Having imprisoned the principal citizens of Lima, got possession of
the city, and seized all the arms and horses, the party resolved that
Don Diego should be recognized as Governor. The news of the death of
the Marquis was soon spread over all the districts, and reached the
ears of the Indians. When it became generally known it was deeply
mourned. The Indians said that the Christians had been very cruel to
kill their captain, and that his death would give rise to grave evils.
Never again would there be any one to shelter and protect them like
him who was the first to discover and conquer them. They say that the
battle of Chupas and its result was then foretold by the Indians.
It appeared to Juan de Herrada and his friends that it was a certain
thing that the municipality must receive Don Diego[75] as its
Governor; in order that justice might be maintained in the Realm
until the rightful vengeance he had taken for the death of his father
should be known to his Majesty, when the government would be granted
to him. Fearing that the prisoners were not secure in the church, more
guards were placed over them. The conspirators ordered the magistrates
and municipal officers to assemble and elect Don Diego as Governor.
The authorities, when they knew the intention of Don Diego and Juan
de Herrada, considered that, although it was a great fault, still the
lesser evil would be to accept the lad as Governor. It is said that
among themselves they resented the force that was put upon them, and
that Rodrigo de Mazuelos spoke very openly, at a meeting, against Don
Diego. They proposed, however, to accept him in association with the
treasurer Alonso de Riquelme. While the men of Chile were thinking
that over, Antonio de Garay said that he did not hold that Don Diego
was so ignorant as to need another to help him in governing. Finally
Don Diego was accepted as Governor, and they took the wands from the
ordinary magistrates, and gave them to Peces and Martín Carrillo.
Cristóbal de Sotelo was made Lieutenant Governor; but Juan de Herrada
was the man who governed Don Diego, and directed him in what he had to
do.
Up to this time the secretary Antonio Picado had not been captured;
but now the conspirators went to the house of the treasurer Alonso
de Riquelme, where they already knew he was. Searching the house,
it is said that the treasurer told them, when they asked him where
the secretary was, that he did not know and had not seen him. At the
same time he cast his glance in a certain direction, telling them by
that sign that they would find him under the bed; where they took
him. As he might know where the treasure of the Marquis was, and the
documents, they agreed to treat him well, so that, thinking they were
not going to kill him, he would divulge. They took him to the house of
Don Diego, who was now called Governor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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