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. X.

Francisco Hernandez retires with his Army. In his Maje∣sty's Camp is great Confusion by diversity of opinions. A mutiny is raised in the City of Piura; and how it was pacified.

FRancisco Hernandez according to his former resolution withdrew his Forces from Pachacamac in such haste that the Souldiers left behind them all things which were useless and cumbersome to them, which were all taken away by the King's Party, who upon retreat of the Enemy, without order from their Commanders, plundered every thing that remained: Upon this alteration of affairs, the Justices entered into consultation with the Field Officers; and summoned unto the Coun∣cil of War, besides the Captains, several Planters, who were men of Estates in the Kingdom, and were well experienced in the Affairs of that Countrey: but in such variety of opinions, there was great confusion, every one persisting in his own persuasion, pressed eagerly that his Counsel might be taken. Atlength after long debates, it was concluded that Paulo de Meneses, with six hundred select men, should pursue after Hernandez: the next day the detachment being made, the two Generals contradicted the resolution concluded at the Council of War, and orde∣red that no more than a hundred men should be drawn out, for that it would be too great a weakning to the Camp to be devested of the greatest number of the choicest men. Howsoever the Justices remained constant to their first Resolves, and again commanded that the detachment should be made of the six hundred men; which was again contradicted by the two Generals, who were of opinion that a hundred men were sufficient to keep the Enemy in Alarms, and to receive such as were desirous to revolt. Between these contradictory Orders Paulo de Me∣neses was greatly confused, and much more troubled, because he was not permit∣ted to take with him those Comrades and Friends of his in whom he most con∣fided to stand by him, and who were desirous to keep him company. And here we will leave them to declare those matters, which passed at the same time in the City of St. Michael de Piura.

The Justices, as we mentioned before, had sent advices to all the Governours of the Kingdom concerning the rebellion of Hernandez, and issued out their Orders and Warrants to raise and arm Souldiers to resist and destroy the Rebels. The Governour of Piura, called John Delgadillo, gave his Commission to Francisco de Silva, a Souldier of good fame and reputation, who lived in that City, with In∣structions to leavy Souldiers in Tumpiz, and along the coast, and to bring with him as many as he could raise. Francisco de Silva went accordingly and returned to Piura with a party of about twenty six or twenty seven Souldiers, who having remained there about twelve or thirteen days without any care taken to provide them with Victuals, or Lodging, and being poor men, and not able to maintain themselves, they came to the Governour with their Captain Francisco de Silva and desired his Licence to goe to the City of Los Reyes to serve his Majesty. The Governour being pressed by the Intreaties and Importunities of all the Citizens as∣sented thereunto; but the next day, the Souldiers being drawn out, and ready to march, the Governour, without any reason for it, revoked his Licence, and gave a positive Command, that every one should repair to his quarters, and neither go out from thence, nor out of the City without farther order. Francisco de Silva Hernandez and his companions, finding that no entreaties could prevail on the Governour, they resolved to kill him, and plunder the City, and then depart and offer their service to Hernandez Giron, since they were denyed leave to serve his Majesty. The matter was soon agreed, and about twelve or thirteen of them well armed went into the Governour's house, and took him, and killed a Justice of Peace of the lower rank, and made seizure of Guns, Head-pieces, Swords, Bucklers, Lan∣ces, Halbards, with a great provision of Powder; and then carrying forth the Royal Standard they proclaimed upon pain of death, that every man should re∣pair thereunto; then they broke open the royal Treasury, and carried all the mo∣ney

from thence; the like they did to particular mens houses, which they sacked and plundered, not leaving any thing of value therein. And it happening, that a certain Souldier came at that time from Rimac, being banished thence, they cau∣sed him to report, that Hernandez was marching with a very strong Army to Los Reyes, and that all the Kingdom had declared for him, and that the Justice San∣tillan himself, with many of his Friends and Relations were passed over to that party; besides a multitude of other Lyes which they caused him to report, which served these poor Rascals for the present, and pussed them up as full of vanity as if they had been truths, and made them to cosider themselves no less than as Lords and Masters of all Peru, and when this Souldier declared his in∣tention to follow Hernandez, they all became of the same mind, and presently proceeded to join with him.

The Governour they carried with them in Chains, and eight or nine Citizens and men of Estates besides, with Collars of Iron about their Necks, after the manner of Gally-slaves. In this manner they travelled above fifty Leagues with all the boldness and insolence imaginable, untill they came to Cassamarca; where they met with two Spaniards who lived by their labour and honest dealings, and from them they received true information of the state and condition of Hernandez Giron, and how he fled, and was pursued by the Justices; and that it was credi∣bly believed that at that very time he was defeated and killed. With this News Francisco de Silva and his Companions were extremely dashed and confounded, and began to bewail their sollies; and, to save themselves, they designed to sur∣prize some Ship, if it were possible, to make their escape. The Governour and his Companions were now freed of their Chains and set at Liberty, but ex∣tremely incommoded. And the Rebels, being about fifty in number, divided themselves into little parties of about three or four in company to pass more free∣ly without any notice taken of them.

The Governour finding himself at Liberty, summoned people in the King's name and took some of them, whom he hanged and quartered. And the Justi∣ces being informed of the Outrages committed by these Villains, sent a Judge called Bernardino Romani with Commission to punish the Offenders; who in pur∣suance thereof took and hanged almost all of them, and the remainder he sent to the Gallies, but Francisco de Silva and his Companions, escaped to Truxillo, where they entred into the Convent of St. Francis, and there disguising themselves in that habit, they travailed to the Sea-coast, where they embarked on a Ship which transported them out of the Empire, and so saved their lives.

In those days came sad and lamentable News from the Kingdom of Chile brought by a Citizen of St. Jago called Gaspar Otense, giving an account, how that the A∣raucan Indians of that Kingdom had made an Insurrection, and had killed the Go∣vernour Pedro de Valdivia and his People, of which we have rendred a large relati∣on in the seventh Book of the first part of these Commentaries. This disturbance amongst the Indians was of great consequence to all Peru: for it began towards the end of the year 1553, and hath continued to the end of this, being 1611, in which we are now writing these matters, and yet the War is not at an end; but the Indians are more proud, and stand more on their terms, than at first, being en∣couraged by the many Victories they obtained, and the Cities they destroyed; God in his Mercy put a good end hereunto, as is most for his Glory. Perhaps in the following Book, we may touch upon some later actions of the Araucans.