Confider young Almagro as their leader.

The warm attachment with which every perfon who had ferved under the elder Almagro devoted himself to his interefts, was quickly transferred to his fon, who was now grown up to the age of manhood, and poffeffed all the qualities which captivate the affections of foldiers. Of a graceful appearance, dexterous at all martial exercifes, bold, open, generous, he feemed to be formed for command; and as his father, confcious of his own inferiority from the total want of education, had been extremely attentive to have him inftructed in every fcience becoming a gentleman; the accomplishments which he had acquired heightened the refpect of his followers, as they gave him diftinction and eminence among illiterate adventurers. In this young man the Almagrians found a point of union which they wanted, and looking up to him as their head, were ready to undertake any thing for his advancement. Nor was affection for Almagro their only incitement; they were urged on by their own diftreffes. Many of them, deftitute of common neceffaries, a) and weary of loitering away life, a burden to their chief, or to fuch of their affociates as had faved fome remnant of their fortune from pillage and confifcation, longed impatiently for an occafion to exert their acti

a) See NOTE XIV.

vity and courage, and began to deliberate how they might be avenged on the author of all their mifery.

Confpire against the life of Pizarro.

Their frequent cabals did not pass unobferved; and the governor was warned to be on his guard against men who meditated fome defperate deed, and had refolution to execute it. But either from the native intrepidity of his mind, or from contempt of perfons whofe poverty feemed to render their machinations of little confequence, he difregarded the admonitions of his friends. Be in no pain, "faid he carelefsly,,, about my life, it is perfectly safe, as long as every man in Peru knows that I can in a moment cut off any head which dares to harbour a thought against it. " This fecurity gave the Almagrians full leifure to digeft and ripen every part of their fcheme; and Juan de Herrada, an officer of great abilities, who had the charge of Almagro's education, took the direction of their confultations, with all the zeal, which this connection infpired, and with all the authority which the afcendant that he was known to have over the mind of his pupil gave him.

And kill him.

On Sunday, the twenty- fixth of June, at midday, the feafon of tranquillity and repofe in all fultry climates, Herrada, at the head of

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eighteen of the most determined conspirators, fallied out of Almagro's house in complete armour; and drawing their fwords, as they advanced haftily towards the governor's palace, cried out: Long live the king, but let the tyrant die!" Their affociates, warned of their motions by a fignal, were in arms at different ftations ready to fupport them. Though Pizarro was usually furrounded by fuch a numerous train of attendants as fuited the magnificence of the moft opulent fubject of the age in which he lived, yet as he was just risen from table, and moft of his domefticks had retired to their own apartments, the confpirators paffed through the two outer courts of the palace unobserved. They were at the bottom of the ftaircase, before a page in waiting could give the alarm to his mafter, who was converfing with a few friends in a large hall. The governor, whofe fteady mind no form of danger could appal, ftarting up, called for arms, and commanded Francifco de Chaves to make faft the door. But that officer, who did not retain fo much prefence of mind as to obey this prudent order, running to the top of the ftaircafe, wildly afked the confpirators what they meant, and wither they were going? Inftead of answering, they ftabbed him to the heart, and burst into the hall. Some of the perfons who were there threw themfelves from the windows; others attempted to fly; and a few

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drawing their fwords, followed their leader into an inner apartment. The confpirators animated with having the object of their vengeance now in view, rushed forward after them. Pizarro, with no other arms than his fword and buckler, defended the entry, and fupported by his half-brother Alcantara, and his little knot of friends, he maintained the unequal conteft with intrepidity worthy of his paft exploits, and with the vigour of a youthful combatant. Courage, cried he,,, companions, we are yet enow to make thofe traitors repent of their audacity. But the armour of the confpirators protected them, while every thruft they made took effect. Alcantara fell dead at his brother's feet; his other defenders were mortally wounded. The governor, weary that he could hardly wield his fword, and no longer able to parry the many weapons furioufly aimed at him, received a deadly thruft full in his throat, funk to the ground, and expired.

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Almagro acknowledged as his fucceffor.

fo

As foon as he was flain, the affaffins ran out into the ftreets, and waving their bloody fwords, proclaimed the death of the tyrant. Above two hundred of their affociates having joined them, they conducted young Almagro in folemn proceffion through the city, and affembling the magiftrates and principal citizens,

compelled them to acknowledge him as lawful fucceffor to his father in his government. The palace of Pizarro, together with the houfes of feveral of his adherents, were pillaged by the foldiers, who had the fatisfaction at once of being avenged on their enemies, and of enriching themselves by the spoils of thofe through whofe hands all the wealth of Peru had paffed. b)

New appearances of difcord.

The boldness and fuccefs of the confpiracy, as well as the name and popular qualities of Almagro, drew many foldiers to his ftandard. Every adventurer of defperate fortune, all who were diffatisfied with Pizarro, and from the rapaciousness of his government in the latter years of his life, the number of malcontents was confiderable, declared without hesitation in favour of Almagro, and he was foon at the head of eight hundred of the moft gallant veterans in Peru. As his youth and inexperience difqualified him from taking the command of them himfelf, he appointed Herrada to act as general. But though Almagro fpeedily collected fuch a refpectable force, the acquiefcence in his government was far from being general. Pizarro had left many friends to whom his memory was

b) Zarate, lib. iv. c. 6 8. 'Gomara Hift. c. 144, 145. Vega, p. II. lib. iii. c. 5 7. Herrera, dec. 6. lib. x.

7. Pizarro Var. Illuft. p. 183.