Next day, in the morning, they took him out of the prison on a mule without a saddle. He held a crucifix in his hands and, passing along the usual streets, he asked pardon of all. The contemplation of his downfall must make us feel how vain is the life of this world, and how the desire to accumulate riches and increase in honours or dignity consumes itself. Such must be the thoughts of those who saw Picado so sprightly, so richly attired, so wealthy, so trusted by the Governor, and possessing such absolute command! See him now! All his prosperity gone, he receives a public death, after having been tortured into the bargain. Since God shows himself so true in his judgment, it was His pleasure that Picado should meet this fate because he had never advised the Marquis rightly or as he should. One of the principal reasons why the governors of these Realms have come to such bad ends is that they trusted to ignorant, astute, and designing servants, more concerned to acquire wealth and show favour to their friends than to give their masters good advice and counsel as their duty points. Let those now living, therefore, and those who may have to govern in the future, employ honest subordinates whom they know to be given to no noteworthy fault; and let them be sure about it, for, if otherwise, they will follow the same road as the rest. After the crier had proclaimed the reason of his death, Picado's head was cut off, and he was buried in the church of our Lady of Mercy.
Don Diego, by advice of his captains, ordered Don Alonso de Montemayor to go to the cities of Guamanga and Cuzco to collect men, and arm them against any need that might arise.
News reached Lima that the Captain Alonso de Alvarado, on receiving tidings of the death of the Marquis, had assembled the forces that were with him and with Pedro Barroso at Guanuco, and those with Juan Pérez de Guevara at Moyobamba, and that he felt himself strong enough, with their support, to raise the banner of the King pending Vaca de Castro's entry into the Realm. This news caused great consternation, although Juan de Herrada, Cristóbal de Sotelo, and the other leaders of the Chile party, did not wish to have encounters or battles, nor to do more, if his Majesty would not pardon the murder of the Marquis, than retire into the interior of Chile. There were among them, indeed, gentlemen of such determination, and soldiers of such mettle, that if envy among them had not gnawed into their entrails, with the desire to excel each other even unto death, they might have prevailed--outside the Realm. But within the same, holding it as they did by tyranny, they could not have avoided the punishment which God and the world are wont to mete out to those who usurp such a position, and commit similar atrocities.