He Acknowledged That The Regulations Were
Prejudicial To The Royal Interest And The Good Of The Country; And He
Recommended
That deputies should be sent to him from all parts of Peru, in
conjunction with whom he would write to
The king what might be proper on
the subject; and that doubtless he would then receive orders calculated to
remedy the apprehended evils: But that he could not of his own authority
suspend the execution of the ordinances, and must continue to act as he
had already done, as his orders left him no choice but absolute obedience
to the royal instructions.
At this time three of the judges of the court of audience, Cepeda Alvarez
and Texada, arrived at Lima, leaving Ortiz, the other judge, sick at
Truxillo. The viceroy issued immediate orders for the inauguration of the
royal Court of Audience; for which purpose all the necessary preparations
were made for the solemn reception of the royal seal, as usual on the
first establishment of this high tribunal. The seal was placed in a rich
casket, carried by a horse superbly caparisoned and covered by housings of
cloth of gold, and led under a canopy of the same splendid materials, held
up by the magistrates of the city dressed in flowing robes of crimson
velvet, in the same ceremony as is used in Spain on the entry of the king
in person into any of the cities. On this occasion, Juan de Leon led the
horse, being appointed to officiate as chancellor, in the place of the
Marquis de Camarasa, president of Cazorla, who then held the seals in
Spain. After this procession, the court of audience was installed, and
proceeded immediately to business; but a subject of dispute soon arose
between the viceroy and the judges, which renewed the dissentions which
had arisen between them even before their arrival in Peru, the explanation
of which requires some detail.
When the viceroy arrived at the _Tambo_ or palace of Guavra[4], where he
waited till he was sure of being received at Lima, he found written on one
of the walls of the _tambo_ to the following effect: "Whoever may
endeavour to deprive me of my house and property, I shall endeavour to
deprive of life." He dissimulated his displeasure at these words for some
time; but being afterwards persuaded that these words had been written by
Antonio de Solar, to whom the district of Guavra belonged, and who he
believed was not well inclined towards him, because he had found the tambo
entirely deserted on his arrival, he sent for Solar a few days after his
reception at Lima. In a private conference, he spoke to Solar concerning
these words which he had seen on the walls of the tambo, and reproached
him likewise for having spoken to him personally with much insolence: Then,
ordering the gates of the palace to be shut, the viceroy sent for one of
his chaplains to confess Solar, declaring his resolution to have him
immediately hanged from one of the pillars of a gallery fronting the great
square of Lima.
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