_Of the things that were done in the city of Cuzco by the
Governor Vaca de Castro, and of his great avarice and vainglory._
As soon as Vaca de Castro arrived at the city of Cuzco, he received
many visits from the residents there. He was naturally inclined to be
arrogant and haughty, and when he found that his party had routed Don
Diego's and won the battle he became inflated with vanity to a degree
quite unbefitting the profession to which he belonged. He ordered many
gentlemen to attend him as his yeomen of the guard, and with them he
spent money splendidly, having grand sideboards loaded with plate
and huge candlesticks which might well have been dispensed with. He
thought of nothing but amassing wealth, to satisfy his greed. This
was a very ugly thing, for whilst his Majesty sent him to administer
justice and conduct himself with rectitude, he set about gathering
treasure for himself by unlawful means--and it is said that he had
great natural skill in the art of acquisition. Indeed, some of his
rivals allege that he received presents and bribes for the sale of
_repartimientos_, which ought not, however, to be believed; nor have
I been able to find any evidence of it. It is true that he wanted to
make the valuable profits from coca his own perquisite, and not leave
them open to all as they were before; and he ordered that no one, on
pain of severe punishment, was to dare to contract for it from any of
the best _repartimientos_, which he had reserved for himself. From
this source and from other Indians he did strive to make money; and in
this way, though he got little enjoyment out of it, he amassed great
wealth, and he always endeavoured to settle his servants and friends
in the best positions. Yet, although Vaca de Castro had the vices of
meaningless presumption, vainglory, and avarice, apart from them he
was a good governor, and did useful things for the kingdom, all of
which I will mention, for I am thereby a friend of truth, and let not
anything otherwise ever be thought of me.
Well, returning to our Governor Vaca de Castro, he was busy with
affairs appertaining to the government of the Realm, and, with the
desire to partition the provinces, he accepted some presents from the
native Chiefs. He visited Don Diego de Almagro, Diego Méndez, Juan de
Olivas in prison, and the others who were detained. He said to them:
"What utter folly can have induced you to make such a mistake as to
rise in rebellion and publicly appear in arms against his Majesty's
service, and to have done other ugly things which are well known?"
The lad Don Diego answered that neither he nor those who had been
his defenders had opposed his Majesty's interests or had any such
thought. On the contrary, he always believed that he was working in
the King's behalf, and to assume charge of the province, seeing that
he had sufficient warrant to do so, from his nomination as successor
to his father the Adelantado, made by virtue of a royal commission.
Vaca de Castro retorted by casting contempt on what had been done.
After some further talk, he took leave of the prisoners, saying that,
notwithstanding they were all condemned to death by the general
sentence, he desired that they should beg him for justice, and that
they would be freed or condemned as the law might dictate. Having said
this, he returned to his house. Don Diego was so afflicted that his
feelings could not be more wrought upon, and all felt great sorrow for
him. But Caspar Rodríguez and others told Vaca de Castro that he had
better behead the lad.