was to have their Ears boared through which the Women commonly did with a sharp bramble and by some art made the hole so wide as we shall hereafter describe that it is
the which was common to none but the Inca and the Prince his Heir who wore it narrower than his Father and of a sallow colour What Ceremonies were used at the Instalment of the Prince and when he was sworn we shall declare in its due place when we come to speak of the Horsemen which the Incas armed out against their Enemies These Privileges and Favours proceeding immediately from the gratiousness of their Prince the Indians received with great Thankfulness and Applause because the Inca made them to believe that it was by the appointment and order of the Sun who observing their Compliance docility and other merits had conferred these marks of his good acceptance on them And when they farther considered the greatness of his last Favour which was the Title of Inca and which was not onely allotted to themselves but was to descend also to their Posterity they were wholly ravished with the Bounty and Liberality of his Royal Mind not knowing how to receive it with other sense than Transport of Admiration so that it became the common subject of their Discourse how that their Inca had not onely transformed them from Beasts into Men and instructed them in all things necessary to humane Life and taught them those natural Laws which conduce to Morality and the knowledge of their God the Sun which was sufficient for ever to have obliged them to remain his Vassals and Slaves and might justly have imposed on them Taxes and Tributes but that instead thereof he had conferred on them the Majesty of his own Name which being so Sacred and Divine that none durst take it formerly in his mouth without great Veneration was now made so common that every one might pronounce it with an audible voice by which privilege being become his adopted Sons they did for ever after dedicate themselves for Slaves and Vassals to him who was the undoubted Progeny and Child of the Sun. The Indians being astonished with the consideration of these great favours and affection their Inca had bestowed upon them they returned him all the blessings and praises imaginable studying what Names and Titles they might confer on him agreeable to the greatness of his Mind and his Heroick Vertues and on this consideration they invented these two Names one of which was Capac which signifies rich not that they meant him to be rich in Goods or Wealth of Fortune but of Mind such as Gentleness Piety Clemency Liberality Justice and Magnanimity with a desire and Inclination to communicate his Benefits to all his Subjects and for that Reason they deservedly gave him the Title of Capac which signifies rich and powerfull in Arms The other Name they gave him was Huac chacuyac which is as much as to say a great Friend and Benefactour to the poor for as the first denomination intimated the greatness of his Mind so the other spoke the benefits which he had conferred so that for ever after he was called the Prince Manco Capac having been named no otherwise before than Manco the Inca for Manco is but the proper Name of a Person and in the common Language of Peru hath no signification though in a particular Dialect which some of them have which as some write me from Peru is entirely lost it signifies something as all the other Names and Titles did which they gave to their Kings as we shall in the sequel of this Story have an occasion to interpret The word Inca signifies as much as Lord or King or Emperour though in its strict sense it is one of the Royal bloud and therefore the Curacas though they were great Lords yet they were not called Incas Palla signifies a Lady of the Royal Bloud and so for distinction of the King from other Incas he was called Capa Inca which is as much as rich sole and supreme Lord. Hereafter for the sake of the curious we shall declare and interpret all the Royal Names of the Men and Women Moreover the Indians gave to this first King and his Posterity the Name of Yntip Churin which is as much as Child of the Sun but this we may esteem rather a denomination proceeding from their false belief than a true and proper addition to his Titles CHAP. XIV Of the last Will and Testament and Death of the first Inca Manco Capac MAnco Capac reigned many Years but how many it is not certain some say thirty others forty employing his whole time in the business and actions which we have before mentioned and now finding the time of his death nearly approaching he called his Sons together as well those which he had by his Queen Mama Oello Huaco as those which he had by his Concubines which made up a great number for as he told them it was fit that the Children or Offspring of the Sun should be many He also assembled the Chief of his Subjects and in manner of a Testament he made this long Discourse to them He recommended to the Prince his Heir a true Love and Affection towards his Subjects and to the Subjects Loyalty and Service to their King and Obedience to the Laws avouching again that this was one of those Ordinances which the Sun his Father had in a most particular manner enjoined unto him With this Lesson he dismissed his Subjects afterwards in private Discourse which he made to his Children he encharged them that they should ever remember that they descended from the Sun and that therefore they ought for ever to adore him for their God and Father and that according to his example they should observe his Laws and precepts that so their Subjects in imitation of them might the more easily be induced to awe and reverence this Deity that they being gentle and pious might allure the Indians by Love and by the force of Benefits for that those can never be good Subjects who obey onely out of fear in short he told them that they should manifest themselves by their Vertues to be Children of the Sun approving their words by their actions for those shall never be believed who say one thing and perform another In fine he said that being called by the Sun he was now going to rest with him that they should live in Peace and Unity together and that he beholding their actions from Heaven would take care to favour and succour them in their extremities and distress Having uttered these and other sayings of like nature Manco Capac dyed leaving the Prince Sinchi Roca his eldest Son which he had by Coya Mama Oello Huaco his Wife and Sister to be his Heir and Successour Those Sons and Daughters which remained besides the Prince married one with the other for they took great care to preserve that bloud which they fabulously believed to proceed from the Sun clear and unmixed because they esteemed it Divine and was not to be defiled with any other humane mixture though it were with those chief and principal Lords whom they termed Curacas The Inca Sinchi Roca
of their Parents In times of War the Generals and Captains assumed the same power over their Souldiery and took the same care of them as the Decurions did in the time of Peace whose Offices besides the matters before mentioned obliged them to take an account of the Births and Burials of all those that were born or died that year under their jurisdiction and of those who went to the War. Those people whom they conquered though subdued by force of Arms yet they did never plunder or take away their goods This word Decurion which is composed from the Latin Decem which is ten and cura care that is a care over ten answers directly to the Indian word Chunca camayu chunca signifying ten and camayu care and by information of these the Incas came to a knowledge of the number of their Subjects in every Province that so according thereunto they might proportion the Taxes and Impositions for publick Works such as the building of Bridges making and repairing High-ways erecting Forts and Royal Palaces with what number of Souldiers they ought to serve the Inca in his Wars By these computations also the Inca was better enabled to send Provisions into those Provinces which by reason of the sterility of the year occasioned by Flouds or unseasonable weather were become wanting of Corn or Cottons or Wool all which were administred and sent with such readiness and expedition that as Blas Valera often says the Incas took such care of their Subjects providing for them in all their necessities that they might rather be styled Fathers of their Countrey and Guardians of their Pupils than Kings over Subjects and to express this care in one word the Indians gave them the title of Lovers of the Poor And lest the Superiour Governours should be remiss or negligent in the execution of their Offices there was a Monitor or Remembrancer appointed called Tucuy-ricoc which is as much as a Supervisor or Informer and his duty it was to put the Officers in mind of the matters relating to their Government so that in case any of these should be found remiss in his charge or guilty of any crime his punishment was always proportioned to his quality rather than his fault it being an opinion amongst them that the least evil was not to be tolerated in a Minister of Justice who was chosen by the Sun and the Inca to eradicate Evils and therefore was obliged to be more upright and observant of the Laws than the other Subjects CHAP. VI. Of certain Laws Ordained by the Incas and of the Opinion That the Incas and those of the Royal Bloud can doe no wrong or offend contrary to Law. PEcuniary Mulcts or Confiscation of Goods were never imposed by the Incas in way of punishment for any offence they esteeming nothing satisfactory to Law but that which required the extirpation of the Evils rather than the Life of the Offendour for that all other remedies give but onely encouragement and liberty to transgress If a Curaca or Lord rebelled which was always punished with most severity by the Inca and that thereby he forfeited his life the Estate notwithstanding descended to his Son or to his Heir but with due admonition that by such example he should beware of the Treason and Rebellion of his Father so likewise if any Cacique or Officer was deprived of his place or his Seigniory for faults committed the next Heir succeeded in it whether he were a Son or a Brother the same rule also was observed amongst the Souldiery whose Commanders were Natives of the Countrey and their Generals or chief Commanders were Princes of the Bloud under whom the Captains and Superiour Officers esteemed it for a particular honour and favour to serve No Judge had power to moderate the Sentence of Law by any Rule of Equity but rather to exact the severity of it for being ordained by the Wisedom of the Incas and the concurrence of Wise men it ought neither to be controlled or rendred more equitable by the sense and practice of particular Judges who are capable of being corrupted or overcome by favour or affection to a party And though it may seem very barbarous and unreasonable that every offence should be punished with Death and that there should be no difference between the crimes of a higher and the faults of a lesser nature yet considering the benefit which the Publick received thereby and that the Evils rather than the Persons were taken away such a constitution ought not to be esteemed unjust or irrational For in regard that men naturally love life and fear and abhor death they studiously fled from the appearance of any thing which might bring them within the danger of it so that in all this great Empire which reaches 1300 Leagues in length consisting of divers Nations and Languages we scarce have heard in the space of a whole year so much as of the punishment of a single person and to this obedience and submission to Law the opinion of the Sanctity of it did much avail and the belief that it was delivered by the Sun who was their God and by revelation inspired into the minds of the Incas his children so encreased the veneration and honour they had for it that none could be esteemed a breaker of the Law but who also therewith was guilty of sacrilege or violation of the holy and divine Sanction Hence it was that many finding a remorse of conscience within themselves in sense of some secret faults they had committed have often without accusation presented themselves before the Tribunals of Justice confessing publickly their offences by reason of which diseases deaths and distresses had befallen their People and Nation and therefore desired that their lives might be offered to their God as an expiation and an attonement for their sin This sort of confession was the ground of the mistake of certain Spanish Historians who report that Auricular confession was practised amongst the Indians whereas I am certain that amongst those of Peru for I treat of no other it was never accustomary to make other Confessions than such as were publick No Appeals as we have said were allowable in any case whatsoever for every people having its proper Judge no Process was to continue longer than five days before it was finally determined onely in obscure and difficult cases the matter was brought before the Superiour Governour who resided in the capital City rather than before the common Judge of the Province The Inferiour Judges rendred every month an account to their Superiours of all the Law-suits which were brought before them and of the Sentences they gave in the determination thereof to the end that they might see and judge whether true Sentence were given and the Laws rightly administred This information from one to another came at length to the Inca and in regard they were not as yet arrived to the knowledge of Letters they gave these Informations to the Incas and his
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
other poor and disabled People in which good works he passed all the remainder of his days his Reign having continued for thirty Years as is said but the truth is there is so little credit to be given to Reports of this nature where are no Registers or Letters that we know not what to believe in the Case onely this is certain that he dyed full of Honour and Trophies having acquired a great name both in War and Peace and being much beloved and honoured His Death was lamented with sincere grief by all which according to the Custome of the Incas continued for the space of a full Year His Eldest Son Capac Yupanqui born of his Wife Mama Cuca he left his Universal Heir of all besides whom also he left other Sons and Daughters as well such as were legitimate as such as were termed illegitimate CHAP. X. Capac Yupanqui the fifth Monarch reduces many Provinces in the Division of Contisuyu THE Inca Capac Yupanqui the interpretation of whose Name we have already declared amongst the proper Names of his Ancestors after the death of his Father bound his Head with the coloured Wreath in token of his entrance into the possession of his patrimonial Inheritance and having performed the Obsequies of his Father's Interment he immediately took a Journey through all parts of his Dominions making enquiry into the Behaviour and Lives of his Officers and in what manner Justice was administred amongst them In this Progress he passed two years and then returned to Cozco where he commanded that Souldiers should be levied and Provisions made for the following Year intending to extend his Conquests into those parts of Contisuyu which lie Eastward from Cozco where he was informed that there were many and great Provinces and abounding with People For the more easie passage to those parts he ordered another bridge to be made over the great River of Apurimac at that place which is called Huacachaca below Accha which was accordingly performed with all diligence surpassing the former bridge in length and breadth because the River was wider in those parts In this manner the Inca departed from Cozco attended with twenty thousand Men of War and being come to the bridge which was about eight Leagues from the City through a rough and asperous way three Leagues of which are a steep descent to the River though in height it may not be perpendicular above half a League and the ascent on the other side may likewise contain about three Leagues farther Having passed the bridge and this difficult way they entred into the pleasant Countrey of Yanahuara which at that time contained thirty Nations what those People were taken and how numerous we have no certain account onely we are assured that the Inhabitants on that side called Piti so soon as they heard of the approach of the Inca came forth to meet him both Men and Women old and young and with Songs and Musick Acclamations and all things that might testifie their Joy they received him for their King vowing all Obedience and Vassalage to his Person The Inca on the other side received them with a gratious Eye bestowing on them such Vests or Garments as were in the mode and fashion of his Court Of this kind treatment the Piti sent advice to their Neighbours being of the same Nation with them of Yanahuara giving them to understand that the Inca had taken up his aboad amongst them and that they had received him for their Lord and Master according to which example of the Piti the Curacas of divers Nations came likewise in and submitted themselves The Inca received them all with his accustomed goodness and as an evidence of his greater favour he was desirous to shew himself to his People and visit their Countrey which contained about twenty Leagues in length and about fifteen in breadth From this Province of Yanahuara he passed into another called Aymara between which two there is a space of ground wholly desolate and unpeopled of about fifteen Leagues over On the other side of this desart a great number of People were gathered into a body within a certain inclosed ground called Mucansa to stop the passage of the Inca and entrance into their Countrey which contains thirty Leagues in length and fifteen in breadth and is rich in Mines of Gold Silver and Lead and abounds in Cattle and People and consisted of at least eighty Nations before they were reduced to the Obedience of the Inca. At the Foot of this Inclosure the Inca commanded his Army to encamp so as to cut the Enemy off from all supplies who being barbarous and ignorant of War had dispeopled all the Countrey and gathered them into one body not considering that by this means they were cooped up on all sides and hemmed in as it were in a Cage The Inca continued several days in this manner with an unwillingness to attack them inviting them to submission with all fair terms and proposals of Peace and offering no other violence to them than to hinder them from provisions and sustenance that so what Reason and Argument could not effect Famine and Hunger might enforce In this resolute condition the Indians remained for the space of a whole month untill being constrained by the necessities of Famine they sent Messengers to the Inca giving him to understand that they were ready to receive him for their King and adore him as the true Off-spring of the Sun conditionally that he on the Faith and Word of his Divine Progeny promise that so soon as they shall have yielded themselves to him he will conquer and subject under his Imperial Command the neighbouring Province of Umasuyu which being a numerous and warlike People living upon Rapine and Spoil did make frequent incursions to the very doors of their Houses eating up their provisions and pastures and committing many other mischiefs and outrages for which injuries they had often made War upon them which ended in bloud and confusion on the one side and the other and when at length Peace was made and terms of accommodation agreed on they suddenly broke out again into new violences not considering the Faith and Promises they had given Wherefore if he pleased to avenge them of these Enemies and restrain their incursions on them for the future they would yield and acknowledge him for their Prince and Lord. To this Proposal the Inca made answer by one of his Captains That the design of his coming into those parts had no other aim than to relieve the oppressed and reclaim the barbarous Nations from that bestial manner of living whereto they were accustomed and that he might instruct them in the Laws of Reason and Morality which he had received from his Father the Sun but as to the avenging them of their Enemies for the injustice and injuries they had done them it was the Office and Duty of the Inca to perform howsoever it became not them to impose conditions on the Inca who was
or clear Springs nor indeed was there any good Water near the City of Cozco When my Father after the War of Francisco Hernandez Giron in the Year 1555. and 56. was Governour of the City they then brought their Water from Ticatica which water was excellent good arising about a quarter of a League from the Town to the chief Market-place from whence as I hear they have now turned it by a Conduit pipe to the Square of St. Francisco and instead thereof they have brought another Fountain to that place of exquisite Water running with a plentifull stream CHAP. V. Of the manner how they Interred their Kings and that the Obsequies and Rites of Burial continued for the space of a whole Year THE Rites of Burial which they performed for their Kings were solemn and of long continuance In the first place they embalmed their Bodies with such rare Art that as we have said before in the year 1559. they were so firm and plump that they seemed to be living Flesh. Their Bowels were interred in a Temple which was situated in the Countrey called Tampu upon the Banks of a River below Yucay about five Leagues distant from the City of Cozco where were many stately Edifices of Stone Of which Pedro de Cieça speaking in the 94th Chapter of his Book saith that it was reported for certain how that in some places of the Palace or Temple of the Sun the Stones were joined or cramped with melted Gold which with the cement they used were well fixed and consolidated together When the Inca or some principal Curaca dyed the Servants who were his greatest Favourites and the Wives that were the most beloved by him did either kill themselves or offer themselves to be buried alive in the Tomb of their Masters that so they might accompany them into the other World and renew their immortal Services in the other Life which as their Religion taught them was a corporeal and not a spiritual Being whereby it may appear that what some Historians write relating to this matter namely that they killed the Servants after the death of their Masters is a mistake for that would have been a piece of Tyranny and Inhumanity above the capacity of humane Nature for under this pretence one Man might lawfully kill another and remove him out of the way who was hatefull to him or stood in opposition to his Designs or Interest The truth is they needed no Law or compulsion to enforce them to follow the Fate of their Master for when he was dead his Servants crouded so fast after him desiring death that the Magistrates were forced sometimes to interpose with their Authority and persuade them that for the present their Master had no need of more attendance but that in due time when they naturally yielded to their own Mortality it might then be seasonable enough for them to repair to their Services and Offices in the other World. The Bodies of their Kings after they were embalmed were seated before the Image of the Sun in the Temple at Cozco to whom they offered Sacrifices as to Demons or Men of Divine Race For the first month after the death of the Inca the whole City bewailed their loss with loud cries and lamentations and every Parish or quarter of the Town went out in their several Divisions into the fields carrying the Trophies of the Inca his Banners and Arms and Garments and whatsoever was to be buried in the grave with his Bowels with their sighs and lamentations they mentioned and repeated the mighty Acts that he had done in the Wars and the good Acts of Charity and Beneficence that he had shewed to them and their Neighbourhood After the end of the first month they then commemorated the Death of their Inca at the Full and New of the Moon and so continued till the end of the first Year when they concluded the solemnity with full pomp and state appointing Men and Women practised in the Art of Cries and Lamentations who like excellent Tragedians acted their parts of sorrow in the most formal and passionate manner imaginable singing the Acts of the dead King in sorrowfull Tones and Accents What we have said hitherto was the part onely of the Commonalty besides which the Court and Nobility performed the Obsequies with as much difference to those of the people as there was of Eminence in their condition and of Wealth and Politeness in the manner of their living What was practised in the City of this kind was also imitated in the Countries the respective Curacas stirring up the people to demonstrate by their outward gestures and actions their inward sorrow and passion for the death of their Inca. With these Cries and Lamentations they went to visit all the places within their Province where at any time their Inca had pitched his Camp or made his abode or residence though but for a night and there they all with loud Lamentations repeated the Favours and Honours and Benefits that he had performed for them in that place And thus much shall serve to have said touching the Funeral of the Incas in imitation of which something of this nature was performed in honour of their Caciques of which I remember to have seen some passages in the time of my infant Years for in the Province of the Quechuas I once saw a multitude of people gathered in a field to lament the Death of a Cacique carrying his Garments upon Poles in fashion of Banners or Ensignes my curiosity prompted me to ask them what all that noise and tumult meant to which they answered me that it was the Funeral Lamentation of Huamam-pallpa for so they called the deceased Cacique CHAP. VI. Of the General and Solemn Huntings which the Kings made in all parts of their Kingdom THE Kings of Peru enjoyed with their other parts of Greatness and State certain days appointed for Solemn and General Huntings called in their Tongue Chacu And herein it is to be observed that all sorts of Game were forbidden to be killed unless Partridges Pidgeons Doves or lesser Birds for the Service and Table onely of the Incas who were Governours or of the Curacas nor was thus much permitted neither but under a limited quantity and by command and order also of the Justice This prohibition was observed under the same penalties that all other observances of their Law were enjoined and herein they were rigorous and severe lest Men betaking themselves to the pleasure of the Field should delight in a continued course of sports and so neglect the necessary provisions and maintenance of their Families By which strict restraint the Game both of Birds and Beasts was so common and in abundance and tame that they entred even into their Houses where though they could not kill them yet howsoever they might affright and drive them out of their Fields and Pastures for that though the Inca was Master of the Game yet he loved his Subjects better than to have them
