86 
IiOPEZ DE AGUIEBE. 
called by- 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 Cafiete, 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 Cafiete sent to the Amazon, Pedro de Ursua, a Navarrese, oi 
rather a Frenchman : we sailed on the largest rivers of Peru till we came 
to a gulf of fresh water. We had already gone three hundred league* 
