4000003871

BooK

II.

Royal Gommentarin.

And now on this occafion it is neceífary we íhould fay fomething for the

becter underíl:anding of this whqle matter. After che Viél:ory,

Hernando Pifarro

laboured for "bis own fecurity to drive bis Enémies far from him, leíl: they fhould

kill him

for after the Battel the Animofities which one fide conceived againfl:

the orher, were raifed

fuch a degree of barred, that they pa!fed che tefms of

all reconciliarion : For though

Hernando Pifarro

endeavoured to che uemoíl: of

bis power to win che affeél:ions of che moíl: principal Perfons , yet fo far was

that rancour fpread, and che malice fo virulenc, that Men publickly declared,

that they wamed onely an opportunity to reverme themfelves.

, . ·

On che otper fide, his friends, who found rhemfelves difappointed of cheir .

·vain hopes, ,began to fall off from him·, taxing him with wam of compliance,

'and breach of promife

for every one imagined migh_cy things, and flattered him–

felf at leáíl: with che Command of a Province. Arrd though, as

Gomara

faitn,

Herna-~do

gave to every one fomething, for it was impollible

prefer every Man ;

yet che moíl: part efieerned themfelves difobliged, and became as uneafie and dif–

c:6nceri,ted, as che woiíl: of his Enemies. Wherefore, as rhe onely means to be

fi-eed from che infolences

.of

chofe who cornplained, theY, were not fufficiencly ·

gratified, a,nd from che Plots of chofe who were his profe!fed Enemies, he amu–

-f~d chei,r Il)inds wich che thoughcs of new Conqueíl:s, as íhall be fpecified in che

following Chapter.

• .

•

. Wh~n

!f.lmagro

was c,ondemne~ to dy_e, his Eíl:ate w_as confifcated ro the ufe of

bis Maieíly. , Ac firíl:

Her;_nando

d1d not mtend to put h1m to·deach, bue onely ha–

ying made-his Procefs

fenél'hi.µ1_ inco

Spain;

bue when he perceived that Plots

were la1d to caufe his efcape out

o'f

Prifon , and that the publick difcourfe of che

Town was, chat

Hernando

was more tq blame than

Almagro,

caxing him to have

been the great Incentive of ali che difcords and differences between che two Go–

vernours, which had never arofe to that heat of pallion, had not he blown them

inro a flamé

faying farther, that on the fcore of his .own private piques, and to

doe himfelf jufüce, he had deveíl:ed

Almagro-o[

bis Governmenr, who had expen–

ded more of bis Efütte, and had conrributed more to the Conqueíl: of that Coun–

trey., chan all chofe who belonged to

Pifarro

which were matters ·of fuch high

provocation,

as were able to move ,the fiones to rife up in judgment againft

thém.

'' , .

When

Hernando Piiarro

was certified

thefe.matters, and was particularly in–

formed, that one .of bis Captains called

M efa,

who Commanded the Artillery,

was <lifcontented for want of bis Pay, ( as we íhall more at Iarge declare hereaf–

ter) and therefore defigned ro (et

Almagro

at liberty,

t.hen refolved

puc him

to deach, and to haíl:en his execution

fuppofing; that when he vvas once oµc of

the vvay, ali the palfums for him vvould vanifh, and ali rhings return to a fecled

condition of peace and quietnefs : Ali which irnaginations fucceeded to the con–

trary, ~s vvill be prove~ by the fequel of this Story.

Gomara

faith, That though diligent enquiry was made to know the Father

Almagro,

yet it e0uld never be difcovered

and in confirmation hereof,

Carate

adds, that being an Infant pe was laid at che Church_-door: che whicb may very

well be, and yet he not be a Bafiard

for the Catholick Church prefuming chat

fuch Foundlings are honeíl:ly and lawfully begotten, do .own them capable of be–

íng admitted into E~cleliafücal Orders, and to che J?egrees of a Prelat~ :

~n~

whereas

Gomara

alledges, chat common report made h1m che Son of a Pneíl:

j·

·very falfe, and a calumny raifed by maliriou_sand virulent tongues, which having

nothing whereby to t>bfcure and difgrace che luíl:re and glory of his Aétions, have

caíl: chis blemifh on his Birrh without any colour or appearance of trurh.

Thofe Sons, whofe Fathers are not known, are ennobled by cheir own Merits

and Verme; efpecially being of chat luíl:re, as were che great

Aétions.of

chis Ge- ,

neral and Governour

Don Diego de Almagro,

which have legitimated his Birch,

and added Nobility to bis Famíly. To what end do Sons boaíl: of che Archieve–

mencs of their Anceíl:ours, who blemiíh and obfcure their great Afüons by

their ownVices

for

Nobiliry is che Parent of Virme, and is fupported by it.

So that we ·may truly fay, that

Almagro

was che Son of Noble Parenrs, for

bis Aél:ions declare him

and

great Exploits have always made rhe Princes.