_How it was known at Lima that the Viceroy was near, and how the
Bishop Don Jeronimo de Loaysa and the Governor Vaca de Castro, with
other knights and citizens, went out to meet him._
When it was known that the Viceroy was near there were great
disturbances and tumults in Lima, and all the people wanted to take up
arms. There was a meeting of the municipal officers to decide what
should be done, and they exhorted the people not to make a disturbance
when the Viceroy arrived and entered the city, and until it was seen
whether he still intended to enforce the laws. For in the meeting they
held, they spoke of not obeying the detested ordinances even if the
Viceroy insisted upon compliance. The Archbishop of Lima[35] told me
that the Alcalde Alonso Palomino, the Treasurer Alonso Riquelme, and the
Overseer Garcia de Salcedo came to induce him to come out to receive the
Viceroy and require him not to enforce the ordinances. The Archbishop
said that if he went out to receive the Viceroy he would require nothing
from him, and that they, in like case, could do what seemed most
advisable. It is also said that they spoke to the Archbishop on what
they wanted to be done, calling him to hear their desires by ringing a
bell. This enraged the Archbishop who said it was more like a village
bell than anything else. It is even said that those who wished to
resist, actually proposed to seize the Viceroy in the municipal
building, and others relate that, in the lodgings of the Archbishop it
was proposed that the Viceroy should be poisoned. The Father Baltasar de
Loaysa told this to me, adding, that he knew it for certain. Talking of
this not many days ago, to the Reverend Friar Domingo de Santo
Tomas[36] of the Order of St Dominic, a person of great learning and
sanctity, he swore to me that nothing of the kind ever happened as
regards the Archbishop. The Archbishop has said the same to me himself,
explaining that those who contemplated such things may well have been in
his house, but that he knew nothing about it. It is certain that they
plotted amongst themselves, and that they detested the very name of the
Viceroy, but it cannot be supposed that either the Bishop or Vaca de
Castro were concerned in the matter.
These tumults and rages having been appeased, the Licentiate Rodrigo
Niño[37] was elected and appointed as Procurator to petition for three
things, first the suspension of the new laws until his Majesty should
take some other order, and receive information of the grave injury to
the kingdom if they were enforced. The first petition should be
presented with great humility. The second should be accompanied by a
representation of the serious evils which would be caused by enforcing
the new laws, for all the kingdom was disturbed, and the citizens of
Cuzco who were in Lima had left it. For it was certain that Gonzalo
Pizarro had received many letters from all parts urging him to allow
himself to be named as the procurator and defender of all. The third
object was to protest against the troubles and deaths that would be
caused. The Captain Diego de Aguero had returned by order of the Viceroy
and came to where the municipality was assembled. He told the
magistrates that they should receive the Viceroy willingly, and that
there was no occasion for any demands. Owing to this speech of Diego de
Aguero they consented and gave orders for the reception.
At this time Don Jeronimo de Loaysa, Bishop of Lima, who had also been
Bishop of Cartagena, and the Licentiate Vaca de Castro, with the Factor
Illan Suarez, the Captain Juan de Saavedra, Pablo de Meneses, and the
Factor Juan de Salas, with other citizens, knowing that the Viceroy was
near the city, went out to meet him. They proceeded on the road until
they met, and they were well received. The Viceroy was pleased to see
the Bishop, and some discourse passed between them, respecting Vaca de
Castro, to whom the Viceroy showed much cordiality. After some
courtesies, the Bishop said he was glad that the Viceroy had arrived,
because his presence would check the departure of citizens to Cuzco. He
submitted that it would be profitable and show a Christian spirit to
suspend the laws and advise his Majesty of the trouble they were
causing. The Viceroy would know that anything which advanced the service
of the King would be desirable. The Viceroy replied that his Majesty
felt confidence in his lordship, and himself no less, and that he would
comply with what the King had ordered. As for the ordinances he would
see what was best, and that he would do. At this point the Factor Illan
Suarez de Carbajal joined in the conversation. He said: “Give me,
Viceroy, your hands.” The Viceroy was pleased and embraced him, for he
had known him in the court of Spain, and he said: “I only regret that I
can do you no good whatever.” The Factor was dismayed at hearing such
words. He turned back with the Viceroy and they reached a place called
Xaguey. Here the Bishop, Vaca de Castro, the Factor and the others
prayed the Viceroy to sleep there that night for though it was early it
would be convenient, and next morning they would enter the city. The
Viceroy cheerfully consented.
Many citizens and knights presently arrived to see the Viceroy and to
kiss his hand, and he received them all very well. He took the
Archbishop aside, so that no one else could hear, and told him that,
being in Spain, without a thought of coming to these parts, nor knowing
anything of Peru, nor having had any intercourse with the people settled
there, his Majesty had ordered him to go out as Viceroy and enforce the
new laws. He said that it was much against his will to come out and take
away what others had given. Though he was assured that his Majesty would
be well served if the new laws were revoked and more favour was shown to
the conquerors, yet he prayed the Archbishop to apprise him of what had
passed, for he had been told that certain citizens of Cuzco went about
to cause disturbances in the land. The Archbishop said, in reply, that
many days had passed since news had come respecting the ordinances, and
that they had given rise to troubles throughout the country. It,
therefore, behoved the Viceroy to act cautiously. These discourses took
place between the Viceroy and the Archbishop. The Viceroy had also
conversed with Vaca de Castro and the other knights who were present.
Lorenzo Estopiñan had come out to meet the Viceroy, and seeing in him a
disposition not to enforce the ordinances until the arrival of the
Judges, went forward to take the news, and so did others. But though
they announced this, they did not fail to feel much sadness, and the
same was in the minds of all. They saw that the entrance of the Viceroy
into Peru would give rise to a new war which would be worse and would
last longer than former wars because it would be brought about from a
more important and weighty cause.