For All These Reasons, And By The
Consent And Appointment Of The City Of Cuzco, He Had Resolved To Go
To
Lima, to make a representation of their grievances to the royal audience,
and humbly to supplicate a suspension of
The ruinous regulations, that
time might be given for sending deputies to the king in the name and on
behalf of the whole kingdom of Peru, to inform his majesty of the true
state of affairs, and of what seemed necessary to be done in the present
conjuncture; having no doubt, when his majesty was truly informed, that he
would devise a suitable remedy. If however, after using their utmost
efforts, his majesty should still think proper to enforce the regulations,
he and all with whom he acted would then obey the royal orders with the
most entire and unreserved submission. His own journey and compearance
before the viceroy, considering the menaces of that officer and the troops
which he had levied, were obviously attended with the utmost danger to
himself and all who should accompany him, unless he and they should be in
a situation to defend themselves from lawless violence. For this reason it
had been deemed indispensably necessary that he and the other deputies
should be accompanied by a body of troops, which they had not the most
distant intentions of employing to injure any person, unless they were
attacked. He entreated them, therefore, to accompany him in his journey to
Lima, and to observe during their march the strictest and most vigilant
discipline, and that they might be assured, he, and those other gentleman
who acted along with him, would reward them liberally for their toil and
bravery, in enabling them to act with effect for preserving the properties
of all from ruin."
By this specious discourse, in which Gonzalo endeavoured to persuade his
troops that his cause was just and his intentions pure, a considerable
effect was produced, and his soldiers unanimously declared their
determination to follow and defend him at the risk of their lives. He then
marched out from Cuzco, accompanied by all the inhabitants of that city;
and having put his troops in proper order, he gave permission that same
evening to several of the citizens, as had been previously concerted
between them, to return on purpose to prepare for the journey. Next
morning early, twenty-five of the most eminent citizens, who had first
given their assent to the supplications against the obnoxious regulations,
considering that the steps which were now taking were criminal and
rebellious, and dreading the injurious consequences which they would
necessarily produce in Peru, came to the resolution of abandoning the
party of Gonzalo and offering their services to the viceroy. They
immediately set about executing this design, and went by long journeys
through unfrequented ways in the deserts and mountains, lest Gonzalo might
order them to be pursued, which he actually did. The principal persons in
this defection were Gabriel de Roias, and Gomez de Roias his nephew,
Garcilasso de la Vega, Pedro del Barco, Martin de Florencia, Jeronimo de
Soria, Juan de Saavedra, Jeronimo Costilla, Gomez de Leon, Luis de Leon,
and Pedro Manjares[6]. On setting out from Cuzco, they carried with them
the orders they had received from the royal audience, by which they were
enjoined to compear at Lima to submit to the authority of the viceroy.
When Gonzalo was informed of this notable defection from his cause, by
which all his troops seemed very considerably disconcerted, he was almost
in the mind to have abandoned his enterprize, and to withdraw into the
district of Charcas with about fifty horsemen of his most attached friends,
to fortify himself there as well as he could; but after mature reflection,
he considered it as less dangerous to follow his first intentions, and to
continue the march for Lima. Having taken this resolution, he endeavoured
to encourage his troops, by telling them that the deserters were assuredly
ill-informed of the true state of affairs at Lima, as he had letters from
the principal inhabitants of that city, assuring him that, with fifty
horsemen only, he might easily bring his enterprize to a happy conclusion,
and without incurring the smallest danger, as all the colonists
entertained the same sentiments with him, and only needed his countenance
and direction to declare themselves. He continued his march accordingly,
but very slowly and with infinite difficulty, on account of the extreme
labour which was requisite for bringing forward his artillery. All the
cannon and warlike stores had to be carried on the shoulders of Indians,
by means of levers or long spars, for which purpose the guns were taken
off from their carriages, and it required twelve Indians to each gun, who
were hardly able to go above a hundred paces under their load, when they
were relieved by an equal number. On this account, 300 Indians were
assigned to each gun, so that the artillery alone, with its ammunition and
stores, required above 6000 Indians to conduct it over the mountains.
Several gentlemen and other persons of consideration who accompanied
Gonzalo, began to repent of being engaged in the enterprize. They had
concurred with the rest at the beginning, in the propriety of
remonstrating against the execution of the obnoxious regulations, and had
even offered to risk their lives and fortunes in that measure; but on
seeing the turn which affairs had taken, and that Gonzalo gradually
assumed an authority to which he had no pretensions, they wished sincerely
to get away from the engagements into which they had entered. Before
leaving Cuzco, Gonzalo had seized the treasure belonging to the crown, not
only without the consent and authority of the magistrates, but contrary to
their advice and desire. They were anxiously desirous, therefore, of
retracing the dangerous and criminal steps which they had taken, and the
rather because they already believed that it would be unsuccessful.
Gaspard Rodriguez De Campo-rondo, the brother of the deceased Captain
Pedro Anzurez, and who had succeeded to the management of his estate and
Indians, was the leader of these persons who wished to return to their
duty.
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