constancy so that they fought that whole day as also the second and third with that spight and rage and with such little consideration that they were almost all killed and such as did escape with their lives were yet so wounded that they were disabled and unfit for service The Indians who were Natives of that Province of Chunchu having observed this advantage fell in upon those that remained alive and utterly destroyed them amongst which Gomez de Tordoya was also slain I knew all these three Gentlemen and left them in Cozco when I departed thence The Indians took three Spaniards alive that is this Maldonado Diego Martin a Portugal Friar and a certain Gun-smith called Simon Lopez Maldonado being known by the Indians to have been the Commander in chief of one of those parties was treated by them with all courtesie and respect and considering that he was wounded and a Man in years they gave him liberty to return unto his Indians in Cozco giving him convoy to as far as the Province of Callavaya where the finest Gold is extracted in pieces of four or five Caracts in weight but the Friar and the Gun-smith they kept above two years afterwards during which time they employed the Gun-smith solely in making them Hatchets and Pick-axes of Copper and the Friar they held in great veneration because he was a Priest and a Servant of the God of the Christians◠And when at length they gave them liberty to return to Peru they entreated the Friar to stay amongst them and teach them the Doctrine of Christianity but he refused to dwell with them This and many such occasions have been lost whereby the Gospel might have been propagated by Preaching without the force and compulsion of Arms. TWO years afterwards the Chunchus gave licence to these two Spaniards to return unto Peru guiding and conducting them untill they came to the Valley of Callavaya so that they told their own Story of this unhappy expedition They also gave an account of all the Actions and Exploits which the Incas had performed at the lower parts of this River and how they dwelt and inhabited amongst the Musus and that after that time they acknowledged the Inca for their Lord and Sovereign and that every year they carried him presents of such Fruits as their soil produced the which presents were continued untill the Death of the Inca Tupac Amaru which was some few years after this unfortunate action and fight between Juan Alvarez Maldonado and Gomez de Tordoya The which Story we have fore-stalled and related out of its due place thereby to attest and prove the Conquest which the Inca Yupanqui made along the great River Amarumayu and that the Incas who designed to make a Conquest of the Musus did afterwards plant themselves and inhabit amongst them All which the Friar Diego Martin and the Gun-smith Simon did particularly relate and confirm And the Friar as to himself did say that nothing did trouble him so much in his life as that he did not continue his abode amongst the Indian Chunchus as they desired of him but that not having the conveniencies there of saying Mass was a great inducement to recall him thence for otherwise he would never have removed from thence He farther said that he often purposed to return thither again being troubled in his conscience for not having satisfied the importunity of those poor Indians who made that reasonable request to him which he by his vow and profession was obliged to grant And farther that Friar alledged that those Incas who were planted among the Musus might be of great use of the Spaniards in the Conquest which they designed to make of that Countrey And so let us return again to the Acts and Monuments of the good Inca Yupanqui the chief and greatest of which was the Conquest of Chili CHAP. XVII Of the Nation of Chirihuana of their customs and manner of living AS covetousness and ambition of government is natural to all Men so these Incas transported with a desire of new Kingdoms and Conquests made it their chief business and glory to enlarge their Empire In pursuance of which four years after that Yupanqui had sent his Army down the River he designed another Conquest over the great Province of Chiri-huana which is seated in the Antis to the Eastward of the Charcas But in regard the Countrey was unknown and the ways undiscovered it was thought fit and convenient to send spyes first into those parts who might see and discover the Situation and Nature of the Countrey and Manners of the People The Spies being dispatched as was resolved they returned at a certain time bringing a report that the Countrey was bad full of high and barren Mountains Bogs Lakes and Marish Grounds that the Natives were absolutely brutes and worse than beasts having no Religion or Worship of any thing but lived without law or good manners wandring in the Mountains and Woods not associated in any community or political government unless it were when they joined their Forces together to infest their Neighbours with intention to eat the flesh of those which they took in War without respect either of Sex or Age and that nothing should be lost of all their spoils they drank the bloud when they cut their throats Nor did they onely eat the flesh of their Enemies but of their own people when they died onely they lamented over their bones which when they had laid and disposed orderly according to their joints they buried them in rocks or caves and the hollow of trees They went naked and promiscuously used coition without regard either to Sisters Daughters or Mothers And this was the common way of living practised by the Nation of Chiri-huana The good Inca Yupanqui for so was he styled commonly by his own people as also by Pedro de Cieça having heard this report turned to his relations and kindred who were then present and told them that now he esteemed it a duty and obligation incumbent on him ot reduce the people of Chiri-huana that so he might withdraw them from the turpitude of their manners and from that bestial life which they did lead it being the grand design for which his Father the Sun had sent him into the World. Having said these Words he appointed ten thousand Men to be raised and made ready under the Command of Colonels and Captains of the Incan Family Men experienced both in War and Peace and instructed in their duty and the business that they were to perform This Army being provided marched into the Province of Chirihuana where they soon found the want and misery of the Countrey to supply which they gave notice to the Inca who speedily furnished them with all things necessary But such were the difficulties of that Countrey being nothing but Mountains and Bogs and Fens that after the labour of two years they were not able to effect any matter considerable therein which being advised to the Inca he
mist or smoak A certain Magician whom the Indians call Llayca having seen and considered these prodigious Circles about the Moon entred with a sad and weeping countenance into the presence of Huayna Capac and with tears in his eyes told him and said To you alone Sir it appertains to know that the Moon your Mother as a pious and tender Parent makes known unto you that the Pachacamac who is the Creatour and Sustainer of all things doth threaten your Royal Family and Empire with grievous Judgments which he designs to send upon your people For the first bloudy Circle prognosticates that after you are gone to rest with your Father the Sun that then most terrible Wars shall arise amongst those of your own Line and Family which will open so large an effusion of Royal Bloud as will be sufficient in a few years to extinguish your whole Race and Progeny Which having said he let fall such a floud of tears that he was not able farther to utter his words But at length having a little recovered himself he proceeded and said The second Circle which is black threatens us your Subjects with a total destruction and subversion of our Religion and Government caused by the Wars and Dissentions of your own Family and that then your Empire shall be alienated and translated to another people and all your Greatness vanquish into smoak and vapour which is the signification of the third Circle The Inca was greatly astonished with this dismal Prediction howsoever not to shew fear and meanness of spirit he bid the Magician begone for these are said he but your last nights Dreams which thou declarest to me for Revelations and Advices from my Mother the Moon No said the Magician for that you may give better credence to my words you may be pleased to come forth and see the truth hereof testified by your own Eyes and then if you think fit you may be pleased to take farther information from the other Diviners or Magicians concerning these prodigious Apparitions The Inca accordingly came forth from his Chamber and having beheld these Signs in the Heavens he called for all the Diviners and Prognosticators which he maintained in his Court amongst which there being one of the Nation of Yauyu who was much esteemed above the rest and that having beheld and considered these Circles gave the same judgment thereupon as the former had done Howsoever Huayna Capac though he entertained sad apprehensions and fears hereof within his own Breast yet not to discourage his People he seemed to make small account of these affrighting Stories telling the Magicians that unless the Pachacamac himself should reveal the same to him by his own Words he would not give credit to such Sayings For is it possible said he that my Father the Sun should abhor and detest his own Bloud and so far abandon them as to yield them up to a total destruction And so dismissed his Prognosticators Howsoever reflecting within himself upon what they had said and considering how it agreed with the Prophecies of an ancient Oracle and comparing past things with the prodigious Novelties of the present times which appeared and shewed themselves in every Element as also the Ship which sailed along the Coast with a sort of People never before seen in those Seas all these things being taken together did greatly move and disturb the Mind of Huayna Capac with inward fear and apprehension for which reason he always kept an Army in a readiness composed of his most experienced Souldiers and Officers which he drew out from the Garrisons of those Provinces He ordained also that many Sacrifices should be offered to the Sun and that all the Diviners and Magicians in their respective Provinces should consult their familiar Demons and particularly the great Pachacamac and the prating Devil of Rimac who always gave answers to all demands and to enquire and know of them whether those strange and new Apparitions in the Heavens and in the Sea did portend either good or evil to the Empire The Answers from Rimac were so dubious and obscure that they could not promise themselves any great good nor yet did they seem to prognosticate any affrighting evil Howsoever all the Diviners presaging nothing but ill the whole Empire remained in terrour and fear of some approaching mischief and calamity yet in regard no considerable misfortune besell that people for the space of three or four Years the remembrance thereof began to wear out every one returning to his usual quietness and setled way of living in which they continued for several Years untill the death of Huayna Capac The relations of these Prognostications which we have mentioned were besides the common report delivered particularly by two Captains who had formerly been of the Guard to Huayna Capac and being each of them of the age of eighty years were both baptized the eldest of them was called John Pechuta his own Name remaining for a surname after Baptism as was common to the Indians the other was called Chauca Rimachi but his Christian Name I have forgot These Captains when they related the stories of these unhappy presages with the successes of those times they would always burst into Tears so that it was necessary to divert them with some other Discourse before they would cease their Tears and Lamentations The Testament and Death of Huayna Capac with many other particulars which afterwards succeeded were delivered to us by an old Inca whose Name was Cusi Huallpa but the cruelties which Atahualpa exercised upon all those of the Bloud Royal I received from the relation of my own Mother and her Brother who was called Don Fernando Huallpa Tupac Inca Yupanqui who were in those days both of them Children of ten Years of age and lived in the fury and rage of all those troubles which continued for the space of two years and a half untill such time as the Spaniards invaded that Countrey as we shall relate in its due place together with the manner how they with some few others of the Royal Bloud escaped from death which Atahualpa had designed for them which turned greatly to the advantage of the Enemy CHAP. XV. Of the Testament and Death of Huayna Capac and the Prophecy concerning the Invasion made by the Spaniards HUayna Capac residing in his Kingdom of Quitu an humour took him in one of the last days of his Life to wash and bath himself in a certain Lake onely to please and recreate himself so soon as he came out from the Water he was taken with a cold and shivering which the Indians call Chuccu which was followed by a hot fit of a Fever after which finding himself every day to grow worse and worse he apprehended he should die the which he strongly fansied from a remembrance of certain Prognosticks which had some years before been delivered in reference thereunto in which the Indians are very superstitious especially in those which relate to the Royal Person of the
or set any price upon him but in case it happened by the Master's Death or his departure for Spain that a Horse was set to sale the price was four five or six thousand pieces of Eight In the Year 1554. when the Mareschal Don Alonso â—â— Alvarado went in pursuit of Francisco Hernandez de Giron which was before the Battel of Chuquinca A Negro Boy leading a very hansome Horse in his Hand well managed a certain rich Gentleman casting his Eyes upon him and being much taken with him said to the Owner of him Sir for the Boy and Horse as they now are I will give you ten thousand pieces of Eight which is as much as twelve thousand Ducats but the Owner refused the Offer telling him that he had occasion for the Horse to charge upon in the next Battel which was shortly expected the issue of which was that the Horse vvas killed and the Master mortally vvounded But that vvhich is observable herein is this that he vvho vvould have bought the Horse vvas rich having a considerable Colony of Indians in the Countrey of the Charcas and the Ovvner vvas a famous Souldier vvho to signalize himself in that day of Battel refused to sell his Horse at any rate though never so advantageous I knew them both to be Gentlemen and Persons of Noble Quality But since that time the price of Horses is much abated in Peru because the breed is much increased so that a good Horse may be vvorth three or four hundred Pieces of Eight and an ordinary Jade may be sold at tvventy or thirty The Indians are very commonly fearfull of an Horse for when they see him gallop or run in any Street where they chance to meet him they are so affrighted that they think they can never croud near enough to the Wall to avoid him fearing lest he should run over them and trample them under foot wherefore when they meet a Horse in the Streets they will cross the Street three or four times from one side to the other and being so scared as it were out of their Wits they have run blindly as I have seen into the very way of the Horse whom they have endeavoured to avoid and have never thought themselves out of danger unless they could get a Spaniard to stand before them nor would that guard neither acquit them from all fear and though now by custome and conversation the dread of them is not so great yet never could any Indian be persuaded to take upon him the Trade of a Blacksmith because he would not be concerned in shooing Horses though in all works of Metal they are excellent Artists And though the Spaniards have bred up some Indian Boys and taught them to dress and curry Horses yet I never knew or saw an Indian that durst adventure to mount upon their Backs if any of them were so bold as to lead a Horse by the Bridle it was some tame gentle Jade as quiet as a Mule for indeed that which scared the Indians most was to find most of the Horses wanton and skittish for as yet the Spaniards did neither use them to the Martingale nor to covers or as they are called Spectacles for their Eyes which was a great neglect and was the cause of much more labour and trouble to the Master in the breaking and managery of them for these Horses are of that docible and tractable Nature that with good dressing and management they will in every thing incline to the will and pleasure of the Master At the beginning when the Conquest was first made in Peru the Indians believed that the Man and the Horse were all of one piece or the same Creature fansying like the Poets that they were Centaures They tell me now that some Indians have adventured to shoe Horses but that there are very few so hardy And having said thus much concerning Horses let us now proceed to give an account of what other things were not found in my Countrey CHAP. XVII Of their Cows and Oxen. IT is believed that Cows were brought into Peru presently after the Conquest which soon increased and multiplied in those numbers that they supplied all the Kingdom the same also is probable of the Hogs and Goats for I remember to have seen numbers of them in Cozco when I was a Child It cannot be expected that a price should be set for a Cow in the first beginning when the Spaniards planted themselves they being brought over onely for breed but afterwards by increasing they became common and were sold at moderate rates The first Man in Cozco that was Master of Cows was Antonio de Altamirano the Father of two Sons Peter and Francis which he had by an Indian Woman and were my School-fellows and both dyed young to the great sorrow of the whole City by reason of the great hopes and expectation was of their Understanding and Vertue The first Oxen that I ever saw at plough were in the Valley of Cozco about the Year 1550 belonging to John Rodriguez de Villalobos they were in all but three one they called Chaparro another Naranco and the third Castillo I was carried to see this sight with great numbers of Indians who flocked from all parts with astonishment and wonder to see this prodigious Novelty which I amongst the rest did much admire They said that the Spaniards who were drones and would not work themselves had made these great Animals labour and doe that work which they ought to have performed themselves I have reason to remember these particulars for when I was Boy and plaid the Truant to see the Oxen Plough it cost me two dozen of good stripes one half of which I received from my Father and the other dozen from my Schoolmaster the piece of land which they ploughed was a very pleasant field which is situated a little higher than that ground where now the Convent of St. Francis is built the which part of the Convent where the Body of the Church stands was erected at the charge and cost of the aforesaid John Rodriguez de Villalobos and dedicated by him to St. Lazarus to whom he was greatly devoted the remainder of the Church the Franciscan Friars purchased with the two pieces of Land some years after for when the Oxen ploughed there was no House or Buildings there either belonging to Spaniards or Indians as we have at large declared in that part where we make a description of the City and situation of Cozco The Ploughmen that tilled the Land were Indians and the Oxen were taught and broken to the Yoke in a certain Inclosure without the City and then when they had learned their work they were brought to Cozco where they had as many Spectators and Admirers that day as had the Triumphs at Rome in its mightiest grandeur When Cows were first brought to the Market one might be worth two hundred Pieces of Eight but afterwards as they increased and became more common they fell by degrees to
