Perfect
obedience for his orders; insomuch that he would often refrain from doing
many things which were evidently within the scope of his authority, lest
he should appear to overstep the bounds of his commission. Frequently,
when sitting in the meeting-houses where the gold and silver was assessed
for the royal fifth, he would rise from his chair to pick up the small
pieces which started from the scissars; observing that if the hands failed
on such occasions, a loyal subject ought to use his mouth to serve the
king. As these two great men resembled each other in many things during
their lives, so in their deaths they were alike unfortunate: the president
being put to death by the brother of the marquis, and the marquis slain by
the son of the president.
The marquis was exceedingly anxious for the improvement of the country,
giving every encouragement to the cultivation of the soil, and the
establishment of colonies of Spaniards in different places. He built for
himself a fine house or palace in the city of Lima, and had two sluices
constructed on the river to drive mills for its supply; employing much of
his leisure in superintending the workmen, and instructing the overseers
how he wished the works to be carried on. He was particularly diligent in
procuring the erection of a great and handsome church in Lima, and
monasteries for the Dominicans and the order of Mercy; both of whom he
endowed with ample estates in lands and Indians.
[1] The festival of St John the Evangelist is on the 5th May but the
assasination of the Marquis did not take place till the 26th June
1541. - E.
[2] In a former note, it has been mentioned, on the authority of Robertson,
that Francisco de Alcantara was the uncle of Pizarro by his mother;
yet Garcilasso calls him his brother, and perhaps he was so by a
different father. - E.
[3] The language of the French translator is here rather equivocal, but
distinctly bears the construction here given of the marquis being at
supper in the house of de Alcantara. - E.
[4] By Garcilasso, Velasquez is called the Chief Justice. - E.
[5] Garcilasso, quoting Zarate, says that the body was dragged to church
by some negroes; the French translator says _quelques miserables_. - E.
[6] According to Garcilasso, the marquis had only one son and one daughter,
Don Francisco being the son of his brother Gonzalo. Don Gonzalo, the
only son of the marquis, was born of a daughter of Atahualpa, not a
sister, named Angelina. Donna Francisca was the marquises daughter by
Ynes Huayllas Nusta, a daughter of the Inca Huana Capac, whose
Christian name was Donna Beatrix. - E.
* * * * *
CHAPTER VII.
CONTINUATION OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF PERU, AFTER THE DEATH OF FRANCISCO
PIZARRO, TO THE DEFEAT OF GONZALO PIZARRO, AND THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF
TRANQUILITY IN THE COUNTRY; WRITTEN BY AUGUSTINO ZARATE[1].
SECTION I.
_From the revival of the civil wars in Peru, to the close of the
administration of Vaca de Castro, the first governor appointed from Spain_.
After Don Diego had made himself master of the city of Lima, he deprived
the magistrates of all their insignia of command, but which he immediately
returned to them, with orders to execute their official duties in his name
and authority. He then ordered the Doctor Velasquez, who had been chief
justice or adelantado under the marquis, and Antonio Picado who had been
his secretary, to be taken into custody[2]. In the next place he appointed
Juan Tello, Francisco de Chaves[3], and one Sotelo to be captains of his
troops. On the news of this revolution, all the idle vagabonds and
debauched blackguards of the country hastened to enrol themselves under
the banners of Don Diego, in hopes of participating in the plunder of the
partizans of Pizarro, and of being enabled to live licentiously without
labour. To enable him to pay his troops, Don Diego seized the fifth of the
precious metals belonging to the crown, and took possession of the
properties of those who had been massacred, and the revenues of all the
absentees. In a very short time disputes and divisions arose among those
who had taken part with Don Diego, as the leaders of the malcontent party
among them were anxious to assassinate Juan de Herrada, because every
thing was done and directed by him, Don Diego having only the name of
captain general, while he in fact exercised the whole authority. The
intention of these malcontents being discovered, several of them were put
to death as seditious people; among whom was Francisco de Chaves, who was
put to the rack and afterwards hanged as a ringleader of this new
conspiracy. One Antonio de Orihuela likewise, who had only arrived of late
from Spain, was beheaded, having imprudently asserted that the Almagrians
were tyrants and usurpers.
Deputies or messengers were sent to all the cities and provinces of Peru,
to induce the commandants and magistrates to recognize Don Diego as
governor, which was done in many places out of fear: But Alonso de
Alvarado, who was lieutenant governor in the province of Chachapoyas,
ordered the deputies who were sent into his government to be arrested,
declaring for his majesty in opposition to Don Diego, whom he denounced a
rebel. He was encouraged in this bold procedure, because he was confident
of being able to defend himself with a hundred men whom he commanded in a
strong fortress of his province, which he fortified with much care. Don
Diego used every effort to gain Alvarado to his party, by flattering
promises and menaces of condign punishment; but he uniformly replied, that
he would never acknowledge his authority without an express command from
his majesty to that effect, and that he hoped, by the blessing of God and
the assistance of the brave men whom he commanded, to revenge the death of
the marquis, and to punish the Almagrians for their injurious and
outrageous conduct, and the contempt of the royal authority which they had
evinced in their whole procedure.
