CHAPTER CIII

    How his Majesty the Emperor, our Lord, ordered Blasco Nu?ez Vela to proceed as Viceroy to the Realms of Peru, to give effect there to the new laws that had been enacted for the government of the empire of the Indies.

AS his Majesty the Emperor Don Carlos our Lord, most fortunate King of the Spains, and the members of his very high Council, had considered many times who should go to Peru as Viceroy to maintain peace in those provinces and enforce the New Laws, and notwithstanding that several Spanish gentlemen had been discussed with that view, his Majesty fixed his eyes on Blasco Nu?ez Vela, a native of the city of ávila, of noble descent, and very zealous for the royal service. He had already occupied[369] important posts in Spain; and it was always said that he had discharged the duties of them with fidelity. He had been chief Magistrate of Malaga, on the frontier of Navarre he was Inspector-General, and he once came to this country as Captain-General of the Fleet to fetch the treasure that was here. He was tall, of good bearing, and gentle mien, he had clear, light blue eyes, aquiline features, a broad forehead, a thick and very imposing beard, was an excellent horseman in both saddles, and quick of apprehension save that it was not very sure. He was one of those who always lay themselves out to serve their king; very God-fearing, homely, modest, well bred, an enemy to traitors, the friend of loyalty, he was always ready to rely upon himself, and put little faith in his followers, but this I attribute more to the perversity of men in this country than to his own worth. He was a passionate man and quick to anger; after reaching this country he placed full confidence in no person, and thus, impulsive as he was in his wrath he was equally so in killing those who angered him. This was the person his Majesty summoned before him and told that it would befit the royal service if he were to go to Peru and be Viceroy there, and bring those regions under a just rule, and give effect therein to the New Laws which had been made for the government of the Realm.

Blasco Nú?ez Vela, it is said, felt regret that his Majesty had ordered him to go; but although this was so, he replied that he would do all that his Majesty might wish, having been born with that obligation upon him. After other things, of which history does not call for treatment here, Blasco Nú?ez Vela was appointed Viceroy of Peru, and President of the Audiencia which was to be established at Lima. The Ordinances were given to him to enforce, dealing specially with each section by itself. Having received the despatches and instructions, kissed the hands of his Majesty, and taken leave of the Lords of the Council,[370] Blasco Nú?ez Vela went to the city of ávila, to enjoy a few days with his wife and children. He left that city accompanied by his brother, Francisco Velásquez Vela Nú?ez, Diego Alvarez de Cueto his brother-in-law, and other gentlemen who were his relations or friends, and set out with a great quantity of luggage and equipment for Seville. When it became known in Spain that Blasco Nú?ez Vela had been selected to be Viceroy of Peru, there were murmurs, and it was said no good would come of it, but that, on the contrary, great evils would arise from his going there, for that he was not the man to keep peace in that land. They affirm that the Marquis del Valle, D. Hernando Cortés, the mirror of governors and captains in the Indies, said publicly many times that Blasco Nú?ez Vela would not succeed in establishing peace in Peru because the people who live there are unruly and self-willed, and that when he himself was conducting the exploration of New Spain he used to set up crosses along all the roads, whereas the leaders who had discovered Peru had been always envious of each other, and there was hidden rancour between them, and transactions that ended in the battles of which everybody has heard. The commonalty of Spain and the people at large rejoiced at the promulgation of the new laws, and desired that those living in the Indies should be governed by them. The gentry and men of backbone, who understand what fortitude is, said that if the residents in the Indies were to obey the Ordinances on all points they would be for ever reproached as weaklings, and the sons who might be born to them would live in affliction through the supineness of their fathers.

When Blasco Nú?ez Vela arrived [at Seville], he found there the Judges who had been appointed, and there was great confidence that they would discharge their duties well. Their names were the Licentiate Cepeda, who was a Judge in the Canary Isles, Dr. Tejada, the Licentiate Alvarez,[371] and the Licentiate Zaratena. With these he set out for the spacious port of San Lucar de Barrameda, and ordered the ships to be got ready in which he and those who were going out with him expected to sail—wishing himself already in the land of the Indies.