For if there be a necessity of a common Language between Nations who desire commerce and conversation together much more is it requisite between people so remote as we are for indeed to treat by Interpreters ignorant of both Tongues is like the inarticulate sound of domestick Animals and such O Man of God seems this discourse thou hast made me by this Interpreter And now so far as I understand methinks the discourse seems much different to what your Ambassadours lately propounded for they treated of nothing but Peace and Friendship of Alliance and Consanguinity but now all the Words of this Indian are nothing but Menaces of Wars and Death and Fire and Sword with the Extirpation and Banishment of the Incas and their Progeny and that I must voluntarily or by force renounce a right to my Kingdom and become Tributary to another From whence I collect one of these two things that either you and your Prince are Tyrants and rove about to plunder the World and to dispossess others of their Kingdoms killing and spoiling those who owe you nothing and have never offered you injury or violence or otherwise you are the Ministers of God called by us Pachacamac whom he hath sent to visit us with vengeance and destruction And if it be so both I and my Vassals do offer our selves to death and to what punishment soever you will inflict upon us not for fear or out of any dread we have of your Menaces or Arms but in compliance with the Commands enjoyned us by my Father Huayna Capac at the time of his death which was that we should serve and honour a Nation with Beards like your selves which were to enter into these parts after his days and of which he prophesied some years before your Ships coasted about our Countrey and whom he declared to be Men of better Laws of more refined Customs more wise and more valiant than our selves Wherefore to fulfill the Prophecy and Testament of my Father we style you Viracochas understanding thereby that you are the Messengers of the Great God Viracocha whose Will and Pleasure just Indignation Arms and Power we are unable to resist and yet we are assured that he is all Goodness and Mercy And for that reason you who are his Ministers and Executioners of his Will ought to abstain from such Robberies Slaughter and Violences as you have committed in Tumpiz and the adjacent Countries In the next place your Interpreter acquaints me of five great Personages whom I am to acknowledge The first is God who is three and one that is four whom you call the Creator of this Universe which perhaps may be the same whom we call Pachacamac and Viracocha The second is the Father of all Mankind on whom all other Men have heaped their Sins The third you call Jesus Christ who was the onely Person excepted who did not cast his Sins on the first Man but that he dyed The fourth you name is the Pope The fifth is Charles whom in comparison with others you call the most Powerfull Monarch of the Universe and the Supreme Lord of all But then if Charles be the Prince and Lord of the World what need was there for the Pope to give a new Grant and another Commission to make War upon me and Usurp my Kingdoms for consequently the Pope must be a greater Prince than he and the most powerfull of any in the World. But I cannot but most admire at what you say that I am obliged to pay Tribute to Charles onely and not to others the which you alledge without giving me any reason and indeed I cannot conceive on what score I am obliged to pay it for if I were bound to pay Tribute and Service to any methinks it should be to that God who you say created all things and to that first Man who was the Father of all Mankind and to that Jesus Christ who had no Sins to impute unto him and in fine if Tribute were to be given it should rather be unto the Pope who hath Power and Authority to dispose of my Kingdoms and my Person And if you say that I owe nothing unto any of these I should imagine that I owe much less unto Charles who was never Lord of these Countries nor ever saw them And if the Pope's Grant and Concession be obligatory to me it were just and reasonable to declare it to me before you threaten me with War and Fire and Sword and Death for I am not so void of understanding and sense as not to obey the Pope in case you can shew me reason and justice and cause for it Moreover I desire to be informed who that good Man Jesus Christ was who you say never laid his Sins on another but that he dyed I would gladly know whether he dyed of a natural death or by the hands of his Enemies and whether he was numbred amongst the Gods before his death or afterwards And farther I desire to be informed whether these five which you highly honour are adored by you for Gods for if it be so you hold more for Gods than we who acknowledge no other than the Pachacamac who is the Supreme and the Sun who is inferiour to him and the Moon who is his Sister and Wife In which doubtfull Questions I heartily desire to be truly resolved by some other more able and faithfull Interpreter that â—â— I may be made more capable thereby to know and obey your Will and Commands CHAP. XXV Of the great tumult and disturbance which happened between the Indians and the Spaniards THE Inca observing the inability of the Interpreter endeavoured to assist him in expressing his Answer First by uttering his Speech by short periods causing him to express one thing before he proceeded to another and secondly he spake in the Language of Chincasuyu which the Interpreter understood better than the Language of Cozco by which means Philippillio did better express the sense and intention of the Inca though he did it in a most barbarous manner So soon as the Inca had ended his discourse the Keepers of the Quipus were commanded to note the sense and particulars of all things delivered by their Knots which were the onely cypher they had whereby to conserve their traditions to future Ages By this time the Spaniards growing weary of this long and tedious discourse began to quit their places and come up close to the Indians to fight with them and rob them of their Jewels of Gold and Silver and pretious Stones with which they had that day decked themselves that in a solemn manner they might appear in their finery to receive the Embassy which was sent them from the Universal Monarch of the World Some Spaniards also climbed a little Tower to plunder an Idol which they had adorned with Plates of Gold and Silver and pretious Stones the which outrage caused great noise and tumult amongst the Indians which when the Inca perceived he cried out with a loud voice
Religion Nor were the Spaniards less surprized to see the Majesty of Cozco with the Grandeur and Riches of the Palaces and Temples which though much defaced and despoiled of their ancient beauty by reason of the late Wars between the Incas and the Imprisonment of Huascar yet they could not but much admire the excellent Architecture of the Royal Palaces which were built without those Instruments and Engines which are necessary for the erecting such mighty Fabricks But above all they were much pleased with the rare Pavements which were curiously in-layed with divers Figures on each side of the stream which runs for above a quarter of a League through the City and the multitude of people and the numbers of Merchants though the Commodities not many were so great as much pleased them to behold especially observing the gentile behaviour of the Nobles and the courtesie of the Commonalty who were all desirous to serve them and gain their favour and had it not been for the late Wars between the two Brothers all things would certainly have appeared in much more beauty and splendour But above all they much admired to see Crosses erected on the top of the high Pinnacles of their Temples and Palaces the which it seems were introduced from the time onely that Pedro de Candia being in Tumpiz charmed or made tame those wild Beasts which were let loose to devour him and which onely by virtue of the Cross which he held in his hand became gentle and domestick All which was recounted with such admiration by the Indians who carried the news of this Miracle unto Cozco that when the Inhabitants of the City had understood it they went immediately to their Sanctuary where a Cross of Jaspar-stone as clear as Chrystal remained as we have before mentioned which when they had brought forth they with loud Acclamations adored and worshipped it conceiving that though the Sign of the Cross had for many Ages been conserved by them in high esteem and veneration yet it was not entertained with such devotion as it deserved because they were not as yet acquainted with its virtues Wherefore now with stronger assurance believing that as the Sign of the Cross had tamed and shut the mouth of the wild Beasts so as that they could not hurt Pedro de Candia so also they imagined that it had a like power to deliver them out of the hands of these New-come Guests On which consideration having adored the Cross they erected several of them in their Temples and in the Royal Palaces like Tutelar Gods to defend their Kingdom from the violence of Enemies Whence it is to be noted that these Gentiles who were Idolaters did entirely and with an implicit faith devote themselves to the Cross and therewith to the belief of the whole Christian Doctrine before the Gospel was preached to them It is most certain that after the Death of Huayna Capac as we have mentioned at the end of his Reign the Indians remained in great fear and consternation apprehending that the time approached in which their Idolatrous Religion was to be at an end and therewith their Empire Greatness and Dominion was to expire And though many years past many Predictions were uttered of this nature by their Southsayers and Magicians the which were confirmed by their Oracles and divers Prodigies yet they were delivered in such obscure terms that nothing was clear or intelligible from thence untill such time as Huayna Capac by I know not what Spirit explained and interpreted those Prophecies with such clearness as evidently pointed at the coming of the Spaniards and the propagation of the Gospel declaring that the Empire of Peru was to end with his Life And this is the true reason why the Indians adored and worshipped the Spaniards for Gods with such humility and submission as we have declared being certainly assured that these were the people in whom the Prophecy of their King was to be accomplished Of all these matters Hernando de Soto and Pedro del Barco gave due intelligence to their Captain-General with farther information of the incredible Riches found in that City which were beyond all imagination as also of the kind treatment duty and respect which they had received from the Indians by virtue of that Edict and Command which Atahualpa had caused to be proclaimed in all parts of his Dominions in favour of the Spaniards In like manner the other four Spies or Discoverers which were sent into other parts dispatched their Informations of all things they had seen and which had happened to them All which news declaring the immense Riches and the adoration which was paid to their Companions the other Spaniards received with great joy and satisfaction But as to the Prophecies of Huayna Capac they esteemed them for no other than Witchcrafts and Sorceries of the Indians of which they made no account or esteem CHAP. XXXIII Of the Subtilty of Atahualpa and the Death of the King Huascar Inca. AUgustin de Carate having related the Discourse which Huascar Inca had entertained with Hernando de Soto and Pedro del Barco which was the same that we have already related and how they had left him in a sad and despairing condition he farther proceeds in the sixth Chapter of his second Book in this manner And so says he they proceeded on their Journey which was the cause of the Death of Huascar and the loss of all that Gold which he had promised for the Captains to whose Custody he was committed immediately gave intelligence to Atabaliba by the Post of all that had passed which when he had well considered and that if once the Injustice which he had done to his Brother should come to the knowledge of the Spanish Governour together with the Promises and Intimation which Huascar had given of a greater abundance of Gold than he could engage for he greatly feared that his offers would be so prevalent with the Christians whom he observed to be covetous and thirsty of Gold that they would not onely take the Kingdom from him and transfer it to his Brother but to free themselves from all other troubles of competition might also deprive him of his Life for which they had so just an occasion on the score of his Brother whose Kingdom he had traiterously usurped with the Death and Slaughter of all his Kindred for which reason he resolved to kill Huascar But in regard he feared to commit that Murther because he had heard the Christians frequently say that one of their principal Laws was That he who shed Man's Bloud by Man should his Bloud be spilt he therefore before he would enter upon this Attempt thought fit to try the Mind of the Spanish Governour in what manner he would be concerned for an Act of this nature To perform which with the more Subtilty and Dissimulation he seigned himself one day to be very sad and dejected weeping and sighing and refusing to eat or speak And though the Spanish Governour was very
Soul at that time and for several years afterwards I my self have been present at some which were said for him when I was there Whensoever any occasion was offered to make mention of him I have heard several Gentlemen remember him with great praise of his Goodness and Vertue and some of them specified and recounted the kindnesses and good offices he had shewn to them in particular And whereas he was very familiarly acquainted and conversant in my Father's house I have been an Ear-witness of divers passages relating to his good Nature and to the generosity of his great Soul One of which was this That in their Voyage to Peru his people suffered much for want of fresh Water so that when they came to Tumpiz they became very sickly and many of them were so weakned by the Calenture Fever by reason of the Thirst they had endured that they were not able to leave the Ship and Land on the shore Wherefore Alvarado himself landed from the Ship and provided them with Water and though he had suffered as much by Thirst as any of them yet he would not taste a drop of Water untill he was assured that the Sick had drank and all the Ships-company had been provided Many other generous Acts of this nature were related of this worthy Gentleman though Gomara in his Writings gives a different character of him which he must have received from some of those as there were many who were envious and emulous of his Vertues and Fortune And though it was impossible to suppress the fame of his Exploits and Adventures which were notorious to all the World yet at least they endeavoured to eclipse and disparage the glory of them Of which this Authour being sensible did in part excuse and clear himself of the falsity of those reports which were given and so concludes the 192d Chapter of his Book with these words He that doth well and is not praised lives amongst bad Neighbours c. And this he said because he knew that in all estates of Men there are some who are envious and slanderers and unworthy the society of good Men being inclined to speak a lye rather than to utter truth in commendations of another And now we shall return to the Affairs of Peru and to the Transactions therein since the departure of Don Pedro de Alvarado from thence CHAP. XVII Of the Foundation of the City de los Reyes and of the City of Truxillo SO soon as the Governour had dismissed Don Pedro de Alvarado he immediately gave notice thereof to his Partner Don Diego de Almagro then at Cozco and therewith sent a great number of those Gentlemen which came with Alvarado to be entertained in the Service of the Prince Manco Inca and his Brothers John and Gonçalo Piçarro desiring them to be serviceable to the Inca and kind to the Indians for in regard the Inca surrendred himself voluntarily and of his own accord he would not have him lose that confidence and affection which he had conceived of the Spaniards in the mean time the Governour remained in the Valley of Pachacamac with design to build a City near the Sea-coast for the better advantage of Trade and Commerce And having considered upon this matter with his friends he dispatched several persons experienced in Maritime affairs to discover on both sides where was the most convenient place for a Port or Harbour At length being informed that four Leagues to the North of Pachacamac there was a very safe Port right against the Valley of Rimac which when the Governour had viewed and surveyed he transplanted the people which had begun to settle a Colony in the Valley of Saussa which is thirty Leagues from Rimac within the Land unto that convenient place where he founded the City of los Reyes in the year 1534. But as to the precise year Authours differ very much for some make it sooner and others later and some will have it in the year 1530 leaving out the 4. But not to insist on these several opinions let us compare the times with the great and notable Actions which succeeded for it is most certain and therein all Authours agree that it was in the year 1525 when Piçarro Almagro and the School-master Hernando de Luca did first enter into Articles of their Triumvirate Three years afterwards were spent in the discovery before they arrived the first time at Tumpiz Two years farther passed before they could finish their Voyage into Spain to procure their commission to make a Conquest and before their return back to Panama with Ammunition and Provisions for such an undertaking In the year 1531 they invaded the Island Puna and also Tumpiz and in December of the same year they took Atahualpa Prisoner and in March following being the year 1532 he was put to Death in October following they entred into Cozco where the Governour resided untill April 1533 when news came of the Arrival of Alvarado and in September he departed from Cozco to meet him and pay him the Money according to agreement And about the beginning of the year 1534 being Twelfth-day or the Day of the Kings he laid the Foundation of that City and so called it la ciudad de los Reyes or the City of the Kings In remembrance of which he made the Arms of the City to be Three Crowns with a Star shining over them the Form or Model of it was very beautifull for the Market place was very wide and large unless perhaps it was too wide for the City the Streets also were wide and streight so that from every corner of them cross-ways the Fields may be seen on all sides On the North-side there is a River from which several Chanels are cut to water the Lands round about and to supply every House in the City with water This Town at a distance makes no good shew nor appears well because the Houses are not covered with Tile but thatched with a sort of Straw which that Countrey yields for in regard it never Rains in that Climate nor for many Leagues distant on either side along the Coast the coverings of the Houses are all made of a sort of Straw or Rushes which grow in that Countrey on which laying a kind of Mortar or Earth mixed with Straw two or three fingers thick it makes a good defence against the Heats of the Sun But as to the Buildings themselves both within and without they are good and commodious and they daily improve their Art in Architecture This Town is about two small Leagues distant from the Sea but as the report is the parts nearest to the Sea are best inhabited The Climate is hot and moist and much of the same temperament with that of Andaluzia the difference of which is onely that the Days there are not so long nor the Nights so short in July and August as they are here so that the Sun arising there more late and setting more early hath not time to heat and
thence and in the way there are certain Pools of stagnated or standing Waters which do not run For which reason and because they are not drawn they stink and are corrupted and are about six or seven Leagues distant one from the other wherefore for better Accommodation of the whole Army Almagro ordered that the Horse should lead the Van and be the first to pass the Desart in small Parties of five and six in a Company so that the Wells being drawn by the first the Waters became sweet and wholsome for the use of those that followed and were again filled with a new supply of Water sufficient for a small Company by which means the whole Army passed without much inconvenience but Almagro himself to avoid the Desart embarked on a small Vessel which was brought for him by Noguerol de Ulloa one of his Captains who was Son of the Alcayde or chief Constable of Simancas whom the Bishop of Camora put to death Geronimo de Alderete who many years after was Governour of Chile observing when he was at Copayapu that the passage over the Mountains was clear of Snow resolved to pass that way and having many others in his company they made search for the Remains and Relicks of that great Mortality which happened to those who passed with Almagro and there they found a Negro standing against a Rock on his feet bolt upright as also a Horse on his feet as if it had been a Figure set up of Straw and the Negro holding the Reins in his hands which were rotten the skin and flesh being fallen from the bones and this was five or six years after that Valdivia had been Governour there whom Alderete succeeded And thus far are the Words of that ancient Conquerour who made Marginal Notes on the History of Gomara and farther expresses himself in the following Chapter CHAP. XXII Almagro leaves Chili and returns to Cozco Prince Manco Inca demands a second time to be restored to his Empire and what Answer was made thereunto Hernando Piçarro travels into Peru and the Inca is imprisoned ALmagro resolving to return unto Peru which in the end proved fatal to him acquainted Paullu Inca with his intention because he had found him faithfull and usefull to him asking his opinion by which way it might be most convenient to return that he might avoid the like danger as before for having considered the late disasture for want of credence or belief to the words of the Inca and that he and all his company had certainly perished therein had not God who designed to make them Preachers of the Gospel and instruments to propagate the Catholick Faith rescued them by his infinite mercy from such destruction he therefore consulted Paullu and his Indians who for answer gave him a description of the way by the Sea-coast and told him that since the Wars between Huascar and his Brother Atahualpa that way was rendred impassable for want of Water for that the Wells and Fountains of which Travellers were used to drink were filled up and covered with Sand and for want of drawing were become dry or yielded little Water which also was corrupted and stinking Howsoever he would send some Indians before who should open and cleanse the Wells and drain the filthy Water thence so that sweet and wholsome Water might spring in the place thereof and that according to the Advices he should receive from these Indians concerning the quantity of Water which these Pools yielded he might proportion the number of his several Squadrons for that Wells the more they are drained the more and the better Water they yield and that he needed not fear to divide his people for that there was no Enemy in all that Countrey to oppose them And in regard that these Pools or Wells are some six some seven Leagues distant one from the other he would cause Leather Bottles to be made for carrying Water to supply their necessities by the way in which manner the Incas his Ancestours did use to travel over those desarts This discourse and proposal of Paullu Inca Almagro and his Captains judged very rational and therefore they desired him to order matters in the same course and method herein for the common good and benefit of all as was agreeable to the custome of the Incas his Forefathers from whom he was descended Paullu being very proud of the Commands of the Governour and his Spaniards and that they were pleased to repose such a confidence in him in a matter where their lives and safeties were concerned he instantly set to work and with all diligence dispatched away his Indians to open and cleanse the Wells and Springs with Orders to return him Advices according as they succeeded therein And farther he gave order to flea some Sheep that with their Skins they might make Vessels for carrying Water and that Provisions of food should be made sufficient to supply their necessities during their Journey and travel over those eighty Leagues of desart Countrey Whilst these matters were preparing the Indians which were sent before to open and cleanse the Wells and Springs sent Advices of their proceedings and that the Spaniards might when they were pleased begin their Journey But Almagro did not think fit so absolutely to confide in a matter of such importance wherein the life and safety of his whole Army did consist unto the bare report of the Indians but for more security and better caution he dispatched four Horse-men before with Orders to advise him from the end of every days Journey of the Waters and of the way not trusting to Advices by word of mouth but to avoid mistakes to send all by writing Upon the certainty of these Informations the Spaniards adventured to begin their Journey in greater and lesser Parties untill they were all departed out of Chili In this manner they travelled untill they came to Tacama where Almagro received intelligence that Noguerol de Ulloa was not far distant who was that person whom the Marquis of Piçarro had employed in a Ship to make discovery of the Ports which were on that Coast and to proceed as far as Chili that he might from thence bring him intelligence of the proceedings and successes of Almagro and accordingly send him recruits and provisions as his occasions required Almagro as we have said hearing that Noguerol de Ulloa was near wrote him a Letter desiring to see him that he might inform himself of all the Transactions in Peru since his departure In answer whereunto Noguerol gave Almagro a meeting at which they had opportunity of discourse together at large but that they might have more time mutually to relate the successes of both Kingdoms and not retard the March of the Army and that he might also oblige Noguerol who was very much his friend he told him that he would go aboard his Ship where he would be his Souldier and Seaman for three or four Days and in the mean time his Army might proceed in
