e by two young
gentlemen; and after the hue and cry was over on account of the murder,
they shaved his head and beard, and blackened his skin like a negro, by
means of a wild fruit called _Vitoc_ by the Indians, clothing him in a
poor habit, and got him away from the city and province of Cuzco in that
disguise. This deed of revenge was greatly praised by the soldiers, who
said, if there were many Aguiras in the world, the officers of justice
would not be so insolent and arbitrary in their proceedings.

During a long sickness of the viceroy, in consequence of which the
government of the country devolved upon the judges of the royal
audience, they proclaimed in all the cities of Peru that the personal
services of the Indians should be discontinued, pursuant to the royal
orders, under severe penalties. This occasioned new seditions and
mutinies among the Spanish colonists, in consequence of which one Lois
de Vargas, a principal promoter of the disturbances was condemned and
executed; but as many principal persons of the country were found to be
implicated, the judges thought fit to proceed no farther in the
examinations and processes. Even Pedro de Hinojosa was suspected of
being concerned in these seditious proceedings, having been heard to say
to some of the discontented soldiers, that when he came to Las Charcas
he would endeavour to satisfy them to the utmost of power. Though these
words had no seditious tendency, the soldiers who were desirous of
rebellion were willing to interpret them according to their own evil
inclinations. On these slight grounds, and because it was known that
Hinojosa was to go as governor and chief justice of the province of Las
Charcas, as many of the discontented soldiers as were able went to that
country, and wrote to their comrades in various parts of the kingdom to
come there also. Some even of the better sort, among whom were Don
Sebastian de Castilla, son to the Conde de Gomera, with five or six
others of rank and quality went secretly from Cuzco, taking bye-paths
out of the common road to prevent them from being pursued by the
governor of that city. They were induced to this step by Vasco Godinez a
ringleader among the malcontents, who informed Don Sebastian by a letter
in cyphers that Hinojosa had promised to become their general.

During these indications of tumult and rebellion, the viceroy Don
Antonio de Mendoza died, to the great grief and detriment of the
kingdom. On his death, t