_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.
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