remember how he had been an instrument to raise his dear Brother to that high pitch of honour and prosperity which he now enjoyed That he would behold and consider him for an old decayed and gouty Man and therefore admit of his Appeal that he might pass those few unhappy days which remained to him of life within the dark solitudes of a Prison there to lament and bewail his sins Ferdinando Piçarro remained deaf and unmoved with all these pressing instances which were sufficient to have mollified a heart of steel saying that he wondered much that a Man of his Spirit and Courage should entertain such apprehensions of Death To which he replied That since Christ himself feared it how much more might the frailty of his Nature be touched with the approach thereof And lastly he conjured him by the reverence due to his old Age which according to the course of Nature could not long continue Almagro was hardly brought to Confession having still hopes of life but at length he submitted and having confessed to the Priest he made his Will and Testament making the King and his Son Don Diego his Heirs Howsoever he would not own the Sentence passed upon him lest Execution should immediately follow Nor would Fernando Piçarro allow the Appeal both because he had received Commands from Francisco Piçarro to the contrary and likewise because he believed that the Council of the Indies would revoke the Sentence In fine Execution was performed and notwithstanding all the Applications made for him he was strangled in the Prison and afterwards publickly beheaded in the Market-place at Cozco in the year 1538. The Death of Almagro was greatly lamented but by none more unless by his own Son than by Diego de Alvarado who was once security to Almagro for Fernando Piçarro and procured his release and freedom out of Prison and yet notwithstanding all that could in gratitude and on the score of the like usage be pleaded for him nothing would prevail Wherefore Alvarado returned to Spain to impeach Francisco Piçarro and his Brothers and to demand satisfaction from Fernando for breach of promise but whilst he followed this Suit at Valladolid where the Court then resided he died but not without some suspicion of Poison because he lay not sick above three or four days Diego de Almagro was a Native of Almagro it was never certainly known who was his Father though some say he was a Priest. He had never learned letters nor could he reade howsoever he was an undertaking Man diligent and ambitious of Honour and Fame he was free and liberal yet not without Affectation of vain-glory contriving to make the World witnesses of his generous Actions His Souldiers loved him for the Presents and Largesses he gave them otherwise he was hated for the hard treatment he frequently used towards them both in Words and corporal Punishments He remitted the Debts of a hundred thousand Ducats which his Souldiers owed him tearing and cancelling the Obligations of those who were present with him in Chili which was a piece of Liberality more becoming a Prince than a Souldier and yet when he was dead there was not a Person that would bestow a Clout to cover his Wound His Death seemed the more Tragical and so much the more cruel because he never would put any Man to death who had relation to Francisco Piçarro He never was Married howsoever he had a Son by an Indian Woman in Panama he called him by his own Name and gave him good Education but his end was unhappy as will appear hereafter Thus far Gomara the which is confirmed as we said before by Carate And now on this occasion it is necessary we should say something for the better understanding of this whole matter After the Victory Hernando Piçarro laboured for his own security to drive his Enemies far from him lest they should kill him for after the Battel the Animosities which one side conceived against the other were raised to such a degree of hatred that they passed the terms of all reconciliation For though Hernando Piçarro endeavoured to the utmost of his power to win the affections of the most principal Persons yet so far was that rancour spread and the malice so virulent that Men publickly declared that they wanted onely an opportunity to revenge themselves On the other side his friends who found themselves disappointed of their vain hopes began to fall off from him taxing him with want of compliance and breach of promise for every one imagined mighty things and flattered himself at least with the Command of a Province And though as Gomara saith Hernando gave to every one something for it was impossible to prefer every Man yet the most part esteemed themselves disobliged and became as uneasie and discontented as the worst of his Enemies Wherefore as the onely means to be freed from the insolences of those who complained they were not sufficiently gratified and from the Plots of those who were his professed Enemies he amused their minds with the thoughts of new Conquests as shall be specified in the following Chapter When Almagro was condemned to dye his Estate was confiscated to the use of his Majesty At first Hernando did not intend to put him to death but onely having made his Process to send him into Spain but when he perceived that Plots were laid to cause his escape out of Prison and that the publick discourse of the Town was that Hernando was more to blame than Almagro taxing him to have been the great Incentive of all the discords and differences between the two Governours which had never arose to that heat of passion had not he blown them into a flame saying farther that on the score of his own private piques and to doe himself justice he had devested Almagro of his Government who had expended more of his Estate and had contributed more to the Conquest of that Countrey than all those who belonged to Piçarro which were matters of such high provocation as were able to move the stones to rise up in judgment against them When Hernando Piçarro was certified of these matters and was particularly informed that one of his Captains called Mesa who Commanded the Artillery was discontented for want of his Pay as we shall more at large declare hereafter and therefore designed to set Almagro at liberty he then resolved to put him to death and to hasten his execution supposing that when he vvas once out of the vvay all the passions for him vvould vanish and all things return to a setled condition of peace and quietness All which imaginations succeeded to the contrary as vvill be proved by the sequel of this Story Gomara saith That though diligent enquiry was made to know the Father of Almagro yet it could never be discovered and in confirmation hereof Carate adds that being an Infant he was laid at the Church-door the which may very well be and yet he not be a Bastard for the Catholick Church
augmented Many of his friends who knew the true state of matters and how ill the Death of Almagro would be resented by the Emperour dissuaded Fernando from this intention especially since Diego de Alvarado was then residing at the Court and ready to accuse him saying That this matter would be better negotiated at a distance than upon the place Howsoever Fernando would not hearken thereunto being of a contrary opinion that he had greatly deserved of the Emperour for his many Services and for having by way of Justice cleared the Countrey of those turbulent Spirits who were Disturbers of the Peace At his departure he advised his Brother Francisco not to repose confidence in any of the Almagrians especially those who were gone into Chili whom he had found to be constant and affectionate to the Memory of Almagro And he farther counselled him not to permit them to Cabal for by experience he had found that five onely of them being together were plotting in what manner to kill him At length being departed he came to Spain and appeared at the Court with a great Equipage and Riches but it was not long before they carried him from Valladolid to the Prison of Medina de Campo from whence as yet he is not freed And herewith Gomara ends that Chapter For the better understanding of which we are to know That though Gonçalo de Mesa had served Hernando Piçarro in Quality of Captain of the Artillery yet he with many others was much discontented because he looked upon himself as ill rewarded for his former Services and that when he expected to have been sent Commander in Chief he was then employed Under-Captain to Pedro de Candia Wherefore finding himself in this manner slighted without any place of Honour or Advantage he began to speak ill of Hernando Piçarro and to threaten that he would set Almagro at liberty whensoever they brought him forth to carry him to los Reyes All which he declared openly and without any consideration of the danger he incurred of his life he assembled his friends and formed a party for Almagro in which he found many that were ready to comply So soon as Hernando Piçarro was informed hereof he immediately with all diligence went to the Collao but Mesa was not then Quartered there being newly returned with Pedro de Candia from the Frontiers and was then at Mussus which lyes Eastward from Collao a Countrey very Mountainous and full of deep Rivers as we have described at large in the Life of the King Inca Yupanqui The Spaniards by reason of these impediments not having been able to make their Conquests were returned from Collao when Hernando met them and put Gonzalo de Mesa to Death and cashiering Pedro de Candia from his Command he bestowed it on a certain Gentleman called Peranzures de Campo Redondo who afterwards made an entrance into that Countrey and did more than any that went before him howsoever the ways and passages were so difficult that all his labours and endeavours proved vain and fruitless Pedro de Candia esteeming himself affronted and agrieved hereby being troubled to be deprived of his Command concealed the anger hereof in his breast untill such time as an opportunity presented that he might declare for the Almagrians the success whereof was fatal to him as we shall see hereafter For Pedro de Candia could not so well dissemble his resentments but that they were visible to Hernando and appeared in his countenance for though the Tongue be silent yet the Face commonly discovers the grief or the delight of the Heart the like dissatisfaction was also apparent in the behaviour of many others Wherefore considering that his endeavours to lessen the numbers of his Enemies served to multiply them he was as it were forced to put Almagro to death which he accordingly executed after his return to Cozco from Collao supposing that when the cause and object of all these Mutinies and Disturbances was removed all things would return to the usual and setled condition of peace and quietness but it happened out quite contrary For by the dolefull Tragedy of the Death of Almagro Hernando Piçarro rendred himself so odious that his condition was much more secure by putting himself into the hands of the Justice of Spain where Diego de Alvarado was ready to accuse him than if he had remained in Peru where the opposite Faction of Almagro watched onely an opportunity to destroy him Hernando Piçarro was a discreet Person and against the opinion and persuasion of all his friends judged it the least evil to make a Voyage into Spain where he imagined that the great Services he had performed in the Conquest of that Empire and the insuperable Labours he had overcome in the Siege vvould justifie his Cause before his Majesty and the Riches vvhich he imported vvith him for the King 's and his ovvn account vvould make his Access easie to the Royal Presence and obtain more mercy for him than he could expect from his Enemies in Peru who onely attended an opportunity to kill him Hernando having on these Considerations left the Indies and escaped out of the hands of his Enemies that hatred which was prepared for him was converted against his Brother the Marquis and proceeded so far as in the end to effect his ruine the which will appear in what is to follow Hernando Piçarro being arrived in Spain Diego de Alvarado brought a severe Indictment against him desiring that the Cause might be tried either by the Civil Law or by a Court-Marshal as his Majesty should direct or otherwise he challenged him to a single Combat offering to prove by force of Arms that he had violated both his Word and Faith and that he himself was guilty of those crimes which he had objected against Almagro Moreover he laid many other things to his charge which for brevity sake we shall pass by Upon these Accusations Hernando was committed to the Prison of Medina del Campo during which time and whilst Alvarado was prosecuting his Suit he complained that many rich Presents both of Gold and Silver and pretious Stones were given with intention to corrupt the minds of certain persons the which being proved was occasion of trouble to some great and considerable Men. But this being a nice point we have onely touched upon it and the rather because in the heat of this prosecution Alvarado died not without suspicion of poison by reason as Gomara saith that his Death was sudden and unexpected Howsoever before that time he had so well grounded his process and proceeded so far that he had obtained several Verdicts against his Adversary Howsoever at length time which accomplishes every thing moderated the severities of his Imprisonment from whence he procured his discharge in the year 1562 after twenty three years that he had remained in custody which he sustained with great equality of mind of which he gave most certain proofs in all the particulars of his adverse fortune which
dangerously wounded three of the Russians But in regard there were so many to one and that he was above the Age of sixty five Years he began to grow faint so that one of the Villains making a Pass at him ran him through the Throat with which falling to the Ground he cried out with a loud voice for a Confessour but time not being given for Confession he made a Cross with his Right Hand which clapping to his mouth he kissed it and so expired his last Breath so dyed that famous Don Francisco Piçarro the most renowned amongst the Worthies who hath so much enriched and made great and still by the Riches and Treasure he hath acquired continues greatness and Riches to the Crown of Spain and to all the World as appears by what hath been already declared and what is manifested by the effects in these our days And yet not withstanding all this vast Treasure and Greatness he died poor and forsaken having no Friend so much as to wind him in a sheet or lay him in his Grave by which it may appear that all the favour and prosperity which Fortune had been bestowing on him during the whole course of his Life was snatched away on a sudden in less than the space of one hour To confirm which Carate in the 8th Chapter of his 4th Book hath these Words In this manner he resigned his Soul unto God and with the Marquis two of his Pages were killed of the Faction of Chili four were killed besides others that were dangerously wounded So soon as this news was spread through the Town above two hundred Men appeared in favour of Don Diego de Almagro which though armed and in a readiness yet durst not declare themselves untill they saw how the matter succeeded and then they dispersed themselves over all parts of the City seizing and disarming those whom they believed to be well affected to the party of Piçarro The Assassinates having done their work came out of the House with their Swords drawn and bloudy and John de Rada causing Almagro to mount on Horse-black conducted him through the City proclaiming him Governour over all Peru and sole King thereof Then they plundered the Houses of the Marquis and his Brother and of Antonio Picado and caused the Corporation of the City to receive Don Diego for Governour by virtue of that Capitulation and Charter signed by his Majesty at the time of the first Discovery of these Countries whereby the Government of the new Toledo was granted to Almagro and his Heirs or to such Person of Persons as he should assign After which they put several to Death whom they knew to be Servants and Dependants on the Marquis which caused great Cries through the whole City the Women weeping and wailing to see their Husbands murthered and their Houses plundered All which time none durst touch the Body of the Marquis to bestow decent Burial thereupon unless some few Negroes who rather dragged than carried it to the Church untill John de Barbaran and his Wife who were inhabitants of Truxillo and had been Servants to the Marquis having first obtained leave of Almagro buried him and his Brother in such decent manner as they were able The which they were forced to perform with such haste that they had scarce time to cloth his Body with the Habit of St. Jago of which Order he was a Knight and to put on his Spurs before they were told that those of Chili were coming in great haste to cut off his Head and to place it on the Gallows So that Barbaran was forced to slubber over the Funeral and Offices for the dead with great haste defraying the Charges of the Torches and other Duties at his own Expence And having laid the Body in the Grave they immediately endeavoured to secure his Sons who lay privately concealed for the party of Chili were now become Masters of the whole City Hence we may learn the variety of Fortune in this World if we consider in how short a time a Gentleman was brought to nothing who had discovered and governed and possessed such a vast Extent and Tract of Land and Kingdoms and had bestowed a greater Revenue and Riches on others than the most powerfull Prince in the World was able to have done and how in a moment he was made to perish without time given him to confess and prepare for his Soul or settle his Estate and that he should be assassinated by the Hands of twelve Men onely at Noon-day and in the midst of his City where the Inhabitants were all his Servants and Creatures Kinsmen and Souldiers and all had eaten of his Bread and subsisted by his Bounty and after this that none should dare to come unto his Succour but rather fly from him and abandon his House And moreover that his Burial should be so obscure that of all the Riches and Greatness he possessed there should not be left so much as to defray the Charge of the Wax-Candles and other Expences of his Funeral the which and other Circumstances preceding his Death by which as we have specified he would take no warning are so strange as can be attributed to no other cause than to the unsearchable Judgments of Almighty God. Thus far are the Words of Carate In which place he makes a comparison between the Death and Burial of Almagro and this of Piçarro the circumstances of whose Life and Death were in all things agreeable They were companions and had sworn Friendship and entred into Articles to gain and conquer that Empire and it is strange to consider with what equality Fortune balanced the course of their Lives and the circumstances of their Deaths As the same Carate reports in the Chapter following Many Years after saith he that the Wars were ceased in that Kingdom the Bones of this brave and worthy Gentleman were taken up out of the Grave and with such decent Solemnity as became them were put into a Coffin and interred in a Vault of the Cathedral Church on the Right-hand of the High Altar Where it remained in the Year 1560. when I came for Spain The Death of the Marquis happened on the 26th of June in the Year 1541. Carate who was a good Historian imitated the method of the great Plutarch comparing the Lives of these two famous Heroes who were unhappy Spaniards and ill rewarded by the World. Howsoever he judges them so worthy that he could never express sufficient wherewith to exalt their Praises and comparing their Lives Customs and Death together fills a whole Chapter with that Subject which is the 9th of the 4th Book which being transferred into these our Commentaries shall serve for the 8th Chapter of the 3d Book of our Second Part the Words whereof verbatim are these CHAP. VIII Of the Actions and Qualities of the Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro and the Lord Deputy Don Diego de Almagro IN regard that the Discovery and Conquest of this Province which is the Subject
