Oh! what it was to see the noble Spanish youth then in Lima about to follow the banners of Chile. What a many cavaliers of good family, so adorned with graces and talent, some of them of martial mien, and holding their lives so cheap, provided that the gossip Fame would not leave them in the obscurity of oblivion, nor immortal Memory omit to bear witness in writing of their valour. Oh! he who has seen them traversing territories only limited by the Strait,[89] must be able to say that their fame is more than memorable, or failing in ability to embrace all this, he could at least record their fortitude against barbarous nations living in regions beyond where the sun pursues its course.[90] And since I shall have to make mention of the names of the principal leaders when I come to the cruel battle of Chupas, I will hold over until then what the course of my work does not offer an appropriate place for discoursing on here.
Now that all were ready to depart from Lima, furnished with all the arms and horses that could be collected they summoned the factor Illán Suárez de Caravajal and some others to go with them, and quitted the city. The reverend Father Fr. Tomás de San Martín, Provincial of the Dominicans, also went with them. Juan Alonso de Bádajoz was left at Lima as deputy for the Governor.
Leaving Lima they marched until they were a league and a half from the city, where they resolved to nominate their leaders. Although it went against the grain with many, they yielded obedience to Juan de Herrada[91] as their General, and other officers were appointed as follows:
| Captains of cavalry | Cristóbal de Sotelo |
| " " | Juan Tello[92] |
| " " | García de Alvarado[92] |
| Captains of infantry | Diego de Hoces[91] |
| " " | Martincote[91] |
| " " | Cardenas[91] |
| " " | Juan de Olea[92] |
| Serjeant Major | Suárez[92] |
| Ensign-general | Gonzalo Pereyra |
The whole force numbered 517 Spaniards, all very brilliant.[93] They were mustered and passed in review, and it was found that there were 180 cavalry, 100 arquebusiers and musketeers, the rest pikemen with some halberdiers, and they had five pieces of artillery.
At this time Juan de Herrada fell ill. It was said that the reason was that Juan Balsa put poison into his food. But what is known for certain is, that he was an old man, and for a year his weapons had never quitted his person, and this illness came upon him as a break-up. As it got worse he travelled with much difficulty. So they went on until they came to Guarochiri; where the reverend Fr. Tomás de San Martín and the captain Diego de Agüero left them, by permission of Don Diego. Juan de Sayavedra and Gómez de Alvarado, and the factor, went with them as far as Jauja, and returned from thence by stealth to Lima. At Guarochiri Juan de Herrada became much reduced by his illness, and seeing that he could not personally govern the camp, he spoke with Don Diego and with the captains, and advised them to accept the captains Cristóbal de Sotelo and García de Alvarado as Generals and leaders. This was ill-planned advice, and could not turn out well. An empire, however wide and great it may be, cannot be duly governed by two heads. And how much the less so where there is only a handful of people to be governed? But as it is not for me to represent the things done by those who were in Peru at that time as having been wisely and prudently ordered, I shall merely set them down as they happened, and after the manner in which they ordered them.
[CHAPTER L]
How the General Pero Alvarez Holguin, after he had been accepted and sworn as General near Parcos, continued his march in the direction of Jauja; and how Gaspar Rodríguez de Camporedondo, while reconnoitring the country, captured the men who were in that province on behalf of Don Diego.