_How, when the death of the Marquis was known at Plata, they
raised the banner of the King, and how the captain Pedro
Anzures, and other residents there, set out to join Pero Alvarez
Holguin._
At the time of the death of the Marquis, the Captain Pedro Anzures
was his lieutenant in the town of Plata. When he set out to penetrate
into the country of the Chunchos, as already related, he received
such important information respecting the Rio de la Plata and the
many populous provinces on its banks that he desired to discover some
way into them, which would not be too difficult, by crossing the
Andes. From the time when the Marquis appointed him his Lieutenant,
he amply showed his valour in his wars with the Indians, and his
prudence in maintaining the peaceful relations they had promised to
abide by, not consenting that any harm should be done to them. In the
rich mines of Porco there were Spaniards who extracted a quantity of
silver. Entertaining the desire I have mentioned, to discover that
land and great river, Pedro Anzures had gone, with some people, as
far as the country of the Juries, which is to the east, to ascertain
the character of the country in that direction as a practicable
route for penetrating further. In that year, Captain Garcilaso de la
Vega and Luis Perdomo were _alcaldes_ of the town of Plata, Pedro de
Hinojosa and Diego López de Zúñiga, Francisco de Almendras and Juan
de Caravajal were _regidores_, and Antonio Alvarez was _alguazil
mayor_. A man came to the town as a messenger from Gómez de Tordoya;
for Sancho Perero, sent by Pero Alvarez, had not yet arrived. He
told the _alcaldes_ the news of the death of the Marquis. They all
received it with the very greatest sorrow, and, although they would
have liked to keep it secret until the return of Pedro Anzures, they
could not do so, for it became known at once to all the inhabitants.
They all felt grief that a Governor of the King, and a captain so
old in the conquests of the Indies, should have been so barbarously
murdered. There was a great excitement among them, for they did not
know what course to pursue, nor whether Pedro Anzures would return
from his expedition or not. The municipal officers assembled, and
after having raised the banner for the king, they agreed to send a
messenger to Pedro Anzures begging for his immediate return, as the
tidings required it. They sent the news by one Marchena, who travelled
quickly until he reached the place where Pedro Anzures was. The latter
was deeply grieved, and returned quickly to the town, where several
meetings of the municipality were held, but nothing was settled. For
the _regidores_ wanted to nominate that righteous cavalier Gonzalo[85]
de la Vega as captain, or else Diego de Rojas. But Pedro Anzures
maintained that it was his place, because he had been Lieutenant
there. At these meetings there were many bickerings, and Pedro
Anzures had words with the _alcalde_ Perdomo.
Pedro de Hinojosa spoke so well at one of the meetings and with such
effect that all determined to think of nothing but the King's service,
and agreed that since Pedro Anzures was a gentleman and a gallant one
who had been the Marquis' Lieutenant, he should be Captain. Pedro
Anzures then raised the banner of his Majesty, and delivered it to
Alonso de Loaisa as ensign. Before this the captain Garcilaso had gone
to the mines at Porco to collect what men and arms might be there, and
silver to divide amongst those who were about to go to serve the King.
Soon all were in readiness. Sancho Perero, the messenger sent by Pero
Alvarez Holguin, then arrived and related to those gentlemen what had
taken place, and how Holguin had been chosen General to put down the
tyranny of Almagro. Having delivered the letters to Pedro Anzures, he
went back with others that were entrusted to him. When those who were
to go were ready to start, and mounted on good horses, Pedro Anzures
addressed them in a gracious speech, appealing to them to bear in mind
that they were gentlemen and servants of the King, and that the evil
committed by the men of Chile in tyrannizing over the country was very
grave and deserving of severe punishment, which they, as loyal men,
must inflict. Having added other observations on the subject, Captain
Pedro Anzures left Francisco de Almendras as Chief Justice, Gabriel de
Mendoza as _alcalde_ and Antonio Alvarez as _alguazil mayor_. He then
set out from the loyal town with fifty-two horsemen, among whom there
went:
Garcilaso de la Vega
Pedro de Hinojosa
Gaspar Rodríguez de Campo Redondo[86]
Alonso de Mendoza
Juan de Caravajal
Diego de Rojas
Alonso de Camargo[87]
Lope de Mendoza
Diego Lope de Zúñiga
Diego de Almendras
Lope de Mendieta
Alonso de Loaisa (ensign)
Diego Centeno
Luis Perdomo
Francisco de Tapia
Hernán Núñez de Segura
Luis de Rivera
Alonso Pérez Castillejo
Francisco Retamoso
Hernando de Aldana
Alonso Manjarrés
and others to the number I mentioned.
They proceeded on their journey until they arrived at the villages
"del Rey," whence, leaving the baggage with some people, Captain
Pedro Anzures went by way of Hatun-colla to the city of Arequipa, to
collect all the men and arms that he could. He got there just when
Sergeant-major Francisco Sánchez, was coming in with the men sent by
Pero Alvarez Holguin.
As the night had not yet run its course nor the day shown any sign of
light, and the two parties entered the place one on one side and the
other on another, loosening their arquebuses, they well nigh came to
blows. They recognized each other in time, however, and were rejoiced.
Though some showed themselves neutral in that city others joined the
captains in the service of the King without wavering, and took the
road with them back to Cuzco. On the way, Loaisa gave up the office of
ensign under Pedro Anzures, and Diego Centeno took it over and carried
the banner into Chupas. Finally, they all arrived safely at Cuzco. The
Captain Pero Alvarez Holguin, with Gómez de Tordoya and the others,
gave them a hearty welcome. There was much rejoicing at Cuzco, and
all promised obedience to Pero Alvarez, and accepted him as General.
He nominated Pedro Anzures as Captain of Lances, with Garcilaso de la
Vega.
FOOTNOTES:
[85] _Sic_--a mistake for Garcilaso.
[86] Brother of Pedro Anzures.
[87] The captain of the ship that arrived from Spain. See p. 137.