_How the captains García de Alvarado and Saucedo went to ask
Cristóbal de Sotelo to pardon the soldiers he had in prison,
and of their fate; and of what else happened until García de
Alvarado killed the good knight Cristóbal de Sotelo._
As the soldiers in Cuzco were not well under control, their feeling
was that, provided it were not against military discipline or matters
relating to the war, there ought to be no punishment for any crime
they might commit. They therefore became very riotous when they heard
of the imprisonment of the Machines. Don Diego presently knew of the
arrest, but took no steps. García de Alvarado and Saucedo determined
each to go to Sotelo, and ask him to pardon those men that he had
under arrest. Saucedo being the first to call at the prison, admission
was refused him, nor would Sotelo do anything in response to the
request made to him. Then Saucedo shouted at him that he had better
take care what he was about, for the prisoners were his friends and he
was going to demand justice. Cristóbal de Sotelo was much enraged at
these words, and answered by telling Saucedo to go to his lodging; if
not, he would put him where he was soon going to put the prisoners.
Saucedo then went away and joined García de Alvarado, who, by this
time, was also near; but although he too knocked at the door, they
would not open it nor answer him. Sotelo, after holding an enquiry
into the affair for which the men had been arrested, sentenced one of
them to be hanged.
Now that the day was approaching when the field of Chupas and its
slopes would absorb much noble Spanish blood, and the party of the
Almagros would come to an end, it was meet, and necessary for its
destruction, and for the due commemoration of the Marquis's obsequies,
that envy and malice should bring about the death and removal of
the principal captains among the men of Chile, so that those of the
Pachacama party might encounter less resistance in completing the
triumph that was to be theirs. For Francisco de Chaves being already
dead, and Juan de Herrada having been poisoned (as they say) by Juan
Balsa, the only captains left to them were Cristóbal de Sotelo and
García de Alvarado. And so, that these should come to an end like the
others, it fell out in this wise.[106]
García de Alvarado, being a spirited youth, and having come from
Arequipa very proud of bringing in so much stolen treasure, began
to feel aggrieved because Sotelo was more considered than himself
and always first and foremost above the rest. He set about to making
friendships, feigned or true, with many who had been soldiers under
Francisco de Chaves, and were on bad terms with Sotelo because they
said their old captain's death was due to him. García de Alvarado
now wormed himself into their favour so as to make use of them when
necessity should arise; though he thought little of Don Diego de
Almagro himself. He next began to distribute the money he had brought
among those who were his friends and who appeared to him to be on his
side, glad always to asperse Sotelo and to belittle his affairs. The
accomplices with García de Alvarado in this business, and those who
went among the soldiers for him, probing their dispositions, were
Rodrigo Núñez, who had been the old Adelantado's Camp Master, a man of
little knowledge and less judgment, Martín Carrillo, Juan Rodríguez
Barragán, and many others.
Cristóbal de Sotelo did not fail to perceive García de Alvarado's
design against him, but as he was prudent he pretended to treat it
with unconcern and not pay much attention to it. Nevertheless they
say that he spoke to Don Diego on the subject. But since García de
Alvarado had won over many of the soldiers who were in the city,
and some of the veterans who had followed the banners of the old
Adelantado, he covertly and of set purpose raised the question as to
who was to be General of the camp, himself or Cristóbal de Sotelo,
so that they should declare that he and no other should be the one.
