CHAPTER XXXV

_How the Bishop Don Jeronimo de Loaysa, regretting that these troubles should have arisen, spoke to the Viceroy of his desire to go to Cuzco, and what happened in consequence._

It was now well known to everyone at Lima that Gonzalo Pizarro was received at Cuzco as Procurator and Chief Justice. Don Jeronimo de Loaysa was Bishop in this city of Lima, which is the episcopal see. He was anxious that a civil war should not arise in the kingdom and that peace should be maintained. With the wish to serve God and his Majesty he wished to go personally to where Gonzalo Pizarro was. He, therefore, spoke to the Viceroy, representing the great movements that had taken place at Cuzco where it was reported that Gonzalo Pizarro had been appointed Procurator and Chief Justice, and was busy in getting arms ready, making powder, and providing everything necessary for war, and not convenient for supplications or protests. In order that the disgrace might not go further it would be desirable that some prudent and judicious man should undertake to move the discontented from such wild and wicked demands. As in like times the King expects such services from his vassals, the Bishop proposed to undertake the trouble, and to proceed towards Cuzco in order to persuade Gonzalo Pizarro into a more loyal course. They say that this passed between the Bishop and the Viceroy, and there were other discourses on the subject. The Viceroy showed himself well contented, saying the Bishop’s journey would be of great service to God and to his Majesty, and a mercy to himself. It was settled that the Bishop should start without delay, because there were to be certain notaries to go with the royal provisions, to require Gonzalo Pizarro and his followers not to move without consideration but to obey the laws of their King and natural lord, and to induce him not to come down to Lima with an armed force, and in the shameful way that had been announced. In order that the Bishop might make an honest agreement, the Viceroy gave him his word that he would agree to what the Bishop was able to arrange. He did not give him powers, for reasons which I will give at the time that the Bishop and Gonzalo Pizarro saw each other. For it is very troublesome to have to write the same thing many times. I shall give a detailed account of the Bishop’s journey, because it led to very delicate negotiations, and I knew persons who were then with Pizarro, and also some who came with the Bishop, and even the Bishop himself affirmed that things happened as I relate them.

Some treat of this journey of the Bishop as if he went more for the good of Pizarro and his advantage than for the King’s service. Well, I have no wish to go by vulgar rumours, because they cause confusion and make nothing certain. For we know that such rumours never contain the simple truth, although sometimes they may not be very far from it.

The journey of the Bishop having been decided upon, he set out from the city of Lima. He took with him a companion named Fray Isidro de San Vicente, and departed on the 20th day of June of the same year. There departed to accompany him on the journey Don Juan de Sandoval, Luis de Cespedes, Pero Ordoñez de Peñalosa and two clergymen named Alonso Marquez and Juan de Losa. They took the coast road and travelled until they arrived at the town of Yca. Here they met one Rodrigo de Pineda who was coming from Cuzco, and stated that Gonzalo Pizarro had already left that city, so that if the Bishop continued along the coast he would miss him. The Bishop, therefore, determined to ascend the mountains so as to come out at the town of Gualle, in the grant of Francisco de Cardenas, a citizen of Guamanga.

The Viceroy understood that the rebellion of the upper provinces was public, and that Gonzalo Pizarro and his followers, after the many ugly words spoken against the King’s service, were preparing to come in arms to prevent the royal commands from being obeyed. After having taken the opinions of his brother Francisco Velasquez Vela Nuñez, of Don Diego Alvarez de Cueto, of Don Alonso de Montemayor, and the other principal knights who were at Lima, he resolved to make a general call to arms throughout the kingdom. In great haste he ordered messages to be sent to all the cities and towns within his government, ordering all the citizens to come to Lima to serve his Majesty, with their arms and horses, without daring to show any favour to Gonzalo Pizarro or to any other who may be denounced as opponents of the service of the royal crown of Castille, on pain of being declared traitors and forfeiting all their goods. This being done the Viceroy ordered the Secretary Pero Lopez to get ready for a journey to Cuzco with the royal orders, requiring Gonzalo Pizarro and those who were with him to obey them fully with breasts on the ground as loyal vassals and subjects. Pero Lopez, notwithstanding the great danger he incurred, seeing that it was for the royal service, declared that he would go if the war was not commenced until his return, so that they might not kill him. The Viceroy gave the promise, yet if the ears of Pero Lopez were not deaf, he might have heard the sounds of drums and fifes before he had crossed the bounds of the city. In order that Pero Lopez might go more safely, the Viceroy ordered that Francisco de Ampuero[46], formerly a servant of the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro, should go with him, and so they set out from Lima. Simon de Alzate, Public Notary, also went with despatches and provisions, intended to draw off the rebels and bring them to the King’s service, on pain of being declared traitors, while those who became loyal would receive favour and help.