The royal commentaries of Peru, in two parts the first part, treating of the original of their Incas or kings, of their idolatry, of their laws and government both in peace and war, of the reigns and conquests of the Incas, with many other particulars relating to their empire and policies before such time as the Spaniards invaded their countries : the second part, describing the manner by which that new world was conquered by the Spaniards : also the civil wars between the Piçarrists and the Almagrians, occasioned by quarrels arising about the division of that land, of the rise and fall of rebels, and other particulars contained in that history : illustrated with sculptures / written originally in Spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega ; and rendered into English by Sir Paul Rycaut, Kt.

CHAP. XVIII.

The revenge which Aguire took for this affront. The dili∣gence used by the Governour of Cozco to take Aguire; the manner how he made his escape.

AFter this Aguire could not be persuaded to pursue his design of the Conquest, though the Inhabitants of Potocsi offered to have assisted him with all things necessary thereunto; but he excused himself, saying, That after such a shame as this, death was his onely remedy and consolation, which he would endeavour to obtain as soon as possible; under this melancholy he remained in Peru untill the time in which the Office of Esquivel expired; and then he always, like a desperate man, pursued and followed him, watching an opportunity to kill him, and wipe off the shame of the late affront. Esquivel, being informed of this desperate resolution by his Friends, endeavoured to avoid his Enemy, and took a journey of three or four hundred leagues from him, supposing that Aguire would not pursue him at such a distance: but the farther Esquivel fled the more earnest was Aguire to follow him. The first journey which Esquivel took was to the City of Los Reyes, being three hundred and twenty leagues distant; but in less than fifteen days Aguire was there with him: whereupon Esquivel took another flight, as far as to the City of Quito, being four hundred leagues distant from Los Reyes, but in a little more than twenty days Aguire was again with him: which being intimated to Esquivel, he took another leap as far as Cozco, which is five hundred leagues from Quito; but in a few days after he arrived there came his old Friend Aguire, travelling all the way on foot, without Shoes or Stockins, saying, that it became not the conditi∣on of a whipped Rascal to travel on Horseback or appear amongst men. In this manner did Aguire haunt and pursue Esquivel for three years and four months: who being now tired and wearied with so many long and tedious journies, which profited him little; he resolved to fix his abode at Cozco, where he believed that Aguire would scarce adventure to attempt any thing against him, for fear of the Judge who governed that City, who was a severe man, impartial and inflexible in all his proceedings: and accordingly took a Lodging in the middle of the Street of the great Church, where he lived with great care and caution, wearing a Coat of Mail under his upper Coat, and went always armed with his Sword and Dag∣ger, which are Weapons not agreeable to his profession. At this time a certain Kinsman of my Fathers, the Son of Gomez de Tordoya, and of his name, spoke to Esquivel, and told him, that since he was his Countrey-man of Estremenno, and his Friend, he could not but advise him (as it was known over all Peru) how diligent Aguire had been to dog and follow him with purpose and intent to kill him; wherefore if you please I will come and lodge by night in the same House with you, which perhaps will divert Aguire from coming thither. Esquivel than∣ked him, and told him that he always went well provided; for he never put off his Coat of Mail, nor laid his offensive Arms aside; and to be more wary or cau∣tious than this would be scandalous to the City, and shew too much fear of a poor fellow who was of a little and a contemptible presence: Howsoever the fury of his mind, and the desire of revenge had exalted him above his natural stature and proportion, and rendred him as considerable as Diego Garcia de Paredes, and John de Urbina, who were famous men in their time: in virtue and force of this

desired revenge he adventured one Monday at noon to enter into the House of Esquivel, and having walked for some time in the yard below, and in the Gallery above, and having passed through a Hall and a Chamber, and entring into an in∣ward Chamber where he kept his Books, he found him there sleeping with one in his hand, and coming softly to him, he stabb'd him with his Dagger through the right Temple of his head, and gave him three or four stabbs more into the Body, not where the Coat of Mail covered him, but in the opening of his Clothes. After which Aguire returned by the same way that he came, and being come to the street Door, missing his Hat he had the courage to return again and fetch it, and therewith went out into the street, and walked like a mad-man without sense or judgment, never thinking to take Sanctuary in the Church, but walked open∣ly in the streets towards St. Francisco, where was a Convent East-ward from the great Church; neither did he take refuge there, but wandring through a street on the left hand, he made a stop at the place where a Foundation was laid for the Convent of St. Clare; and in a little Alley thereabouts he met two young Gentle∣men, Kinsmen to Rodrigo de Peneda, to whom he said, hide me, hide me, with∣out being able to say one word more, but looked like a man frantick and out of his wits. The Gentleman, who knew his discontent, and his desire of revenge; asked him, Whether he had killed Esquivel? To which Aguire answered, Yes, hide me, hide me. Then the Gentleman carried him into the House of a Kins∣man of theirs where were three back yards, in the farthermost of which there was a kind of a Stie, where they fatted their Hogs and Poultery at the time of year, and there they concealed him, ordering him by no means to go out of that place, or shew his head abroad. As to the back yards, they secured them in that manner that no Indians should go in, having no business, to doe there; and they told him, that he should not need to take care for Victuals, for they would make a provision for him: which they accordingly did, for dining and supping always in the House of their Kinsman, they would privately at every meal slip Bread and Meat into their Pockets; with which, upon pretence of going to the back-side on their necessary occasions, they relieved this poor Aguire in his Hog-stie, and in this manner they fed and maintained him for the space of forty days.

