Ecuador -- History -- To 1809; Peru -- History -- 1548-1820; Peru -- History -- Conquest, 1522-1548; Pizarro, Gonzalo, -1548
Leaving the Judges at Panama, and taking with him the royal seal, he
embarked at the city of Panama on the 10th of February of the same year,
and arrived at the port of Tumbez in nine days. This was the quickest
voyage that had ever been made. From Tumbez he wrote his letters to the
city of San Francisco del Quito, to Puerto Viejo, and to Guayaquil, to
announce his arrival in the kingdom and the duty with which he was
charged by order of the Emperor our Lord. He added that his desire was
to do good to all, and to administer justice; that for this he had come,
and that when he arrived at the city of the Kings he would establish a
royal court of justice and chancellory where those would receive justice
who sought for it. He concluded with the announcement that, although he
sent to tell them this, he also came with certain ordinances for the new
government and respecting the treatment of the Indians which might
appear heavy and causes for anger. Hitherto justice had been
administered as between friends. They murmured at the announcement of
the Viceroy, and when the news of his arrival reached them, they were
not a little annoyed, so that the Viceroy’s name was abhorred by most,
while all, from fear of the new rules, thought of no other thing than to
extort as much gold as possible from the Indians and their chiefs.
CHAPTER IV
_How the Governor Vaca de Castro wrote from the city of Cuzco to
the Captain Gonzalo Pizarro, and touching his departure from
Cuzco._
The tumults and disturbances, caused by the news of the ordinances in
Cuzco, were continued. It is even said that Hernando Bachicao, Juan
Velez de Guevara, Gaspar Rodriguez de Camporedondo, Cermeño and others
spoke to Vaca de Castro saying that he was the Royal Governor, that he
should continue in his command, and that all would serve and obey him.
Vaca de Castro answered in a way which showed that he understood how
changeable were the wills of men in Peru, and how inconstant. To gain
their ends they are ready to put any one at the head, leaving him in the
lurch if he failed. In this Vaca de Castro was not deceived. For those
who move in seditions and in wars coloured by justifications, although
they were accomplices in the demands of their leader, when the time of
failure comes, they sally forth, swearing with great oaths that they
were forced to join the tyrant.
Understanding this Vaca de Castro answered that he had taken charge of
the province by order of the King, and that he would now do no other
thing than proceed to the city of the Kings to wait upon him whom the
King had appointed as his Viceroy. Saying this, he ordered the
Secretary, Pero Lopez[9], to prepare the letters and despatches, as he
desired to set out from Cuzco without delay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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