respect and fidelity to him, and follow the example of his Captains and Gover∣nours
in other places: and therefore that Antonio de Ribera, whom he entirely lo∣ved
both on the score of alliance and of past services which he had done to the
Marquis Don Francisco Piçarro his brother, he gave him secretly his consent to
make a surrender of the City; that thereby he might conserve himself and his
Niece Donna Francisca Piçarro, Daughter of the Marquis, who remained under
his Guardianship.
The News of this Change in the City was soon carried to Lorenço de Aldana,
who was surprized with extraordinary joy to hear it, for he did not expect so sud∣den
an alteration; and was riding at anchor at a good distance from the shoar,
looking out with his Boats to take up such as made their escapes from the City,
to secure which he ordered Captain John Alonso Palomino with fifty Souldiers to row
along the shoar; suspecting that Gonçalo Piçarro would return again to the City to
prevent Plots which might be there contriving against him: and to have the bet∣ter
and more speedy intelligence of the proceedings of Piçarro, he ordered twelve
of those persons who had revolted to him, and who hereby had given undeny∣able
proofs of their fidelity; to be mounted on Horse-back, to scout abroad and
travers all the ways and roads near the City. He also gave Orders to Captain John
Yllanes, who was Commander of a small Frigate, to coast along the shoar of the
South-sea; and at some convenient place to land a Friar and a Souldier; who
were to carry Letters and Dispatches from the President directed to Captain Die∣go
Centeno, and several Letters to particular persons then in company with Di∣ego
Centeno, and others to persons of great reputation and esteem then engaged
with John de Acosta, the Contents of which were chiefly to inform them of the
State and Successes of the Empire; the which were dispersed abroad over all the
Countrey by the Indians, and by their means came to the hands of those to whom
they were directed, which produced many ill effects, to the prejudice and de∣struction
of Acosta, as will appear in the sequel.
We shall now touch upon some matters particularly relating to Lorenço Aldana,
who was a person with whom I was acquainted. For both Sea and Land being
disturbed and moved with intestine troubles, Aldana acted, and sent all his dis∣patches and orders from aboard his Ship, being unwilling to trust himself ashoar;
for fear lest some treacherous person should design to kill him, and fly to Gonçalo
Piçarro; for (as Historians report) there were people who revolted to Piçarro,
as well as from him to the King; with which apprehensions and jealousies he re∣mained
aboard untill he received certain intelligence that Gonçalo Piçarro was re∣moved
eighty leagues from the City of Los Reyes, and indeed by that time this
News came, he was removed at the distance of a hundred and ten leagues from
thence. And then, adventuring ashoar with all his Captains and Souldiers, he
was received into the City with great joy, being met by all the Inhabitants,
which though few, yet the very Children came in to make up the number. The
charge of the Ships was committed to the care of John Fernandez the Sheriff of the
Town, with the usual formalities required in such cases: And now Aldana be∣ing
with his men lodged within the City, he endeavored to get all the Arms and
Ammunition into his hands; but whilst he was busie and intent on these matters,
a flying report came, that Gonçalo Piçarro was returning again towards the City;
and that he was not above four leagues off, and though there could be no ground
to imagine such a rumour to be true or possible; yet such was the consternation,
that no man had power to consider the probability of the report; but every one
out of the abundance of his fear shifted for himself. Those who were unprovided
of Horses fled to the Seaside to secure themselves within the Ships; those who
had Horses travelled away, and took the common way to Truxillo; others who
were not possessed with so violent a fear, concealed themselves within the Osier-gardens
and other secret places; and in this manner they lay perdue or hidden for
a whole night and a day, untill such time as certain intelligence came that the re∣port
was false. And then they all returned again to the City unless such who had
travelled away at a farther distance.
Augustine Carate writes, that Lorenço de Aldana came ashoar upon the ninth of Sep∣tember,
1547. where we will leave him for awhile, to speak of John de Acosta, who
was now on his march towards Cozco by way of the mountains consisting of three
hundred Souldiers under the command of a Major General, a Standard-bearer,
and other Officers, as if it had been a great Army.