CHAPTER XXVIII

    How the news arrived at Lima that Vaca de Castro had reached the river of San Juan, how this was received by those of Chile, and what else happened at that time in the city of the Kings.

WHEN the President Vaca de Castro sailed from Panamá, several ships went in company with him, as I have already related. At the Ancón de Sardinas some [91]were lost in a storm. The galleon bore up for Buenaventura, but others, being smaller and better sailers, were able to make southing and reach the port of Lima. There they passed the news that the President was coming by sea, but had encountered terrible weather, and they did not know whether he was lost or had returned to Panamá, or had put into the port of Buenaventura. At this news, the Marquis and those of his party were not a little pleased. But those of Chile, when they heard it, complained of their bad luck. For they were hopefully expecting him to arrive at an early date and make amends for the injustice that had been done in killing [the Adelantado] Don Diego [de Almagro], and in not giving them any repartimientos, notwithstanding they had done good service and made discoveries in that land. They went about very sad and downcast. They were reduced to great straits, for between ten or twelve of them there was but one cloak, which they went out in by turns. The citizens of Lima were so indifferent that, though they saw them almost dying of hunger, they did not help them with a single thing, nor would they, even in their own homes, offer them any food.

When St. John's Day drew near, the citizens rode out on horseback to make merry, but a very bad prognostic happened. It was this: Antonio Picado[49] took up behind him on his horse a half-witted fellow, who at the time was in Lima, named Juan de Lepe. He had scarcely mounted when Lepe cried out, "This is the justice that is ordered to be done this man." When the men of Chile heard it they rejoiced, saying that they hoped the utterance of that ninny would prove to be a prophecy, and that they would be avenged of their enemies by such words as those coming true.

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People want to say that at this time the men of Chile, seeing themselves so overlooked, and that no judge before whom they could state their grievances had come, were conspiring among themselves to murder the Marquis, and that this very St. John's Day was the time selected. It is further said that the good cavalier Cristóbal de Sotelo prevented it, saying that it was not desirable to do such an act then. It is also said that the Marquis had resolved to banish Don Diego[50] and Juan de Herrada,[51] and to execute justice on those who were seen to go about fomenting strife. Well! neither the one story nor the other is true. It is well known to those who lived at that time that the Marquis often went to a mill which he had ordered to be built on the banks of the river that flows by the city, accompanied only by an unarmed page. Being thus unguarded, it would have been easy for assassins to kill him if they had wanted to do so. Although some men talked of avenging the death of Almagro, it had not then been determined to murder the Marquis. Neither can we believe, nor would it be fair to affirm, that the Marquis intended to banish them, or to put anyone to death; for we know that many of his friends advised him to adopt such measures, and that he told them such a thing would never be done by him, because it would at once be said that he did so that there might be no one to plead in the residencia.[52] In[93] the city there was some commotion, accompanied by profound silence on the part of the Indians, who said that the Marquis's last day was at hand, when he would be murdered by the men of Chile. The same was common talk in the marketplaces, and some Indian women repeated it to Spaniards who were their house-masters. It is also said that the favourite, Garcí Díaz, heard it from an Indian girl and warned the Marquis about it. But Pizarro laughed, and said that no attention should be paid to such Indian gossip. After some further discussion respecting these rumours, the Marquis ordered the Bishop to have Juan de Herrada fetched, and to bring him before him on the same St. John's Day, in the afternoon. Four or five days before this, Juan de Herrada heard that the Marquis was collecting arms, and intended to seize the men of Chile or banish them, or kill certain of them, but he concealed what he had heard. He consulted with Cristóbal de Sotelo, Francisco de Chaves, and others of their party, and they determined to purchase arms, and if the Marquis wanted to kill or take them, to unite together and kill him first, if they could. Presently Juan de Herrada bought a coat of mail, in which he always went about. The party also got some lances, and other weapons which they kept concealed about them. Don Diego went out better attended than the Marquis himself. Juan de Herrada also, when he walked abroad, was followed by twenty or thirty men ready for anything that might happen. The Marquis was told that the men of Chile carried arms, went about in parties, and were plotting to kill him. Hearing this, he told the Bishop elect of Quito to send for Juan de Herrada. Don Juan was somewhat disturbed on learning that he had been sent for, and the men of Chile wanted to accompany him, but he decided to go alone. When they realized this they were in a state of confusion until he returned. They kept their arms ready to hand waiting for the result, because some of[94] them thought that the Marquis would arrest him; since with what other object, forsooth, could he have been sent for?

Arriving where the Marquis was, Juan de Herrada found him in a garden looking at some orange trees he had planted there. On knocking at the door it was opened, and as he came in the Marquis turned to him, and said "Who are you?" Juan de Herrada answered: "How is it that you do not know me? I am Juan de Herrada!" The Marquis then said, "What is this, Juan de Herrada, that they tell me, that you are buying arms and preparing armour with the intention of murdering me?" Juan de Herrada answered, "It is true, my lord, that I have bought two pair of breast-plates and a coat of mail for defending my own person." The Marquis then asked, "What reason has moved you to buy arms now more than at any other time?" Juan de Herrada replied, "Because they tell us—and it is the public talk—that your Lordship is collecting lances to kill us all!" He went on: "Well! let us make an end of it now, and your Lordship can deal with us as you please, for, having begun with the head, I know not why the feet should call for respect. They also say that your Lordship means to kill the Judge; but if you think of killing the men of Chile, do not so! Banish Don Diego in a ship, for he is innocent of any fault, and let me go with him wherever chance may strand us." The Marquis, with an angry countenance, then exclaimed: "Who has made you believe in such a great evil and treason as this? For I have never thought of such a thing. I desire more to see the Judge here than you can do. Diego de Mora has written to me that he had arrived at the river of San Juan, and the masters of ships who have come here bring the same news. As he did not care to embark in my galleon he is not here. As to the arms that you say I am getting, the other day I went out hunting, and I found that my servants had not a lance among them. I told them to get one, and they bought four. I pray to God, Juan de[95] Herrada, that the Judge may come; and may God help us to the truth, and let these things come to an end."

Juan de Herrada's heart was in some degree softened by what the Marquis had said to him, and he answered, "Por Dios, my Lord, they have made me spend 500 pesos and more in purchasing arms,[53] and I got myself a coat of mail, so that I may have protection if anyone comes to kill me." The Marquis, showing more friendliness, said, "God forbid that I should be guilty of such great cruelty!" Juan de Herrada took off his cap and was about to depart, and as he went a fool who was there, named Valdesillo, said to the Marquis, "Why don't you give some of those oranges to Juan de Herrada?" The Marquis answered, "Por Dios, thou sayest well, for I had not thought of it." Then the Marquis, with his own hand, plucked half a dozen oranges from the tree, being the first that were borne in that country, and gave them to Juan de Herrada. That worthy then departed to his lodgings, and on the road he met over thirty of the men of Chile, who had come out to look for him. They were very glad to meet him, and asked what had happened between him and the Marquis. He told them all that had taken place. Don Diego was very anxious at the delay in Herrada's return, and was delighted when he saw him coming, so that he went forward to embrace him; while Herrada related to him and the rest of them all that had been said between himself and the Marquis.