So soon as the Mayor or Governour heard of the death of Esquivel he comman∣ded the Bells to be rung out; and the Indians of Cannaris were set for Guards and Sentinels at the Gates of the City, and at the door of the Convents; and Proclama∣tion was made, that no man should go out of the City without a Pass or License obtained from the Governour, and search was made in all Convents, and the corners of them, that nothing could be more diligently performed, unless they would have pulled them down. This Watch and Ward continued in the City for thirty days, without the least news of Aguire, as if he had been sunk under ground. At length, wearied with a fruitless search, the Sentinels and Guards were taken off from the City; but howsoever a Watch was continued on the High-ways, and maintained with a strict examination of all that passed. At the end of forty days, these Gentlemen, called Santillan and Catanno, both of noble extraction, (with whom I was acquainted, and met one of them in Seville when I arrived first in Spain) thought fit to free themselves from the danger which they incurred by concealing Aguire; for they knew that the Judge was a severe man, and would have no mercy on them in case the matter were discovered; whereup∣on they agreed to carry him publickly out of the City, and not by any private conveyance; the manner was this, they shaved his head and his beard, and wa∣shed his face, head, neck, hands and Arms, and from top to toe, and cleansed him with water, and then smeared him over with a sort of wild Fruit, called by the Indians Vitoc, which is not good to eat, or for any other purpose onely dies with that black hue, that being left on for three or four days, and afterwards washed over three or four times more, it leaves a black deeper than that of an Ethiopian, and which will not be washed off again with any water, untill it be∣gins to wear away, which it will doe in ten days time, and then will wash off with the rine of that which gives the tincture: In this manner they coloured this wretch Aguire, and clothed him in poor habit, like a Countrey Negroe; and with this disguise they went out openly about noon day through the publick streets and Market-place, with the Negroe Aguire marching before them with a Gun on his Shoulders, and one of the Masters carried another before him on the Pomel of his Saddle, and the other had a Hawk on his fist, as if they had been going after

their game: and in this manner they went to the Hill called Carmenca, which is the road to Los Reyes, and is a great way thither through Streets and publick pla∣ces from the house of Rodrigo de Pineda: and at last they came to the out-guards of all; where being asked for the Governour's licence or pass-port: he that carried the Hawk, seeming to be troubled for this omission, said to his Brother, Pray stay for me here untill I goe and fetch a Licence; or if you please to go softly before, I shall quickly overtake you; but he took little care for his pass-port, since his Brother with his Neger was passed the Guards, which being done, they quickned their pace, untill they had got themselves clear out of the Jurisdiction of Cozco, which reaches fourty leagues in length; And being come so far, he bought a small Nag for Aguire, and gave him some money in his purse; and said to him; Brother, since I have accompanied you so far, and brought you into a Countrey where you are free and out of danger, you may goe now where you think fit; for my part, I can do no more for you; shift for your self; and with that he re∣turned to Cozco, and Aguire travelled to Huamanca, where a Kinsman of his lived, who was a Noble person and one of the richest Inhabitants of that City; and was received by him as kindly as if he had been his own Son, and was caressed and treated by him for many days, and afterwards was sent away with all things necessary and convenient for him. We shall conceal the name of this his Kinsman, because it is not justifiable to receive and protect a person condemned, or who stands outlawed by the Royal Justice. This escape of Aguire was one of the strangest things that happened in those days, considering the diligent search which was made for him by the Judge, and the follies of Aguire after he had committed the Murther, though they happened well, and by his good fortune were the cause of his preservation: for if he had taken refuge in a Convent, of which there were but three in Town; namely, that of our Lady, of the Seraphi∣cal St. Francis, and of the Divine St. Dominick, he had certainly been discovered and delivered to Justice: but having thus escaped, the Governour was not a little angry and ashamed to see his Justice eluded, and the Offender placed out of reach of the Law. Howsoever he was praised by the bold and daring Souldiers, who said that, if there were many Aguires in the World who durst boldly adventure to vindicate their dishonours by such a revenge, the Officers of Justice would not be so insolent and arbitrary as they now shew themselves.