_Of the things that were done by Captain Alonso de Alvarado
after he had raised the banner of the King._
It has already been related how the captain Alonso de Alvarado held
it to be a great injury to the service of the King that the Marquis
Don Francisco Pizarro should have been put to death; and here he
had raised the banner in the royal name, and collected troops to
strengthen his position in the highlands where he was awaiting the
arrival of the President Vaca de Castro, who, it was now publicly
known, was coming as Judge of _residencia_ in the affairs of Almagro
and Pizarro. As the news spread, Don Diego de Almagro and Juan de
Herrada wrote to persuade Alvarado to espouse their side, to which
he answered as already stated. When it became known in the cities
of Trujillo and San Miguel that Alonso de Alvarado had raised the
banner in the name of the King, some joined him who, holding the deed
done by Don Diego in abhorrence, did not wish to be on a side which
would support his party or agree in its views, but were unanimous in
the service of the King. When Alonso de Alvarado knew that García de
Alvarado had gone to Piura, he wished to rout him before he could
return to Lima; for if this could be achieved it would be a great
disaster for the men of Chile, who had such confidence in his prowess.
With this determination Alvarado ordered a soldier named Carrillo,
who had gone to Trujillo for arms, as we have related, to proceed to
Caxamarca, where Melchor Verdugo, and to Guamachuco, where Aguibera,
were proprietors, and had some parties of Indians who knew the country
well, to get them to help him, as he wished to defeat and kill García
de Alvarado and those who were with him. Verdugo wished to be neutral,
by what they say, and answered Carrillo equivocally. They also say
that when García de Alvarado passed by there, he brought him one or
two very good horses and some arquebuses, and that it was by Verdugo's
advice that García de Alvarado hurried his departure. And furthermore,
that although Verdugo received letters from Alonso de Alvarado calling
upon him to join, he would not do so.
When Alonso de Alvarado found that he had not managed to entrap García
de Alvarado, knowing that a great force was being assembled at Lima
to march against him and to find the Judge Vaca de Castro, he decided
to depart from the city where he was, to join the Judge, who was
believed to be now in Quito. He marched as far as Cotabamba, where he
halted because he deemed the place strong, and one which could not be
attacked by his enemies, and whence, should they come in force, he
could retreat further inland. He then sent other messengers to Vaca de
Castro, reporting that he, Alvarado, and his followers were well, and
urging the Judge to come quickly, because as soon as the masses knew
of his arrival in the Realm many would come forward to join him and
serve the King.
Let us now leave Alonso de Alvarado, and say that after the captain
Pero Alvarez Holguin had arrived at the city of Cuzco, and been
publicly received there as General and proclaimed by the sound of
trumpets in the great square, he devoted himself to preparing arms
and getting men together. When Pedro Anzures arrived he did the same.
Don Alonso de Montemayor then arrived in that city. He had come by
order of Don Diego de Almagro to speak to Holguin on his behalf. He
was to say that he was aware of the movements which were taking place;
that, putting other things aside, Holguin should conform to his party;
and that as he had always shown himself a friend of the Adelantado
Almagro and his supporters he should now be one of the avengers of his
death. If Pero Alvarez had not entered Cuzco he should take the city
for him (Don Diego); and, collecting all the arms and men possible,
he should then return to Lima. Don Alonso did not put forward any of
these arguments, for when he arrived at Cuzco he found Pero Alvarez
within, and although he spoke some things to him on Don Diego's part,
he, like a prudent cavalier, was very guarded in what he said, and
evinced a desire to serve the King. But Pero Alvarez arrested him for
the time being, and had a secret watch kept on him to prevent him from
returning to Lima.