He Assembled A Body Of 500 Men, Of Which He Appointed
Alfonso De Toro Major-General, Retaining The Chief Command In Person.
He
divided his cavalry into two troops, one of which he gave the command of
to Don Pedro de
Porto-Carrero, placing himself at the head of the other.
Gumiel, and the bachelor Juan Belez de Guevera, were appointed captains of
two companies of pikemen; and Captain Pedro Cermeno had the command of the
musqueteers. He had three standards, one having the royal arms, which was
given to Porto Carrero; a second having the arms of Cuzco was confided to
Antonio de Altamirano, alcalde of Cuzco, whom he afterwards beheaded as
inclined to the royal interests: the third, bearing his own arms, was
carried by his ensign; but was afterwards given to Captain Pedro de
Puelles. Ferdinand Bachicao was made commander of the artillery,
consisting of twenty excellent field-pieces, with a plentiful supply of
powder, balls, and every other necessary for their service.
Gonzalo endeavoured to secure the troops in his interest, covering his
designs and endeavouring to justify his criminal enterprize by the most
specious pretexts. Having assembled his army he made a long harangue to
the soldiers, in which he represented, "That he and his brothers, as was
well known to to them all, had discovered the kingdom of Peru, which they
had reduced under the dominion of the king at their own proper charges,
and had already remitted very large sums in gold and silver to his majesty;
yet, after the death of the marquis, the king had not conferred the
government of the country, either on the son of the marquis, or on him who
now addressed them, as ought to have been done in conformity with the
promises and agreements which had been made at the first discovery, but
had even sent a cruel and inflexible person at this time to strip all of
them of their property, as it was quite obvious that every person in Peru
came under the scope of the obnoxious regulations.
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