ABSTRACT
IT has already been related how the captain Alonso de Alvarado held it to be a great injury to the service of the King that the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro should have been put to death; and here he had raised the banner in the royal name, and collected troops to strengthen his position in the highlands where he was awaiting the arrival of the President Vaca de Castro, who, it was now publicly known, was coming as Judge of residencia in the affairs of Almagro and Pizarro. As the news spread, Don Diego de Almagro and Juan de Herrada wrote to persuade Alvarado to espouse their side, to which he answered as already stated. When it became known in the cities of Trujillo and San Miguel that Alonso de Alvarado had raised the banner in the name of the King, some joined him who, holding the deed done by Don Diego in abhorrence, did not wish to be on a side which would support his party or agree in its views, but were unanimous in the service of the King. When Alonso de Alvarado knew that García de Alvarado had gone to Piura, he wished to rout him before he could return to Lima; for if this could be achieved it would be a great disaster for the men of Chile, who had such confidence in his prowess. With this determination Alvarado ordered a soldier named Carrillo, who had gone to Trujillo for arms, as we have related, to proceed to Caxamarca, where Melchor Verdugo, and to Guamachuco, where Aguibera, were proprietors, and had some parties of Indians who knew the country well, to get them to help him, as he wished to defeat 156and kill García de Alvarado and those who were with him. Verdugo wished to be neutral, by what they say, and answered Carrillo equivocally. They also say that when García de Alvarado passed by there, he brought him one or two very good horses and some arquebuses, and that it was by Verdugo’s advice that García de Alvarado hurried his departure. And furthermore, that although Verdugo received letters from Alonso de Alvarado calling upon him to join, he would not do so.
