The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

. <...< BooK VI. Royal Commentariei. of five hundred and fevency thoufand Ducats ; ali which they fenc to Panama ; fo that beftdes Merchandize, Pearls, J ewels and other Cur_iofities , that they plun- dered, chey had feized a'lmoíl: two millions in Gold and Si!ver onely, which be" longed to che Prefidenc, and ocher Paffengers; who having not the leaíl: fofpici- on of Thieves or Robbers in that way , carried pare of their Gold and Silver with them, and the reíl: they left at Pan11ma , to be brougfü after them to Norn- /m de Dios · at feven or eight turns. For as Gomara fairh , there belonged above three millions to tbe Prefidenc and his Company. But all this immenfe Ri- ches and Wealrh was quickly confumed by che follies and debaucheries of thefe young men ; . according to che Proverb, w hat wM got upon the Devii's back._, wa1 .ffrent upon hu belly. And what helped forward to tfüs Work, was che vaniry of Bermejo and his Companions the Piyarrifts ; who could not be contemed wich a le[s Prey chan tbe perfon of the Prelident Gafca himfelf; · for fome defüed to take a foil revenge on him in lieu of the Pay and Reward he promifed for che fervices rbey had done; and ochers, who were Pifarrifts, were become his inveterare E- nernies on the fcore of che old quarrel; and al! cried out, tbat they wouki make Dice of bis Bones and .Powder of bis Fleíh: for, faid they, he is fo fine and fub- tile in ali his dealings, tbat certainly he cannot but make the beíl: and che fineíl: Gun-powder in the World : But thefe meo were deceived in their vain imagina- tions ; for though they did not fei~e the i:erfon. of the Pre~dent, y~t their revenge would have been more complete m fending h1m away w1thout h1s Gold and Sil- ver, than if they had take,nhim alive, and facrificed him to their rage and fury. . CH A P. . XII. Of the leud Praéiices and Fo!Jies df the ~ontreras, whereby they lofl ali the Trea/ure they had gained, together with their Lives. The diligenée and good managem ent whi ch their Enem_ies u(ed to hring them to ¿ondign P~ nifhme.nt. B U T the good fortune of Licenyiado Gafca, which had accompanied hi"m in- all che fucceíles befare related, ana in the recovery of an Empire as great as Peru, would not now leav~ him expofed to the Attempcs of a leud and villanous fort of People ; for Providence íl:ill continuing her proreétion and favour to him; fuffe- red thefe wicked Wrecches to be enfnared with their own Pride and Ignorance; and thofe very men who had follawed Francifco de Car,vajal, · and had known and learned his Difcipline·and Art in ~r , were fo clouded in their underíl:andings and reafons , that they raíhly pred~ated thernfelves into death and deílruétion. For in the firíl: place, after they had taken Panama, and facked and plundered the City, they feized upan many of the principal men thereof, amongíl: which were the Biíhop and Treafurer to his Majefiy, as alfo Martín Ruy~ de M archena, and the Sheriffs of the City, and carried them away with intent to hang thern upon the common Gallows, which they had certainly done to the ful! fatisfaéfion of J ohn de Bermejo, had not Hernanao Crmtreras given a fiop to the éxecurion, wirh which Bermejo, being greatly enraged, told him plainly, that Gnce he was pleafed to ~ P­ pear in favour of his Enemies, to the high difcouf.lgement of his friends; it would be no wonder if his Enemies anotber day took their turn and hanged up him and ali his Aífociates. Thefe words were a clear prediétion of what happened in a íhort rime afrer- wards. For Hernand~ de Contreras cook no other fecuriry from the Cicizens for cheir quien behavíour towards him than · their bare Oach, fwearing that they would be as true and faithfull to him, as if all the aétioos he had committed had tended ro the fervice of God and of the King, and to the benefit and advanrage of the Cicizens. After which vain piece of confidence and folly, thet divided their Forces , which in ali confiíl:ed of no more than two hundred and fifty men ; imo tour Squ·adrons 3 forty of which were remaining with Pedro h Contm as, to T e t t t - guard