In those days Sotelo was laid up with a calenture, owing to which
he passed a serpent or worm from below, a fathom in length, and he
rather suspected that he had been given poisonous herbs. Don Diego
and all the captains and citizens went to visit him, and so did many
of the soldiers who were his friends. He said before some of them
that he cared nothing for any Alvarados, past or present, the which
being overheard, it was not long before García de Alvarado got to know
of it. He was offended, nursed evil intentions against Sotelo, and
resolved to kill him. Riding one day through the city with some of his
friends, García de Alvarado met Juan Balsa, who was also mounted; and
proposed to him that they should go and visit the captain Cristóbal
de Sotelo, as he was ill. Juan Balsa said he was willing, and, taking
leave of Alvarado's other companions, they went. There went with
them one Juan García, of Guadalcanal, and Diego Pérez Becerra, great
friends of García de Alvarado. When they reached Sotelo's lodging
they entered his bedroom, and after a few words had passed, García
de Alvarado said: "Why did you say that you held the Alvarados as
nought, and other things which have been reported to me, and are to
my detriment or against my honour? You must give me satisfaction." At
the time when this happened, Sotelo, besides being ill, had no friend
or servant present with him, although there were usually plenty in
the house. As his illness had not diminished, but indeed was rather
worse, he replied that he was not in a condition to answer him or give
satisfaction; for that he was not himself, and indeed so ill that
he was passing devils and serpents from his body. Juan Balsa showed
himself, in his words, to be favourable to Sotelo. He said to García
de Alvarado that it was not a time for settling such affairs, and he
got up as if about to go. García de Alvarado, seeing him rise, did
the same and took leave of Sotelo. Cristóbal de Sotelo, being a man
of spirit, and one who held his honour very dear, after thinking over
for a little in his own mind what had passed between him and García de
Alvarado, loudly called him back, and said: "I do not remember having
said of you nor of any Alvarados what you allege, but if I did say
anything heretofore I repeat that, being who I am, I do not concern
myself much about Alvarados." When García de Alvarado heard that he
exclaimed in a great rage, "I swear to God that I shall have to kill
you, Sir Traitor." Sotelo, jumping out of bed, cried out "I will kill
you."
García de Alvarado, clapping his hand upon his sword, made towards the
infirm Sotelo to wound him, but Juan Balsa, with great promptitude,
made a spring at the assailant, and threw his arms round him. Sotelo
went into an inner chamber, where there was one of his servants, named
Lizcano, and looking round for arms, saw only a sword and a cloak.
With these he came out to where García de Alvarado and Juan Balsa were
talking. By this time some of García de Alvarado's friends had come
along, and had surrounded the house. Alvarado had freed himself from
Juan Balsa and now came in alone, with his sword raised, looking for
Sotelo. But when Sotelo's servant saw him advancing he assailed him
from behind, and gripped him tightly in his arms. Sotelo, seeing his
enemy so near, came forward to kill him; but Juan Balsa stayed his
hands, saying that he must not do such a thing. Meanwhile Alvarado,
although the servant Lizcano bore him down, managed to get clear and
wounded him on the head, and then made at Sotelo to kill him, and gave
him several stabs and cuts. Hearing the noise, Juan García, whom we
mentioned above, came in and wounded Sotelo so seriously that, in a
short time, he lay dead on the floor, clasped by Juan Balsa, either
to rescue him from death or in his eagerness to see him dead--which
latter is my belief and I hold to be the more certain of what they
say. In this manner died the foremost and most upright leader among
the party of the "men of Chile." In his death may be clearly seen the
fall and destruction of them all, for had he remained alive, he would
by his prudence have guided subsequent affairs in a different way from
that in which they came about.
FOOTNOTE:
[106] This gives a wrong impression. The captains of the old
Adelantado Almagro had not all come to an end. Most of them had
declined to take part with the murderers of Pizarro. Francisco de
Chaves, it is true, had been murdered by Juan de Herrada. Of the
others Diego de Alvarado had returned to Spain. Gómez de Alvarado and
Juan de Sayavedra had left the young Almagro at Jauja, and returned to
Lima. Montemayor and Guevara were actually with the army of Vaca de
Castro. Sotelo alone had remained with young Almagro, from devotion to
his father's memory, although he had protested against the murder of
the Marquis.
García de Alvarado was not an old captain of Almagro. He is first
heard of in history as one of the accomplices of the murderers--a
truculent young ruffian.