of Gonzalo
Pizarro, and of his own determination to restore the kingdom of Peru to
allegiance whenever he could collect a sufficient number of troops for
that purpose. He earnestly intreated therefore, that Cabrera would
immediately join him at Popayan with all his men, that they might
commence their march together for Quito, to punish the rebellious
usurper. To induce compliance, he represented in strong colours to
Cabrera, the great and signal service which he had in his power to
perform for the sovereign on this occasion; which likewise would be far
more advantageous to his own personal interests, than any which could
accrue from the expedition in which he was now engaged; as, on the
defeat of Pizarro, he would be entitled to partake in the distribution
of the lands belonging to Gonzalo and his partizans, and he might
depend on being gratified with ample possessions for himself and his
followers in the best districts of Peru. Farther to encourage Cabrera,
the viceroy informed him of the events which had lately occurred in the
south of Peru, where Centeno had erected the royal standard at the head
of a respectable force; so that the present conjuncture was extremely
favourable for an attack on Gonzalo, who could hardly resist when
pressed from both extremities of the kingdom at once; and besides, that
the inhabitants of Peru were now quite weary of the tyrannical violence
and extortion of Gonzalo, and would doubtless revolt against him on the
first favourable opportunity. As an additional inducement to Cabrera to
join him, the viceroy sent him an order by which he was authorized to
take from the royal coffers at Carthagena, Encelme, Cali, Antiochia, and
other places, to the extent of 30,000 pesos for the pay and equipment of
his troops; and as Cabrera acted under the orders of Benalcazar, he
procured letters to him from that governor by which he was commanded
immediately to obey the requisition of the viceroy. On receiving these
dispatches, Cabrera immediately secured the funds which he was
authorized to take, which he divided among his men, and set out with all
possible expedition to join the viceroy at Popayan with an hundred well
appointed soldiers. The viceroy had likewise sent orders for
reinforcements from the new kingdom of Grenada, the province of
Carthagena, and other places, so that his troops daily increased; and
having learnt the capture of his brother Vela Nunnez, and the loss of
Yllanez and his troops, he