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 Commentaries. CH A P. XVI. John de Piedrahita alarms the Camp of the Marfhal. Ro- drigo de Pineda comes over to the lúng's Party; and per-- fuades them to give the Enemy Battel. The debates there- upon. The Mcaf hal refolves to engage, . S O foon as it was night rohn de Piedrahita with a party of thirty fix Mufquetiers dlvided imo three Companies alarm'd the Maríhal's Camp io three feveral quarters ; which was not much regarded by them, and onely a few íhot returned co íhew that they were not aíleep : fo foon as the day began to break Piedrahita retired without effeding any thing, onely he thereby gave occafion to Rodrigo de Pineda, a Cirizen of Coz,co and Captain of Horfe) upon pretence and colour of gi- ving affiíl:ence to Piedrahita, to make his efcape to the Maríhal 5 of which Palen- 94~ tino gives rhis account : _ · , So foon, fays he, as Rodrigo de Pineda was come to the Maríhal, he aífured him, tbat rnany, if ·nor the greaceíl: part of Hernandez:. his Souldiers would have made their efcape had it not been for che füift watch whích is always kept, and that in the night when he came over, he found the River íhallow and eaGe to be forded : upon this advice, the Maríhal prefemly called a Council of all the Captains and mén of Intereíl: and Eíl:ates then abiding in the Camp, and, having repeated to them all thar Pineda had acquainted him with, he told them plainly, that he was rel:Olved to·fight tbe enemy, delivering his reafOns for the fame: but íl:ill many of che Council oppofed chis opinion, perfül:ing, that it was not fafe to make an at- cempt on a Fortification with fo much difadvantage : when the Maríhal faw that he was oppofed by fo many principal perfons, he deftred Pineda to repeat himfelf before them all what he had before declared, and what was bis opinion concerning the {tate of Hernandez:. bis Camp, and how and in what manner he believed chey would aét. Tben Pineda cold rhem, that the Forces which Hernandez, had, mighc amount unto three huodred and eighty men, of which two hundred and twenty were Mufquetiers, but all ill provided, and moíl: of chem inclined to defert him,' aod revolt to the Marfhal; and that he rnight have about a thoufand Horfes and Beafts of Burthen. And as to what he believed of the íl:ate of Hermmde;;:;,, he was of opinioo, that ~bey would march away that night if not prevented, being af- frigh'ted, and forced rhereunto for want of proviíions : That in cafe they did march away, the purfuit afrer chem, through craggy and mountainous Countries, would be very difficult and ruinous to che Army, as well as deíl:ruéhve to the Kingdom : and that che pailiige over the River was eafie, and the way open to make an aífault. Hereupon che Marfhal declared pofitively his refolution that day to engage che enemy; and chat he would not fuffer them to efcape out of his harids as chey had formerly done from che Juíl:ices; and prevent them from do. ing any farther mifchief than what tHey had already commirted 5 and chat to fol- low and purfue after them could not be done without hardfhip, damage and fuf.. - fering of rhe whole Army : but fome made anfwer and replied hereunco, thac whilíl: Hernandez, remained in thac faíl: ground, it were more fecure to lec him efcape fróm chence than to attempt him in that Fortification ; for chat it was pro- bable, chat having abandoned rhat place, his Forces would disband of themfelves, without hazarding che li fe of one Souldier : but che Maríhal was not fatisfied · with chis anfwer, and faid, rhat it was not correfpondent to his duty, nor fotable to the honour of fo many brave Cavaliers and good1Souldiers as were chere pre- fem, to fuffer chofe Rebels to range and wander up and clown robbing and fpoiling· the Coumrey without control!, and therefore he declared himfelf refolved in de- fpight of al! oppofltion w give the enemy Battel. Herewith many of the princi- pal Captains who were prefent at chis Confultation in the Maríhal's Tent, wem out from thence much difpleafed and diiliitisfied _; ..a.nd parricularly Gomez:. de Alva- rado füd, Come, fince we muíl: die, ler usgo, for 1 am fure ic will be my fortuné to be killed. Thus far ar<e the words of Palentino: Wheri