The wife of the rebel Tupac Amaru II is executed in Cuzco, 1781

English Translation

I, José de Palacios, Royal Scribe and Notary in this city of Cuzco, hereby certify in honor of the truth that today, Michaela Bastidas, the wife of the vile traitor José Gabriel Túpac Amaru, has been executed, pursuant to the aforementioned sentence, dated the 15th of this month, which has been carried out in the following manner:

In the Main Plaza of this city an audience gathered, with the garrison of troops of infantry and cavalry; and the justices and several prominent people were present. At the assigned hour in the morning, Micaela Bastidas was taken from headquarters where she had been imprisoned. She was dressed in a penitential robe, with a coarse fiber rope around her neck, and tied at feet and hands. The customary proclamation was made, and she was thus led to the gallows, where she was made to sit on a small platform, and her neck was tightened by the garrote. Her tongue was cut out. After her death, she was hung from the gallows. All this was carried out by hands of executioners.

In the afternoon of the same day, her body was dismembered at the foot of the gallows. Her head was hung in Callanca, the main entrance of Cuzco and base of the hill of Picchu, one arm was sent to Tungasuca, another to Arequipa, one of her legs to Carabaya, and the remainder of the body was taken to the hill of Picchu [in Cuzco].

There her body was burned in a bonfire created for this purpose, along with that of her husband, who, according to the mandate of the aforementioned sentence, had been present at the execution. This instrument is issued for publication in the registries and where it is most appropriate, affixed with my signature in witness whereof, in this city of Cuzco, the 18th of May, 1781. – José de Palacios. – Royal Scribe and Notary.

Spanish Original

José de Palacios, Escribano del Rey, Nuestro Señor, y Público del número de esta ciudad de Cuzco, doy fe y verdadero testimonio, cómo el día de hoy se ha ejecutado en la persona de Micaela Bastidas, mujer del vil traidor José Gabriel Túpac Amaru, la sentencia que antecede, de fecha 15 del corriente, en la forma siguiente:

Hallándose la Plaza Mayor de esta Ciudad [el] respetable con la guarnición de la tropas de infantería y caballería; y presentes las justicias y varias personas de distinción, fué sacada en hora regular de la mañana la dicha Micaela Bastidas del Cuartel donde se hallaba presa, con su hábito de la Misericordia y una soga de esparto a cuello, atados los pies y manos, y con el pregón acostumbrado se la llevó en esta forma arrastrada al lugar del suplicio, donde se le hizo sentar en un tabladillo, y se le ajustó el instrumento del garrote; cortósela la lengua, y después de muerta con dicho instrumento, fué colgada en la horca, practicándose todo por manos de verdugos.

Por la tarde del mismo día fué descuartizado su cuerpo al pie del suplicio; su cabeza [se colocó] en Callanca, entrada común de la Ciudad y principio del Cerro de Piccho, un brazo se destinó a Tungasuca, otro a Arequipa, y una de las piernas a Carabaya, y lo restante del cuerpo se condujo al propio cerro de Piccho.

Y ahí se quemó en una hoguera dispuesta para el efecto, juntamente con el de su marido, según lo mandado en la citada sentencia, de cuya ejecución ha sido presente. Y para que conste en los autos, y donde más convenga, doy el presente y signo y firmo en esta ciudad del Cuzco, a los 18 días del mes de mayo de 1781 años, en testimonio de verdad. – José Palacios. – Escribano Real y Público.