had nothing to fear.  Taking up his rod of office, he declared that no one dared to revolt so long as he held that badge in his hand, and that the marquis might rest in security.  He may be said in some measure to have kept his word; for when the Almagrians came next day to kill the marquis, Velasquez made his escape over a window, and took his rod of office in his teeth, that he might use both his hands to assist himself in his descent.

In spite of all these assurances the marquis was somewhat alarmed, insomuch that next day, being Sunday the 26th June 1541, he determined not to go to church, and had the mass said in his own house.  After church, the doctor Velasquez and captain Francisco de Chaves, who were the principal persons in the colony, went along with several other persons to visit the marquis.  Having paid their visit, they all retired to their houses, except Velasquez and de Chaves who remained to dine with him.  After dinner, between twelve and one o’clock, when all the attendants of the marquis had retired to their dinner, and the whole city was quiet, Juan de Herrada and ten or twelve of his associates all armed sallied forth from the house of Almagro, which was not more than three hundred paces from the palace of the marquis, between which were part of a street and the whole breadth of the great square.  On coming out into the street with their drawn swords, they exclaimed, “death to the tyrant who hath slain the judge sent by the emperor to execute judgment upon him.”  They used these words, and went thus openly, to induce the inhabitants to believe that their party was numerous, so that no one might take measures to oppose them.  Besides this, the conspirators believed that there was no time for any one to interpose to prevent the execution of their purpose, and that it would either be accomplished, or themselves slain in the attempt, before any effectual succour would arrive.  On their arrival at the palace of the marquis, one of the party remained at the gate with a bloody sword in his hand, who cried out repeatedly, “The tyrant is dead! the tyrant is dead!” This had the desired effect, as several of the inhabitants who hastened to the palace on the alarm, being convinced that the marquis was already slain, retired again to their houses.

In the mean time Juan de Herrada and the rest of the conspirators rushed up the stair towards the apartment of the marquis, who, being alarmed by some of the Indian servants, desired de Chaves to shut the doors of the saloon and the hall, while he retired to put on his armour.  De Chaves was so much confused, that instead of fastening the doors he went out to the staircase demanding the reason of the noise; on which one of the conspirators wounded him.  “This, said he, is not the usage of a friend,” and immediately drew his sword, but was soon overpowered and slain.  The conspirators immediately rushed into the hall, whence ten or twelve Spaniards who were there made their escape by the windows:  Among