there excepting some few who made their escape in a small vessel so that there remained not one Spaniard alive in all the Coast where the Pearl is taken So soon as Bartholomew de las Casas was informed of the death of his friends and the loss of the King's Treasury he entred himself a Frier amongst the Dominicans with which an end was put to all his great Actions so he neither advanced the King's revenue nor ennobled his Artisans nor sent his Pearls to the Flemins and Burgundians as he had promised And thus far are the words of Gomara This and much more to the prejudice and disparagement of Bartholomew de las Casas was reported by those who found themselves aggrieved by the late new regulations though Gomara endeavours to mince and disguise much the matter but those of Peru who speak more plainly of this matter report that he had turned Frier in discontent because he was fallen under his Majesties displeasure and feared lest he should be called to account for the false relations he had given of matters which he had never seen nor understood of the Countrey of Cumana and because he was conscious to himself that he had been a principal Contriver of the new Statutes upon the specious pretence of raising the King's revenue and out of a zeal he shewed to the good and benefit of the Indians but how real and sincere all this was may very well be judged by his actions of which people spake and talked more at large than can be expressed in this History Diego Fernandes reports that this Frier Bartholomew was by the Emperour created Bishop of Chiapa which is a Countrey in the Kingdom of Mexico but he durst not go to his See by reason of the many mischiefs which he had been the Authour of in the Indies In the year 1562. I met him at Madrid where he gave me his hand to kiss but when he understood that I was of Peru and not of Mexico he was a little more reserved in his behaviour towards me CHAP. IV. The Reasons which the Complainants gave against the new Regulations And the manner how they prepared to receive the Vice-king MUCH and many were the Reasons which the Complainants produced against the new Regulations as well those of the City of Los Reyes as of all Peru. And the better to clear this point we must observe that both at Mexico and in Peru the Spaniards had then a Custome amongst them which continued untill 1560 which was the year that I came from thence to make choice of four Gentlemen of principal quality in whom they could repose most confidence and trust to be Officers of the Royal revenue to collect the fifths of the King's gold and silver in what part soever it did arise and this was the first Tribute which the Catholick Kings imposed upon the new World. These Officers of the revenue were Treasurers Accountants Factours and Comptrollers and to them was committed the care besides the fifths to collect such Tribute from the Indians as became due by the death of the Inhabitants who all held their Estates of the King. Besides which Offices the Spaniards every year in all parts where they inhabited made choice of two chief Constables in ordinary one Judge and a deputy Judge with 6 8 or 10 Justices of the peace more or less according to the extent of the Countrey and to them several other Officers were adjoined to conserve the safety and welfare of the Commonwealth These Officers as also all Governours Presidents Judges and other Ministers of Justice and their Deputies were concerned in the third ordinance by virtue of which both they and such as had been employed in Offices were commanded to quit all claim interest and power in and over the Indians In opposition whereunto the Complainants made this Reply We said they at the hazard and expence of our Lives and Bloud have gained this large Empire which contains many Kingdoms and Dominions the which we annexed to the Crown of Castile In reward of these our services and adventures the Indians which we now possess and retain in our services were given and granted to us for two Lives the which dominion and jurisdiction ought to be as firm and valid as the Seigniories or Lordships are in Spain Now the reason why this privilege is taken from us is no other than because we are chosen to be Commissioners of his Majesties Royal revenue and employed in the Offices of Justices of the peace and Judges If we have administred these Offices faithfully and without the prejudice or aggrievance of any person what reason is there that we should be deprived of our Indians onely because we are in the service of his Majesty and bear our part in the Government of the people It had been better for us to have been Thieves Adulterers Homicides and Robbers rather than honest men since that the Law is in force against the latter and not against the former With like liberty and freedom of speech did those who were comprehended under the fourth Law vent their anger namely those who had taken party with the two Factions of the Piçarrists and Almagrians by virtue of which as Diego Fernandez observes no person in all Peru could be master of Indians or Estates What fault said they had we who obeyed the Governours and Magistrates which his Majesty had sent us as both those were and who acted by Commission from his Majesty And if there arose private quarrels and animosities amongst themselves by the instigation of the Devil to which men diversly adhered yet neither of these Parties acted against the Crown And if one Party was in the wrong and was guilty of Delinquency yet the other acted for the King's service and why then should they be equally punished by confiscation of their Goods and Estates with those who have offended which seems to be such a piece of Injustice as is not to be parallel'd by the tyranny of Nero and seems rather to proceed from an arbitrary Constitution to satisfie the lust and interest of certain persons than from a desire tending to the welfare and good of the Subject To all which they added a thousand curses upon those who had contrived these new Laws or counselled his Majesty to pass and sign them and to order the execution of them with such severity on pretence that it was for his service and advancement of his Royal Crown If they said they had been at the Conquest of Peru and sustained those labours and hazards which we have done they would have been of another mind than to make such Laws nay rather they would have been the first to oppose them In confirmation whereof they quoted several passages in History both ancient and modern which might be compared to the civil Wars between the Almagrians and the Piçarrists and particularly said they in the Wars of Spain between those two Kings Don Pedro the Cruel and his Brother Don Henrique to
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
precincts of their Jurisdiction To which Bachicao made answer That in case he came attended with his Souldiers it was onely with intent to guard himself from the attempts of the Vice-king without other design to the damage or prejudice of their Countrey for that his Commission was onely to transport Doctour Texada one of his Majesty's Justices into Spain who by Instructions received from the Courts of Judicature was sent to render an account to his Majesty of all Matters which had passed of late in Peru and that he would onely set him on shoar there to refresh himself for a while and make such Provisions as were necessary for his Voyage Upon this assurance admission was given him into the City but so soon as he arrived two Ships which were then in the Port made sail into the Sea but one of them was chased by the Brigantine and being taken was brought back and both the Master and his Mate hanged at the Yard-arm which much offended the Town and put them into a great consternation but it was now too late to defend themselves or repent of their folly in trusting their estates and lives to the mercy of Bachicao who was now entered the City and there being no hopes of timely relief from Captain John Guzman who was raising men for assistance of the Vice-king which men afterwards revolted to Bachicao who also seized on the Cannon which Vaca de Castro had brought thither with the Ship on which he made his escape Thus did Bachicao tyrannize over the people seizing their estates with an arbitrary power for none durst to assert a right and title to what he possessed in contradiction to his will and pleasure and during the time of his aboad here he publickly put two of his Captains to death who conspired against him and moreover he acted other pieces of like severity by virtue of his own absolute authority causing the Cryers to proclaim openly before those whom he put to death So is the will and command of Captain Hernando Bachicao At this time Vaca de Castro was at Panama where having intelligence that Bachicao was coming he fled to Nombre de Dios and embarked for Spain in the North-sea as did also Diego Alvarez Cueto and Jeronimo Curbano who were Ambassadours from the Vice-king likewise at the same Port Doctour Texada and Francisco Maldonado took shipping for Spain and sailed friendly together though of three several Factions Doctour Texada dyed in the Voyage in the Chanel of Bahama but Francisco Maldonado and Diego Alvarez arrived safe in Spain and immediately took post for Germany to render an account to his Majesty respectively of the Affairs committed to their charge Vaca de Castro touched at the Isles of Terçeras and thence sailed to Lisbon from whence he travailed to the Court for he thought it not safe to goe by the way of Seville where the Brothers and Relations of John Tello de Guzman lived whom as we said before he had caused to be put to death after the overthrow of Diego Almagro the younger being arrived at the Court he was by Order of the Council of the Indies confined to his House and an Accusation brought against him after which he was imprisoned in the Fort of Arevalo for the space of five years during which time his cause was depending After which they appointed him a House in Simancas and thence as the Court removed they assigned him the Village of Pinto and the bounds thereof for his confinement untill his business was fully determined Thus far are the words of the Accountant General Augustine de Carate And here he breaks off without telling us farther what sentence was given in his case because he had ended his History before that time And indeed by reason of the malicious informations and calumnies of his Enemies which were all false the determination of his cause was protracted for a long time at which he was not much troubled because he knew that at length he should come off with the honour and reputation of a good Minister and Governour of that Empire which accordingly succeeded for he was restored to his former place in the Royal Council of Castile from which he was so long kept out that when he came to be restored he was then the most ancient Member of all that Council and in this condition I found him when I was at the Court of Madrid in the year 1561. And besides this favour of his restauration he had other rewards given him in recompence for his hard usages and services performed in Peru in conservation of the Imperial Authority and to his Son Don Antonio Vaca de Castro who also was a Knight of the Habit of St. Jago as his Father was there was a Rent given him of twenty thousand pieces of Eight out of such Lots or Divisions as he should chuse and esteem of that value I remember to have seen this Gentleman at Nombre de Dios as he passed in the Retinue of the Count de Nieva who was sent for Vice-king of that Kingdom in the year 1560. and went then to take possession of that Estate which was the reward of his Father who to speak without flattery or partiality was generally reputed to have been the best Governour that ever had passed into those parts as is agreed by all the three Historians in the characters which they give of him there being not one ill action for which they blame him And now let us return again to Peru and relate what the Vice-king Blasco Nunnez was contriving all this time The Vice-king being retired as Carate reports in the sixteenth Chapter of his Book with about an hundred and fifty men at the time that Bachicao surprised the Ships in Tumbez he marched with them as far as the City of Quitu where he was chearfully received and his Souldiers re-inforced to the number of about two hundred men resolving to remain in that Countrey which yielded plenty of provisions for the subsistence of his men untill such time as he received farther Orders and Instructions from his Majesty And taking good information of all things that passed from Diego Alvarez de Cuero he kept strong Guards and Spies on all the high Roads to inform himself of all the actions that Gonçalo Piçarro was doing though it is three hundred leagues distant from Los Reyes to Quitu during which time four Souldiers who were dissatisfied upon some occasion with Piçarro stoal a Boat and coasted all along the shore from Los Reyes by the help of their Oars untill they came to a shore which was the nearest Sea to Quitu where being arrived they informed the Vice-king of all passages how the People of Los Reyes and other places were discontented with the Government of Piçarro and with the tyranny which he used towards them ejecting some out of their Houses and Estates imposing Souldiers on free-quarter upon them and other burthens which they were not able to support of which they
place without regard either to the Moon or Stars Herewith the discourse ended at which Carvajal was greatly troubled and complained amongst his friends and familiar acquaintance that his Lord the Governour resolved upon a most pernicious course especially in this critical time of his life which was more dangerous than any other in this opinion all others did concur and were much afflicted to see him thus resolute and without regard to his safety or condition to deliver up himself as it were into the hands of his Enemies there was no doubt but he was a man of great understanding and therefore we may attribute this violent transport to the influence of the Stars which carried him beyond his reason and caused him as it were to offer the Knife to his own Throat and reject the reasonable counsel of his Major-General But we must return again to the President and often change our hands from one party to the other The passage being now made free and open by the retreat of John de Acosta the Royal Army had liberty to march without fear or danger of an Enemy but by reason of the great incumbrances of Cannon Ammunition and Provisions four days were spent before they could clear themselves out of that uneasie passage of which three days were required to march from the River to the top of the Mountain where the Army was drawn up from which place the President gave command to march the Army with great order howsoever the ways were so narrow and rugged and the Baggage so great that the Officers could not observe that rule they desired and notwithstanding all their endeavours the longest march they could make in a day was not above two leagues and sometimes but one and then perhaps they were forced to stay a day or two untill the Rere could come up In the mean time Gonçalo Piçarro hastned his Men out of Cozco and to march unto Sacsahuana where he designed to expect the Enemy and give them Battel His Captains were all young and stout and such as depended most upon their own bravery and courage in confidence of which they chearfully hastned out of Cozco to anticipate the day which should make them Lords and Masters of all Peru. But Carvajal and those of his opinion who were the most sober and considerate were very unwilling to meet the Enemy not having men in whom they could put any confidence for amongst their own Party were three hundred of those Souldiers which belonged to Diego Cemeno who had been lately overcome and many of them as yet not cured of their wounds and therefore in reason ought to be esteemed for such who desired their overthrow and destruction or at least would run away in the day of Battel and discourage those who were faithfull Friends to Piçarro These considerations administred just cause of fear and danger to divert which Carvajal often turned to dissuade Piçarro from that fatal Counsel which would inevitably betray him to a loss of his life estate honour and every thing that was dear unto him But so God ordained it as those of the contrary party said that Piçarro having completed the measure of his iniquity was blindly carried to receive the punishment he deserved The which obstinacy so displeased several of his people that they purposed to have lest him if possibly they could and I can confidently aver that after the Battel of Sacsahuana and when all things were quieted I have heard some principal Officers who belonged to Piçarro say that if he had followed the advice and counsel of his Major General they would never have left him but have died with him for they esteemed Carvajal as an Oracle and entertained such an esteem of his knowledge and experience in War that they doubted not of the success in all matters where his counsel was followed But Piçarro persisting in his fatal resolution marched out of Cozco towards the latter end of March in the year 1548 and in two days came to Sacsahuana being greatly hindred by his Carriages Artillery and Baggage for he was well furnished with all provisions for War so as not to want any thing in case the Enemy should stay or linger in their coming And though as we have said this action was contrary to the sense and opinion of most men yet finding Piçarro fixed and resolute in his determination none durst to dissuade or endeavour to alter his mind and in regard these men evidently saw that he went positively to sacrifice himself and them to manifest destruction every man began to provide for his own inteterest and safety and to abandon Piçarro whom they saw plainly offering up himself to death in the most flourishing station of his life being in the two and fourtieth year of his age during which time he had been victorious in all the Battels he fought either against Indians or Spaniards and had not above six months before obtained that famous Victory at Huarina which gave him a character above any in this new World all which fortunes and successes were changed and buried in the Valley of Sacsahuana CHAP. XXXIV The two Armies meet in Sacsahuana Gonçalo Piçarro shews a diffidence of those Souldiers which belonged to Diego Centeno and the expectation the President had that those men should revolt to his side The Offers and Protestations which were made by Piçarro The Answer given by Gasca It is resolved to decide the Difference by Battel The Order of the Royal Army GOnçalo Piçarro drew up his Army in a certain place of that Valley having a River behind not very broad and a craggy Mountain and both so met together that the situation was naturally strong and covered the Army on all quarters in such manner that it could not be attacked in the rere nor on either side but on the front onely This River towards the Mountain is fortified with great Water-galls caused by the streams which fall from above between which and the River Piçarro pitched his Tents leaving the Plain between the Water-galls and Mountain free and open for drawing up the Army The President as we have said making short marches arrived in this Valley three days after Piçarro and three days passed with small skirmishes and piqueering between small parties which were of no great moment by which time all the Imperial Army was come up The Armies faced one the other for two days afterwards without engaging all which time Piçarro and his Captains kept a strict eye and watch on their Souldiers that none of them should run over to the President And now one would think that a Commander who voluntarily marched to meet his Enemy should have great confidence in the fidelity of his Souldiers and not doe as Piçarro who too late began to distrust Centeno's men of which there were no less than three hundred in the Army and began to approve the Counsel of Carvajal who persuaded him long since to dismiss those men of whom there being no assurance they were
out one of his Armes he was so penned within so that they were forced to carry him to the foot of the Gallows which was erected on this occasion All the way he went he said his prayers in Latin which the Souldier who gave me this relation did not understand the two Priests who went along with him did ever and anon put him in mind to recommend his Soul unto God to which Carvajal made answer So I do Sir and said no more in this manner being come to the place of execution he submitted with all humility to his death without speaking a word or shewing any misdemeanour Thus dyed the brave Francisco de Carvajal of whom at his death Gomara Chap. 187. gives this Character He was eighty four years of age when he died he had been an Ensign at the Battel of Ravenna and Souldier under a very great Captain he was the most famous Warriour of all the Spaniards who had passed into the Indies though he had no great parts nor great experience But I know not what Gomara means in so saying for what greater testimonies can a chief Officer give of his abilities and experience than to overcome in Battel and know how to gain Victories over his enemies Some Historians say of him that he was born in a certain Village of Arevalo called Ragama it is not known of what Family he was onely that he had been a Souldier all his life and was an Ensign at the Battel of Ravenna and as hath been said he was present when the King of France was taken prisoner at Pavia he was also at the sacking of Rome but got nothing there it happening to him as to other good Souldiers that whilst they are fighting the Cowards run away with the booty Three or four days after the Town was taken and sacked Carvajal finding that no share of the prey fell to him he entred into a Notary's or Scrivener's Shop where he found great numbers of Writings Bills and Bonds and Conveyances of Estates all which Carvajal seised upon and carried away four or five Mules lading thereof and lodged them at his own Quarters so soon as the fury of the plunder was over and that things began to be quiet the Scrivener returning to his House perceived that all his Writings were carried away and considering that no man could make any benefit thereby he hunted up and down all the Town for them and at length finding them in Carvajal's hands he agreed for a thousand Ducats to have them restored which enabled him to make a Voyage to Mexico with his Wife Donna Catalina Leyton though some as we have said will not allow her to be his Wife howsoever it is certain he was married to her and she was generally esteemed for his Wife over all Peru and for a vertuous Woman of noble extraction for the Family of the Leytons is very ancient in the Kingdom of Portugal From Mexico as we have said Carvajal passed to Peru and in all the course of his life the War was his delight and the thing which he loved and adored availing himself more on the reputation of a Souldier than of a good Christian and this is the character which all Authours give of him though generally speaking he was not so bad as is reported for he esteemed it the principle of a good Souldier to be a man of his word and he was very gratefull for any benefit gratuity or kindness given or shewn to him Augustine Carate speaking of Carvajal Book 5. Chap. 14. hath these words He was a man of a middle stature very corpulent and of a ruddy and sanguine complexion he was very skilfull in military affairs having always been practised in War he was very patient of labour and hardship much more than was agreeable to his age for it is strange to consider that neither day nor night he put off his Arms nor did he lie on a Bed when it was necessary for him to take his natural rest but onely reposed himself on a Chair with his Arm under his Head. He was so great a lover of Wine that when he found no Spanish Wine he would drink of that Liquor which the Indians use which never any Spaniard that I have seen did ever delight in He was very cruel in his nature for he put many people to death upon very slight causes and some without any fault or cause at all onely for reasons of State or conservation of the military Discipline and when he put them to death he did it without any remorse or compassion passing upon them jeers and sarcasms and shewing himself pleasant and facetious at that unseasonable time In short he was a very bad Christian as he shewed both by his words and actions Thus far Augustine Carate CHAP. XLI Of the Cloaths which Francisco de Carvajal wore and of some of his quaint Sentences and Sayings FRancisco de Carvajal did much value himself on the trade and formalities of a Souldier he commonly wore instead of a Cloak a Moorish Bornoz or Plad of a brown Colour with a Fringe and a Cape to it in which habit I have often seen him On his Head he wore a Hat having the brims lined with black Taffaty and a plain Silk Hatband with a plume of white and black Feathers taken from the Wings and Tails of common Cocks or Hens twined one within the other in form of an X the which piece of gallantry he affected that his Souldiers might follow his example and wear any Feathers whatsoever for he would often say that Feathers were the proper badge of a Souldier and not of a Citizen for that which was the dress of one was a sign of fantastical lightness in the other and that he that wore this Device did thereby promise great valour and bravery that is That he would fight with one singly and kill him stay for two and not fly from three and though this was not Carvajal's saying but an old Proverb amongst the Souldiery relating to their Feathers yet he was a man who on all occasions uttered many quaint Sayings and Sentences full of wit and pleasantness I wish I could remember them all for divertisement of the Reader but such as I can call to mind and are modest and civil I shall repeat for he used much liberty in his speech and some undecencies which are not fit to be mentioned Carvajal meeting upon a certain time with a Souldier who was crooked in his Body and very ill shaped asked him Sir What is your name to which he made answer that it was Hurtado which is as much as a thing stoln I for my part said Carvajal should be troubled to find you much more to steal Carvajal marching one day with his Troops chanced to meet with a Friar who was a Lay-brother and as there were no Lay-Friars at that time in the Countrey and I know not whether any of them are come thither since he suspected that he was a Spie and would
