Diego De Roias, Peranzures, And Alfonso De Mercadillo, Were
Appointed Captains Of Horse:
Pedro de Valdivia maestre de campo, and
Antonio de Vilalva sergeant-major, who was son of Colonel Vilalva.
About this time, Alonso de Alvarado and Gonzalo Pizarro, who remained
prisoners in Cuzco[14], made their escape from prison, and joined the
marquis with above seventy men whom they had persuaded to accompany them,
bringing likewise along with them as prisoner Gabriel de Roias the
lieutenant of Almagro. The arrival of these officers gave much
satisfaction to the marquis, both on account of their escape from danger,
and because the reinforcement they brought along with them gave great
encouragement to his troops. He appointed his brother Gonzalo
lieutenant-general of his army, and Alonso Alvarado maestre de campo, or
major-general of the cavalry. When Almagro learnt that his prisoners had
escaped, and the numerous forces which the marquis had procured, he became
desirous of an accommodation, for which purpose he sent Alfonso Enriquez,
Diego Nugnez de Mercadura the factor, and Juan de Guzman treasurer, to the
marquis to desire an interview, at which they might regulate every thing
that was in dispute between them. After several messages and proposals,
the marquis proposed to refer the whole matter to the umpirage of
Francisco de Bovadilla, provincial of the order of Mercy, to which Almagro
consented.
In virtue of the powers given to him by both parties, Bovadilla ordained
that Ferdinand Pizarro should be set at liberty; that Cuzco should be
restored to the marquis; that both armies should be disbanded, and the
different companies sent in various directions to discover and conquer the
country; and that finally the whole dispute about the boundaries of the
two governments should be referred to the decision of his majesty.
Bovadilla likewise persuaded Almagro and Pizarro to have an interview in
the village of Mala[15], mid-way between the two armies, at which they
might discuss the terms of an entire reconcilement, each to be attended by
twelve horsemen. They accordingly set out for that place from their
respective camps; but as Gonzalo Pizarro did not give implicit confidence
to the promise of Almagro, he followed his brother with the whole army,
which he secretly posted in the neighbourhood of Mala, placing Castro with
forty musketeers in ambush among some reeds near the road by which Almagro
had to pass, and directing him, in case Almagro was accompanied by a
larger force than was agreed on, to give notice by a discharge of musketry,
that Gonzalo might hasten to the defence of the marquis.
Before leaving Chincha on his way to the interview with Pizarro, Almagro
left orders with his lieutenant-general, Rodrigo Orgognez, to keep
vigilant guard againt the machinations of the enemy, in case the marquis
should bring a greater escort than was agreed upon, that he might send him
prompt assistance; and if any treason were practised against him, that
Ferdinand Pizarro should be considered as an hostage for his safety. On
their meeting, the marquis and Almagro embraced each other with much
apparent cordiality; but after a short discourse, in which no part of
their difference was alluded to, one of the horsemen who accompanied the
marquis, whispered to Almagro that he was in danger, and advised him to
retire without delay, as Gonzalo Pizarro had placed an ambush to intercept
him. Almagro immediately called for his horse; and several of the
attendants on Pizarro, seeing Almagro about to retire, endeavoured to
persuade the marquis to have him arrested, which could easily have been
done by means of the musqueteers under De Castro. To this the marquis
would by no means consent, being resolved to keep his promise inviolate,
and would not believe that Almagro meant to go away without coming to some
conclusion on the subject of their meeting. Almagro however went away; and
as he saw the ambush on his way back, he was convinced that treachery was
intended against him, and made loud complaints of the conduct of the
marquis after his return to Chincha. Yet, by the intercession of Diego de
Alvarado, Almagro set Ferdinand Pizarro at liberty, on condition that the
marquis should provide him with a ship and a free port, by which he might
send dispatches to Spain and receive answers, and that they should
continue in peace until they received the final determination of the
sovereign respecting the boundaries of their governments. Rodrigo Orgognez
was exceedingly averse from this measure of liberating Ferdinand Pizarro,
who had been harshly treated while a prisoner, and who he believed would
be eager for revenge if set free, and strongly urged Almagro to put him to
death. But Almagro would not listen to his advice, and sent Ferdinand
Pizarro to the marquis, accompanied by his own son the younger Almagro and
several gentlemen. Ferdinand Pizarro was hardly set off on his return,
when Almagro began to repent that he had set him at liberty; and it is
believed he would have been remanded to prison if he had not made haste on
his journey, during which he was met by several of his brothers principal
officers.
Soon after the liberation of his brother Ferdinand, the marquis received
provisional orders from his majesty, by the hands of Pedro Anzures; by
which the two governors were commanded to retain the countries which each
of them had discovered and conquered, and in which they had formed
establishments at the time when this provisional order should be notified
to them; neither of them making any attempt to disturb the other until his
majesty should give definitive orders on the subject. Having now his
brother at liberty, the marquis sent a notification to Almagro of this
imperial order, requiring him to retire according to his majestys orders
from the country which he, Pizarro, had discovered, and in which he had
established colonies. Almagro answered, that he was ready to obey the
orders of his majesty, in keeping possession of the country and
establishments he occupied when the imperial order was notified, for which
reason he required the marquis to leave him in the peaceable enjoyment of
what he how possessed, declaring that on his part he would carefully and
entirely perform whatever should be finally commanded by his majesty.
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