_How it became known at Guaraz that Vaca de Castro was in the
camp of Alonso de Alvarado, and how Captain Castro went thither,
and of Vaca de Castro's going to Guaraz and taking command of
the troops there, and of what else happened._
As the camp at Guaraz was so near to the camp of Alonso de Alvarado
the news of what was passing reached there quickly, and Pero Alvarez,
with the rest, were greatly pleased. For they had been encamped there
many days and were anxious to depart. So they at once made ready to
welcome the Governor, and Captain Castro presently set out with a
small escort for the place where he was quartered. On arriving in Vaca
de Castro's presence the latter greeted him with much affection, as a
relation of his own through the Countess of Lemos,[102] with whom Vaca
de Castro also claimed near relationship.
Captain Pedro Anzures also came out from the camp at Guaraz, by order
of Captain Pero Alvarez, because he looked upon him as a very special
friend, although there had been some points in dispute between them,
too. And Vaca de Castro received Pedro Anzures very cordially. After
Pedro Anzures had left Guaraz, Lorenzo de Aldana and Diego Maldonado
resolved to go to the Governor and represent Pero Alvarez's keen
desire to serve his Majesty, and advised Alvarez, as he was so near,
to go himself and see de Castro. He replied that he would go gladly
and that he was ready to start. So, leaving their camp well guarded,
they set out for that of Alonso de Alvarado, where the Governor was.
When Vaca de Castro heard that Pero Alvarez was coming he was very
glad, and some gentlemen went out to welcome him. The Governor showed
great love and goodwill when he saw Pero Alvarez, and promised to
honour him for the good service he had done for his Majesty, and for
the satisfactory results throughout the Realm. Pero Alvarez told him
of all that had happened since the time when the banner was raised at
Cuzco. Gómez de Tordoya, and Garcilaso de la Vega were also there.
After Pero Alvarez had spent one day with Vaca de Castro he returned
to his camp, not over pleased, some would have us believe, because it
seemed to him that it would have been a fair thing to leave him with
the rank of General, seeing he had so truly shown himself to be such a
loyal servant of his Majesty.
As soon as Pero Alvarez was gone, the Governor, Vaca de Castro, after
taking the opinions of all the principal people who were with him,
determined to go to Guaraz, where the banners were to be delivered to
him. Although he was anxious to see the camp united, and placed under
his command as Governor, yet he remained for three days, resting after
his long and fatiguing journeys. After that, accompanied by Alonso
de Alvarado and the rest of the people, he set out for the camp of
Pero Alvarez Holguin. When they arrived there Holguin came out with
all the cavaliers and soldiers he had with him, and gave him the most
solemn reception that was possible, quoting the name of the king and
declaring that all would serve him with the utmost loyalty until they
had wrested the Realm from those who had usurped it, and that they
acknowledged and would obey the Governor in the royal name. Having
joyously declared these things they fired off their artillery and
arquebuses. All the horsemen came fully equipped, with lance in hand,
and drew up before the Governor to salute him and welcome him on his
arrival. He replied to them very graciously, thanking them for their
services to his Majesty; and all made their obeisance together. Taking
the royal standard in his hand, Pero Alvarez Holguin then addressed
the Governor. He said that when he, and many other cavaliers who were
here present, were about to set out for the exploration of the region
beyond the Chunchos, they received news of the untoward death of the
Marquis and of the great calamity it had brought upon the Realm.
Deploring those events they returned to Cuzco, where he, Pero Alvarez,
was accepted as Captain-general by all the Spaniards who were there
and attended. On being informed that Vaca de Castro was coming, in the
King's name and with his authority, he did not care to risk anything,
although his force was increased by those in the lists at Cuzco and
was fairly well equipped with arms, artillery, and horses, and with
strong wills to chastise the tyranny that had risen up; for it was
clear that the evil, if he failed, would be greater than the profits
of a success. He had therefore traversed the provinces of Jauja and
Bombon as far as to Guaraz, intending to wait there for the Governor's
instructions. "And since Our Lord," he continued, "hath guided events
prosperously, and you are the king's Governor by virtue of the
death of the late Marquis, receive, Sir, the royal standard and the
banners which have been raised for this war, under which I and all the
cavaliers and soldiers who are here enroll themselves."
Vaca de Castro, with very great delight, took the royal standard in
his hands, and gave it to Rodrigo de Campo, his captain of the guard,
and thus answered Pero Alvarez:--"You have delivered to me the banners
and the men who are here. As you are a knight, and coming from such
loyal predecessors as were your ancestors, I expected nothing less."
He ordered his captain of the guard to keep the standard, because he
did not wish to display any other than the one he had ordered to be
made at Quito.
FOOTNOTE:
[102] The Counts of Lemos derived from Rodríguez Alvarez Osorio, and
his wife Aldonça daughter of Alonso Henríquez, Admiral of Castille.
Their son Pedro Alvarez Osorio, who died in 1483, was Count of Lemos
by right of his wife, Beatriz de Castro, the heiress of Lemos. His
great granddaughter was Beatriz de Castro Osorio, Countess of Lemos.
She married a son of the Portuguese Duke of Braganza, and had a son
who was the 4th Count of Lemos. Vaca de Castro was a cousin. The
4th Count of Lemos had a daughter Teresa married to the 4th Marquis
of Cañete, Viceroy of Peru, and a son Beltrán de Castro, governor
of Callao under his brother-in-law, to whom Sir Richard Hawkins
surrendered, and of whom he said that he was a very noble knight and a
perfect gentleman. A later Count of Lemos was Viceroy of Peru.