In the morning of Wednesday the 17th of September the city was in a great state of commotion, and the people took up arms. The Judges came with some followers[63], though not many. They ordered a banner to be displayed, and caused it to be proclaimed that all should be on the side of his Majesty and his Royal Court of Justice. They came to the great square with this proclamation, and marched towards the troops of the Viceroy who were in front of his house. As the Judges approached, the Viceroy’s troops fired their arquebuses in the air, threw up their pikes and all went over to the side of the Judges. The people then entered the Viceroy’s house and arrested him without anyone being killed or wounded, or a drop of blood shed. It was all done so quietly that it appeared to me as if it had been arranged beforehand. It was either a miracle or I cannot understand it. It is beyond me that a Viceroy, having so many troops, should have been arrested and no one hurt. He was delivered to the Judges who sent him as a prisoner to the house of one of them, and thence he was taken to an island[64] near the port, until they could send him in a ship to Spain as a prisoner.
I believe that, if there had been resistance, they would have killed the Viceroy, there would have been many deaths, and the country would have been in great danger. The course taken by the Judges, therefore, appears to have been the best and to have averted worse evils. I know not. They will give an account of their proceedings to your Majesty. What I have been able to learn, and what I have seen is that the Viceroy was very unpopular with the people of this land, and that they would rather see him torn to pieces than be governed by him. All the fault lies with the Viceroy, for he knew not the art of governing. If he had entered this land dissimulating, and judging of the good and the bad in it until he reached Lima, he would have been received by the whole land, would have placed his own justices and officials, and would have dominated the country. Then he could have done what he liked, and could have enforced the new laws to the letter, without anyone attempting to thwart him. But he did not wish to receive any advice from the officials and servants of your Majesty. The only advice the Viceroy listened to, came from those of Chile[65], opponents of Gonzalo Pizarro, men he brought from Panama, whither they had been banished by Vaca de Castro. Thus he boldly entered the country, ordering and talking, and it seems to me that all went wrong because he did not listen to the advice of your Majesty’s servants.
Also I will not omit to say another truth to your Majesty. All that Blasco Nuñez Vela has done, he has done with the greatest love and devotion, and with zeal to serve your Majesty, and he has not failed in a single point in your Majesty’s service, and in the desire to execute all that your Majesty has ordered.
The commander appointed by the Viceroy burnt two ships, and sunk another. With the rest he made sail with the brother and brother-in-law of the Viceroy, and with Vaca de Castro, who had for many days been a prisoner on board, I know not for what reason. They went to a port 18 leagues distant[66]. There they put the Viceroy on board, in charge of the Licentiate Alvarez, one of the Judges, who was to take him to Spain under arrest. But on the voyage the two made friends, concerted together, and landed at Tumbez. The Viceroy fled thence, by land, to the city of Quito.
On the 24th of October Gonzalo Pizarro entered the city of Lima. Three days previously his captains had arrived, with the Procurators of all the cities. They and the captains demanded of the Royal Judges that they should appoint Gonzalo Pizarro to be Governor and Captain-General of all these kingdoms until his Majesty should order otherwise. The Judges did this, and it appeared to the servants of your Majesty that this would be in furtherance of your Majesty’s service, and pleasing to God[67].
Now it is positively stated that the Viceroy is in the neighbourhood of Quito with 200 men to march against this city, and that he has taken your Majesty’s rents in the neighbouring districts, to pay his troops. I fear that this is so.
Your Majesty will be able to see how great are the evils in this land, and will continue until your Majesty orders a remedy which will bring us peace. Your Majesty may also see to the way in which the rents and the gold of your Majesty are spent, and the great sorrow it is to see the natives who remain, destroyed, lost, and dead, to the very great weight on our consciences. Those who suffer most, as it seems to me, are your Majesty and the natives. I, therefore, entreat your Majesty, for the love of Jesus Christ, that you will have pity on them, and send peace without delay, for all is in your Majesty’s hands, and the necessity is urgent in the extreme. Do not permit this land to be lost, and the natives to be destroyed, for now they are beginning to understand our laws and to avail themselves of the things appertaining to our holy catholic faith. With these troubles and wars all is dropped and lost. Your Majesty should feel sorrow for them, because it is a very heavy load on the conscience to leave them to perish. With peace and rest in the land very great results would be seen in very few years, and their conversion will be a very great service to your Majesty because they are all inclined to be Christians.
I have also ascertained that the citizens of Lima have taken $25,000 from your Majesty’s treasury, and the citizens of Cuzco $12,000 for the expenses of the war. When I knew this, I spoke to Gonzalo Pizarro on the subject of having taken the treasure of your Majesty. He said that those who took it had given acknowledgments and receipts, and had mortgaged their persons and goods, that they were substantial men whose estates are worth over $200,000 and that your Majesty would not lose a blanca. All the others said the same, that your Majesty’s interests were safe.
I am also informed that the Judges, by a royal decree, have ordered Gonzalo Pizarro to march north and drive the Viceroy out of the country, that he may not continue devastating and destroying, but go to give an account to your Majesty. All the troops are got ready to march with him and all are starting. Gonzalo Pizarro has a great power, and I fear that all are hostile to the Viceroy, while Pizarro has not taken upon himself to defend the Viceroy that he may not be killed. By these feuds the country is lost and destroyed, and the natives perish. I entreat your Majesty to look upon it with eyes of pity, as the Prince, Lord, and Father of all this land.
What I see and what I hear is that all are well with Gonzalo Pizarro, that he is friends with all classes, and that all desire his rule. All too desire mercy from your Majesty, and to serve your Majesty transmitting much treasure, and paying all that the Viceroy spent, and this is what is most desired in this land. Otherwise the country is in very great doubt and danger. This is truth concerning all that is passing here, and anything further will be told by the father who takes this, and who can give your Majesty full information.