he entire government of the kingdom of Peru
devolved on the judges of the royal audience, who appointed Gil Ramirez
de Avalos, who had been one of the gentlemen of the household to the
viceroy, governor of the city of Lima; and the marshal was sent to
command in the new city of La Paz, in which neighbourhood his lands and
Indians were situated.

SECTION III.

_Narrative of the Troubles in Peru, consequent upon the Death of the
Viceroy Mendoza._.

At this threatening period, all the soldiers and discontented persons of
Peru, flocked to Las Charcas, Potosi, and that neighbourhood,
endeavouring to procure employment about the rich mines of that
district. Disputes continually arose between the soldiers and principal
inhabitants and merchants, and duels were fought almost daily. In some
of these duels, the combatants fought naked from the waist upwards,
while in others they were dressed in crimson taffety waistcoats, that
they might not see their own blood. I shall only mention the particulars
of one of these duels, between two famous soldiers, Pero Nunnez, and
Balthazar Perez, with the former of whom I was acquainted in 1563 at
Madrid, who was then so much disabled in both arms by the wounds he
received in that duel, that he could scarcely use his hands to feed
himself.

They fell out respecting some circumstances of a duel that had happened
a few days before, in which they were seconds. Balthazar Perez had Egas
de Guzman for his second, one of the greatest hectors and bullies of the
time; and Hernan Mexia prevailed on Pero Nunnez to take him for his
second, that he might have an opportunity to fight Guzman, who had
defamed and spoken lightly of Mexia. When Egas de Guzman understood that
Mexia was the person who was to be opposed to him, he sent a message to
Pero Nunnez saying, as the principals were gentlemen of family, he ought
not to debase himself by having a man for his second whose mother was a
_Morisca_ and sold broiled sardinas in the market of Seville. Pero
Nunnez, knowing this to be true, endeavoured to get Mexia to release his
promise, but could not prevail. They accordingly went out to fight in a
field at some distance from Potosi. At the first rencounter of the
principals, Pero Nunnez struck his adversaries sword to one side, and
closing upon Perez threw him to the ground, where he cast dust into his
eyes, and beat him about the face with his fists, but did not stab him
with his dagger. In the mean tim