for what this unfortunate man had contributed to his greatness; and in spite of his late mercy to his brother; all which were pathetically and strongly urged by Almagro,-Pizarro was deaf to every thing but barbarous policy: he had him formally tried, condemned, and strangled in prison. His body was afterwards publicly beheaded on a scaffold, and for a long time denied burial. A negro slave interred it at last by stealth. He left one son by an Indian woman of Panama, whom, though at that time a prisoner at Lima, he named successor to his government, pursuant to a power which the emperor had granted him.

Pizarro considering himself now the unrivalled possessor of that vast empire, proceeded to parcel out its territories among the conquerors, but with an unequal hand. Of course, all who were disappointed in their expectations, exclaimed loudly against the rapaciousness and partiality of the governor. The partisans of Almagro murmured in secret, and meditated revenge. This party was yet numerous, though dispersed about the country. The heads of them, finding Pizarro implacable, entered into a conspiracy to murder him.

Their frequent cabals for this purpose did not pass unobserved, and the governor was warned to be on his guard against men who meditated some desperate deed. He disregarded the admonitions of his friends. "Be in no pain," said he, "about my life; it is perfectly safe, as long as every man in Peru knows that I can, in a moment, cut off any head which dares to harbour a thought against it." This security gave the Almagrians full leisure to ripen every part of their scheme; and Juan de Herrada, an officer of great abilities, who had the charge of young Almagro's education, took the direction of their consultations, with all the zeal

which this connexion inspired, and with all the authority which the ascendant that he was known to have over the mind of his pupil gave him.

1541.

On Sunday the 26th of June, at mid-day, the season of tranquillity and repose in all A. D. sultry climates, Herrada, at the head of eighteen of the most determined conspirators, sallied out of Almagro's house, in complete armour, and, drawing their swords as they advanced hastily towards the governor's palace, cried out, "Long live the king, but let the tyrant die!" Though Pizarro was usually surrounded by such a numerous train of attendants as suited the magnificence of the most opulent subject of the age in which he lived; yet as he was just risen from table, and most of his domestics had retired to their own apartments, the conspirators passed through the two outer courts of the palace unob. served. Pizarro, with no other arms than his sword and buckier, defended the entry of his apartment; and supported by his half brother Alcantara, and a little knot of friends, he maintained the unequal contest with an intrepidity worthy of his past exploits, and with the vigour of a youthful combatant: "Courage," cried he, companions, we are yet enow to make those traitors repent of their audacity." But the armour of the conspirators protected them, while every thrust they made took effect. Alcantara fell dead at his brother's feet; his other defenders were mortally wounded. The governor receiving a deadly thrust full in his throat, sunk to the ground and expired.

As soon as he was slain, the assassins ran into the streets, and waving their bloody swords, proclaimed the death of the tyrant. They then con

ducted young Almagro in solemn procession through the city, and, assembling the magistrates and principal citizens, compelled them to acknowledge him as lawful successor to his father in his government. But the officers who commanded in some of the provinces refused to recognize his authority, until it was confirmed by the emperor. In others, particularly at Cuzco, the royal standard was erected, and preparations were begun, in order to revenge the murder of their ancient leader.

In this state of things, the new governor, Vaca De Castro, appointed by the court of Spain, arrived. This gentleman had been chosen to the important trust, at the instance of the emperor alone, on account of his high reputation for justice and integrity. He immediately assumed the supreme authority, and, by his influence and address, soon assembled such a body of troops, as not only set him above all fear of being exposed to any insult from the adverse party, but enabled him to advance from Quito with the dignity that became his character. Encouraged by the approach of the new governor, the loyal were confirmed in their principles, and avowed them with greater boldness; the timid ventured to declare their sentiments; the neutral and wavering, finding it necessary to choose a side, began to lean to that which now appeared to be the safest, as well as the most just.

De Castro had scarcely landed, when Almagro sent an embassy to him, proposing terms, to which the governor replied, that he was come under the emperor's authority, to do justice to all; of which, if a good subject, he could have no room to complain; if a bad one, he must prepare for the result. This was new language to those who held the supreme power in this part of the world, who almost forgot that they had a superior. Almagro resolved

to abide the fortune of war; but victory was on the side of Castro-not however without considerable loss. The superior number of his troops, his own intrepidity, and the martial talents of Francisco de Carjaval, his principal officer, triumphed over the bravery of his opponents, though led on by Almagro with a gallant spirit, worthy of a better cause, and deserving another fate. The carnage was great, in proportion to the number of combatants. Of fourteen hundred men, five hundred lay dead on the field, and the number of wounded was still greater.

If the military talents displayed by De Castro, both in the council and the field, surprised the adventurers in Peru, they were still more astonished at his conduct after the victory. He proceeded directly to try his prisoners as rebels. Forty were condemned to suffer death, others were banished from Peru. Their leader made his escape from the field of battle; but being betrayed by some of his officers, he was publicly beheaded at Cuzco ; and in him the name of Almagro and the spirit of the party became extinct.

The severity of this procedure, whilst it terrified every body, drew down no odium upon the governor, who acted clearly without prejudice or selfinterest. To the followers of Pizarro he showed but little favour; he proceeded with such constancy, that in a short time the Spaniards were reduced to an entire subjection, and the Indians were treated by them as fellow subjects and fellow creatures. He obliged the clergy to attend diligently to the duty of their function, and to the conversion of the Indians, rather than to the acquisition of their gold. He laid the foundation for the excellent administration of justice. He founded several

towns, and established schools and colleges in them, and placed the royal revenues on such a footing, that the conquest of Peru became immediately a great public advantage, which had hitherto been little more than an object of private plunder. But while he remained poor among some of the richest confiscations that ever were made, and while he enriched the royal treasury with most prodigious remittances, the great men at court received no presents; which induced them to get judges appointed to supersede, in a great measure, the authority of De Castro. The end was answered; disputes arose; the colony was unsettled; appeals and complaints were made to the court of Spain by all parties. In this confusion, Gonzalo, the brother of the celebrated Pizarro, availed himself of the general discontent, and contrived to set himself up at the head of a party. He strengthened himself daily, and even went so far as to behead a viceroy who was sent to curb him.

The court, justly alarmed at this progress, sent Peter de la Gasca, a man differing from De Castro, only by being of a milder and more insinuating behaviour, but possessing the same love of justice, the same greatness of soul, and the same disinterested spirit. This mildness of character suited the circumstances of the times, as well as the rigid justice of Castro did those in which he was appointed; for, as the revolt was now almost general, he had no friends but such as he could render so; though he was invested with the most ample authority from Spain, he neither carried men to enforce it, nor money; and the whole success of the expedition rested solely in his own capacity.

When he arrived in Mexico, he declared that he