A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 05: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the; Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea; and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 05: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the; Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea; and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The licentiate Carvajal after executing the before-mentioned orders,
came to Truxillo to meet Gonzalo Pizarro, whence they went together to
Lima, accompanied by a force of two hundred men. On approaching Lima,
there was a diversity of opinions among the followers of Pizarro,
respecting the ceremonies with which he should be received into the
capital of Peru. Some of his officers were desirous that the magistracy
should come out to meet him with a canopy, under which he should make
his entry after the manner usually practised with kings. Some even
proposed that a breach should be made in the walls, and some of the
houses of the city thrown down, so as to make a new entrance on purpose
in memory of his victory over the viceroy, as used to be done anciently
in Rome for the reception of triumphant generals. In this, as in all
other important affairs, Gonzalo was guided by the advice of the
licentiate Carvajal, and entered the city on horseback, preceded by all
his captains on foot leading their horses by the bridles. On this
occasion he was accompanied by the archbishop of Lima, the bishops of
Cuzco and Quito, and the bishop of Bogota, who had come into Peru by way
of Carthagena on purpose to receive consecration. He was likewise
accompanied by Lorenzo de Aldana, his lieutenant-governor of Lima, and
by all the magistrates and inhabitants of the city; no one daring to
remain at home lest they might be suspected of disaffection. The streets
were all ornamented with green herbs and flowers; all the bells of the
churches and monasteries were kept ringing; and the cavalcade was
preceded by a numerous band of trumpets kettle-drums and other warlike
instruments of music. In this pompous manner, Pizarro was conducted in
the first place to the great church, and thence to his own residence.
From this time, Gonzalo Pizarro conducted himself with much more pride
and haughtiness than formerly, conceiving high ideas of his own
importance from these public ceremonials of respect, as usually happens
to men of feeble minds on any sudden elevation. He had a guard for his
person of eighty halberdiers, besides several horsemen, who acompanied
him wherever he went. No person whatever was permitted to be seated in
his presence; and there were very few persons whom he designed to honour
so far as to return their salute. By these haughty manners, and still
more by his frequent disobliging and even abusive manner of speaking, he
displeased every one and became universally disliked. It must likewise
be mentioned, that the soldiery, to whom he owed everything, became
exceedingly discontented with him, as he gave them no pay. All this had
a powerful influence on his downfall in the sequel; though for the
present every one concealed their real sentiments, waiting for a more
favourable opportunity.
* * * * *
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