Note 67 — LETTER OF FRIAR JUAN SOLANO, BISHOP OF CUZCO[59] TO THE KING

As the army of Gonzalo Pizarro approached the Judges became more and more alarmed. They sent an embassy to him, consisting of the Accountant Agustin de Zarate and a prominent citizen named Antonio de Ribera. They found Gonzalo at Xauxa. Ribera was allowed to proceed but Zarate was arrested, and was kept a prisoner for ten days in the bitter cold of the heights of Pariacaca until Gonzalo’s forces came there on the way to Lima. Antonio de Ribera was a sort of brother-in-law of Gonzalo, as he had married the widow of his half brother Francisco Martin de Alcantara. Gonzalo’s answer to the Judges was that it was for the common good that he should be Governor and if that was granted he would comply with what the Judges asked. If not he would enter by force. Those who had left Cuzco to join the Viceroy were hiding in different houses. Others fled into the montaña. When Gonzalo Pizarro was within a league of Lima, he sent Carbajal in advance with 30 arquebusiers, who seized 28 of the fugitives, among them Gabriel de Rojas, Garcilasso de la Vega who escaped and hid in the Dominican Convent, Melchor Verdugo, the Licentiate Carbajal, Pedro del Barco, Martin de Florencia, Alonso de Caceres, Pedro de Manjarves, Luis de Leon, Anton Ruiz de Guevara. Carbajal locked them up in the prison and took the key. The Judges did not interfere. All their troops had gone over to Gonzalo Pizarro. The Judges were then asked to proclaim Pizarro as Governor. They said they had not the power. Upon which Carbajal took three of the prisoners and hanged them on a tree outside the town. These were Pedro del Barco, Martin de Florencia, and Juan de Saavedra. Carbajal was so witty and amusing during the executions that they must have found it quite a pleasure to be hanged by him. Luis de Leon was begged off by his brother, who was one of Carbajal’s soldiers. Carbajal told the Judges that unless they signed the document at once recognizing Gonzalo Pizarro as Governor, he would hang all the rest and sack the town. The Judges saw that the Camp Master was in earnest. The document was signed, and Gonzalo Pizarro entered Lima as Governor of Peru, promising that there should be no more executions. Bachicao led the vanguard with the artillery, then 200 pikemen followed by 150 arquebusiers led by Guevara and 200 under Pedro Cermeño. Next rode Gonzalo Pizarro himself in a coat of mail covered by a brocade surtout. Behind him were three captains abreast, Puerto Carrero with the standard of Castille, Antonio Altamirano with the standard of Cuzco, Pedro de Puelles with the standard of Pizarro’s arms. Then followed the cavalry. In this order the procession went to the house of the Licentiate Zarate where the Judges were assembled. Pizarro received their submission and then went to the municipal buildings where the assembled Magistrates received him with great ceremony. Pizarro then took possession of his brother’s house, lately occupied by the Viceroy, and the troops were taken to their quarters. This took place in the end of October, 1544, forty days after the arrest of the Viceroy. Gonzalo only occupied himself with military matters, the Judges exercising their authority as a Court of Justice, with sittings in the house of the Treasurer Riquelme. Alonso de Toro was sent to Cuzco, Pedro de Fuentes to Arequipa, Francisco de Almendras to Chuquisaca as Lieutenants of the Governor. There was one more execution of an opponent who talked too much, one Diego Gumiel.

Escape of Garcilasso de la Vega.

Carbajal did not succeed in arresting Garcilasso de la Vega, who fled from Cuzco. When the Camp Master knocked at his door that night, it was opened by a soldier named Hernando Perez Tablero, a native of Almendral in the dukedom of Feria, and foster-brother of Alonso de Vargas the brother of Garcilasso de la Vega. He was an old servant of the family. As soon as he saw the dreaded Camp Master he ran to Garcilasso and warned him. The knight got out by a back way and escaped into the convent of Santo Domingo. He was received by the monks and concealed in a vault, where he remained for more than four months. Old Carbajal searched for him several times in the convent until, through the intercession of friends, he was at last pardoned. But Gonzalo Pizarro always kept him a prisoner, living in Gonzalo’s tent and never being allowed to go out of his sight, until Sacsahuana. So that he was unwillingly at the battle of Huarina.