_Of what passed in the city of Los Reyes, and how the Marquis
Don Francisco Pizarro, with the concurrence of the Bishop Friar
Vicente de Valverde, made the general repartimiento: and the
departure of Gómez de Alvarado to form a settlement at Guanuco._
During the time that the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro was absent from
the city of Los Reyes, the natives not being yet quite subdued, nor
having given up the hope of regaining their ancient liberty by killing
the Spaniards, two principal citizens of Lima, named Francisco de
Vargas (a native of Campos) and Sebastian de Torres, who held an
_encomienda_ in the province of Guaraz, being at Guaylas, with some
others, were killed by the Indians. When this was known at Lima,
captain Francisco de Chaves[26] [the good] went to punish the Indians,
with the approval of the municipality and judicial authorities, taking
a sufficient force of horse and foot. They laid waste the fields and
villages of the natives, because they were found up in arms. The war
made by the Spaniards was so cruel that the Indians, fearing lest
they should all be killed, prayed for peace. This was granted by the
captain Francisco de Chaves, who thought he had done harm enough. The
war being ended he returned to Lima.
At this time the Marquis had founded the cities of Guamanga and
Arequipa, and had visited all the provinces of the Collao. He was so
much fatigued that he was glad to return to Lima where, after some
days, he resolved to make a general _repartimiento_, with the consent
and concurrence of the Bishop, Valverde, because such had been the
order of his Majesty.
They both, the Bishop and the Marquis, swore solemnly to make the
_repartimiento_ with all fidelity, without considering anything but
the service that each man had performed. But though they took this
oath, there were some who said that they kept it badly, because they
left many conquerors and explorers poor and in want, while they gave
to many of their servants the best and richest of the _repartimientos_.
As the Marquis had founded the cities we have mentioned, and
considered it desirable that one should be founded in the province
of Guanuco, he presently determined to give orders with that object.
Looking round to select a captain to perform this service, he
concluded that Gómez de Alvarado, brother of Don Pedro, would do it
well, while it would offer a means to gain his friendship; and it
might even furnish an opening for those of Chile[27] to lose the
hatred they felt against the Marquis owing to past differences.
So the Marquis sent for Gómez de Alvarado, and told him that he
had determined to found a city in the province of Guanuco, that he
should have the _repartimiento_ of Indians there, and offered him the
appointment. Gómez de Alvarado, seeing the delay there was in Spain
in providing for justice, and not being able maintain himself, but
now in actual need, replied to the Marquis that he would do what he
ordered. When the magistrates and settlers in Lima understood that the
Marquis intended to found a city at Guanuco, they protested that it
was not just to so curtail the extent of their jurisdiction. Already
Guamanga had been taken from them. They told the Marquis further that
he could not order such a settlement to be made in those provinces,
since they belonged to their city. But this did not prevent him from
despatching the captain Gómez de Alvarado with the people who wished
to go with him, among them being some from Chile, friends of his who
had been old soldiers in Peru. With these he set out for Guanuco,
and in the locality which appeared most suitable for maintaining a
new population, he founded the city, naming Diego de Caravajal and
Rodrigo Núñez, formerly the Camp-master of Almagro the elder, to be
its _alcaldes_. The people of Lima did not cease to complain, urging
that the extent of their jurisdiction should not be curtailed. It came
to such a pitch that the Marquis was induced to abandon the title of
"city," and give the new settlement the name of "town," to be subject
to Lima. When Gómez de Alvarado learnt this, he came from the new city
or town of Guanuco to Lima with the determination not to return to it
unless it were ordered to be called a city.
Further on we will relate what happened afterwards at Guanuco, for
all that was done by Gómez de Alvarado counted for nothing; and the
Marquis ordered one Pedro Barroso to take charge of the affairs of
that province. At this time the men of the Almagro party were in sore
straits. They wandered in the Indian villages to get something to eat,
barely clothed and in great misery. As they all knew that Don Diego
was in Lima, they came down from Charcas, Arequipa, and Cuzco to seek
him, saying that his Majesty was treating them badly, in not sending
out a judge against the Marquis. Those of the party who were in Lima
were not in less necessity than those who were away. For some time
before this the Marquis had directed Don Diego to leave his house,[28]
and though he afterwards sojourned in the house of Francisco de
Chaves, he was also sent away from thence. Juan de Herrada and Juan
Balsa sought him out. There arrived to join him thirty or forty of
those who had followed the Adelantado, old yeomen of his father, and
they too suffered great want. The Governor ordered nothing for their
sustenance nor did he remember that without Almagro he would not have
been what he was, nor would he have attained at the command he then
held. Those of the Almagro party endured their squalid condition as
best they could.
At that time there were in the city of Lima the captains Juan de
Sayavedra, Francisco de Chaves, Cristóbal de Sotelo, Saucedo, Juan de
Herrada, Don Alonso de Montemayor, and the accountant Juan de Guzmán,
besides other old friends of the Adelantado. Juan de Herrada employed
himself in contriving how they and Don Diego could be maintained. It
happened that there was only one cloak among ten or twelve of them,
and when one went out with it on, the others remained indoors, so that
the cloak was always in use. Besides those who arrived to join Don
Diego he had other friends in the city, but there was not found one
citizen who had the charity or the will to give them anything to eat.
No one would maintain the youth Don Diego, nor those who were with
him, excepting one Domingo de la Presa, who put a small village near
the city at their disposal, the Indians of which provided them with
maize, firewood, and other necessaries. We will leave off writing of
the men of Chile until the time came when they slew the Marquis, and
we will say how the factor Illán Suárez de Caravajal got word that
these men of Chile had come to Lima, where it might be they would
plot something not for the well-being of the Marquis. This factor
wrote a letter in cypher and sent it. This made it necessary for the
licentiate Benito Suárez to explain the contents of the letter.[29]
He told the Marquis that his brother the factor advised him, in that
letter, to be on his guard lest the men of Chile kill him; and to
be careful of his person, because many were coming from Charcas,
Arequipa, and Cuzco to join with Don Diego. Although the Marquis
received this information, he took no steps nor did he place any guard
over his person. He made Dr. Blázquez his lieutenant, in succession to
Francisco de Chaves, who had held the post up to that time.
The captain Alonso de Alvarado arrived from Chachapoyas, and had some
words with Francisco de Chaves and Gómez de Alvarado in the presence
of the Marquis. It came to such a pass that Alonso de Alvarado and
Gómez de Alvarado challenged each other and took the field. When the
Marquis heard of it he interfered and induced these two captains to
make peace. He looked on Alonso de Alvarado with much favour, as his
own captain and the founder of the city of La Frontera.[30] With
permission of the Marquis he returned to that city.
FOOTNOTES:
[26] There were two captains of the name Francisco de Chaves, believed
to be cousins. They should not be confused together. One was a very
distinguished officer, a friend of the Marquis Pizarro but not
ignoring his faults. He was murdered by Juan de Herrada and the other
assassins of Pizarro. The other was one of Almagro's captains, also
murdered by Juan de Herrada on account of a private quarrel. For
distinction I call one Francisco de Chaves (the good) and the other
Francisco de Chaves (the bad).
[27] _i.e._ the partisans of old Diego de Almagro, deceased.
[28] The Marquis had received young Diego Almagro most hospitably in
his own house, where he was lodged as a guest for months. His conduct
must have been very disreputable, to have made the Marquis send him
away to the care of Francisco de Chaves. Cieza de León says that he
was addicted to the vices of his countrymen.
[29] Illán and Benito Suárez de Caravajal were brothers.
[30] Chachapoyas.