ed entirely on the abilities and addrefs of the perfon to whom it should be committed. After weighing with much attention the comparative merit of various perfons, the Spanifh minifters fixed with unanimity of choice upon Pedro de la Gafca, a prieft in no higher ftation than that of counfellor to the Inquifition. Though in no publick office, he had been occasionally employed by government in affairs of truft and confequence, and had conducted them with no lefs fkill than fuccefs; difplaying a gentle and infinuating temper, accompanied with much firmness; probity, fuperior to any concerting measures, followed by fuch vigour in feeling of private intereft; and a cautious circumfpection in executing them, as is rarely found in alliance with the other. These qualities

marked him out for the function to which he

was deftined. The emperor, to whom Gafca was not unknown, warmly approved of the choice, and communicated it to him in a letter, containing expreffions of good-will and confidence, no lefs honourable to the prince who wrote, than to the fubject who received it. Gafca, notwithstanding his. advanced age and feeble conftitution, and though, from the apprehenfions natural to a man, who, during the course of his life, had never been out of his own country, he dreaded the effects of a

long

long voyage, and of an unhealthy climate, a) did not hesitate a moment about complying with the will of his fovereign.

His moderation.

But as a proof that it was from this principle alone he acted, he refused a bif oprick which was offered to him, in order that he might appear in Peru with a more dignified character; he would accept of no higher title than that of prefident of the court of audience in Lima; and declared that he would receive no falary on account of his discharging the duties of that office. All he required was, that the expence of fupporting his family fhould be defrayed by the publick, and as he was to go like a minifter of peace with his gown and breviary, and without any retinue but a few domefticks, this would not load the revenue with any enormous burden. b)

The powers committed to him.

But while he difcovered fuch difinterested moderation with respect to whatever related perfonally to himself, he demanded his official powers in a very different tone. He infifted,

a) Fernandez, lib. ii. c. 17.

b) Zarate, lib. vi. c. 6.

Gomara, c. 174.

Fernandez, Jib.

ii. c. 14-16. Vega, p. II. lib, v. c. I. Herrera, dec.

8. lib. i. c. 4, &c,

ROBERTSON Vol. III.

I

as he was to be employed in a country fo remote from the feat of government, where he could not have recourfe to his fovereign for new instructions on every emergence; and as the whole fuccefs of his negociations muft depend upon the confidence which the people with whom he had to treat could place in the extent of his powers, that he ought to be invefted with unlimited authority; that his jurifdiction must reach to all perfons and to all caufes; that he must be empowered to pardon, to punish, or to reward, as circumstances and the behaviour of different men might require; that, in cafe of refiftance from the malcontents, he might be authorised to reduce them to obedience by force of arms, to levy troops for that purpose, and to call for affiftance from the governors of all the Spanish fettlements in America. Thefe powers, though manifeftly conducive to the great objects of his miffion, appeared to the Spanish minifters to be inalienable prerogatives of royalty, which ought not to be delegated to a fubject, and they refused to grant them. But the emperor's views were more enlarged. As from the nature of his employment, Gafca muft be entrusted with difcretionary power in feveral points, and all his efforts might prove ineffectual if he was circumfcribed in any one particular, Charles fcrupled not to inveft him with authority to the full extent that he demanded. Highly fatisfied with this fresh proof of his

mafter's confidence, Gafca haftened his departure, and, without either money or troops, fet out (May 26. 1546.) to quell a formidable rebellion. c)

His arrival at Panama.

On his arrival at Nombre de Dios, he found Hernan Mexia, an officer of note, pofted there, by order of Pizarro, with a confiderable body of men, to oppofe the landing of any hoftile forces. But Gafca appeared in fuch pacifick guife, with a train fo little formidable, and with a title of no fuch dignity as to excite terror, that he was received with much refpect. From Nombre de Dios he advanced ( July 27.) to Panama, and met with a fimilar reception from Hinojofa, whom Pizarro had entrusted with the government of that town, and the command of his fleet ftationed there. In both places he held the fame language, declaring that he was fent by their fovereign as a meffenger of peace, not as a minifter of vengeance; that he came to redress all their grievances, to revoke the laws which had excited alarm, to pardon paft offences, and to reeftablish order and juftice in the government of Peru. His mild deportment, the fimplicity of his manners, the fanctity of his profeffion, and a winning appearance of candour, gained credit to his declarations,

c) Fernandez, lib. ii. c. 16 - 18.

The veneration due to a perfon clothed with legal authority, and acting in virtue of a royal commiffion, began to revive among men accuftomed for fome time to nothing more refpectable than an ufurped jurifdiction. Hinojofa, Mexia, and feveral other officers of diftinction, to each of whom Gafca applied feparately, were gained over to his intereft, and waited only for fome decent occafion of declaring openly in his favour. d)

them.

Violent proceedings of Pizarro.

This the violence of Pizarro foon afforded As foon as he heard of Gafca's arrival received, at the same nature of his commif

at Panama, though he time, an account of the fion, and was informed of his offers to render every Spaniard in Peru eafy concerning what was paft, by an act of general oblivion; and fecure, with refpect to the future, by repealing the obnoxious laws; inftead of accepting with gratitude his fovereign's gracious conceffions, he was fo much exafperated on finding that he was not to be continued in his ftation as governor of the country, that he inftantly refolved to oppofe the prefident's entry into Peru, and to prevent his exercifing any jurifdiction there. To this defperate refolution he added another highly prepofterous. He fent a

d) Fernandez, lib. ii. c. 21, &c. Zarate, lib. vi. c. 6, 7. Gomara, c. 175. Vega, p. II. lib. v. c. 3.