him to join him
immediately with all the soldiers he could raise. He sent orders to
Pedro de Puelles, his lieutenant at Quito, to join him as soon as
possible with all the troops from that province; and likewise ordered
Mercadillo and Percel to abandon the passes of which they had the
charge, bringing all their men along with them to Lima, and sent similar
orders to Saavedra the lieutenant-governor of Guamanga. By these means
Gonzalo exerted himself to the uttermost to collect a respectable force;
and he particularly enjoined all his officers not to leave behind them
any horses or arms, or any other conveniencies for those who remained to
enable them to join the president. He endeavoured to justify his present
conduct, by representing that Aldana, whom he had sent to give an
account to the king of all that had occurred in Peru, had leagued with
the president, and now employed against himself and the colony those
vessels which had been confided to his charge, and which had cost more
than 80,000 crowns in their equipment. He alleged that the president,
who had been sent expressly by his majesty to restore peace and
tranquillity to the kingdom, had raised troops of his own authority, and
now proposed to come in arms into Peru, to punish all who had taken part
in the late commotions, so that all were equally interested in opposing
him. That no one ought therefore to reckon upon the pardon and amnesty
with which the president was said to be entrusted, and which it was
reported he was to extend to all who joined him; but rather that this
ought to be considered as a fraudulent contrivance to divide and ruin
the colonists. Even admitting the truth of the reported amnesty; it
could only refer to the original opposition to the obnoxious regulations
and tyrannical conduct of the viceroy, and could have no reference to
those who were engaged in the battle of Quito, and the consequent death
of the viceroy; as these transactions could only be known in Spain after
the departure of the president, and nothing respecting them could
therefore be included in his instructions and powers. Therefore, until
his majesty were fully informed of the whole series of events, and had
issued new orders on the subject, it became necessary to prevent the
president from coming into Peru, more especially as Gonzalo Pizarro was
informed by letters from Spain, that the president was not authorized by
his majesty to deprive Gonzalo of the government, but mere