4000003871

BooK-VI.

Royal Commentaries.

Srarntes, which caufed ali chat noife and effuÍJon ·of

much bloud. As we fhail

rnalfr appear in its due place ,. and confirm che fame by the teíl:imony of

Diego

l-lernande2:. ,

whomwe íhall have occafion to quote in divers places.

Bue

tmQ

che courfe of chis Hiftory from fo melancholy a fubjeét to fome–

ching more <livertiGng and pleafant

we are to

know,

thac whilíl: che[e macrers

·were in agiration , a Letter was direél:ed to the Cicy of

Los Reyes

from

Hernando

Ninno,

May01'

che Cicy of

Toledo,

his Son

Rodrigo Ninno,

whom we have

formedy made memion in che fourch Rook of che fecond Part, wherein his Fa–

ther required him ( che Wars with

Gonfalo Pip,irro

bei.ng

ended) to ,haíl:en

inca

Spain,

to cake poífeífion of an E(tate whicb a Kinfman of bis had !efe him ro in-

herir.

The deparrure of chis Gentleman, who had always approved himfelt loyal to

bis Majeíl:y's fervice in che late Wars againíl: che Rebels, was judged by the Prefi–

dent and:rhe ocher Officers a

fit

and convenienc opportunity for fending thofe eigh–

fix

Souldiers imo

Spain ,

who for taking pare with

Pifai-ro

had been ·condernned

the Gallies: and accordingly chis mauer being intimaced to

Rodrigo Ninno

·and

reprefented as a fervice 'acceprable

his Majeíl:y, he accepted ,che fame, rhough

much againíl: his

vVill ,

knowing chac che charge of eighcy fix perfons condem–

ned to che Gallies could noc bue occafion much rrouble and jncomzenience-co him :

bowfoever ihe.hopes of

reward prevailed above the thoughcs of che trouble ;

chac he provided bis Arms and ocher neceffaries for condufüng thofe People,

with whom he deparced to

Los Re)'eS,

being in all eighty fix

Spaniards

amongft .

thofe, there were fix Muficians, who had formedy ferved

Gonfalo Pifarro,

whom

knew, and as

remember, one of them was called

Auguftine Ramirez.,

bórn at

Me–

xico,

bis Fatber was a

Spaniard,

and bis Mocher an

Indian :

they were al! ex_cellent

Maíl:ers of Mafick, and carried their Iníl:ruments wich them, and therewich en–

tertained company wherefoever they carne ,;

and by the liberalicy of fome Gens

tlemen, who carne to hear them, they received that which ferved chem to bear

tbe charge of cheir voyage.

··

867

With fair weacher and wind

Rodrigo Ninno

happily arrived at

·Panama,

having

along th~ coaíl: of

Peru

received aífifience for fecuriry ofhis Prifoners, who were; ·

áuring that time fübmiilive and humble, being confcious

themíe}ves hów much

they had offended his Majefiy wichin chat jurifdiétion: But being-departea fi:om

Panama

and

Nombre de Dio1,

fome of rhem took che oppor·tunity to make their ·

efcape,

avoid rowing in che Gallies

for

the crurh is ,

Rodrigo Ninno,had

noc

fufficient Guard withJ1im to fecure

many ; nor did the Prefidenc and his Mi–

nifiers fupply him therewich, im'aginiog thac the fole authority of

Ninno

was fuffi.

cient to keep them ín fubjefüon

chough in real~ty they could noc

find .

men

that Countrey who would be perfwaded to take upon them che charge to 'con–

duél:

many Gal!y.flaves into

Spain.

Witb chiscare and trouble

Ninno,

fail.ing

near the Hles of

Cuba

and Saint

Domingo

e[pyed a

French

Pyrate, who gave him

chaf

e, for

chat time no 9ther Nation nfed chofe Seas·buc tbat onely. The

Spa–

ni.fh

Captam who was unprovided of M~n and Arms for

bis

defence, and knowing

alfo

thac he carriedan Enemy wichin hts Veífel, bethought himfelf of tbis Srrate–

gem which was as difcreer as pleafant. He armed himfelf from head to foot, and

with his Corílec and Plume of Feathers in this Head-piece : and wich his 'Partifan

his hand wenc and íl:ood by the Main-rnaíl: ,; all bis Seamen and-otbers he corn–

~anded

be concealed under tbe Decks , and his Muficians with thelr· iníl:ru–

rnents

afcend upon che Poop, and to íl:rike up and play when the Eneri1y carne

m~ar thém: al! things being chas ordered as

Ninno

had direél:ed, che Ship failed on

her

courfe, 'without füar as it were or apprehenfion of che Enemy, whofüll gave

them chafe, noc doubting of a good prize : but fo foon as chey came-'up wich

them , and fo near as to hear che Mufick , and feeing few or none appear above

deck, they began toimagin, chac chat Veífel belonged to fome perfon of Qaa)iry

who was banifhed for Treafon againíl: che King, or chat was difpoífeífed of bis E–

íl:ace by fome Law-füit

.or

other dev.ice

and chat being thereby become defperate,

they believed he had fer himfelf to Sea, and rurned Pyrate, like chemfelves, to repair

bis fortunes with whac booty and prize offered on the Seas.

The .French-man

with

this imagination

!efe

offhis chafe, not daringto engage wich

Rod;,igo Ninno,

permic–

ting him to purfue his Voyage. This Scory was told

the Prefidem, as he paífed -

thofe Iílands into

Spain;

which the Inhabitants received from the relation of rhac

Pyrace, whom under afforance of

whice Flag and Articles of Truce rhey adven-.

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