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I
4
BOOK
VII.
Royal
C'onznzentaries.
this method., things had fucceeded well.,
it
were not got>d to change rhe
courfe of their proce =-dings., left therewith they Thould . change and alter
the
Current of their Fortune:
An
Example
whereof they had feen and proved
by
the
Enemies
fuc cefs
at
Ch1tquir.c~t.
How confident, faid they, were
they
of
Vi~o-
' and
with what
heat
and courage did
they
ailail us, and how
on
a
fudden
were
they.
overthrown and
defeated
?
N
otwithftanding
all
this Difcourfe,
Hern.:t.nde~
declared his Refolution to beat up
the
Enemies Quarters that
Night
with
the
force
of a\l
his
Army; a11d that
he
would
never
turn
his Back
to
the
Juftices ;·
for fome Wife Old Woman had
foretold good fuccefs to
him
in that place; wherefore he
intreated
them all, not to contradict or oppofe
him in this
matter,
but
to
prepare
themfelves
for
that
night's Enterprife.
Thus ending the
Confultation.,
the Captains arofe very 111uch difcontented.,
and
out of humour. feeing fuch a Refolution taken as was contrary to the comr
mon
Opinion of
all the
Officers
of
the Army, and
which was fo full of
hazard
and danger.,
that they
feemed rather to be
led forth
to
Slaughter, than
to
the doubtful
chance of War : And
tqpugh the
General obferved fadnefs and
-a
cloud on tbe Brow of all his
Captains, yet
depending on his Sorceries and
Enchantments,
nothing could alcer the Refolution he had taken ; but Orders
were given o prepare r
an
Afrault a.fter
Midnight,
abou fetting of the
Moon,
and becaufe it
would
be
then dark,
every
one
was to be
cloatbed
in
White., to
diftinguifh
thecnfelves from
the
Enemy.
After
Sun-fet
a
Mufter
was
taken
of all the
Souldiers,
whereby
two Souldiers appeared
to
be
want–
ing,
who
formerly
belonged
to
the
Marfual.,
and were fufpected
to be
revol–
ted over
to
the King's
Party ;
but fome.,
who were
willing
to
pleafe
Hernan- ,
dez, did aver., that they were
informed
by
Indians.,
That one
of
thofe
milling,
who
was
the moft· confiderable of the
two,
was
feen and
met on his way to–
ward~
the
Charcas
;
and the other of lefs account., was a Man
fo
filly, and
v.Mthout
Senfe, that
•the
Juil:ices
would
never
give
credit to
any Report
he
fhould
make
them.
Thefe Stories were
fuffident
to
fatisfie
Hernandez,
who
with
an
unparallelled temerity
gave orders
for all things to be
in
a
readinefs
·againft
the
hour
appointed.
The two Souldiers,
who
were
fled,
came
though
late to his
Majefties
Camp,
where
they
gave intelHgence
of
the intention of
the
Enemy to
attack them
that Night.
in
two
Bodies,
for
perceiving
that
they ·
did
not
attempt
them within
their
Fortification, they
refolved
themfelves
to
be the firft
Affailanns. The
Juftices.,
Officers.,
and
Counfellors., who were
of
the
moft Ancient Cooquerours ·of
PerHi
and.
who by
long experience in
War., were
become
great Souldiers, were
of
Opinion,
that
it
was
better to
falley
out of
their
lntrenchme.nt,_ and
~o
draw
up their:
Forces
in
th~ .
open
Field, rather than to fight w1thm their Trenches, which
were
ftra1t,
and
filled with Tents, Mules., and Indians., which would be
incumbrances,
and
obftrultions
in the time
of
·Battel.
~nd
though many
things
were urged
againft this defigo, faying, That Cowards, and Men of Jictle Courage., would
fight
better
under
the Jbelter of a
Mud-wall,
than
in
open
Field;
yet
by
Gods Mercy and
Providence,
the firft
Refolution
prev~iled,
and
both
Horfe
.and Foot were
drawn forth
into the
Plain,
which
formed
a ·very handfOme
Squadron,
well furnHhed and
p~ovided
with ·
Mufque~eers,
and lined
with
Pikes and Halberds, and
eleven
pieces
of great and
heavy
Cannon.
.
r
•
..
CH AP. ·
,
..