to solicit a reparation of the injury he
had sustained, representing the services which had been performed to the
crown by the discovery, conquest, and settlement of Nicaragua, by his
father-in-law and himself; but his majesty and the council of the Indies
confirmed the decision of the royal audience, as conformable with the
regulations.

On receiving information of the bad success of their father, Ferdinand
and Pedro de Contreras were much chagrined, and rashly determined to
revolt and seize the government of the province. They persuaded
themselves with being joined by a sufficient force for this purpose,
confiding in the advice and assistance of a person named Juan de
Bermejo, and some other soldiers his companions, who had quitted Peru in
much discontent against the president, for not having sufficiently
rewarded them, in their own opinions, for their services in the war
against Gonzalo. Besides these men, several of those who had fought
under Gonzalo had taken refuge in Nicaragua, having been banished by the
president from Peru, all of whom joined themselves to the Contreras on
this occasion. By these people the young men were encouraged to erect
the standard of rebellion, assuring them, if they, could pass over into
Peru with two or three hundred men, sufficiently armed, that almost the
whole population of the kingdom would join their standards, as all were
exceedingly dissatisfied with the president for not rewarding their
services sufficiently. The Contreras accordingly began secretly to
collect soldiers, and to provide arms for this enterprize; and deeming
themselves sufficiently powerful to set justice at defiance, they
resolved to commence their revolt. As they considered the bishop of
Nicaragua among the most determined enemies of their father, they began
their operations by taking vengeance on him; for which purpose they sent
some soldiers to his house, who assassinated him while playing chess.
After this, they openly collected their followers and displayed their
standard, assuming the title of the _Army of Liberty_; and seizing a
sufficient number of vessels, they embarked on the Pacific Ocean with
the intention of intercepting the viceroy on his voyage from Lima to
Panama, intending to plunder him of all the treasure he was conveying to
Spain. For this purpose they steered in the first place for Panama, both
to gain intelligence of the proceedings of the president, and because
the navigation from thence t