Indictment of the Judges Against the Viceroy Blasco Nuñez Vela
REPORT made by order of the Judges Cepeda, Tejada and Alvarez on the proceedings of the Viceroy Blasco Nuñez Vela, 19-23 Sept. 1544.
Embargo on precious metals at Panama.
1. As soon as the Viceroy arrived at Nombre de Dios and Panama, he put an embargo on all the gold and silver coming from Peru, on the ground that it had been taken from the Indians, and respecting this he made public proclamation with heavy penalties. Owing to this many were forced to return to Lima, following the Viceroy, having to expend considerable sums on the voyage. This scandalized the country and disturbed men’s minds.
Native servants on the isthmus sent back to Peru.
2. Many natives of Peru, men and women, who were in the service of various citizens of Nombre de Dios and Panama, were collected by him and sent back to their native places at the expense of their masters. Some died on the voyage, others were put on shore at Tumbez and died of hunger, others returned to their idolatry.
Judges left behind.
3. On leaving Panama, he would not take with him the Judges Cepeda, Alvarez, Zarate, Tejada who had come with him from Spain, though they were ready, and there was room in the ship.
Judges arrive at Tumbez.
4. This cost Cepeda and Tejada $3000 in hiring a ship in which they embarked and sailed a few days after the Viceroy, arriving at Tumbez some days after him.
Viceroy would not wait for the Judges.
5. He would not wait for them at Tumbez, before entering the country, acting absolutely without counsel, before he had been officially received.
Acted alone instead of jointly with the Judges.
6. He entered alone to enforce the ordinances, it being his duty to act jointly with the Judges, and thus threw everything into confusion.
Release of all Indians at Tumbez.
7. In Tumbez he turned all Spaniards out of the place, deprived them of the Indians who were in service there, ordered all the native chiefs of the district not to give food to any Spaniard, whether resident or travelling, which had been the custom since the conquest.
Released all Indians at the tambos: not to supply food without payment.
8. He did the same at all the other tambos as far as Lima leaving the road desert, without men or food. Hence there was hunger, sickness and deaths on the road. The passengers found no support, were generally scandalized and cursed the Viceroy.
Showing the ordinances to everyone.
Violent conduct at Tumbez.
9. He wanted to show, even to the commonest people, the ordinances and provisions he brought with him, and he swore that he would put them in effect and enforce them even before he was officially received. In Tumbez he took away the Indians from Cabrera (Don Pedro Luis de?).
Violent conduct at San Miguel and Truxillo.
10. From all the citizens of San Miguel and Truxillo and from all the soldiers he took the Indians for service. Especially he left Pedro de los Rios of San Miguel, son of the former governor of Nicaragua and Panama, with none, and one Cordova, a highly qualified person.
Violence at Truxillo.
11. In Truxillo he took away the Indians from Diego de Mora and from Garcia Holguin, one of the veteran conquerors who was 80 years of age and who had nothing else, a proceeding which shocked the whole country.
Provisions at tambos to be paid for.
12. The provisions which the Indians used to supply for nothing were ordered to be paid for, a measure which troubled all travellers.
Violent threats.
13. In San Miguel and Truxillo, far from consenting to receive supplications about the new laws, he used injurious words to monks and others who brought them, telling one he would cut out his tongue, and another that he would hang him, which was the cause that many went to join the rebels in Cuzco.
Loss to the revenue.
14. By not suspending ordinance 3 or 4, your Majesty lost a million of gold with which they would have done service, but afterwards these and other ordinances were suspended by public proclamation.
Treatment of Aldana. Violent threats made publicly.
15. Lorenzo de Aldana, a principal citizen of Guamanga, had written two or three letters with news, and came to offer himself. The Viceroy put him on board a ship, and kept him a prisoner there for many days. This caused general scandal. He was suspicious of everyone, and threatened some with death. The worst of it was that he published his suspicions, thus incurring the hatred of all, so that a great number went to Cuzco, to join those who were marching against him.
Threats to kill the Judges and Martin de Robles.
16. The hatred against him was increased by his threats to kill the Judges and many others, especially Martin de Robles, to whom the Viceroy himself had given the command of 130 soldiers, and he would have done it, if his brother Vela Nuñez had not interfered.
Threats to kill several others.
17. He wanted to kill Diego de Urbina, the Master of his Camp, Lorenzo Mexia, and the Mayor-domo of Maria de Escobar.
Treatment of Solar.
18. He ordered Antonio Solar, the Mayor-domo or Overseer of Lima, to be hanged because he did not wish to send a Portuguese to his Indians, and said that the valuations would cause a rebellion. He ordered Solar to be hanged, and though he desisted owing to the prayers of many people, he was kept for 3 months in the public prison.
Order for a shipmaster to be hanged.
19. He ordered Baltazar Rodriguez, Master of a ship to be hanged, without trial and without consulting the Judges, for having taken his ship from the port of Arequipa to that of Lima without permission, and this was only stopped at the last moment.
