To Induce Him To Comply,
Tordoya Declared Himself Ready To Become One Of His Soldiers, And To Give
An Example Of Implicit Obedience To His Commands.
Holguin immediately
declared for his majesty, and agreed to assume the command.
He and Tordoya
assembled the inhabitants of the city of Arequipa, whom they confirmed in
their loyalty, and immediately set out for Cuzco with all the force they
could collect. On the arrival of Holguin and Tordoya near Cuzco, above
fifty men who had declared themselves for Don Diego left the city, meaning
to join him at Lima; but the royalists sent de Castro and Ferdinand
Bachicao after them with a party of musqueteers, who came up with and
attacked them during the night, and brought them all back prisoners to
Cuzco.
All the magistrates and councillors of Cuzco concurred not only in the
appointment of Pedro Alvarez Holguin as military commandant, but they
named him captain general and governor of all Peru, coming under an oath
of obedience to him in that high capacity till the pleasure of his majesty
should be made manifest on the subject: And in testimony of their zealous
loyalty, the whole inhabitants of Cuzco came under obligations to replace
all the sums that Holguin might be under the necessity of taking from the
effects and revenues belonging to the crown for the payment and equipment
of his troops, in case his majesty might not approve and allow that
expence. Besides this, all the inhabitants of Cuzco, Charcas, and Arequipa
engaged voluntarily to serve in the war, and to contribute towards its
expences. Immediately on his appointment to the supreme power, Holguin
made a proclamation of war against Don Diego as a rebel, and in a short
time assembled a force of 150 cavalry, 100 musqueteers and 100 pikemen.
But learning that Don Diego had more than 800 men under arms, he did not
consider himself powerful enough to wait for him in Cuzco, deeming it more
prudent to march from thence by way of the mountain road, on purpose to
join forces with Alonso de Alvarado, who had declared for his majesty.
Holguin likewise expected to be joined upon the march by several of the
friends and servants of the late marquis, who had concealed themselves
from the rage of the Almagrians in different parts of the mountain region
of Peru. In pursuance of this plan, Holguin set out on his march from
Cuzco, having appointed Gomez de Tordoya his maestre de campo or major
general, Garcilasso de la Vega[4] and Pedro Anzurez, captains of horse,
Nunno de Castro and Hernando de Bachicao captains of foot, and Martin de
Robles as ensign to carry the royal standard. On leaving Cuzco, all who
were unfit for active service in the field were left behind, and proper
officers were appointed for maintaining the government and to distribute
justice.
On receiving notice of all these events which had taken place in Cuzco,
and that Holguin had marched from thence with his troops, Don Diego judged
that Holguin would endeavour to form a junction with Alonzo de Alvarado
who commanded in Chachapoyas, and would therefore proceed by the mountain
road towards the north; he resolved therefore to march in such a direction
as might enable him to intercept Holguin before his junction with Alonzo
de Alvarado, but did not think it prudent to attempt this before the
arrival of the force under Garcias de Alvarado, whom he had recalled from
the originally concerted expedition against Alonzo de Alvarado[5]. While
passing through Truxillo, levying men and providing arms and horses,
Garcias proposed to have attacked Alonzo de Alvarado, but was resisted by
the inhabitants of a town in the province of Chachapoyas named Levanto,
and receiving his orders of recal from Don Diego he relinquished his
design, and marched in all haste for Lima.
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