1. Whilst the king's troops were retiring to the heights, the maestro del campo, Diego Garcia de Paredes, with eight companions on horseback, separated from the main body, and, unobserved by Aguirre's men, fell upon the traitor's rear, which had not as yet reached the town, taking four horses laden with clothes, powder, and other things, which were much needed by the royalists, as they were unprovided with them, and had not even powder for their few arquebuses.

Aguirre took up his quarters, with all his people, in a large square place, in the highest part of the town, surrounded by high mud walls with turrets, where the houses of a captain named Damian del Barrio stood. Here the traitor was somewhat protected from his adversaries, and felt more secure of many of his followers, of whom he had suspicion that they would desert.

The king's party could see their opponents from the heights, where they were encamped, anxiously waiting to see if any of Aguirre's men, who had found the letters of pardon, would desert him; but as he had shut them up in a guarded position, none of them could leave their quarters.

As night approached, the general left a troop of twelve of his best horsemen on the heights, and returned to his camp. Aguirre perceived that his enemy had moved, and, as his men were very anxious indeed to rob the houses, thinking they would find good pillage, he gave them leave to go to the houses, and strip them of all they could find.