784 / 1070
Ho.oK
IV.
which tnatter fiands rhus: His Imperial Majef!:y was pleafed
to
grlinc unto his Se–
crecary
Francifco
de
Cobo1
one and a q~lf
p_er Centum
uppn all. ch~ Gold and Silver
which was broughc to che Mint ahd Treáfury of
!\is
Majeíl:y, 'Yhere cbe Fifcm¡
were deduékd for che ufe and beriefit
of
che King
t
bue
then
Cobo1
was co be ac tlte
whóle charge
to
find ~oals for 'melrjng, an~·co ptovtde Say-maf!:ets to refine and
aílay the Gold and SHver,
to
pay the Mihrers
i
añd ,··n'
fine, to defray all ,charges·
and expences chereof whacfoever; which were
fo
greac, chat che Secrecary would
racher have been a Lofer rhan a Gajner rhe¡:eby: bue in regard that every one
who wenc
tó
pay his Fifths rnight the better
fttake
up his accounts) and know'
how much he was
to
pay and how muen remained
·fo
him ; che rnanner was tb'
bring ehe Gold and Silver ready melced, refined aod aílayed by che King's Aífay.
m¡iíler, at che proper cof!: and expence of che perfon ro whom
ir
belonged : by_
v.;füch means
Cobo1
did not PJ:rform his obligac_ion which he had given; and
for
tfiát,reáfon
Gomara
íaich chat he cook ducies which he had not deferved.
• l
....
,
:
-----,--,-------,-_;_..:.__..:_;•.
CH
A P.
XLJ.
Gon~alo
Pi~arro
declares hi,s duty ami allegiañce to the
fíing, he departs from
Qgirn,
ancl
goes to
Tr~xillo
and
'Los Reyes;
and the great
joy
was n.iade at hi,s coming.
B
Ú
T notwithíl:anding ali chis difcourfe and perfuaíion,
Gon
1
alo Pirarro
from
a
' principie of Loyalty to his Sovereign, could noc retolve co cake upon him.
felf.cheiTitle of King; and more efpecially becaufe he could noc bue believe rhat
his Majeíly would confo·m him in che Gove_rnmenc of
Pm1,
in confideration chat
he and his Brochets had done great Services, having by che Conqoeíl: of chac
Kingdom annexed ir
to
che Imperial Crown, and by vircue of che Cornmiffion
given ro his Brocher the Marquis he was
to
hold
clm
Governmem during his life;
wich liberty to name a Succeífour after his deach; aod that his Erorher had accor–
dingly nominaced him.
Then :is
to
his proceedings and fuccefüs againíl: rhe
Vice-king; he fuppofed chat his vigorous and unreafonable proceedings in execu–
tion of che new Laws might eafily juílifie his Aétions. For rhac che Vice-king
refufed to hear che Addreífes and Petitions which were made ro him by che
whole Kingdom, and for chat reafon he was chafen and eleéted by the unanimous
confenc of ali che People ro reprefem their complaims and aggrievances, which he
had rejeéted and abfolucely refufed to receive. Then , as to tbe imprifonmenc of
the Vice-king, and defigning ro embark and fend him away fer
Spain;
it was
noc done by him, bu( by che Judges upon chefe confideracions which he medita–
ted wichin himfolf;
Pifarro
flattered himfelf wich high expefütions chat he lhould
not onely obtain pardon from che King , bue a new confirmation and fecclemenc
of che Kingdom of
Peru
upon hirn : chus mrn of Arms and greac Sm1ldiers rakea
falfe meafures of cheir merics and che rewards which chey expeét for chem. Bue
in regard
Gdnyalo Pift1m
did noc accepc of che offer, which his friends made him;
his refufal was imerpreced as the effeét of a weak underílanding, and noc procee–
ding froma principie ofloyalry cowards his Prince; and perhaps upon chis ground
ie was., Tfoac ali Hiílorians in che charalfter they give of him, reprefenc him as
a.
perfon of a weak underílanding ; though in realicy chofe
~
ho have been famili–
arly1a<rquai_nced wirh him have reponed him to have been endued with a
foffici–
em Tia!e,mof knowledge, co have been of a good nacure, fincere and open, firm
to
his protrlifos, wichout fraud and tricks; bue of a true, honeíl: and noble fpirir,
repofing c,oo
tnud1
confidence in his friends, who afcerwards berrayed and deílroy–
ed him, as ali Hiítorians r~lace. Nor can we much blame che Wricers for giving
a chara6M· of
Pi,p1rro
fo
d1fferent to truth ; becaufe chey compiled rheir Hiílories
oüt of chofo~ tlotes and particulars which \, ere given rhem by perfons who were
direékd
C0
cemp0rize and comply with the humGur of chofe times; as
Pa!entin6
complains.