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. Countrey of Mexico ( who· had taught che reíl:) that could íhoot either u~on Reíl:s, or at Arms length, as they pleafed. Moreover, ir was certainly believed; chat Hernandez compounded bis Powder with a certain fort of Poifon : for che Chirurgeons reported, that che wounds made by the Rebels Gun-íhot, though never fo ílighr, were incurable, and which was contrary to che nature of foch wounds, which are always more eafily cured than chofe which are made by Lance, or Sword, or Halbert, or füch likeWeapons: bue notwichíl:anding all thefe difficul-. ties engage they niufr, which cofr many a man bis life, to che defeac and ruine of the whole Army. · . C_ H; A P. XVII. The Marfbal draws up his Men in order of Bauel. Fran- cifco Hernandez does_the lik.e in defence of himfelf: The feveral Ajfazilts that were made. The death of many principal pe~fons. 945 I T was prefently after mid-day when che Marfhal gave che figcial for che Bac- tel, and having drawn up che Souldiers in thefr fevetal Companies, he gave orders to Captain Martin de Robles with bis Compány of Mufqueciers, to march ro che lefr, anp attack che Enemy on that fide ; the Captains Martin de Olmos and ·[ohn Ramo,s were commanded wíth their Forces to march to che righr, and ro make the on-fer together at the fame time, when they heard che Trumpet found, which was to be che fignal for the Aífault: che refr of rhe lnfantry, wich ali che Horfe were commanded to defcend .by a very narrow paífage, there being no ocher way than that to go down unto che River, which, having paffed, they were to draw up in a litcle Plain, and chen in a Body to attack che Enemy with ali che fury poflible. Francifco Hernandez., who from bis fiation obferved all chis motion of che Enemy, and that they were difpofed to affaulc them in three feveral places ; called to bis Sou'ldiirs, and faid, Now_, Gentlemen, we mufi either conquer or • die, for che Enemy is coming upon us with ali their fury : Hereupon a certain Souldier of good experience in che War, whom Hernandez., and his men ca!led Co- lonel Vil/11/va, perceiving that che General and his Souldiers feemed fomewhac cold and defponding; bid chem~ as Palentino reports, to be of good coarag~, for that the Marfhal could never rnaintain his Order, nor was it poffible for him ro pafs che River withouc being overchrown; and chat che place where chey were poíl:ed was fo íl:rong as could not be caken by ten thoufand men ; and rhac all of chem rnuíl: be cut'off and periíh in che aífault; wich which faying of Pillalva Hernande:i:;, and his rnen were greatly encouraged, &c. And indeed·ic preved ac- cording to the words of the Colonel : For Hermmde:i:;, having drawn up fome of his Mufqueciers and ali his Pikemen in a n:mow way, commanded by Piedrahita., and Sotelo, wich orders to fighc joinrly in a Body or feparately, and to relieve · each other, as o~caGon fhould require. Anocher .greac.Body of above an hundred Mufquetiers he divided into feveral parties, of four and ftx cogether, and lódged them in che clofe pafiages, and bebind Rocks, Buíhes and Thickets which grew by che River ftde' ; where was no place to draw up men into a Body, bue every . one muíl: fight by hirnfelf fingly ; And thence che Rebels could- íhooc with a íl:ed- dy hand, r~fiing their Mufquecs on Bufhés, or Scumps and Branches of Trees; Mm-tin de Robles and his Company of Mufquetiers having paífed che River, eíl:ee- med chemfe1ves fo fecure ofVicl:ory, conGdering the frnall number of che Enemy, that they preífed haíl:ily to attack chem, imending to gain che honour of che Viétory unto chernfelves ; which they did with fo much precipitation, that they woul~ not íl:ay untill ali cheir rnen were paffed over, bue atcempted che Enemy with the Van or Front onely, whilíl: che reíl: were wading chrough che River with water to their middles, or to their Breaíl:s~ and fome, intent on other mat- E ~ eeee ters,