More threats.
20. He wanted to kill Don Baltasar de Castilla, son of the Count of Gomera, who came to offer his services, and the same with Gaspar Mexia and others, who for that reason fled to Cuzco.
His wild talk in the tambos. Opinions of his character.
21. To show his powers, in the tambos and elsewhere he made a display of them, recounting his severities in other posts he had held, with details. All his hearers took him for an imprudent, injudicious, cruel, violent man who neither wanted nor sought for counsel.
Hated by all.
22. Every one, even his brothers, relations, and servants detested and were unable to endure him.
Partiality and temper.
23. In many lawsuits he showed himself to be passionate and partial.
Corrupt practices.
24. He gave powers of attorney of the Court of Justice to incapable persons, to whom they were sold by his brother Vela Nuñez and his brother-in-law Cueto.
Nepotism.
25. He ordered that all the Constables of the kingdom should contribute half of fees to his brother-in-law Diego Alvarez Cueto as Chief Constable and, in spite of the Judges, he caused them to be paid by the court and the city.
Despotism.
26. Cueto despised the appointment, and a servant of the Viceroy acted as his substitute, very violently, so that neither the Judges nor the Alcaldes could do anything but what the Viceroy liked.
Brother and brother-in-law lawless.
27. Cueto and Vela Nuñez always took out of prison anyone they chose.
Nepotism.
28, 29. In spite of the citizens, he made them, by menaces, receive his brother-in-law as Chief Constable.
Misgovernment.
30. He settled the tributes by the statements of certain persons who had received grants, or only of Indians, without consulting the Judges, without information, or keeping the rules of the ordinances, or the instructions. For this he brought the chiefs and principal Indians to Lima maintaining them and their followers, leaving their districts without Indians or provisions, and thus causing troubles followed by famines, robberies, and disturbance.
Corrupt practices.
31. He fixed the tributes with partiality and without knowledge, doubling the tax on some, reducing it by a half for others who were friends of Cueto and Vela Nuñez.
32. The Indians of Melchor Verdugo, a citizen of Truxillo, because he came from Avila, were rated higher than those of all the other citizens put together. The valuation of Verdugo was over 9000 pesos of gold and other things, and that of all the others put together did not amount to that sum.
Opinions against him.
33. To those whom he dismissed from lieutenancies he increased the tributes. For these reasons the people would not receive him in Cuzco, Arequipa, Huanuco, Chachapoyas, Charcas and Quito. Many went to Cuzco with arms and horses, wishing to march against him to kill him or drive him out of the country, for they said that he was a man without justice, proud, very cruel, one who neither kept his word nor promise, and one in whom they could have no faith.
Failure of his attempts to treat with rebels.
34. He treated many times with Gonzalo Pizarro and others who had risen against him, but they always answered that he must leave the country and that they would not be governed by him.
H. M. treasure spent on armaments.
35. He proposed to the Judges and officials that 50 arquebusiers and 30 mounted soldiers should be raised for a guard for himself and the city, and on this pretext he spent 150,000 castellanos of your Majesty’s treasure, by the hand of Vela Nuñez, whom he made Captain-General, and of Cueto who has taken 30,000 castellanos without giving any account, for his servants.
Soldiers disloyal.
37[68]. Most of these soldiers, by reason of their bad treatment, say that they do not want the Viceroy to win, nor to fight for him. Every day some desert to the enemy.
Bad appointments.
38. He gave the captaincies to inexperienced men. A captain of arquebusiers fled, and another he threatened to stab.
Wild threats.
39. He treats everyone as a traitor, threatening to kill them. At the same time that he tried to treat with those of Cuzco, he publicly declared that he would kill some and banish others; and that he wished ill to all and would defeat them.
Conduct of Judges a contrast.
40. The Judges had lived at their own cost and honestly, had given advice to the Viceroy and sent two bishops to treat with the rebels.
Viceroy’s conduct cause of the rebellion.
41. The Viceroy by his attempt to enforce the ordinances untimely and without the consent of the Judges, and by his follies, evil speeches, and cruelties has been the cause of the rebellion.
Treatment of two women.
42. He condemned a married woman, with Indians, on the ground that she had perjured herself respecting an emerald cross which she said she had given to the Licentiate Vaca de Castro, to imprisonment and to do public penance in the church. He ordered another to be sent to prison for sitting near him in church. As regards the first sentence he enraged everyone. As regards the second all the relations rose in rebellion and wanted to kill him.
Acted alone in criminal cases and actions for debt.
43. In criminal cases, and suits for debts he alone heard and sentenced.
Favouritism.
44. Under colour of the war he gave his servants double the pay received by the other soldiers.
Murder of Carbajal.