of the Emperour that he would give him twenty Stabbs but said he I will not doe it because I will not foul my hands with the bloud of so dirty a Villain as thou art who having been a Souldier in Peru hast yet the base and poor spirit to become a Slave in the Gallies Why didst not thou run away as the other eighty five have done Get thee gone in the Devil's name for I had rather goe alone than thus ill-attended and having said thus much he gave him three or four good Cuffs on the Ear and so let him goe And therewith Rodrigo went directly to the Farmers of the Customs to give them an account of the great care he had taken of the Gally-slaves but that wanting men to guard and secure them they were all escaped and indeed he was in great apprehensions and fear of his own Life lying at the mercy of so many men who had a power over him greater than his The Commissioners of the Custom-house were much amazed to hear this Story and knew not what to say to it untill farther Examination In the mean time this last Gally-slave according to his own base spirit talked at large of this matter in the first Victualling-house he came unto and told all the particulars which Rodrigo Ninno had either said or done this Story filled all the Town with discourse and came at length to the hearing of the Commissioners who thereupon seized upon Ninno and the King's Attorney accused him with high aggravations of his fault alledging that he had given liberty to eighty six of the King's Slaves for every one of which he ought to pay the value and price of ransome The Suit against him was prosecuted and Rodrigo Ninno not being able to justify himself he was condemned to serve the King with his Horse for the space of six years in Oran and with two other Companions at his own charge and that in the mean time he was not to return to the Indies But Ninno appealed from this sentence to the Prince Maximilian of Austria who then governed Spain in the absence of his Imperial Majesty who was his Uncle His Highness inclined a favourable Ear to the Advocates of Rodrigo Ninno who gave him a large account of all the Services which Ninno had performed against the Rebels and how ill he had been treated by those who had joyned with Gonçalo Piçarro and how he had been employed by the Vice-king Vela Nunnez to seize on certain persons and how ill he was treated by them because he would not take their party as we have at large mentioned in the eleventh Chapter of the fourth Book and second Part. They also related the Trick he plaid the Pyrate at Sea how the Gally-slaves escaped from him and how he released the last of them and what words he said to him All which the Prince heard with his usual favour and clemency and was sensible that the escape of the condemned men was caused by default and omission of those whose business it was to provide sufficient Guards and that Ninno lay at the mercy of the Slaves to whom he was beholding for not killing him When the Agents observed how gratiously the Prince understood the cause of Ninno they begged the favour that the Offenders might be admitted to the presence of his Highness which being granted and that Ninno made his appearance accordingly the Prince put such pertinent questions to him as any Learned Lawyer or Counsellour could have done Art thou said he the man to whom eighty six Gally-slaves were entrusted and that they all fled from you and made their escape excepting one and did not you beat that single fellow from you and caused him also to run away Most Serene Prince answered Rodrigo Ninno I could not doe more than what I did for they did not furnish me with Men and Guards sufficient to secure so many men God knows my heart and the World hath received sufficient testimonies of my duty and service towards his Majesty And as to the Gally-slave whom I drove from me I had compassion of him for methoughts it was pity to commit that poor Rascal alone to the Gallies and force him to labour for all the others who were fled from me nor was I willing to have his Curses or reward him so ill as to put him into the Gallies because he had been more true and faithfull to me than all his other companions And now I refer my self to the justice of your Highness to be punished in case my crimes or faults deserve your royal displeasure No answered the Prince it is they who are to be blamed and are accordingly to be punished and not you for as to your part you have done like a Gentleman and therefore I acquit you from the sentence so that you have free liberty to return to Peru when you please Rodrigo Ninno kissed his hands and gave humble thanks to his Highness and some years afterwards he returned to Peru where he more at large related these matters which we onely touch upon in brief and openly professed that in all Spain he found no friend to speak in his behalf and favour but onely the good Prince Maximilian de Austria whom God preserve and maintain with increase of Honour and Dominion Amen CHAP. X. The second Division of Lands is published The President departs for Spain The death of Licenciado Cepeda The coming of the President to Panama THE President Gasca with such impatience desired to acquit himself of the Government that every hour seemed a year whilst he remained in that Office and therefore used all possible endeavours to quicken his dispatch And that he might not be longer detained he left order as Palentino before saith with the Arch-bishop of Los Reyes to publish after his departure the second division he had made signed with his own hand and having as he supposed made a sufficient provision for all things and disposed matters in their due form and manner he embarked with all speed and sailed from the Port called Cullao making his Cross upon Peru vowing with passion never more to see it again And after eight days were past publication was made of the new distribution which Palentino mentions in these words in Chap. 4. Lib 1. Part. 2. The time being come which the President Gasca had allotted for publication of the second Division and which was impatiently expected by the Pretenders they all flocked to the publick Hall of Judicature and the Judges being set upon the Bench the Seals of the Instrument were broken up and the writing read in publick The issue of which was this Those who had the least expectation were favoured with good allotments and those who had most were entirely left out and remained without any distribution It was pleasant to see and hear the diversity of mens behaviour and sayings some came out with pleasant countenances and others frowned and swore and cursed the President being now become
brought to the City and though this Party were not in combination with the Contreras yet finding the City in a combustion they made use of that opportunity to rob something for themselves so some of them were whipped others pilloried and not onely Rebels but Pilferers were punished who thought it good fishing in troubled waters The President ordered the Head of Hernando de Contreras to be set on the Gallows and pitched upon a Spike of Iron with his name written upon it but no other punishment was passed by the President upon the Offenders for when he returned to Panama he found that work already done to his hand for they were all killed before he came thither After which with great expedition he embarked for Spain as Palentino mentions in the tenth Chapter of his second Part in these words Thus did the President Gasca consummate all the good fortunes which had befaln him◠both in Spain and Peru by the late prosperous success in recovery of the Treasure which was robbed from him which was signalized by many remarkable circumstances with this Treasure he embarked for Spain where being happily arrived he travelled into Germany to attend on his Majesty who had already bestowed on him the Bishoprick of Placencia which was become vacant by the death of Don Lewis Cabeça de Vaca of happy memory in which charge he continued untill the year 61 when Don Phelipe our Catholick King and Lord advanced him to the Bishoprick of Ciguença in which he remained untill the month of November 77 when God was pleased to take him out of this present world Thus far Palentino which is confirmed by Lopez de Gomara Chap. 193. Gasca saith he embarked at Nombre de Dios and arrived in Spain in the month of July in the year 1550 with great riches belonging to others but as to himself his chief Wealth was his Reputation In going and coming and in his time there he spent above four years the Emperour made him Bishop of Placencia and called him to Augsburg in Germany to certifie unto him by word of mouth all matters which had passed in the Indies with the true state of Peru. Thus far Gomara with which he concludes that Chapter And though this Authour says the President Gasca fought with the Rebels and subdued them he means that his good fortune had delivered them into his hands by the resolution and care of others for he never saw them either dead or alive Thus did this worthy person most happily conclude his days whose memory ought for ever to be celebrated in regard that by his good fortune excellent conduct prudence and wisedom the new Empire containing a thousand three hundred leagues in length was recovered and restored to the Emperour Charles the Fifth with a vast Treasure which he brought with him CHAP. XIV Francisco Hernandez Giron proclaims his Commission and Design for making a new Conquest upon which many Souldiers flock to him which causes great Disturbance and Mutinies in Cozco but is suppressed by the Prudence and Moderation of some Citizens LEaving now the President Gasca Bishop of Ciguença entombed with Ensigns and Scutchions of honour and fame we must in the next place make a long and speedy transition from Ciguença to Cozco where we shall find many sudden alterations for so soon as the President Gasca was departed for Spain all the Inhabitants of divers Cities returned to their respective homes and places of aboad every one to look after his particular concernments amongst which General Pedro de Hinojosa was one and Captain Francisco Hernandez Giron went to Cozco publishing on his way thither the Commission he had received to make a new Conquest and in order thereunto he appointed several Captains to list men in Huamanca and Arequepa and in the new Plantation whilst he himself with great solemnity by sound of Trumpet and beat of Drum proclaimed his Design and Commission in Cozco upon which publication above two hundred Souldiers flocked to him from all parts for he was a popular man and well beloved by the Souldiery Such a number being got together took a liberty to speak of the late Transactions according to their humours and to vilifie and contemn the President and the Governours he had left in the Empire and so publickly scandalous and impudent was their discourse that the Governours of the City thought it time to find ways to suppress it and John de Saavedra who was then Mayor of the Town desired Hernandez de Giron to expedite his departure as soon as possible that they might be freed from the insolence of the Souldiers For though the Captain himself entertained several of them in his own Family yet the rest were quartered on the Citizens in their private Houses which though it were an aggrievance to them yet as Palentino saith they were unwilling to part with them because this expedition deprived them of their People so that in case his Majesty should impose any thing on them to their farther prejudice they should be disenabled from making opposition to encroachments on their Estates and Privileges as they had formerly done with good success c. For my part I know not whence this relation should proceed for it is well known that it had been much better for the Citizens to have the Souldiers employed in distant and remote enterprises than to lye at free quarter upon them being obliged to maintain some four or five some six or seven in their houses and to afford them meat drink and lodging with cloaths and other conveniences and how then it can be as this Authour saith I know not since it is plain and evident that the Inhabitants were consumed and undone by those chargeable Guests But we must excuse this Historian in many passages related by him for he was not personally present when they were acted but received his informations from others which are often doubtfull and contradictory and so full of mutinies that every page is filled with them whereby all the Inhabitants as well as Souldiers are rendred Traytors and disloyal to the Government All which we shall lay aside as not pertinent to this History and shall onely insist on the most material passages of which I my self was a Witness having been present in Cozco when Francisco Hernandez and his Souldiers made their first disturbance And I was also present at the second mutiny which passed about three years afterwards all which I observed without any notice taken of me for I was a very boy and had not attained the age of a young man howsoever I had so much understanding as to see and observe the discourses which my Father made of the several affairs which passed in that Empire And therefore I can truly aver that these Souldiers carried themselves so proud and insolent that the Government was forced to take notice of it and consult a remedy which when the Souldiers understood they applied themselves to their Captain desiring him not to suffer them to
Majesty And though these fellows had been Traitours more than twice or thrice to the King and false to their Friends as will appear by the Sentence which some few months afterwards was passed upon Godinez yet they cry up nothing now but duty and loyalty to the King. And here it is remarkable that from the Murther of the General Pedro Hinojosa to the death of Don Sebastian there was not above the space of five days between as Palentino writes for Hinojosa was killed on the sixth of March and Don Sebastian on the eleventh following in the year 1553. And now Basco Godinez and his Comrades having killed Sebastian they delivered John Ortiz de Carate and Pedro Hernandez Paniagua out of Prison and Chains and set them at liberty and told them that what they had acted was with intent to give them their freedom and to deliver the City from that total ruine and destruction which those Rebels and Traitours had plotted against it and also out of a principle of Loyalty to serve his Majesty And Vasco Godinez particularly said these words as are repeated by Palentino Chap. 17. Gentlemen for the love of God since you see that I have received a wound in my Hand be pleased to apply your selves to the Souldiery and encourage and exhort them to stand firm in their loyalty and service to his Majesty But when John Ortiz de Carate saw that all the Assassinates and Murtherers of the General were actually amongst the Souldiers and that the principal Ruffian and Villain called Hernando Guillada was a Captain he began to fear lest they should kill him to prevent which he cried out aloud that they should make Guillada their Captain and perhaps he thought it might be convenient so to be Thus far Palentino Those words of John Ortiz de Carate were wisely and seasonably spoken for 't is believed that they saved their lives thereby in the mean time Vasco Godinez went to have the wound of his Hand dressed of which he was more tender than of the life of Don Sebastian the same night he dispatched away six Musquetiers to guard the ways leading to Potocsi to intercept all Advices which might be sent hereof to Egas de Guzman and presently seised three of his Souldiers and before it was day he hanged them up for he knew that they were Villains who were acquainted with all his Plots Treacheries and Intrigues so soon as it was day he sent to call John Ortiz de Carate Pedro Hernandez Paniagua Antonio Alvarez and Martin Monge who were all Citizens and Free-men of the City besides which there were no others at that time and he told them with high commendations of his own merit the great danger he had incurred in killing the late Tyrant the service he had done his Majesty thereby and the particular benefit and happiness he had procured to them in particular and to the whole City in general And that now in return and recompence of so great and meritorious Services he desired nothing more of them than to be chosen Chief Justice of that City and the parts adjacent and to be nominated Captain General of the Forces since that Egas de Guzman was very strong and had many Souldiers with him in Potocsi and to maintain this degree and quality he desired to have the Manors of the General and those Vassalages of the Indians conferred upon him being now vacant by his death To which the Citizens made answer that they were not a number sufficient to agree upon such Elections and feared to run themselves into danger in case they did But John Ortiz apprehending lest Godinez should take this refusal in ill part answered more out of fear than affection that in case Gomez Hernandez who was a man learned in the Law would give his opinion that they might legally doe it that then they would readily comply with his desires to which the Lawyer gave his opinion readily and that they might doe it and much more in respect to the great merit and services of Godinez Hereupon a publick Notary was called and before him Godinez was nominated to be Lord Chief Justice and Captain-General of the Souldiery and for support of these great Dignities the Estate of the late General Pedro de Hinojosa was settled upon him which as we have said with the Mines of Silver yielded him two hundred thousand pieces of Eight of yearly rent an excellent and worthy reward for two such famous pieces of Treason and Murther which this Villain had contrived and woven purposely to wind himself into this great Estate which he was resolved to possess by any means or ways whatsoever And in like manner this honest Lawyer got himself into another allotment called Puna and to hold it in Custodiam untill it should be otherwise disposed Upon this passage Diego Hernandez saith as follows It is manifest that they intended to pay themselves and to sell at a good rate the power they had over the Souldiers and make advantage of the dread and terrour which the Citizens conceived of them who feared lest they should be more cruel towards them than Don Sebastian had been Thus far Diego Hernandez Then they nominated the Lawyer Gomez Hernandez to be Lieutenant-General of the Army and John Ortiz de Carate and Pedro del Castillo to be Captains of Foot this Election was made to signifie that they would not dispose of the military Offices arbitrarily but in such a manner as that the Citizens should have a share with them in the Government which they accepted more out of fear than good will towards the Cause or Persons with whom they were embarked Hereupon Proclamation was made that all people should obey Basco Godinez as General and Baltasar Velazquez as Major-General and six Souldiers were presently dispatched away to seise upon Don Garcia and the rest who were returned from the good employment they were sent about for killing the Marshal Alonso de Alvarado Baltasar Velazquez to shew the power of his Office caused two Souldiers of note to be drawn and quartered who brought Letters and Advices from Egas de Guzman at Potocsi to Don Sebastian de Castilla He sentenced another Souldier to be hanged called Francisco de Villalobos and two other Souldiers who were Friends to him to have their hands cut off but by the mediation of the other Souldiers a remission was granted to have onely one hand dismembred all which this good Major-general acted within the space of four hours after he was promoted to this honour The day following Martin de Robles Paulo de Meneses Diego de Almendras and Diego de Velazquez entred into the City having fled from the Souldiers who fought to take them together with several others of less note and esteem The which being known to Basco Godinez who kept his Bed in tenderness to his wound he sent to call John de Ortiz to him and desired him to persuade Paulo de Meneses Martin de Robles and the rest who were
newly arrived to assemble together in Council and join with the rest in confirming the Election of him to be Chief Justice and Captain-General and also the Settlement made upon him of the Estate of Pedro de Hinojosa To which demand they made answer that they had no power nor authority so to doe nor was an act of theirs either legal or valid and if he would take their counsel as Friends they would advise him to desist from such like pretensions for that it would look as if the killing of Don Sebastian de Castilla had been acted by him for the sake of his own interest and not for the service of his Majesty with this answer Godinez grew highly incensed and with a loud voice vowed that whosoever pretended to abate the least tittle of his honour he would pretend to take away their lives Wherefore he commanded them all to enter into Consultation and having set sixty or eighty Souldiers at the Door of the Room where they were assembled he gave orders to kill him or them who should refuse to sign or set his hand to any thing which he required to be done which when Paulo de Meneses and his Companions understood they approved the Election though much against their will and would have done much more if it had been demanded for Gomez Hernandez the Lawyer assured them that in case they complied not with him he was resolved to put every one of them to death Godinez finding himself now confirmed by the authority of two Assemblies was very much pleased though both Sentences served onely for his greater condemnation Riba Martin who was the chief of five Musquetiers sent to take Don Garcia Tello de Guzman had the fortune to apprehend him about five leagues distant from the City being on his way thither in hopes of the favour and protection of Don Sebastian de Castilla and his party but when he understood that Basco Godinez and Baltasar Velazquez and Gomez Hernandez who had been the chief Conspiratours and contrivers of the Murther of Pedro de Hinojosa and had been deepest in the Rebellion and who had been the most intimate Friends of Don Sebastian were the persons who had assassinated him he could not but greatly admire and remain astonished thinking it impossible that those who were more deeply concerned in that black Murther and Rebellion than Don Sebastian should object that crime to him onely and kill him for that which was their own Plot and Conspiracy And whereas he was a Man who had been principally concerned in all the Plots and Intrigues of the Rebels he told Riba Martin that he did not question but that they would kill him to prevent the discoveries he might make of all the Plots and Villanies they had contrived and acted And so it happened for so soon as he was brought to the City Basco Godinez gave order to Velazquez as Palentino saith to kill him which he accordingly performed to prevent the Testimonies and Evidence which he might produce against them These are the words of that Authour who afterwards proceeds as follows When Don Garcia perceived saith he that he had but a short time to live he desired to be admitted to confession and when John Ortiz de Carate came in to see him he beseeched him that since he was shortly to die he would intercede for him to have one days time to recollect himself and consider of his sins for that he was a young man and had been a great sinner At that instant Baltasar Velazquez entred the Chamber and without suffering John Ortiz so much as to speak he commanded him to void the Room and told Don Garcia that he had but an hours time given him to live which he was to make use of for preparation of his Soul and being in confession he often admonished him to dispatch and before he had done he threw the Cord about his Neck which he drew so hard that it brake and then applying another Rope which he supposed too slow in doing execution he drew out his Sword and cut his Throat and Head off therewith which being done John de Ortiz clothed him in his Burial Shrouds and caused him to be interred The like sort of Justice they passed upon others not admitting any of them to confession nor to any legal proceedings lest at the Tribunal of Justice they should have impeached them to have been the chief and original Plotters and Contrivers of this Rebellion Thus far Diego Hernandez Chap. 19. who a little before discoursing of this matter saith as follows It was the great Master-piece of all their policy to put men to death without giving them time to confess lest they should accuse them and discover their Plots and Treacheries and as to those in whom they had any confidence of being secret and faithfull to the designs they would keep in hand and encourage allowing them time to be gone and make their escape which they acted by traversing Justice to that side and party whereunto their own interest most chiefly directed Herewith Diego Hernandez concludes his eighteenth Chapter and with much reason detests the abominable practices cruelties and treacheries which these men acted upon their best and most intimate Friends for they were the wretches who had designed and contrived the death of Pedro de Hinojosa and had above three years before resolved to kill him in case he should refuse to become their Head and chief Commander in their intended Rebellion And then afterwards the villany and barbarous cruelty of these men is not to be expressed who killed those who knew their wickedness and caused themselves to be elected Judges and chief Magistrates to condemn those whom they had caused to sin and rendred guilty of all those murthers and bloudy cruelties which they had plotted and contrived But Heaven found them out at last and punished them according to their demerit as we shall see hereafter CHAP. XXVII Of what happened in Potocsi Egas de Guzman is drawn and quartered Other outrages are committed by the Souldiers Many brave men are put to death Cozco arms against the Rebels THese and many others were the horrible and execrable Villanies which passed in the City of Plate and now we shall proceed to what was committed in Potocsi where they robbed all the Treasure belonging to his Majesty which was so great and vast a sum that it amounted to a million and a half of pieces of Eight which all vanished to nothing and never was there one farthing of it recovered for it was taken away after the death of Hernando de Alvarado his Majesty's Accomptant-General whom Antonio de Luxan having made himself Chief Justice of that Town and parts thereunto belonging had sentenced to die and as he went to Execution he published his Crime to have been that he had sided with the General Pedro de Hinojosa with intention to raise all the Kingdom in arms against his Majesty And now we must understand that a certain Friend of
