Gonzalo Wrote By
The Same Conveyance To All The Inhabitants Of La Plata, Soliciting Their
Individual Concurrence And Aid.
At this time, Luis de Ribera acted in the
city of La Plata as lieutenant to Vaca de Castro, the former governor, and
Antonio Alvarez, another inhabitant of the same place, held the office of
judge ordinary.
These men, on hearing of the transactions which had taken
place at Cuzco immediately revoked the commission which had been given to
Centeno as deputy from their city, and sent an answer to the regency of
Cuzco in the name of the whole cabildo of La Plata declaring that they
were resolved to obey the orders of his majesty, although it should cost
them their lives and properties: That their city had always preserved its
loyalty against all who had acted against the royal authority, and they
were resolved to persist in the same line of conduct: That Centeno had
only been authorised to concur in their name to such measures as might
appear conducive to the service of his majesty, the advantage of his
dominions, and the preservation of the natives of the country; and since,
in the election of Gonzalo, and the other measures which had been resolved
upon at Cuzco, they saw no tendency towards those things which had been
confided to Centeno, they could not be implicated in the consent which
Centeno had given beyond his legitimate powers, nor were they to be
considered as bound to ratify what he had done in their name, as every
thing which had been done was contrary to the orders and instructions
which they had given him.
This letter did not contain the universal sentiments of the citizens of La
Plata, in which Gonzalo had several friends, who used their endeavours to
gain over the inhabitants to his side, and to engage them to join his army.
They even endeavoured more than once to kill Ribera and Alvarez, but these
officers used such precautions as to baffle all their attempts. Ribera and
Alvarez waited patiently for receiving the regulations from the viceroy;
but owing to the great distance of their city from Lima, these had not yet
reached them. In the mean time, they commanded all the inhabitants, under
severe penalties, to remain in La Plata; yet several of them left the city
and joined the remonstrants at Cuzco.
The viceroy made his entry with great pomp, in the month of May 1544, into
Lima, where no one dared to speak to him on the subject of suspending the
obnoxious regulations. The magistrates, indeed, had already made their
respectful remonstrances and supplications, alleging substantial reasons
why they ought to be suspended, but all in vain. He engaged indeed, after
the regulations should have been carried into effect, that he would write
to his majesty, representing that it was for the interest of the crown, as
well as for the advantage of the natives of the country, that they should
be revoked; and that those who had drawn them up were certainly ignorant
of the true state of the country, or they could never have advised the
king to establish them.
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