At this royal seat of Tomebamba they told the Governor Vaca de Castro certain things which I will not affirm to be positively true, because I have not met with an informant who states that he heard them himself, and also because Belalcázar was a friend of the Pachacama party, and had been one of the Marquis' captains. What they alleged was that he said he approved of the murder of the Marquis, that Don Diego had done well in killing him to avenge the death of his father, and that he showed himself a friend of Don Diego; besides other things which were not proper to be said at such a time. When Vaca de Castro was made aware of this, he was very seriously annoyed, and regretted that he had brought Belalcázar with him. He would have ordered him to return, had he not feared that many of those who had come with him would not themselves care to remain on seeing him go back. The anger and worry he felt on learning that Belalcázar had said such things brought on a fever, of which Vaca de Castro became ill. He said nothing to Belalcázar then, but continued his journey to San Miguel, people joining him day by day from all parts to serve his Majesty. He reached the city of Piura and, after having been welcomed as Governor, he departed, having a strong desire the while to find some pretext for dismissing Belalcázar. Presently they arrived at the village of Carrochamba, where Vaca de Castro found the children of the Marquis who, since they heard of his coming, had been waiting for him there, as well as the widow of Francisco Martín de Alcántara. Vaca de Castro went to visit them before he entered his own lodging, and consoled them by saying that now that it had pleased God that the Marquis should be slain, they need not be anxious, for he would punish the authors of the deed, and the heirs should be restored to their estates.
After Vaca de Castro had been four or five days in Carrochamba, certain arquebusiers arrived, who had been sent by the captain Vergara; for when Sandoval and all those who were with him arrived, Vergara determined to set out to serve his Majesty. To avoid any difficulty about provisions, he would not come to where Vaca de Castro then was, but awaited him farther on, though in the meanwhile he sent the arquebusiers as a bodyguard for the Governor. The Governor was pleased at their arrival. Before this he had directed one Carreño by name, a very swift runner, to go to Lima dressed as an Indian, with a copy of his commission, in order that he should be acknowledged as Governor. This Carreño bound himself to perform, and he went with the despatch and letters to Lima, arriving there at a time when Don Diego was very near the city, so he smuggled himself into the monastery of Santo Domingo. When the Provincial, Friar San Martín, learnt the contents of the documents he was much relieved and told the news to the aldermen, who thereupon assembled in the church, where they agreed to accept Jerónimo de Aliaga as lieutenant, though it is said that they at first chose Francisco de Barrionuevo.
[CHAPTER LV]
Of what passed in the camp of Pero Alvarez Holguin, and how the Camp Master Gómez de Tordoya and the captain Garcilaso de la Vega set out from thence and went to meet the Governor Vaca de Castro.
WE related, in previous chapters, how the General Pero Alvarez Holguin arrived in the province of Guaraz with his people, and how Gómez de Tordoya was Camp Master and second in command. When they got there and learnt for certain that Vaca de Castro was coming nearer to Quito they sent messengers to him, and also to Captain Alonso de Alvarado. Now Carreño, who went with the Governor's commission to the city of Lima, had passed that way and spread the report that Vaca de Castro and all who were coming with him said publicly that the credit of all that had been done in Cuzco and the Charcas was due to Gómez de Tordoya, and to no other. Although Tordoya heard this, he was prudent and desirous to serve the King, so he did not pay any heed to it. Pero Alvarez felt differently, and appeared much annoyed on hearing of such gossip; and to excite him the more, his friends made trouble between him and Gómez de Tordoya by saying that the latter ought to be turned out of the camp and not be allowed in it, that it might be learnt and understood whether he was a party to the statement, or had given countenance to it, that it might work his own ends. Pero Alvarez inconsiderately sent Captain Castro to arrest Gómez de Tordoya, and this was done. Castro went one morning to the lodging of Gómez de Tordoya, with some soldiers, and carried out his orders, whereby Tordoya was caused great hardship. Without letting his intention be known Tordoya left Guaraz, armed and mounted, to go and join Vaca de Castro. As the captain Garcilaso de la Vega was a first cousin of Tordoya,[98] and so highly esteemed by all present there, Pero Alvarez consented that he also should leave the camp. Garcilaso did so, giving the banner of his company to his ensign Pedro de Fuentes. The two knights having met together, took the road towards Truxillo, where they believed Vaca de Castro was.
After they had gone, the General Pero Alvarez Holguin made an explanation in presence of the soldiers, in order that they might not blame him for his treatment of Tordoya. He also wrote a letter to the latter, inviting him very earnestly to come back, for that it was by the speeches of prejudiced men that he had been induced to act as he did, for which he now felt regret. Tordoya, when he had seen the letter, replied that he would go to meet Vaca de Castro, and he would be a good friend to him, and of that he might be assured. So he went on until he found Vaca de Castro. The captain Alonso de Alvarado came several times from his camp to that of Pero Alvarez to enjoy friendly intercourse with those who were there, and they remained more than four months collecting supplies in the neighbourhood whilst waiting for the arrival of the Governor Vaca de Castro, with a strong desire to start at once in search of their enemies. So we will quit speaking of them, and say a little about the Governor Vaca de Castro.