reason that it was troublesome and delatory to send them into Spain and besides in their way thither they might find means to make their escape as those had done who were committed to the charge of Rodrigo Ninno for of all his number which were eighty six there was but one that arrived in Seville We do not undertake here particularly to set down the precise number of those who were put to death and whipped being so many that an exact number could not be kept of them onely a calculate may be made of them from the latter end of June Anno 1553 to the end of November of the same year when a new Insurrection was begun by Francisco Hernandez Giron every day was a day of Assise whereon four five or six a day were condemned and the next day they were executed The which expedition of justice could not be avoided considering how full the Prisons were and how necessary a Gaol-delivery was for security of the Countrey which was put into that amazement and confusion by the boldness and insolence of the Rebels that no man remained secure either of his Life or Estate Howsoever the malitious and unthinking people styled the Judge with the terms of cruel and implacable and of another Nero who could with so little remorse and compassion condemn four or five a day unto death and those of the most principal Souldiers and such as perhaps had been either deceived or enforced to a compliance and yet when he arose from the Bench and was returning to his own House he could entertain light and indifferent discourses laughing and jesting with the Attorney-General as if those who were condemned to die were Capons or Turkies entred in a Bill of Fare to be served up at his Table And such other Libels and scandalous Speeches were vented against the Government that it had been well if Laws had been made to restrain the excesses and liberty of malitious and virulent Tongues In the month of October of the same year as Diego Hernandez saith Basco Godinez was charged and arraigned of many heinous and crying offences which are specified in the Sentence passed on him for which he was condemned to be drawn and quartered And it is certain that the Marshal was troubled that he could not meet with Baltasar Velazquez who was gone to Lima for had he been found he would have incurred the same punishment that Godinez had done c. The declaration of the Crimes of Basco Godinez were contained in a few words proclaimed by the Executioner which were these This man having been a Traitour to God to his King and his Friends is sentenced to be drawn and quartered The which saying is so full and pithy that it contains as much as can be said or wrote in many Chapters And thus did the severity of Justice pass on the Offenders untill towards the end of November as we have said when news coming of a new Rebellion raised by Francisco Hernandez Giron a stop was given to farther proceedings against the rest of the imprisoned Souldiers which seemed to happen opportunely that the fear of a second Rebellion might moderate and allay the severity exercised against the first The Indians of Cozco prognosticated this Rebellion openly and loudly in the Streets as I heard and saw my self For the Eve before the Festival of the most Holy Sacrament I being then a youth went out to see how the two Market-places of the City were adorned for at that time the Procession passed through no other Streets but those though since that time as I am told the perambulation is double as far as before And being then at the corner of the great Chapel of our Lady of the Merceds about an hour or two before day I saw a Comet dart from the East side of the City towards the Mountains of the Antis so great and clear that it enlightned all places round with more splendour than a full Moon at midnight It s motion was directly downwards its form was globular and its dimension as big as a large Tower and coming near the ground it divided into several sparks and streams of fire and was accompanied with a Thunder so low and near as struck many deaf with the clap and ran from East to West which when the Indians heard and saw they all cried out with one voice Auca Auca Auca which signifies in their Language as much as to say Tyrant Traitour Rebel and every thing that may be attributed to a violent and bloudy Traitour as we have before mentioned This happened on the nineteenth of June in the year 1553. when the Feast of our Lord was celebrated and this prognostication which the Indians made was accomplished on the thirteenth of November in the same year when Francisco Hernandez Giron began a Rebellion which we shall relate in the following Book The End of the Sixth Book Royal Commentaries BOOK VII CHAP. I. News being spread of the severe Proceedings of Justice in the Charcas Francisco Hernandez Giron conspires with the Planters and Souldiers to raise a Rebellion COmmon Fame published in all parts of the Empire with what Severity they proceeded in the Charcas against those who had been concerned in the Rebellion of Vasco Godinez and Don Sebastian de Castillia and their Adherents in like manner it was reported whether true or false it matters not much that the Marshal was preparing farther process against such Offenders as lived without the Precincts of his Jurisdiction And that by a Letter which was written from Cozco it was advised as Palentino relates Chap. 24. in these words That in Potosi they had lopt off the branches but that in Cozco they would extirpate them from the very roots the which Letter though written as is said by John de la Arreynaga without malice or design yet it served to awaken Francisco Hernandez Giron and caused him with more vigilance to place a watch on the road to bring him information of all people that passed lest the Marshal should surprize him unawares and moreover he advised his Friends to discover if possible the correspondence which passed between Guil. Ramirez who was at that time Governour and the Marshal these are the very words of that Authour who farther says that all the Inhabitants were in an uproar upon Proclamation made that every one was to acquit and discharge the Indians of their personal services and that the Governour had rejected and torn a Petition which was tendered to him in the name of all the Inhabitants representing this aggrievance The truth is I cannot but much admire how it is possible for men to report things so different from all reason and probability as to say that none of the Inhabitants of that City were discontented and scandalized at the severe proceedings against the Rebels but onely Francisco Hernandez Giron who had been engaged in the two late Rebellions as this History makes mention Nor is it to be believed that the Governour who was a
himself with his Sword Gomez Arias clapt his hand on the hilt commanding him to deliver up his Arms which Hernandez refusing to do and still striving Sylvestre thrust the point of his Lance to his Breast telling him that unless he did as Gomez Arias bid him he would immediately kill him Hereupon Hernandez resigned his Sword to Gomez Arias and having set him up on the Horse behind Arias they carried him away Prisoner and being come to the place where they intended to lodge that night Gomez Arias desired that the Prisoner might be committed to the custody of the Sheriff who was to take care to keep and secure him from an escape The Captains consented hereunto and ordered that he should be committed to Prison and being under a Guard of Souldiers they marched with him by the way of the Mountain until they came to the City of Los Reyes The Captains Michael de la Serna and John Tello intended to have executed Justice on many of the Rebbels that they had taken according to their Commission but seeing so many Noble Persons amongst them and some poor silly fellows they were touched with a remorse and compassion for them and so banish them into divers parts out of the Kingdom But that after these Acts of Mercy they might seem to execute some piece of Severity they put one of them to death named Guadramiros who had been concerned in the Conspiracy of Don Sebastian and was the boldest bloodiest Villain of any of those who adhered to Hernandez and so his Life satisfied for the Crimes of his Companions The fame of the taking Hernandez was soon spread and divulged into all parts upon news of which the Major General Don Pedro Portocarrero and Captain Baltatar Velazquez who some few days before had by order of the Justices marched out of Cozco with thirty Souldiers and two Colours in search of Hernandez made what haste they could to joyn with the other party who conducted the Prisoner that they might partake of the glory of that Victory which others had acquired and might enter into Los Reyes with triumph as if they also had been concerned in that happy exploit In this manner they met some few Leagues before they came to the City and made a triumphant entry with all four Colours flying but in regard the two Captains only were concerned in the taking of Hernandez they with their Companies marched in the middle between the party commanded by the Major General and Captain Baltatar Velazquez the Prisoner was placed in the midst between the four Colours and on each side and before him went the three Souldiers already named who took him After these followed the Infantry in rank and file and in like manner the Cavalry In the rear of all came the Major General and the three Captains The Musquetiers in token of rejoycing and triumph fired several Vollies as they marched and indeed the joy was universal to see an end put to that Rebellion which had given a disturbance to the whole Empire and had brought ruin and misery as well on the Indians as the Spaniards which was so great and enormous that if it were rightly scann'd and considered it will appear that we have not described the tenth part of the destruction and ruin it had produced CHAP. XXX The Justices make Laws to prevent future Insurrections They entertain a troublesome Conference with Souldiers who pretend Rewards for their great services Justice is done upon Francisco Hernandez Giron his Head is fixed on the Gallows and taken thence by a certain Gentleman with the Heads of Gonçallo Piçarro and Francisco de Carvajal The strange death of Baltatar Velazquez THE Justices coming from Pucara where Hernandez was defeated made a stay at Cozco for some few days to order several matters conducing to the good Government of the Empire which for above a year had been in confusion and subjected to the Arbitrary Lust of Tyrannical Rebels by which it was reduced to such misery as cannot be expressed Captain John Ramon was made Governour of the City of la Paz where his Estate lay and his Jurisdiction over Indians And Captain Don John de Sandoval was sent to the City of Plate and to Command that and the Provinces thereunto belonging And Garcilasso de la Vega was made Chief Justice and Governour of the City of Cozco and the Lawyer Doctor Mojaraz was appointed Deputy and Co-assessor with him and to continue in that Office during the Will and Pleasure of the Justices but the Governour not being pleased to have his Deputy at the disposal of another Power and not at his own desired to have that Clause amended which the Justices accordingly ordered And Doctor Mojaraz by the good and tractable disposition of the Governour and by the good Correspondence which passed between them so well acquitted himself that after the space of three years which determined his Office he was promoted to another place not inferiour to the former which was much different to the Lot and Fortune of his Successour as will appear hereafter During those few days that the Justices made their Residence in the City of Cozco several Captains and Souldiers grew very importunate with them to grant them Lands and Commands over Indians in reward of the many Services they had done his Majesty both in these present Wars as in those preceding To which the Justices made answer that as yet the Wars were not at an end since the Chief Rebel of all was not as yet taken and that many of his Souldiers were still actually in Arms and dispersed over all the Kingdom and that so soon as things were a little settled in peace and quietness that they would then take care to reward them in the name and behalf of his Majesty And in the mean time they advised them not to hold Cabals or private Consultations together lest thereby they should give occasion to scandalous Tongues to report matters tending to their dishonour and prejudice The Justices being by this answer freed from the Molestation of these Importunities News came that Francisco Hernandez was taken which caused them to hasten a dispatch of their business that they might come speedily to Loss Reyes to pass Judgment on this Arch-Rebel Doctor Saravia departed six or seven days before Santillan and Mercado his Brethren of the Bench. The Captains John Tello and Michael de la Serna who brought Hernandez Prisoner Committed him to the Royal Prison belonging to the Chancery and took from the Keeper a formal Receipt and Acknowledgment of his being delivered to his Custody which was drawn up in full and ample manner Two or three days afterwards Doctor Saravia came to Town having made great haste to be present at passing the sentence of Death on the Prisoner which was executed eight days after the Doctor 's arrival as Palentino declares Chapter 58 in these words His Examination being taken at the conclusion thereof he declared That all Men Women and Children Friers
this Gentleman did not pass into Peru we do not find his Name in List of the Vice-Kings which were transported into that great Kingdom In the mean time whilst these matters were transacting in the Court of Spain the Vice-King of Peru dispatched away his Son Don Garcia de Mendoça for Governour and Captain General of the kingdom of Chile which was become vacant by the Death of Geronimus de Alderete who died on his way thither of grief to think that 800 Persons perished in the Galeon by his fault and the fault of his Sister-in-Law for he knew well that if it had not been in consideration of him the Master of the Ship would not have given License to that Religious Woman to keep a Candle in her Cabin by night which was the destruction of the Vessel and of all those therein The advancement of Don Garcia de Mendoça to that Charge and Trust was pleasing to all those of Peru so that many Souldiers and Persons of Estates offered themselves freely to accompany him in that Expedition knowing that it would be a Service acceptable to his Majesty and to the Vice-King Santillian the Chief Judge of the Chancery was appointed Deputy Governour to Don Garcia and to direct and guide him and he was earnestly intreated to accept of this Office. Great preparations were made over all the Kingdom for this Journey of Armes Horses Cloaths and other Ornaments which cost very dear in this Country where all the Commodities of Spain are raised to a vast price The Vice-King also appointed three other Gentlemen of Quality for three several parts which were within that Conquest namely Gomez Arias John de Salinas and Anton de Aznayo every one of which was very stuâ—â—ous to discharge his Duty in his Office respectively Don Garcia de Mendoça being gone to his Government attended as we have said with a great number of Choice and Select Persons So soon as he was in the possession thereof he speedily designed the Conquest of the Indian Araucos who were become very insolent and proud by those Victories which they had gained over the Spaniards The first was that over Don Pedro de Valdivia which was followed by some others afterwards which are written in Verse by the Poets of those times which had been much more properly delivered in Prose for then we might have given Credit thereunto more than we can to the Fictions of Poetry The Governour having in a short time provided himself with all things necessary for the War entered into the rebelled Provinces with a number of brave Men Arms Amunition and Provisions for the Enemy had carried away every thing leaving the Country naked and without any Sustenance for an Army They had not entered very far into these parts but the Indians had fitted an Ambush for them and had composed a Vanguard of 5000 Indians with orders not to fight nor come within any danger of being forced by the Enemy to an engagement The Spaniards being informed by their Scouts and Spyes sent abroad that the Indians fled before them without any stop or stay in a setled place gave order to pursue them with all convenient speed and yet with such Caution as not to be entrapped by their Ambushes or Surprisals for the Governour at the time he first entered into that Country had been fore-warned by those who had been acquainted with the Stratagems which those People use in the War by skirmishing and flying to be always circumspect and doubtful of them Howsoever so eager was the Governour to pursue the Enemy in hopes totally to destroy them and by a bloody slaughter of them to discourage the rest from making farther opposition that he made little use of the Caution which was given him for leaving his Camp and Tents he followed the Enemy a whole day and a night and being removed at a good distance from thence out came the Indians from their holes and places where they had been hidden and seized on the Camp without any opposition and plundered and carried away all the Baggage and Necessaries belonging to the Army With the News hereof the Governour was forced to give over his chase and see to recover what the Enemy had plundered from him but it was too late for they were returned to their secret Holds and to the places where they had concealed their booty past all recovery The news of this success came to Peru almost as soon as that of the Governours arrival in the seat of his Government so that all the World wondered at this sudden accident and how in so short a time the Indians should be such Gainers and the Spaniards such Losers for they had lost all their Baggage even to their very Shirts and wearing Cloaths To repair this disaster the Vice-King sent away with all speed new Recruits of all things that were necessary in which he expended out of the King's Treasury vast sums of Gold and Silver at which People much murmured as Palentino saith meaning the first expence which was made when Don Garcia went to his Government of Chili but mentions not this second charge occasioned by the Robbery which the Indians had made upon him which was more displeasing than the former and moved People to say That the Vice-King for the sake of his Son had exhausted the Kings Exchequer of all the Treasure But as to what succeeded afterwards in the Kingdom of Chile we shall leave to other Writers and confine our selves to the Territories of Peru having expatiated our selves from thence no farther than only to touch on the departure of the Vice-Kings Son from thence and the death of Loyola Those who think fit to write the History of that Kingdom will find subject enough whereon to enlarge their Discourses on a War which hath continued already for fifty eight years between the Indians and Spaniards that is The Araucans rebelled towards the end of the year 1553 and now we are in the year 1611 and the Wars not as yet ended We might here recount the unhappy death of the Governour Francisco de Villagra with 200 Spaniards more which happened on that ridge of Mountains which hath ever since had the name of Villagra We might here also tell of the death of Major General John Rodulfo with 200 men with him whom they killed on the Bogg or Marsh of Puren I could wish to have been informed of the several particular successes of these Affairs and many greater which happened in this warlike Kingdom that I might have added them to this History But I do not doubt where People have been born with such Martial Spirits but that the same Countrey will produce in future Ages Sons of her own endued with a Spirit and Genius of Learning capable to write their own History And it shall be my Prayer to God That Knowledge and Learning may flourish in all that famous Kingdom CHAP. XIV The Heirs of those who were put to Death for siding with Francisco Hernandez Giron
