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Royal Commentaries. BooK VIL
CH A P. XXVII.
Franciíco Hernandez proceeds forth to Battel ; He mi/fes of
his defigrz, atzd retreats back again to 'his Camp. Tho–
mas Vazquez revofts over to the King's Party. Hernar'l–
dez the R'ebel declares a Predi[[ion which was made con–
cerning himfelf.
T H E ti~e being corn~, that the ,Reb'~l calculated to be the hour,
he fat!Jed out of h1s Fonrefs, w1th 800 Foot, of -wht 1lentino
fays) 600 were Mufqueteers, and che reft Pike-men ; his Horfe were few, and
noc exceeding thirty in ali: His Neger Souldiers, or black Guard, to che
number of 250, he frnt by another way, joining a'bout feventy Spaniards with
them, to lead them on, and to govern and din;ét them in what they-had to do:
But in thefe they repofed no great Confidence, intending them only to dive'rt,
and amufe the Enemy, who in the Night could. not diftinguiíh the ·difference
of one from the other. The-Orders were, that thefe Negers fhould a!fail the
Juftices in th.e Front, and_/ier~án1ez.. in che R~ar; a9_d in this ~anner they
filently marched towards h1s Ma¡efües Camp, wuh the1r Matches and Lights
covered. In like manner the Kiog's Squadrons were ali drawn up in pofture of
battel, and remained quietly, and without noife with their Fires covered. The
blac:k Guard camdirft to the lntrenchment :beforc Hern11ndez., where findíng
no -refiftance, they entred in, and killed all the lndians, Horfes, and Mules,
which they found there, together with five or fix Spani[h Souldiers, wh:o out
of Cowardife had lefc the Army, and hid themfelves wichin the Intrench-ment.
Hernandez.. coming afterwards, fired a whole Volly of lhot into the Fortifica.:.
tion, wic.hout receiving any return from tbence; but finding thai the King's
Party fired ali their Muíque~s upon thern, with their whole Train of Artillery,
from another place :, they were much amazed, in regard that contrary to
their expeébtion, ich~Enemy had quitted their Intrenchments, aod drawn up in
open Field: Mowfoever no great hure was done on either Í!de, for the Night
bdng very dark, every one íhot at random, attd without any aim: Had thefe
Vpllies of abov·e 1300 fhot palTed by day, and fo near each to other, it had
been impoffible, butthat che Fields fbould havc been covered with the Bodies of
che ílain. The Rebel perceiving that he was difappointed of his defign, gave
himíelf over for lo/J:, and fo retreated back to his Forti6cation in the beft
or<ler that he could. Howfoever he could not retire in fuch manner, but that
200 of his meo forfook hirn, who formely .belonged to the Marlhal, and who now
rnaking' uíe of chis occaíion to efcape, threw down their Arms, and revolted
to che Juftices. lo the mean time, the King's Forces would have puvfued che Ene–
my in their flighc~ bue were countermanded by their General, and other Oili–
cers; who ordered that no man lhould ftir out of his Raok, bue lhould keep
his grounél:, the which Rule was happily obferved ; for a Party of Horfe per–
ceiving chat the Enemy intended noc to fight, fallied out upoñ them r_o ob–
frruét their t; in which Aélion a €ornee of Horfe was killed, and three
Citizens of were wounded, namely Diegode Stl-va, Antonio Ruyz. de Gue–
rara, and Diego Maldonado the Rich; the Wound of chis laft was never cured
to che day of his deach, whi(h happened to be eleven or twelve years afrer–
wards; for ic was always kept open by the advice Q[ Chyrurgeons, and Phyíi–
cians, wbo were of opinion that the nacure of che Wound was fuch, that it
would prove mortal·, in cafe it were dofed up and healed. By this refifrance
which the Rebels made, they made good th::ir retreac, and retdrned to cheir
firong Hold ; and greater had the flaughcer been, had they been incercepted in
the:ir paílage thither. And now Hernrmdez.. haying not much reafon to boaft of
his foccefs, abated greatly of his pride and haughtinefs, wh,en he found tha'c
· his