CHAPTER XXXVII

    How Don Pedro Puertocarrero would not be a Lieutenant for Almagro, and how he and Gómez de Tordoya and some others quitted the city of Cuzco, also how some were grieved when they heard of the death of the Marquis.

I HAVE already related how Don Diego sent that man named Juan Diente, so famous for his fleetness of foot, to the city of Cuzco, with letters for the Captain Gabriel de Rojas, and other old friends of his father, and also sent to Don Pedro Puertocarrero offering him the office of lieutenant in his own name. He also sent an alternative commission in blank, so that if none of those should wish to take the appointment someone else might be chosen. When Juan Diente passed by Guamanga, Vasco de Guevara was there as lieutenant. He brought letters to him also, to be its new Governor, trusting to the friendship he had for Don Diego's father, one of whose captains he had been at Las Salinas. There was some trouble at Guamanga, for although some rejoiced at what had happened, others very[127] deeply deplored it. Finally Guevara was accepted by the municipality as Governor. Juan Diente then went on to Cuzco, which city he entered at night, going direct to the monastery of Our Lady of Mercy. From thence he delivered his letters to the persons they were for, and three or four days elapsed before any news was made public.

Before this the licentiate de la Gama, with most of the other residents, had left the city to go to the Collao to prevent the Captain Pero Alvarez and the Spaniards who had gone with him on an expedition into the country of the Chunchos from doing any injury to the natives, so that there were very few citizens left in Cuzco; but there were over eighty men there who had served under the Adelantado Almagro at the battle of Las Salinas, and when they heard the news they were very glad and contented, and exchanged congratulations with each other.

All this time Gabriel de Rojas was in his house waiting to see whether Don Pedro Puertocarrero would accept the wand of office from Don Diego. Presently the Comendador of Our Lady of Mercy came out into the square with another friar; for in this Realm there is a great grievance, which is that friars are the promoters of wars. These and over seventy men at arms cried out that they should go to the town hall and approve the assumption of office by the new Governor. While they were in the square, one Melchor Hernández, a native of Truxillo, went to the house of Don Pedro and told him what was taking place. In some perturbation Don Pedro got up, and taking his arms went to the plaza, first asking Hernández what he knew. He told him what was going on, and about the murder of the Marquis. When Don Pedro came to the plaza the Comendador of Our Lady of Mercy told him that he ought to accept Don Diego as Governor. Pedro de Puertocarrero proceeded to the hall where the municipal councillors usually met, where Diego de Silva and Francisco de Caravajal, alcaldes,[128] Hernando Bachicao and Tomás Blázquez, magistrates, were assembled, no others being in the city. Don Pedro de Puertocarrero, much upset, said to them that they knew intelligence had come of the death of the Marquis, and that he was thereby divested of authority to act as his lieutenant. They must, therefore, take over the wand of office from him, and give it to whom they might select. After those present had made some remarks and had asked Don Pedro to resume the wand, which he, however, declined, Francisco de Caravajal said let him leave it, and why was he so timorous? for that Julius Caesar was a greater lord, yet was killed in his palace. There was some further discussion, but the magistrates and alcaldes, did not agree in naming any one to be the new lieutenant. The party of Chile shouted out asking what they were doing, and why did they not accept Don Diego as Governor? Then the municipality, either because they could do nothing else or because they were afraid, or from some other cause sufficient unto themselves, accepted Don Diego as Governor, and appointed Gabriel de Rojas to be his lieutenant.

Gómez de Tordoya and Juan Vélez had gone out hunting that day, and were not in the city; neither was Diego de Maldonado, nor the other citizens who might have opposed the tyranny of Almagro. The Indians who lived in Cuzco and the neighbourhood were deeply affected when they heard of the death of the Marquis and of these doings, and a very great tumult arose in the city. Gómez de Tordoya and Juan Vélez came back from hunting, and passed along where Don Pedro Puertocarrero was. They heard from him of the death of the Marquis,[79] and that Don Diego had been accepted as Governor and Gabriel de Rojas as his lieutenant. When Gómez de Tordoya heard the news[129] he was deeply grieved. They say that he went fully armed to where the municipal council had been held, and said that the murder of the Marquis was a gross treason, and that God would punish the traitors as they deserved for so great a crime. Those of the Almagro party who were in Cuzco showed themselves well content at what had happened, and thought that the King, our Lord, would pardon Don Diego for the murder of the Marquis, and give him the government of New Toledo which had been granted to his father. Gómez de Tordoya and Juan Vélez de Guevara, fearing lest the men of Chile should arrest them, agreed to flee that night. Don Pedro Puertocarrero might have done the same, but he preferred to wait and see if he could take with him the few citizens who remained. Gómez de Tordoya and Juan Vélez took the royal road towards Collasuya, and arrived at Chuqui_apu,[80] where they found the citizens of Cuzco who had gone away with the licentiate de La Gama to put Pero Alvarez outside the boundaries. When they heard of the death of the Marquis great was the sorrow they felt, remembering how he had served his Majesty for sixteen years, exploring and opening up the kingdom, and now in his old age, ever occupied with laborious work without any rest, he had been murdered by these men of Chile. They felt so deeply the murder of their captain that they could not restrain their feelings. The tears which fell from their eyes were sure signs of the love they felt for their murdered captain.

Don Pedro was kept a prisoner in his house at Cuzco. He had sent to warn the remaining citizens—namely, to Diego de Silva, Francisco de Caravajal, Tomás Vázquez, Francisco Sánchez, and Diego de Gumiel—to flee from Cuzco. But the men of Chile arrested two of them, and took care that the rest should not escape. Pedro de los[130] Ríos was outside the city, and when about to return home he was told what was going on. So he waited until night, and then went to his own house. Don Pedro de Puertocarrero got word of his coming, and they consulted together and agreed to leave the city; and though several Chile men were charged to watch him he got away from his house, with his horses and a servant who called himself Benavides. Being joined by Pedro de los Ríos they followed for more than a league down the bed of the stream which flows through Cuzco, when they left it and took the track that seemed most likely to lead them after Gómez de Tordoya, with whom Captain Castro, Francisco de Villacastin, Jerónimo de Sorio, Gonzalo de los Nidos, and others, had already joined company.