in Chile and which now the Indidian Araucos still wage with the Spaniards according as they are described in Verse by Poets who write thereof Of which we have many other examples in Mexico as well as in Peru which may serve to demonstrate the Cruelty of the Spaniards and the Constancy and Bravery of the Incas Of which I could give many instances in my own time and of my own knowledge but I shall let them pass rather than give offence by this History Thus did this poor Prince submit with great Courage to Death yet Rich and Happy in that he dyed a Christian and was much lamented by those Religious Orders which assisted him at the Hour and in the Agony of his Death namely those of St. Francis our Lady of Merceds St. Dominick and Augustine besides a multitude of other Priests and Clergymen who bewailed him with much grief and sorrow and said many Masses for his Soul Howsoever they were much comforted and edified to see with what Patience and magnanimity he entered on the Scene of Death and with what Acts of devotion like a good Christian he adored the Images of Christ Our Lord and of the Virgin his Mother which the Priests carried before him Thus did this Inca end his days who was the lawful Heir to that Empire being descended by the direct Male-Line from the first Inca Manco Capac which as Father Blasâ— Valera saith had continued 500 or near 600 years This Compassion and Sorrow was the general sense at that time of all the Country as well of Spaniards as Indians And tho' we may believe that the Vice-King might also be in some measure affected with this Passion yet he might have other Reasons of State sufficient if known to justifie this Action The aforesaid Sentence executed on the good Prince was seconded by the Banishment of his Sons and Kindred to the City of Los Reyes and of those who were born of Indian Mothers and Spanish Fathers into divers parts of the New and Old World as before related Which we have anticipated out of its due place to make room at the end of this our Work for so sorrowful a Tragedy which is the ultimate Scene of the second part of these our Commentaries Praised be God for all things CHAP. XX. Don Francisco de Toledo returns to Spain His Catholick Majesty gives him a severe reprehension His End and Death As also of the Governour Martin Garcia Loyola IT is not fit to conclude our History with the Death of Don Philip Tupac Amaru alone and therefore we shall accompany it with a short Relation of the Death and End of the Vice-King Don Francisco de Toledo Who after he had compleated the time of his Government which was very long and as some say 16 years he returned into Spain with great Riches and Prosperity being reported by common Fame to have brought with him above the value of 500 thousand pieces of Eight in Gold and Silver Upon the Reputation of which he procured admittance into the Court and expected to be made one of the great Ministers of State in reward of the special Services he had done in cutting off and extirpating the Royal Line of the Incas by which a way was made to the Kings of Spain to claim a Right of Inheritance to the Empire of Peru without other Competitor He also imagined that he had highly merited of his Majesty by the many good Laws and Rules he had Established in those Kingdoms whereby his Majesties Revenue was improved and the Mines of Plate and Quicksilver well governed by the orderly Regulations he had made therein having ordained and directed that the Indians of several Provinces should by their turns come in and work in those Mines with the same pay for a days labour as the Spaniards who are Planters in those Countries are by late Laws obliged to pay them for their work And moreover that the Indians being employed in Gardning or doing any thing for the pleasure or benefit of the Owner shall receive a pay proportionable to the value of the thing The which Regulations and Rules being many and long we shall omit to rehearse the particulars of them Upon such grounds and with such expectations as these Don Francisco de Toledo obtained admittance to the Presence of King Philip the Second and to kiss his Royal Hand But his Catholick Majesty having been duly informed of all Matters which had succeeded in that Empire and particularly of the Death of the Inca Tupac Amaru and of the Banishment of his nearest Relations and Kindred to a place where they all perished did not shew that kind and graciousacceptance of his Person as he expected but told him in short That he should go home to his own house for that the King had not sent him to kill Kings but to serve them With which Reproof he went home much dejected and under that Cloud of disfavour which he never expected In this disgrace as it is usual for men who are going down the Hill to be helpt forward in their way so certain Informers brought an accusation against him That he ordered the Salaries of his Servants and Officers to be paid in Pieces of Eight instead of Ducats so that for every 40 thousand Ducats 40 thousand pieces of Eight were made good which was an injury and damage to the Royal Treasury during the time he assisted in the Government which amounted to the value of 120000 ducats To make which good an Order was sent from the Council of State to lay a Sequestration upon all the Gold and Silver he had brought from Peru and to remain in such manner secured until the account was audited and cleared how much was owing on that score to the Royal Exchequer Don Francisco de Toledo being a man of a haughty Spirit was not able to resist this second blow of his Majesties disfavour but therewith fell into such a Sadness and Melancholly as broke his Heart in a few days We have only now to relate the End of Captain Martin Garcia Loyola whom in reward of having taken the Inca Prisoner and many other Services which he performed to the Court of Spain they married to the Infanta who was Niece to the last Prince and Daughter to his Brother Sayri Tupac whereby he came to inherit that Estate which this Princess received from her Father and for his greater Honour and Advancement and better Service of his Majesty he was preferred to be Governour and Captain General of the Kingdom of Chile where he had a great party of Horse with a good force of Spanish Infantry under his Command It was his Fortune to govern this Kingdom for several years and some Months with great Prudence and Discretion and to the contentment also and satisfaction of his Companions howsoever he was engaged in continual Labours and Embroyls caused by the Wars which were waged against the Indians and which are not yet at an end in this year 1613 having
magnificence that he was able CHAP. XVI Of the unfortunate Death of Don Pedro de Alvarado ADmiral Don Pedro de Alvarado being greatly satisfied with the kind and obliging treatment which Don Francisco de Piçarro had made him they took their leave and farewell each of other with all the kind expressions and complements imaginable offering mutual succours and assistences as the affairs and emergencies in which they were now engaged should respectively require So Alvarado returned to his Government of Huahutimallan where he reposed not long or enjoyed the riches and prosperity which he had acquired but being exalted with his triumphs and his good fortune which had ever attended him from his Youth he proceeded to higher Actions and Atchievements being restless and desirous of vain-glory untill he perished therein as we shall find hereafter And though the success hereof doth not properly appertain to this History yet considering the unhappy and lamentable end of this famous Captain who had performed so many brave Exploits in divers Countries which the Renowned John de Grijalva had discovered and in the Conquest of the Empire of Mexico in company with Hernando Cortes and lastly in the Province of Guatimala or Huahutimallan which he conquered by his own Arms and in other parts of New Spain Besides all which we may add the Conquests which he made in Peru for without his aid and assistence that Empire could never have been secured Howsoever he died as Gomara in the 210th Chapter of his History of the Indies reports besides many other particulars worthy to be mentioned which I have extracted verbatim as followeth Pedro de Alvarado remaining quiet and peaceably settled in his Government of Huahutimallan and Chiapa the latter of which he exchanged with Francisco Montejo for his Dominion of the Honduras obtained licence of the Emperour to discover and plant a Colony in Quitu which was one of the Provinces of Peru and a Countrey which was rich and not as yet possessed by the Spaniards On this Adventure in the year 1535 he armed and set forth five Ships upon which and upon two others which he fraighted in Nicaragua he embarked five hundred Spaniards and many Horses the which being landed at Puerto Viejo he marched to Quitu having in that Journey endured much cold and hunger the news whereof affected the minds of Piçarro and Almagro with jealousie and fear At length he sold the Ships Guns c. for two hundred thousand pieces of Eight which having received he returned rich and triumphant unto Huatimallan After which he built ten or twelve Ships one Gally and other Pinnaces which were light and rowed well with the Ore with design to make a Voyage to the Espeâ—eria and a father discovery towards the Cape of Vallenas called by some California In the year 1538 Friar Marcos de Niça and other Franciscan Friars travelled by Land through the Countrey of Culhuacan at least three hundred Leagues to the Westward and much farther than the Spaniards of Xalixco had as yet discovered and returned with high commendations of the Countries and of the Riches and good Air of Sibola and other Cities Upon the relation of these Friars they resolved once to send an Army by Sea to those parts under the Command of Don Antonio de Mendoça Vice-king of New Spain and Don Fernando Cortes Marquis de Valle who was Captain-General of New Spain and first Discoverer of the Coast along the South-Sea but not agreeing upon Articles they quarrelled and so Cortes returned into Spain and Alvarado was sent in his place with the Ships before mentioned for which the Money as aforesaid was paid him Alvarado sailed as I conceive with his Fleet to the Port of Navidad and thence travelled by Land to Mexico where he agreed with the Vice-king upon an adventure to Sibola without any regard to the gratitude he owed to Cortes who was the Authour of all his fortune In his return from Mexico he passed through Xalixco to subdue and reduce the people of that Kingdom who had made an Insurrection and were in defiance against the Spaniards At length he came to Eçatlan where Diego de Lopez was making War against the Rebels and joyning his Forces with him they stormed the Indians who had fortified themselves on the corner of a Rock with such resolution that having killed thirty of them they put the rest unto flight and having climbed up into a high and narrow Rock many of their Horses came tumbling down the Precipice And whereas one of them came sliding down just upon the Horse of Alvarado he to avoid him alighted intending to give him way and save himself but the Horse in his fall striking on the edge of a Rock turned his fall just on Alvarado and carried him headlong with him down to the bottom the which misfortune happened on Midsummer-day in the year 1541 and in a few days after died of the bruises he had received at Eçatlan which is a place about three hundred Leagues distant from Huatimallan he conserved his Senses and the judgment of a Christian untill the last for being asked where his chief pain was he answered in his Soul As to other matters he was a Man of a free and chearfull temper Thus far are the Words of Gomara and at the end of the same Chapter he adds That he left no Estate nor did there remain any Memory or Relicks of him unless what is before recited and a Daughter which he had by an Indian Woman which was afterwards Married to Don Francisco de la Cueva and so he concludes that Chapter This Relation is the very same which is commonly current in Peru with all the circumstances thereof onely they differ in this that one says it was a Horse that tumbled upon him and the other that it was a Rock which was thrown down by the fall of a Horse 't is probable that it might be the one as well as the other and that the Horse and Stones might come all rowling down together Besides I was acquainted with his Daughter and with one of his Sons who was a Mongrel or Mestizo as we call them born of an Indian Woman named Don Diego de Alvarado a Son worthy and not degenerating from a Father of such great renown for he resembled his Father in all his Vertues was a true pattern of him in all circumstances nor did he differ from him in the very misfortune of his Death for having with other Spaniards made his escape from the Battel of Chelqui Inca he was afterwards killed by the Indians in the pursuit as we shall hereafter relate in its due place Thus ended the Life of this worthy Cavalier Don Pedro de Alvarado he was Knight of the Habit of St. Jago and one of the most dexterous with his Lance of any that passed into the New World. His unhappy Death was greatly lamented at Cozco by all those who had been his followers in that Empire many Masses were said for his
Name though I think fit to conceal it in this place and onely recount the fact in general to the end that such a piece of cowardise may be hated and scorned by all Persons of Quality and Worthy Souldiers In short the Souldiers of Vaca de Castro made such haste that without much hurt they mounted the Hill where the Squadrons of Almagro were drawn up being much disordered and removed out of that good posture in which they were first placed Howsoever the Harquebusiers received them with such a Volley of Shot that they killed many of the Foot and wounded the Major General Gomez de Tordoya with three Bullets of which he dyed two days afterwards Nunno de Castro was also desperately wounded besides many others who were slain which being observed by Francisco de Carvajal he commanded the Horse to charge them for they were the chief Force to which he trusted being more in number than those of Almagro accordingly the Horse engaged and both sides maintained the Fight with such bravery that the Victory for a long time remained doubtfull Pedro Alvarez Holguin was killed with a Musquet-shot for being clothed in white and by his Colour and Habit known to all he became the common Mark every one aiming to hit so famous a Person On the other side the Infantry of Vaca de Castro charging the Enemy came valiantly up to the very Cannon which were now of no use in regard that by the ill discipline and disorder of Almagro's Commanders they had interposed their own Souldiers between their Cannon and the Enemy Howsoever both sides fought with such animosity and bravery that they continued fighting in the night which when it was so dark and obscure that they could not see each other they then made use of the words Chili and Pachacamac to make their distinctions whereby the Piçarrists and Almagrians knew their parties the greatest slaughter was amongst the Horse who after the use of their Lances coming to a closer Fight killed each other with their Swords and Pole-axes The success of this Battel being of high concernment animated both sides with a resolution to dye or gain the victory being well assured that as the Dominion of that Empire and the Riches depended on this Victory so being overthrown there remained no other reward for them but death or slavery It was now above two hours in the night and yet the Fight continued with equal slaughter being full four hours since it first began At length the Governour charged the left wing of the Enemy which was still entire and not as yet broken so that the Battel seemed to be again renewed Howsoever at length the Governour routed and defeated them with the loss of ten or twelve of his Guard amongst which were Captain Ximenez formerly a Merchant in Medina and Nunno Montalvo By this time both sides began to think themselves secure of Victory and yet still the Fight continued At length the Forces of Almagro seemed to grow faint which when he observed he put himself into the head of them and being seconded by those few which were his Life-guard he entred amidst the thickest of his Enemies with that valour and resolution that he performed Miracles by his own Person being desirous to be slain on the place but being unknown and well armed he escaped with his life and without a wound fighting bravely as Gomara reports of him in Chapter 150. And now Victory began to incline to the side of the Governour which when Almagro and his chief Officers observed they called out aloud and said I am such an one it was I who killed the Marquis and so they fought with fury and despair untill they were slain and cut in pieces Many of Almagro's people escaped by favour of a dark night having taken off their white Ribbons and placed the Colours of Vaca de Castro in their stead with which they supplied themselves from those who were slain on the other side Almagro himself seeing that there was no hopes of Victory left and that Death fled from him he escaped out of the Battel with six Companions namely Diego Mendez Bergan and John de Guzman and three others whose Names I have forgotten Thence he fled to Cozco where he met that Death which he could not receive from his Enemies by the hands of those Men whom he had there constituted in Offices of Justice and Military Employments For so soon as they understood that he had lost the day Rodrigo de Salazar who was a Native of Toledo and deputed by Almagro for his Governour in that place and Antonio Ruyz de Guevara who was Commissionated also by him to be chief Justiciary immediately laid hands on him and made him Prisoner and to consummate this cruelty they took those also who were his Companions and attended his Person To confirm which particular Carate in the 19th Chapter of his fourth Book hath these Words which follow Thus ended the Reign and Government of Don Diego de Almagro who was one day Commander in Chief of all Peru and the day following was seized by an Officer whom by his own Authority he had constituted chief Justiciary of Cozco This Battel was fought the 16th of September 1542. Thus far Carate and herewith he concludes the Chapter aforesaid This Victory was in part obtained about nine of the Clock at night but not completed for the noise of fighting and clashing of Arms was heard in several places of the Field And lest Almagro should again rally and in the Morning renew the Battel for as yet his flight and escape was not known the Governour commanded his Serjeant-Major to sound a retreat to his Army and put them again into a posture of Battel placing the Horse and Foot in their respective stations with Orders to stand to their Arms untill the Morning when the light would discover the state of their Victory Which being accordingly executed they continued on their Guard and in a readiness to receive whatsoever should occur CHAP. XVIII Wherein those Principal Commanders are named who were present at this Battel the Number that was slain the Punishment of the Rebels and the Death of Don Diego de Almagro THE Governour passed a great part of the Night in discourse to his Souldiers praising the courage and resolution which his Captains Cavaliers and Souldiers had shewed in that days Engagement he applauded and admired their bravery which they had made appear in the Service of his Majesty He then recounted some particular Actions performed by such and such naming them by their Names whereby he acknowledged the fidelity love and friendship which they had evidenced to the Memory of the Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro for whose sake and in revenge of whose Death they had exposed their own lives to all the hazards and perils in the World. Nor did he omit to mention the bravery of Almagro whereby he had signalized himself to revenge the Death of his Father having therein performed above what could have
been expected from his years not having passed above the Age of twenty Nor did he forbear to commend the Courage of several Captains of the contrary party who had carried themselves bravely in the Action of that day In a particular manner he took notice of the stout resolution and Military behaviour of Francisco de Carvajal who without fear either of the great or small Shot marched boldly at the head of his Men being ever intent and ready to apply his succour and relief where it was most required Of all which Actions the Governour was the best Judge and could give the best account of them in regard he was retired to a place from whence he could have a prospect of all that passed The principal Persons on his Majesty's side who signalized themselves in this Engagement were the Major-General Gomez de Tordoya the Agitant Yllen Suarez de Carvajal and his Brother Benito de Carvajal John Julio de Hojeda Thomas Vasquez Lorenço de Aldana John de Saavedra Francisco de Godoy Diego Maldonado who afterwards obtained the Sir-name of the Rich John de Salas Brother of the Arch-bishop of Sevile Alonso de Loaysa Brother of the Arch-bishop of los Reyes Geronimo de Loaysa John de Pancorvo Alonso Maçuela Martin de Meneses John de Figueroa Pedro Alonso Carrasco Diego de Truxillo Alonso de Soto Antonio de Quinnones and his Brother Suero de Quinnones and his Cousin Pedro de Quinnones who had been an old Souldier in Italy and were all three near in Kindred to the Governour Gaspar Jara Diego Ortiz de Guzman Garcia de Melo who lost his right hand in the Battel Pedro de los Rios a Native of Cordova Francisco de Ampuero Don Pedro Puertocarrero Pedro de Hinojosa John Alonso Palomino Don Gomez de Luna the Elder Brother of Garçilasso de la Vega Gomez de Alvarado Gaspar de Rojas Melchior Verdugo Lope de Mendoça Juan de Barbaran Miguel de la Serna Geronimo de Aliaga Nicolas de Ribera and Geronimo de Ribera who for distinction sake we have in the other part of this Book called Ribera Senior and Ribera Junior All which and many others whose Names we cannot call to mind did that day in the Battel signalize their Valour in an extraordinary manner for fighting in the front of their Companies most of them were wounded In short there was not one Man of note in all Peru as Gomara affirms but was engaged in the Battel of that day on his Majesty's side On the King's party three hundred Spaniards were slain many also were killed on the other though not so great a number the Battel was very bloudy the slaughter fell much upon the Captains of which most of them were killed four hundred were wounded of which most dyed with cold that night it happening to freeze very sharply These are the Words of Gomara and therewith he ends the 150th Chapter of his History Of Almagro's side two hundred were slain so that Gomara with much reason terms it a bloudy Battel for of fifteen hundred Men on both sides five hundred were slain and five hundred wounded of which last four hundred were of the King's side and but one hundred of Almagro's There was one of the King's Souldiers so cruel that after the Battel was ended he killed eleven of the Almagrians in cold bloud of which evil Act he made great boast saying that in such a place they had robbed him of eleven thousand pieces of Eight in revenge of which he had killed eleven of them Many other things of this nature passed that night and the reason why so many of those wounded were frozen to death was because the Indians finding them unable to help and defend themselves made bold to strip them of all their cloathing leaving them naked and exposed to the weather without regard to either side or party of which there could no distinction be made in the night and if there had yet the Indians whose business it was to pilfer would not have forborn on any small consideration or complement to either side Nor could the Conquerours for the present take that due care of their wounded because the Carriages with their Tents not being come up they were all forced to lodge in the open Air onely they made a shift to set up two Tents wherein they made an Accommodation for Gomez de Tordoya Pedro Ancures Gomez de Alvarado and Garçilasso de la Vega who were all mortally wounded others who had received some slighter hurts endured the open Air which caused their wounds so to smart that it was grievous to hear the groans sighs and cries which they uttered Nor did the Indians spare those who were fled out of the Battel taking the courage to pursue and assail Men in their flight so that they killed John Balsa on the way with ten or twelve others of his companions without any regard or respect to his Quality or Character of Captain-General in like manner they killed many other Spaniards who fled out of the Battel in divers parts But so soon as it was day the Governour sent abroad to bring in the wounded taking care to have their wounds dressed And as for the dead they buried them together in four or five large Graves which were made for them into which they cast them all without distinction excepting onely Pedro Alvarez Holguin and Gomez de Tordoya de Vargas with some other noble and principal Persons whom they carried to Huamanca and there celebrated their Funerals with what decency they were able Above a hundred Horse and fifty or sixty Foot fled from the Battel and escaped to the City of Huamanca but being pursued by those few who remained Masters of the Field were again defeated they yielding up their Horses and Arms upn conditions of Quarter for their lives And as that day they performed an Act of Charity in the burial of the Dead so likewise they performed an Act of Justice in punishment of the Offenders for having found the Bodies of Martin de Bilbao and Arbolacha and Hinojeros and Martin Carillo amongst the Dead who cried out in the Battel on purpose to be killed that they were the persons who had Assassinated the Marquis and though they were then cut in pieces yet according to a new form of Justice they were afterwards drawn and quartered the Cryer at the same time publishing their offence the like piece of Justice was executed on other insolent and rebellious persons The day following the Governour went to Huamancu where he understood that Captain Diego de Rojas had killed Captain John Tello de Guzman and Pedro d' Onnate who was Major-General to Almagro the punishment of other Offenders was referred by the Governour to Judge de la Gama who condemned all the principal Leaders of the Almagrian party to dye who were taken and imprisoned at Huamanca such as Diego de Hoces Antonio de Cardenas whose throats he caused to be cut and hanged John Perez Francisco