45. In the night of Sunday the 14th of September Don Baltasar de Castilla and Gaspar Mexia, with 18 others, fled from Lima, owing to the abuse and bad treatment they had received. The Viceroy ordered the Factor Illan Suarez de Carbajal to be summoned in the middle of the night. When he came the Viceroy said: “Say cunning traitor! how is it that you have committed this treason in allowing your nephews and some servants to go to the rebels at Cuzco?” The Factor replied: “I know nothing of it, and I am no traitor. On the contrary I serve his Majesty.” On this the Viceroy stabbed him with a dagger[69], and ordered Cueto and the servants to finish him. When he was dead they put the body into the corridor, and thence, after an interval, two negroes took it away for burial[70].
Character of the murdered man.
46. The Factor was a quiet and virtuous person who knew nothing about the flight of nephews or servants. He had a very large house with four doors and 40 or 50 persons living there. He was retired in his own room, and took no notice of what was going on. He took a great part in advocating the reception of the Viceroy, when the magistrates and people were against it.
Question of Judges remaining if the Viceroy left.
47. The Judges convened a meeting in the morning of Tuesday, the 16th of September, to discuss the questions whether the Viceroy should wait in Lima for the arrival of Gonzalo Pizarro and the others who were coming from Cuzco; and if he arranged to go, whether the Judges should remain. It was decided that the Judges should remain for many reasons offered by officials, magistrates and captains who were consulted.
Decision repudiated by the Viceroy.
48. But the Viceroy had resolved to embark and take the Judges and officers of the Court, and all the citizens, and to kill anyone that resisted[71]; while his brother Vela Nuñez was to march by land with the soldiers, for Pizarro would not come across him. The Viceroy repudiated the opinion of the majority, saying that he would wait in Lima to be sure that all the others should not think that he wanted them to embark.
Decision of the Judges to remain.
49. It remained to deliberate on so serious a matter, and the two Bishops of Quito and Cuzco who were then in Lima, joined in consultation with the Judges and the officials of the municipality. The Judges then published their resolution not to depart. The Viceroy called together his captains with whom he consulted without the intervention of the Judges or anyone else.
Captains concur.
50. The decision of the captains was that, although the Viceroy might depart, the Judges ought to remain, maintaining the country in the name of His Majesty.
Wild conduct of the Viceroy. Taken to Cepeda’s house.
51. Nevertheless the Viceroy resolved to take the royal seal, the Judges and officials with all their property, and that of many citizens with their wives, children, horses, farriery, &c. In the night of Tuesday the 16th of September the soldiers assembled under Vela Nuñez, and at dawn of the 17th there was a call to arms at the Viceroy’s door with the cry, “Sack! Sack!” The Judges wished to stop the sacking of the town, and came to the Viceroy’s door with three banners. They did not dare to go in to speak with him, because they had been told that he would kill them. But they sent the choir master with some monks and clergymen to entreat him not to insist on the destruction of the city and kingdom, but to embark if he desired to do so, and to leave the citizens with their property. He would not condescend to talk with them, but many of the citizens had taken up arms and wished to oppose the Viceroy and his soldiers. If it had not been for the Judges who ordered, on pain of death, that no one should injure the person of the Viceroy, he would have been killed. He took refuge in the house of the Licentiate Cepeda, where he was quite safe from the citizens, and the soldiers who hated him.
Judges’ version of the Viceroy’s departure.
52. The Viceroy was well served and attended all the time that he was in Cepeda’s house. Of his own accord he said that he was hated, and that he wanted to go to Spain. By his order they took him to embark. Those who had command of the ships did not wish to receive him, and there were mutinies on board six or seven that were in the port. Two were burnt and two others were sent to the bottom by Geronimo de Zurbano, Martin de Arauco, and Diego Alvarez de Cueto, the Viceroy’s brother-in-law, or by their order. They did this to rob all that was on board the ships, of a value of more than 130,000 castellanos. The ships were in charge of Alvarez de Cueto, and it is believed that all this was done with the consent of the Viceroy.
Judges’ version.
53. At the time when the Judges came out of the house of Maria de Escobar, where they met that morning from fear of the Viceroy, the Licentiate Alvarez said: “Be my witnesses that we go to entreat the Viceroy not to kill us, take us, nor force us to embark, and to tell him that the people have risen against him. We go neither to enrage him nor to injure him and let it be punishment of death for any who acts otherwise.” He repeated this at the corner of the street, and on the steps of the church.
Judges claim to have saved the Viceroy.
54. Without doubt the people would have killed the Viceroy, if the Judges had not intervened.
Hatred of the people.
55. But he was not safe on land, nor to govern. For he was so detested that the people would have torn him to pieces rather than consent to his government, as they publicly declared.
Viceroy’s temper.
56. When anyone opposed his decisions, he became so furious that he seemed to have lost his senses, abusing and menacing the objector.
A foolish talker.
57. He was such a talker that he told the contents of the reports and letters he received at his table, however secret they might be.
Necessary that he should go.
58. If he should be longer in Peru, there would be a thousand misfortunes, so it was absolutely necessary that he should go back to Spain, and that your Majesty should be informed.
When he was gone peace restored.
59. In effect, as the people know that he wishes to return to Spain, all things are quiet and peaceful.