CHAPTER XXVI

_How the Alcaldes Antonio Altamirano and Diego Maldonado the rich

left the meeting, but finally had to sign, and how the Procurator

Alonso Carrasco declined to provide a petition on the arrangement

in the name of the city._

At the time when the members of the municipality give their opinions and

votes at their place of meeting, the Alcalde Antonio Altamirano, seeing

that the intentions of Gonzalo Pizarro were tyrannical and evil, left

the building to avoid voting. Diego Maldonado the rich did the same.

Gonzalo Pizarro came out with the wand of office, and all obeyed him as

Chief Justice. Diego Maldonado being in his house, Captain Cermeño with

a company of arquebusiers came to take him to the house of Gonzalo

Pizarro who was very angry because Maldonado would not sign. Pizarro,

with a haughty countenance, ordered him, having the first vote in the

municipality, to sign before he left the room, that all might see it. He

was told that his life would be taken if he did not sign, so he signed,

but in a false hand, and different from his usual signature. Antonio de

Altamirano also signed. Diego Maldonado asked all to witness, he and

Pedro de los Rios making a secret protest that they did not join with

Gonzalo Pizarro, nor would they be found acting against the service of

his Majesty.

Notwithstanding what had taken place, those who were committed to

Gonzalo Pizarro, in order that his reception as Chief Justice might be

more pronounced, advised that he should speak to Pero Alonso Carrasco,

the Procurator of the city, and induce him to present a petition to the

municipality stating that the people rejoiced at the election, which was

for the public good. Pero Alonso, acting prudently, and seeing that such

a proceeding was not right, would neither make such a petition, nor

present it to the municipality. Gonzalo Pizarro, indignant at his

opposition, gave orders that his property should be confiscated. Pero

Alonso Carrasco, fearing that they would kill him, took refuge in the

church and, thinking that he was not safe there, he went to the house of

Alonso de Mesa[40], a citizen of Cuzco, where he was concealed for two

days and two nights.

Gonzalo Pizarro was so enraged because Pero Alonso Carrasco would not

send the petition in the name of the city that, as some say[41], he

ordered some of his servants to kill the Procurator. One night Pero

Alonso ventured out to go to his house, and was badly wounded in three

places by those who were waiting for him. They left him, thinking he was

dead. This is the reason that Pero Alonso Carrasco did not go with

Garcilasso and Graviel de Rojas when they left the city to join the

Viceroy.

The War of Quito · 第 26 / 55 章