Читать книгу The War of Quito - Pedro de Cieza de León - Страница 25

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How the Viceroy Blasco Nuñez Vela was coming near to the city of Lima, and how Don Alonso de Montemayor went out to meet him with the Secretary, Pero Lopez, and some others.

Having left Truxillo the Viceroy Blasco Nuñez Vela continued to approach Lima with a strong desire to find himself in it, feeling certain that the disturbed state of all parts of the country would be softened down by his presence there. Two men set out from Lima very cautiously, when his approach was known, who had grievances against Vaca de Castro, named Anton de Leon and Juan de Leon. They went on the road to tell the Viceroy what was passing, and to gain his favour. Continuing his journey the Viceroy came to a town called La Barranca. Here he met the Secretary Pero Lopez who had come in advance from the province of Xauxa and told the Viceroy what Vaca de Castro had told him to say. The Viceroy did not look favourably on the affairs of Vaca de Castro, thinking he was a very avaricious man.

Don Alonso de Montemayor had come from Cuzco with the Licentiate Vaca de Castro. When he knew that the Viceroy was coming near Lima, he went out to meet him. As Don Alonso was a principal person, the Viceroy was very glad that he had come and received him very well. Don Alonso told him of the citizens of Cuzco having departed from Lima, and even what Gaspar Rodriguez de Camporedondo had said publicly. The Viceroy deplored this, and lamented that men should so easily be moved to oppose what his Majesty ordered. He feared that it would cause scandals and disturbances and increase his difficulties. For he also had news of the letters which Gonzalo Pizarro had sent to all parts. As he came nearer to Lima other knights came out to meet him. Some urged him not to enforce the new laws, as they would cause serious detriment to the service of his Majesty. He said that he could not delay what his King had ordered. From the time that he arrived, he had seen the provinces disturbed at the Indians being taken from widows. He would not submit the protest to the Emperor as Don Antonio de Mendoza and the other governors did, which would have saved this kingdom from passing through such great miseries and calamities. But still worse! What do I say! That the coming of the Viceroy, as I have already said many times, was a scourge of God, sent to chastise this kingdom for its sins. They say how great was the prosperity of the citizens of Quito in those times. In their feasts and banquets some of them put on their tables salt cellars full of gold dust instead of salt, and all had $30,000 or 40,000 some more some less, which they had got out of the mines in a short time. They themselves were for the Viceroy and took him to their city where, on the field of Añaquito, he was killed with many of them. The cause of what happened in Peru on the coming of the Viceroy was the great sins committed by the settlers in that land. I myself knew some citizens who by their concubines had fifteen sons. Many leave their wives in Spain for fifteen and twenty years, living with an Indian girl: and so, as both Christians and Indians sinned greatly, the punishment was general.