f which might have been exceedingly fatal. The
mutineers amounted to two hundred effective well-armed men, of desperate
fortunes, while the loyalists consisted of only eighty men of quality,
all the rest being rich merchants not inured to arms. But it pleased God
to avert the threatened mischief, at the prayers and vows of the
priests, friars and devout women of the city. The mutineers were under
arms all night, setting regular guards and sentinels as in the presence
of an enemy; and in the morning, when Saavedra saw that Giron had not
marched from the city according to agreement, he sent a warrant to bring
him before his tribunal. As Giron suspected that his men might not
permit him to obey the warrant, he walked out in his morning gown, as if
only going to visit a neighbour; but went directly to the house of
Saavedra, who committed him to prison. On this intelligence being
communicated to the soldiers, they immediately dispersed, every one
shifting for himself as he best could. The eight men who were
particularly obnoxious took sanctuary in the Dominican convent, and
fortified themselves in the tower of the church, where they held out for
several days, but were at last obliged to surrender. They were all
punished, but not in that exemplary manner their rebellious conduct
deserved; and the tower was demolished, that it might not be used in the
same manner in future.

After the dispersion of the mutineers and the punishment of the most
guilty, Giron was released on his solemn engagement to make his
appearance before the royal audience at Lima to answer for his conduct.
He went there accordingly, and was committed to prison; but after a few
days was permitted to go out as a prisoner at large, confining himself
to the city of Lima. He there married a young virtuous noble and
beautiful lady, with whom he went to reside at Cuzco, where he
associated with none but soldiers, avoiding all society with the
citizens as much as possible.

About two years afterwards several soldiers residing in Cuzce, entered
into a new plot to raise disturbances in the kingdom, and were eager to
find some proper person to choose as their leader. At length this affair
came to be so openly talked of that it reached the knowledge of
Saavedra, who was required to take cognizance of the plot and to punish
the ringleaders; but he endeavoured to excuse himself, being unwilling
to create himself enemies, alleging that it more properly belonged to
the j