t which Gonzalo and
the leaders of his faction were pleased to charge against them; and the
sentences were ordered to be signed in due form by the oydor Cepeda, and
other men of letters at Lima.

Among these persons of the law who were desired to sign on the present
occasion, was a licentiate from Valladolid named Polo Hondegardo, who
had the boldness to wait upon Gonzalo, and to represent to him, that the
promulgation of such a sentence was by no means advisable or politic; as
it might possibly happen hereafter that those officers who were now in
the service of the president might incline to revert to his party, which
they would not dare to do when once this cruel sentence was pronounced
against them. He represented farther, that it was necessary to keep in
mind the sacred character of the president as a priest; in consequence
of which circumstance all who might sign a sentence of death against
him would incur the pains and penalties of the greater excommunication.
By this remonstrance, these strong measures were arrested in their
progress, and the intended sentence was not promulgated.

About this time, intelligence was brought to Pizarro, that the squadron
under Lorenzo de Aldana had quitted the port of Truxillo and was
approaching along the coast towards Lima. On this intelligence, Gonzalo
sent off Juan d'Acosta with fifty mounted musqueteers, with orders to
keep in view of the ships, to prevent the royalists from being able to
land for provisions or water. On arriving at Truxillo, Acosta only
ventured to remain one day at that place, being afraid that Diego de
Mora might bring a superior force against him from Caxamarca. He learnt
likewise, that the royalists squadron had gone to the port of Santa, to
which place he accordingly marched. Aldana got notice of his coming from
some Spanish inhabitants of that place, and laid an ambuscade for him,
consisting of an hundred and fifty musqueteers, in a place overgrown
with tall reeds on the side of the road by which Acosta had to march in
his way to Santa. Acosta had certainly fallen into the snare, if he had
not fortunately made prisoners of some spies who had been sent on shore
from the squadron, whom he was about to have hanged, when they prevailed
on him to save their lives by giving him notice of the ambushment, and
by farther informing him that he might make prisoners of some sailors
who were taking in fresh water for the ships, by quitting the common
road and going