Godinez
was soon afterwards arrested and thrown into prison at La Plata under a
strong guard by Alonzo Velasquez. Alvarado the new governor, began the
exercise of his authority in the city of La Paz, where he tried a number
of rebel soldiers who had concealed themselves on the borders of the
lake of Titicaca, whence they had been brought prisoners by Pedro de
Encisco. Some of these were hanged, some beheaded, others banished, and
others condemned to the gallies. Alvarado went next to the city of
Potosi, where many of the followers of Egas de Guzman had been committed
to prison, all of whom were treated according to their deserts like
those at La Paz. Among the rebels at Potosi was one Hernan Perez de
Peragua, a knight of the order of St John of Malta, who had taken part
in the rebellion of Don Sebastian. From respect to the order to which he
belonged, Alvarado only confiscated his lands and Indians, and sent him
a prisoner to be disposed of by the grand master of the order at Malta.
It would be tedious to relate the names and numbers of those who were
tried, hanged, beheaded, whipt, and otherwise punished on this occasion:
But, from the end of June 1553, to the end of November of the same year,
the court sat daily, and every day four, five, or six were tried and
condemned, who were all punished according to their sentences next day.
The unthinking people styled Alvarado a Nero, who could thus condemn so
many of a day, yet amused himself afterwards with the attorney-general
in vain and light discourses, as if those whom he condemned had been so
many capons or turkies to be served up at his table. In the month of
October, Basco Godinez was put upon his trial, for many heinous
offences, and was condemned to be drawn and quartered. But a stop was
put to farther proceedings about the end of November, by the news of
another rebellion raised by Francisco Hernandez Giron, as shall be
related in the sequel.

"The Indians of Cuzco prognosticated this rebellion openly and loudly in
the streets, as I heard and saw myself: For the eve before the festival
of the most holy sacrament, I being then a youth, went out to see how
the two marketplaces of the city were adorned; for at that time the
procession passed through no other streets but those, though since that
time, as I am told, the perambulation is double as far as before. Being
then at the corner of the great chapel of our lady of the _Merceds_,
about an hour or two before day, I