The Marquis lay down on his bed, thinking over what Henao had told
him. On that night the Licentiate Caravajal got word of the plots
of the men of Chile, and sent for Juan de Herrada, telling him that
he must be on his guard not to do anything which would cause more
trouble. Herrada answered, with dissimulation, that nothing was
contemplated that would be injurious to the Marquis, for they awaited
the arrival of the Judge, believing that he would administer justice.
The Licentiate, though Juan de Herrada had justified himself, sent to
advise the Marquis that he had better go out well accompanied, and
cherish that distrust of the men of Chile that their doings merited.
FOOTNOTES:
[55] Prescott concurs in thus fixing the blame for the death of
Almagro. Sir Arthur Helps does not. The evidence of the Bishop of
Quito, who was with the Governor, is conclusive that Pizarro had no
knowledge of the intention of his brother to put Almagro to death,
until he reached Abancay, when it was too late.
My own conviction is that Hernando Pizarro had no such intention, but
that he was going to deliver Almagro to his old friend Don Francisco
Pizarro, to deal with him as he thought best. But when he discovered
the dangerous plot to assassinate himself and liberate Almagro, he
was convinced of the necessity of passing the death sentence on the
old Adelantado. He had no doubt whatever of its justice. It was quite
in keeping with Hernando's stern and self-reliant character that he
should take the responsibility solely on himself. He knew that his
brother would not consent, yet he believed that it was a political
necessity. Don Francisco Pizarro must thus be entirely exonerated
from any responsibility for the execution of Almagro, whatever Cieza
de León may assert on evidence derived from unauthentic gossip. The
Bishop of Quito completely refutes him.
CHAPTER XXX
_How the men of Chile came forth from the lodging of Don Diego
de Almagro, of the death they inflicted on the Marquis Den
Francisco Pizarro, and of the valorous spirit he showed before
his death._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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