nctity, and had
greatly impaired his health by long abstinence and frequent acts of
penance; insomuch that his natural heat began to fail, and he was
obliged to use violent exercise to keep him warm, even in the hot
climate of Lima. In consequence of his want of health, he deputed his
son Don Francisco to make a progress through all the cities of the
kingdom, from Lima to Las Charcas and Potosi, to bring him back a
faithful representation of the state and condition of the kingdom and
its mines, to be laid before his majesty; and, after his return to Lima,
Don Francisco was sent into Spain in 1552, to communicate an account of
the whole kingdom to the emperor.

About four years before the appointment of the marshal Alonzo de
Alvarado to the mayoralty and government of Cuzco, a party of two
hundred soldiers marched from Potosi towards the province of Tucuman;
most of whom, contrary to the orders of the judges, had Indians to carry
their baggage. On this occasion, the licentiate Esquival, who was
governor of Potosi, seized upon one Aguira, who had two Indians to
carry his baggage; and some days afterwards sentenced him to receive two
hundred lashes, as he had no money to redeem himself from corporal
punishment. After this disgrace, Aguira refused to proceed along with
the rest for the conquest of Tucuman, alleging that after the shame
which he had suffered, death was his only relief. When the period of
Esquivals office expired, he learnt that Aguira had determined upon
assassinating him in revenge for the affront he had suffered. Upon which
Esquival endeavoured to avoid Aguira, by travelling to a great distance,
but all to no purpose, as Aguira followed him wherever he went, for
above three years, always travelling on foot without shoes or stockings,
saying, "That it did not become a whipped rascal to ride on horseback,
or to appear in the company of men of honour." At length Esquival took
up his residence in Cuzco, believing that Aguira would not dare to
attempt anything against him in that place, considering that the
governor was an impartial and inflexible judge: Yet he took every
precaution for his safety, constantly wearing a coat of mail, and going
always armed with a sword and dagger, though a man of the law. At length
Aguira went one day at noon-day to the house of Esquival, whom he found
asleep, and completed his long resolved revenge by stabbing him with his
dagger. Aguira was concealed for forty day in a hog-sty