4000003871

BOOK

VIL

Royal

Com_me!ltaries.

this method, things ·had fucceeded well, ic were not good to change che

courfe of cheir proce:dings, left therewith they fhould change and alter

.ch.:

Currenc of their Fortune: An Example whereof chey had feen and proved

the

Enemies fuccefs at

Ch11quinca.

How confident, faid they, wcre they of Vi.:to-

ry, and wich what heat and courage did chey allail us, and how on a foddcr,i

wm:

they overthrown and defeaced

Nocwichíl:anding all this Difcourfe,

Hernandez..

declared his Refolution

beat up

tbe Enemies Quarters thac

Night with the force of ali his Army; and chat he would never curn his Back

to the Juftices; for fome Wife Old Woman had f9retold good fuccefs to him

in that place: wherefore he intreated them ali,

'hot to <;ontradiél: or oppoÍe

him in this. ínatter, but to prepare ~hémfelves far that night's Encerprife.

Thus ending the Confulcation, che Captains arofe very much difcontented,

pDd out of humour, feeing fucha Ref9lution taken as wascontrary to the com–

mon Opinion of all the Officers,of the Army, aod which was fo foll of hazard

and danger,

that

they feemed rather to be led forth to Slaughter, tban to

che doubtful chance of War: And though ,he General obferved fadnefs and

a cloud on tbe Brow of ali bis Captains, yet depending on bis Sorceries and

Enchantments, nothing could alcer the Refolution he had taken; bue Orders

were given to prepare for an Affault after Midnight, about fetting ,of the

Moon, and becaufe it would be.then. dark, every one was to be cloathed in

White, to di!tinguifh ,themfelves from che Enemy. After Sun-fet a Mufter

was taken of all the Souldiers, whereby two Souldiers appeared to be want–

ing, who formerly belonged

the Maríhal, and wer~ ~ufpeéted to be revol-

ted over to the Ktng's Party ; but fome, who wer& wilhng to pleafe

Hernan–

dez..,

did aver, that they were informed by lndians, That one of th9fe milling,

who wa·s the moft confiderable ,of the two, was feen and met ,on bis way to–

wards the

Charcas

;

~nd the other of lefs account, was a Man fo filly, and '

without Senfe, that the Juftices would never give credít to any Report he

fbould make them. · Thefe Stories were fufficient to fatisfie

Hernan4ez..,

who

with an unparallelled temericy gave ord~rs for all things to be in a readinefs

againft che hour appoinced. Th~ two Souldiers, who were fled, carne though

tace to bis Majefties Camp, where they gave intelligence of the intention-of

the Enemy to attack them that Night in two Bodies, for perceiving that they

did not attempt them witbin their Fortification, they refolved themfelves to

be the firfi: Affailants. The Juftices, Officers, and Counfellors, wbo were •

of-the moíl: Ancienc Conquer.ours of

Peru,

and who

long experience in

War, were become great Souldiers, were of OpinioQ, that ic was better to

falley out of their Intrenchment, and to draw up their Forces in ,the open

Field, -rather than to fight within their J'renches, which were ftrait, and

filled with Tenes, Mules; and lndians, which would be incumbrances, and

obftruaions in che time of Battel. And though many things were , urged

againft chis defign, faying, Tbat Cowards, and Men of little Courage, would

fight' better under che íhelter of a Mud-wall, than in open Field ;

yet

Gods Merey and Providepce, the firfl: Refolution prevailed, and boch Horfe

and Foot were drawn forth into the Plain, which forméd a very handfome

Squadron, well furnifhed and p~ovided with Mufqueteers, and lin~d with

Pikes and Halberds, and eleven p1eces of great and heavy Cannon.

p.,