86 LOPEZ DE AGUIRBE. 



called bj the common people, 'the Tyrant,' was killed at 

 Barquesimeto, after having been abandoned by his own men. 

 At the moment when he fell, he plunged a dagger into the 

 bosom of his only daughter, " that she might not have to 



our reputation, and our fortune. I am lame in the left foot from two 

 shots of an arquebuss, which I received in the valley of Coquimbo, 

 fighting under the orders of thy marshal, Alonzo de Alvarado, against 

 Francis Hernandez Giron, then a rebel, as I am at present, and shall be 

 always; for since thy viceroy, the Marquis de Caflete, a cowardly, am- 

 bitious, and effeminate man, has hanged our most valiant warriors, I care 

 no more for thy pardon than for the books of Martin Luther. It is not 

 well in thee, King of Spain, to be ungrateful toward thy vassals ; for it 

 was whilst thy father, the emperor Charles, remained quietly in Castile, 

 that they procured for thee so many kingdoms and vast countries. 

 Remember, King Philip, that thou hast no right to draw revenues from 

 these provinces, the conquest of which has been without danger to thee, 

 but inasmuch as thou recompensest those who have rendered thee such 

 great services. I am certain that few kings go to heaven. Therefore 

 we regard ourselves as very happy to be here in the Indies, preserving in 

 all their purity the commandments of God, and of the Roman Church ; 

 and we intend, though sinners during life, to become one day martyrs to 

 the glory of God. On going out of the river Amazon, we landed in an 

 island called La Margareta. We there received news from Spain of the 

 great faction and machination (maquina) of the Lutherans. This news 

 alarmed us extremely ; we found among us one of that faction ; his 

 name was Monteverde. I had him cut to pieces, as was just: for, believe 

 me, Sefior, wherever I am, people live according to the law. But the 

 corruption of morals among the monks is so great in this land that it is 

 necessary to chastise it severely. There is not an ecclesiastic here who 

 does not think himself higher than the governor of a province. I beg of 

 thee, great King, not to believe what the monks tell thee down yonder in 

 Spain. They are always talking of the sacrifices they make, as well as of 

 the hard and bitter life they are forced to lead in America : while they 

 occupy the richest lands, and the Indians hunt and fish for them every 

 day. If they shed tears before thy throne, it is that thou mayest send 

 them hither to govern provinces. Dost thou know what sort of life they 

 lead here ? Given up to luxury, acquiring possessions, selling the sacra- 

 ments, being at once ambitious, violent, and gluttonous ; such is the life 

 they lead in America. The faith of the Indians suffer by such bad ex- 

 amples. If thou dost not change all this, O King of Spain, thy govern- 

 ment will not be stable. 



" What a misfortune that the Emperor, thy father, should have con- 

 quered Germany at such a price, and spent, on that conquest, the money 

 we procured for him in these very Indies! In the year 1559 the 

 Marquis de Caflete sent to the Amazon, Pedro de Ursua, a Navarrese, of 

 rather a Frenchman : we sailed on the largest rivers of Peru till we cam 

 to a gulf cf fresh water. We had already gone three hundred ieagaa 



