As Atahualpa Suspected, Ferdinand Pizarro Had Not Been Long Gone, When The
Death Of The Unfortunate Prince Began To Be
Talked of among the Spaniards.
This was brought about by the suggestions of an Indian named Philippillo,
who had accompanied
The general into Spain, and now served him as an
interpreter with the Peruvians. He pretended that Atahualpa had secretly
laid a plan for destroying all the Spaniards; for which purpose he had a
great number of armed men concealed in various places, meaning to employ
them when a favourable opportunity occurred. The proofs and examination of
facts and circumstances respecting this alleged plot, had all to come
through Philippillo, as the only one who knew both languages; and he gave
such a turn to every thing as best suited his own views and purposes.
Accordingly the Spaniards were never able perfectly to discover the truth,
or to penetrate entirely into his motives for this procedure. It has been
alleged by some persons, that Philippillo had become amorous of one of the
wives of Atahualpa, with whom he even had a criminal intercourse, and
expected to secure the quiet possession of his mistress by the death of
that unfortunate prince. It was even reported that Atahualpa had come to
the knowledge of that amour, and had complained to Pizarro of the criminal
and even treasonable conduct of the paramours; which, by the laws of Peru,
could only be expiated by burning the guilty persons, putting to death all
their near relations, destroying all their cattle and substance, laying
waste the place of their birth, and sowing salt on the place, so as to
render the memory of the crime infamous for ever.
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