The reader will remember that, farther back, we told how Vaca de
Castro arrived in the province of Guaraz, and how he was acknowledged
as Governor and Captain-general in the name of the King: and other
things. A few days later an assembly of captains and principal
cavaliers was summoned, to consider what ought to be done for the
pacification of the Realm. It was agreed that the captains should be
posted to the command of the several companies, and that they and
the sergeants and other officers were to understand that the war was
undertaken by the Governor Vaca de Castro's orders. He appointed the
captains to their former companies, and issued commissions to them
without making any change except in the case of Pero Alvarez Holguin,
who still looked to be General. But Vaca de Castro wanted that office
and dignity for himself, which Pero Alvarez begrudged him. These
things having been arranged by the Governor, he asked the captains and
principal cavaliers to rejoice and make merry, seeing that the mercy
of God our Lord in uniting their forces together had been very great.
On hearing this, they arranged tournaments with canes and rings;[112]
and the Governor entertained them at his tent. After their festivities
he named the licentiate León as chief magistrate of the camp; and
because Pero Alvarez learnt that his authority as Camp Master was not
to extend beyond military affairs, and not to touch the administration
of justice, he began to complain, and to say that that was how his
services were being requited. Vaca de Castro desired to establish
complete concord among his people; so without withdrawing the duty
given to the licentiate León, he sent to tell Pero Alvarez that, since
he was a gentleman, he should give his attention to serving God and
the King, and that, in the exercise of the office he held, he might
take over certain pikemen over whom to be captain; for the Governor
desired that, except himself, no person there should rank before Pero
Alvarez. With this order all questions ended between the Governor and
his officers and all were content, unless it were the captain Gómez de
Tordoya, who entertained enmity towards Pero Alvarez. Although he was
given a company of mounted men, he would not take charge of them, but
wanted to be merely a private soldier entering into the battle. He was
a very close friend and kinsman of the captain Garcilaso de la Vega,
and tried to persuade him by means of words to take the same course as
himself. Garcilaso wishing to see the realm at peace and to do just
what might be his Majesty's pleasure, would not, in all loyalty, do
anything but what the Governor ordered him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account