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 VII. Royal e ommentariet. t HA P. XVi. The Mar/ha! receives inteUigence of the Enémy: He femis fome Forces againfl them : A Skjrniifh happens hetw.eeti the two Parties. The general opiniofz of the Ojficers to decli'!l.~ fighting witb ti~~ Rebels. T.. HE day follo,wing afcer this unhappy misfortuhe befaÍleri Dptairi Alrhén:. dr.u; the Maríhal receiving advice that the Enemy was not far diílant he rnárched eight leagues farther witn his Army ; and then made a firong detachrnenr, which was tequired to haíl:en with all expedition, and to carry no other baggagé or incumbrattr:e, than onely Provifions for three days: and in chis manner, as Pa- ~entino faith, they paíled a defart Countrey füll of marfiles and boggs, and deep with Snows; and that night they lodged in the open Air, without Tenes, or other cove- ring: ~nd havi~g travelled eight leagues farther; the next day they carne very weary to a People called Guallaripa, where they received News, that Francift o Hernande'l:. had departed thence three days before, and was then atChuqHinga abo.ur four leagues di- fiant from them, where he íl:aid to refreili bis Army, which was greatly tyred and difcornpofed by che Fatig.ues of a long rnarch over rnoumainous and deíolate Coun- tries. At chis time the Comrniífary Romero and Garica df Me/o carne to che Marilial with a thoufand Indian1 rhat were Souldiers bringing P.rovifions and Amrnunition . to him from che Province of Andaf,ua1!.u ; fra'm them he received a rdation of all rnatters concerning Hernande;:., and how he had íl:rangled Diego Orihuel, a Na- tive of Salamanca, having taken him as he was coming to the Madhal's Camp to ferve his Majeíl:y. Thus far Palentino. TheMarilial having cercain intelligence that the Enemy wasnear , he gready defired to engage wicn them, and therefore refolved to detach cwo Captains wich a hundred and fifcy choice Mufqueciers, who early in the Morning wer.e to give the Enemy an Allarurn, and receive fuch as would pafs over to his Majeíly's fer- vice. But the Captains and ocher perfons of quality and incereíl; who weré well inforrned of the firength of the place wherein Herm¡ndez; was encamped, would bave diíluaded che Marilial from the defign , giving hitll very good reafons , why it was not fit or fafe to ªftempt che Enemy within their Fortifications, ·Or to ha- zard che lofs ofan hundred and fifty of che choiceíl: Mufquetiers in che whole Ar· rny, on wpcife fuccefs che fomme of che day depended: bue the Maríhal replyed; that he hirnfelf would follow them in che rere, and fuccour chem wich che whole Arrny, and fecond them fo warmly with his Troops, chat che Enemy fhould be able to preyail little on them: and- fo he iníl:ancly defired licence of the Captains to dr;iw out frorn cheir Cornpanies a hundred and fifry choice Mufquetiers, which he cqmmicted to the• comrnand and charge of his Lieutenant General , and of Captain {ohn Ra'mon, w¡ch Pireétions to approach as near to the Eoerny as was po(: fible. Tlie C~pcains accordingly about midnight marched out with chis derachmenr, and about three hours afrerwards che Marfhal followed them with che whole Ar· rny. Hern11nde;:. who was well advifed of che near approach of a fevere and incen- fed Enemy, wa.s vigilant not to be furprized ur.1awares; and having his forces al- ways in a poíl:ure of defence , he kept Guards on the A v.enues; w hich were but two, wher~ it was poffible to be atcacked by an Enerny. Before break of day in che rnorning che King•s Forces came to che place where the E.nemy was fortified ; and wichout any-noife endeavoured to furprize them befürn chey who were on che other fide of the River Amancay could hear any thing. of t~eir approach: but whilíl: they moved thus foftly, they were difcovered by an Indian belonging to Hernamh, who prefently ran to bis Maíl:er, and told him, that the Enemy was near at hand. Pr1tnfifco Hernandez. imrnediacely caufed an Allarurn to be fqunded ; and difpoi fed his ¡;ie0ple in fuch places as were rnoft for their fecurity ; and on both fides Vollies of Mufquets were interchanged withouc darnage unto eicher, for they Bred at a great diílance. Ab0ut ,njne a dock che Marilial brotight bis whole Arn;iy ~n fight of Hernandez; ami then the skirmiíh was r~new~d with more heat and cou- rage