754 / 1070
Royal
Commentaries.
BooK
IV.
rnade by
Diego Centeno
was not to be juíl:ified, but rather oppofed by ali good
meo who wiíhed well
to
the publick peace and fecurity of che people. And
moreover,
to
jufüfie che Caufe of
Pifarro,
he admooiíhed them to call
to
rnind
che Merics of
Gonfalo Pifa_rro
,.
and che goo~ Services he had done fo~ ali che pto–
ple and Souldiers of che Empire
?
by refcurng them from che execuc1on of chofe
new Laws and Regulacions which would have proved their ruine;
co
perform
which he had adventured and expofed his perfon
t0
che greaceíl dangers, fer no
ocher reafon, chao for che publick benefit and welfare of che people. For it was
m:mifeíl:
to
ali che World, chat if che late new Sracutes and Regulations had ca–
ken place, no Inhabicanc could have enjoyed any Eíl:ace, and fo have been dif–
abled from quarcering Souldiers, and coofequemly they could never h:ive fubfi–
íl:ed, fo chat boch one and che other had obligations on them
to
favour che
Caufe and Imereíl: of
Pi 1 arro:
for as
to
what concerned himfelf, he had never
oppofed his Majeíl:y's Laws and Commands; bue in way of a Supplicam went
with his P.etition to che Vice-king ; bue befare he could come
tO
bim, finding
bim to be impriíoned and baniíhed by proceífesfrom the Court of
J
udicacure, he
conceived he mighc juíl:ly fet up his own title
to
be Governour during chat va–
cancy. And in caíe he did at any time aét againíl: che Vice-king, it was by or–
der and warrant from che Royal Court of
J
uílice ; an evidence whereof chey
mighc fee befare cheir eyes, if chey were pleaíed
co
caíl: them
on_Licenciado
Ce–
peda
chen prefent with
Pi
1
arro,
and was che moíl: ancient
J
udge of chat Court.
Nor oughc rhere to be any quefiion, whecher che Judges, as che cafe chen íl:ood,
were able
to
confer thi~ Pow_er upon him
?r
n_ot; and ~f che ma~cer be doubtfull,
men oughc
to
expeét h1s Ma¡eíl:y s determmauon cherem ; and
111
che mean time
acquiefce in che Government of
Pifarro,
who hach given fufficienc proofs of bis
greac·abilicies to füpport che bunhen of
fo
imporrant a Cha1
6
e, which he may
jufily challenge upon che fcore and merit of his brochers and himfelf, who have
gained che Empire with great labours and hazards of their lives; and indeed none
feems more
fit
and proper for chat emplojmenc than himfelf who is acquainced
wich che Merits of ali che í\dvencurers wich him in che Conqueíl:; and accor–
dingly knows in what manner
to
reward and gratifie every man according
co
his
deferts; which is impoffible for ochers
co
doe, who are Scrangers, and newly
come from
Spain.
With chis and fuch kind of reafoning, delivered in his fierce and angry manner
of expreílion, he cauíed himfelf
to
be obeyed ; for none daring
t0
oppofe or con–
rradiét him , chey ali inclined co join wich him againíl:
Diego Center.o.
Thus did
Alonfo de Toro
raife Forces and appoinc Capcains over chem, and
to
mounc his Men
he cook ali che Horfes in che Cicy which belonged
co
perfons chac were aged and
infirm ; fo cbat in a (horc rime he had gachered almofl: chree hundred Men indiffe–
rencly well armed ; and wich them marched abouc íix Leagues from
Cou:o
rnwards
che Souchward : where he remained for che [
pace oftwency days- for wam of
In–
telligence ofche Enemy's mocion ; ac lengch, bei.ng irnpacienc, and fearing chaehe
!oíl: histime, he rnarched forwards, and came wichin C\,·elve leagues of che pbce,
where
Diego Centeno
was quartered, who having di,·ided his Forces imo rno pares,
made a recrear; howfoever MetTengers wich Propo{irions and Arrides of peace
patTed between bocb Parcies with incencion if poílible
to
bring maccers ro an ac–
commodation, bue ir foon appeared how grear che difference was, and whac little
hopes of compoíition by che peaceable way of Treacy.
Wherefor~
Alonfo de Toro
proceeded wich incenc
to
give battel
to
che Enemy :
bue
Diego Centeno
and bis Officers rhoughc it not prudence
to
advenrure
fo
coníide–
rable a íl:ake, and a macrer of chael,igh momem,
wbm.'Ín
his Majeíly's fervice
was concerned to be deci:ded by fuch a doubcfull evem ; for ifchey were woríled,
they fhould be irrecoverably !oíl:; wherefore making a recrear, and marching a–
way, they laded whole droves of Sheep wirh pro\'ifions of che Councrey , .and
raking with them che
Cur11cM,
or Lords, of che Counrrey, chey Jefe ali pares be–
hind chem defolate, and wichouc_provifions or inhabicancs, for rhe di/lance of a–
bove fourcy leagues round. Howfcever
Alonfo de Toro
purfued afrer chem , as far
as to che Cicy of
Piare,
which is dillant ar leaíl: a hundred and eigbcy leagues from
Co~co :
bue finding the Countries encirely difpeopled, withouc fuítenance or food,
by
reafon that che
C11rac,u
had caufed ali their Subjeéts
to
attend chem on che
p¡rt of
Centen~,
and not being able
tO
fuíl:ain chernfelves longer; chey refolved ro
r~turn back again
tO
Cou-o
;
in which march
Alonfo de
Tq1·0
was
to
lead che Van
with