He and the Spaniards mutually jealous.

a

Though Pizarro had feized the Inca, in imitation of Cortes's conduct towards the Mexican monarch, he did not poffefs talents for carrying on the fame artful plan of policy. Deftitute of the temper and addrefs requifite for gaining the confidence of his prifoner, he never reaped all the advantages which might have been derived from being mafter of his perfon and authority. Atahualpa was, indeed, prince of greater abilities and difcernment than Montezuma, and feems to have penetrated more thoroughly into the character and intentions of the Spaniards. Mutual fufpicion and diftruft accordingly took place between them. The ftrict attention with which it was neceffary to guard a captive of fuch importance, greatly increased the fatigue of military duty. The utility of keeping him appeared inconfiderable; and Pizarro felt him as an incumbrance, from which he wifhed to be delivered. k)

Almagro and his followers demand his life.

Almagro and his followers had made a demand of an equal fhare in the Inca's ranfom; and though Pizarro had bestowed upon the private men the large gratuity which I have mentioned, and endeavoured to footh their leader by prefents of great value, they still continued

k) Herrera, dec. 5. lib. iii. c. 4.

diffatisfied. They were apprehenfive, that as long as Atahualpa remained a prifoner, Pizarro's foldiers would apply whatever treasure fhould be acquired, to make up what was wanting of the quantity ftipulated for his ranfom, and under that pretext exclude them from any part of it. They infifted eagerly on putting the Inca to death, that all the adventurers in Peru might thereafter be on an equal footing. 1)

Motives which induced Pizarro to confent,

Pizarro himself began to be alarmed with accounts of forces affembling in the remote provinces of the empire, and fufpected Atahualpa of having iffued orders for that purpose. These fears and fufpicions were artfully increafed by Philippillo, one of the Indians whom Pizarro had carried off from Tumbez in the year-one thousand five hundred and twenty - feven, and whom he employed as an interpreter. The function which he performed admitting this man to familiar intercourfe with the captive monarch, he prefumed, notwithstanding the meannefs of his birth, to raise his affections to a Coya, or defcendent of the Sun, one of Atahualpa's wives; and feeing no profpect of gratifying that paffion during the life of the monarch, he endeavoured to fill the ears of the

1) Zarate, lib. ii. c. 7. Vega, p. 2. lib. i. c. 7. Herrera, dec. 75. lib. iii. c. 4.

Spaniards with fuch accounts of the Inca's fecret designs and preparations, as might awaken their jealoufy, and incite them to cut him off.

While Almagro and his followers openly. demanded the life of the Inca, and Philippillo laboured to ruin him by private machinations, that unhappy prince inadvertently contributed to haften his own fate. During his confinement he had attached himself with peculiar affection to Ferdinand Pizarro and Hernando Soto; who, as they were perfons of birth and education fuperior to the rough adventurers with whom they ferved, were accuftomed to behave with more decency and attention to the captive monarch. Soothed with this respect from perfons of fuch high rank, he delighted in their fociety. But in the prefence of the governor he was uneafy, and overawed. This dread foon came to be mingled with contempt. Among all the

European arts, what he admired moft was that' of reading and writing; and he long deliberated with himself, whether he should regard it as a natural or acquired talent. In order to determine this, he defired one of the foldiers, who guarded him, to write the name of God on the nail of his thumb. This he fhewed fucceffively to feveral Spaniards, asking its meaning; and to his amazement, they all, without hefitation, returned the fame anfwer. At length Pizarro entered; and on prefenting it to him, he blufned, and with fome confufion was obliged to

acknowledge his ignorance. From that moment, Atahualpa confidered him as a mean perfon, lefs inftructed than his own foldiers; and he had not address enough to conceal the fentiments with which this difcovery inspired him. To be the object of a barbarian's fcorn, not only mortified the pride of Pizarro, but excited fuch refentment in his breast, as added force to all the other confiderations which prompted him to put the Inca to death. m)

His trial.

But in order to give fome colour of justice to this violent action, and that he himself might be exempted from ftanding fingly refponsible for the commiffion of it, Pizarro refolved to try the Inca with all the formalities obferved in the criminal courts of Spain. Pizarro himfelf, and Almagro, with two affiftants, were appointed judges, with full power to acquit or to condemn; an attorney-general was named to carry on the profecution in the king's name; counsellors were chofen to affift the prifoner in his defence; and clerks were ordained to record the proceedings of court. Before this frange tribunal, a charge was exhibited ftill more amazing. It confifted of various articles; that Atahualpa, though a baftard, had difpoffeffed the rightful owner of the throne, and ufurped

m) Herrera, dec. 5. lib. iii. c. 4. Vega, p. 11. lib. i. c. 38.

the regal power; that he had put his brother and lawful fovereign to death; that he was an idolater, and had not only permitted, but commanded the offering of human facrifices; that he had a great number of concubines; that fince his imprisonment he had wafted and embezzled the royal treafures, which now belonged of right to the conquerors; that he had incited his fubjects to take arms against the Spaniards. On thefe heads of accufation, fome of which are fo ludicrous, others fo abfurd, that the effrontery of Pizarro, in making them the foundation of a ferious procedure, is not lefs furprifing than his injuftice, did the court go on to try the fovereign of a great empire, over whom it had no jurifdiction. With refpect to each of the articles, witneffes were examined; but as they delivered their evidence in their native tongue, Philippillo had it in his power to give their words whatever turn beft fuited his malevolent intentions, To judges predetermined in their opinion, this evidence appeared fufficient.

He is condemned, and executed.

They pronounced Atahualpa guilty, and condemned him to be burnt alive. Friar Valverde prostituted the authority of his facred function to confirm this fentence, and by his fignature warranted it to be juft. Aftonished at his fate, Atahualpa endeavoured to avert it by tears, by promifes, and by entreaties, that