Vaca de Castro and his captains consulted together, after the camp had
been pitched in the manner related, as to what should be their next
step, being now so near the enemy. All agreed that messengers should
be sent to Don Diego, demanding that he should withdraw his unjust
pretensions, enter his Majesty's service, and deliver up his banners
and troops. The messenger was also to take letters and despatches to
some of his principal adherents. The Governor had just ordered his
secretary to get the letters written when Lope de Idiáquez and the
factor Mercado arrived and went in to see Vaca de Castro. The letters
of Almagro and his captains were presented together with the protocol
of terms proposed, which were that Vaca de Castro should disband the
force he had collected, that Don Diego would do likewise with his,
that Vaca de Castro would withdraw to Lima and remain there as Chief
of New Castille, and that Don Diego would return to Cuzco and the
province of New Toledo until the king should make his pleasure known;
and other things not needful to quote. The Governor Vaca de Castro
displayed some anger and vexation at the letters they had written
to him. But he had doubts whether to pursue the war, and privately
desired peace, knowing that there would be a great slaughter, since
there were men of such fortitude and undaunted spirit on both sides,
and that it would lie in his hands to give battle, but in God our
Lord's to award the victory to whom He pleased. So, wishing in his own
mind to avoid a day so critical as must be that on which the battle
would take place, he had his most influential supporters summoned to
a consultation, together with his captains, and they discussed the
question of what they ought to do, somewhat hotly. They decided that
Vaca de Castro should write to Don Diego and to all his captains, in
a kindly and mild tone, to attach them to the service of his Majesty
and to propose that Juan Balsa should come to the royal camp to ratify
peace, while, to fully assure him of safety and that he need not be in
any fear of treachery, Alonso de Alvarado would go to Don Diego's camp.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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