ir cabals
and plots, and upbraided Hinojosa with his breach of promise, alleging
that he had engaged to be their general when he should arrive in Las
Charcas. They even declared themselves ready for an insurrection,
offering to put themselves under his command. Hinojosa endeavoured to
amuse them with hopes, by telling them he expected very soon to receive
a commission from the judges to enlarge their conquests by a new war,
which would give them an opportunity to rise in arms. Although he had
formerly let fall some dubious expressions at Lima, which the soldiers
were disposed to consider as promises of support, he was far from any
intention of complying with their turbulent and rebellions humours.
Being now in possession of his government, with an estate in lands and
Indians worth two hundred thousand dollars a-year, he was desirous to
enjoy his fortune in peace, and not to risk the loss of these riches by
a new rebellion, which he had gained in the former at the loss of
Gonzalo Pizarro.

Disappointed in their expectations from Hinojosa, the soldiers consulted
how to manage their intended rebellion under another leader, and agreed
to kill Hinojosa and to elect Don Sebastian de Castilla as their
commander-in-chief; and their design was carried on with so little
regard to secrecy that it soon became publickly known in the city of La
Plata. Several persons of consideration therefore, who were interested
in the peace of the country, communicated the intelligence to Hinojosa,
advising him to take precautions for his security, and to banish these
people from his government. One Hondegardo a lawyer was particularly
urgent on this occasion; and offered, if Hinojosa would appoint him his
deputy for one month, that he would secure both him and the city from
the threatened danger of insurrection; but Hinojosa had so much
confidence in the power of his office, and the influence of his vast
wealth and reputation, that he despised every thing that he did not see
with his own eyes, and neglected all their warnings. Being unable to
persuade the governor to listen to him, and as the soldiers still
proceeded in their rebellious designs, and threw out many threatenings
against the governor, Hondegardo prevailed on the guardian of the
Franciscan convent to intimate to the governor that he had received
communications respecting these proposed schemes of the soldiers in
confession, and to urge him to make judicial examinations into the
affa