CHAPTER LXXIII

    How Idiáquez arrived at the camp of Vaca de Castro to treat for peace just when the Governor wanted to send messengers to Vilcas.

VACA de Castro and his captains consulted together, after the camp had been pitched in the manner related, as to what should be their next step, being now so near the enemy. All agreed that messengers should be sent to Don Diego, demanding that he should withdraw his unjust pretensions, enter his Majesty's service, and deliver up his banners and troops. The messenger was also to take letters and despatches to some of his principal adherents. The Governor had just ordered his secretary to get the letters written when Lope de Idiáquez and the factor Mercado arrived and went in to see Vaca de Castro. The letters of Almagro and his captains were presented together with the protocol of terms proposed, which were that Vaca de Castro should disband the force he had collected, that Don Diego would do likewise with his, that Vaca de Castro would withdraw to Lima and remain there as Chief of New Castille, and that Don Diego would return to Cuzco and the province of New Toledo until the king should make his pleasure known; and other things not needful to quote. The Governor Vaca de Castro displayed some anger and vexation at the letters they had written to him. But he had doubts whether to pursue the war, and privately desired peace, knowing that there would be a great slaughter, since there were men of such fortitude and undaunted spirit on both sides, and that it would lie in his hands to give battle, but in God our Lord's to award the victory to whom He pleased. So, wishing in his own mind to avoid a day so critical as must be that on which the[258] battle would take place, he had his most influential supporters summoned to a consultation, together with his captains, and they discussed the question of what they ought to do, somewhat hotly. They decided that Vaca de Castro should write to Don Diego and to all his captains, in a kindly and mild tone, to attach them to the service of his Majesty and to propose that Juan Balsa should come to the royal camp to ratify peace, while, to fully assure him of safety and that he need not be in any fear of treachery, Alonso de Alvarado would go to Don Diego's camp.

So the Governor ordered his secretary, Pero López, to write the letters forthwith, urging Don Diego to yield to the call of his Majesty's service, and reminding him of the labours undergone by his father to acquire honour and fame; so that he should not lose, by his conduct, all that the old Adelantado had gained. The letter to Don Diego pointed out too that nothing had been altered by his father's death, as it was understood that he [the son] lacked level-headed and prudent men to give him temperate advice but that, nevertheless, he ought not to pin his faith on arms and artillery alone, for if the conscience be not clear, force avails but little, seeing that it is ordained from above by command of the Most High God that justice must prevail. Besides this, he wrote other things counselling him what was proper, and bidding him give ear to what Lope de Idiáquez and the factor Mercado would say, from him, when they should get back. Letters were also written to the captains, urging them to join the service of the king, and they gave private letters to the messengers for many other persons in the camp.