and intended to join his party. Not satisfied with all this, he has
seized all the treasure belonging to his majesty in the different
receipts of the colony, and has imposed excessive contributions on the
inhabitants, from whom he has exacted above 150,000 ducats by means of
taxes imposed at his own pleasure. Adding crime to crime, he has again
levied forces against the authority of his majesty, with which he has
marched against the viceroy, and has carried insubordination and
confusion into every part of the country; permitting and encouraging
many to hold public discourse contrary to the respect and obedience
which is due to his majesty. They were likewise aware, that Gonzalo had
token away the repartimientos, or allotments of lands and Indians from
many persons, and had converted them to his own emolument. Finally, he
laid before them the strong obligations by which they were all bound, as
faithful subjects, to exert their utmost endeavours in the service of
their sovereign, lest they should draw upon themselves the imputation of
being rebels and traitors." By these representations, and others which
it were tedious to repeat, he disposed his auditors to concur in his
loyal sentiments, and willingly to obey his orders. After this, Centeno
sent one of his captains with a detachment to Chicuito, a place
belonging particularly to the king, between Orcaza and Las Charcas, with
orders to guard the passes with the utmost vigilance, till he and the
royalists were in full readiness to execute their principal enterprize,
as will be related in the sequel.

Notwithstanding every precaution employed by Centeno to conceal his
operations and intentions, it was impossible to prevent intelligence
from spreading in various directions, more especially after the
expedition of Mendoza to Arequipa. Every thing he had already done, even
the number of his troops, and of the musquets and horses he had
collected, was fully known, by means of Indians and Spaniards who had