he hand of God.

Dona Maria de Mendoza, in her letters to her husband, could scarcely say
sufficient in praise of Cortes. All the fame of his deeds of arms, said
she, were really nothing when compared to his own personal qualities: in
order to appreciate his whole worth, it was necessary to listen to the
charm of his conversation, learn the noble frankness of his disposition,
and the grace with which his every action was accompanied. It was
impossible, she continued, that his majesty could have a more devoted
servant among his subjects, and she hoped her husband would fully
acquaint his majesty with the great merits of this man, that he might
receive the rewards which he so richly deserved.

The comendador-mayor was vastly pleased with the excellent opinion which
his wife entertained of Cortes, and the attentions the latter had shown
her, so that he was quite prepossessed in his favour; and as at that
time no one stood on a more confidential footing with the emperor than
the comendador himself, he laid his own wife's letter before the
emperor, and strongly recommended Cortes to his majesty's favour. But it
appears that the emperor was already most favorably inclined towards
him, and had, as the duke of Bejar afterwards assured Cortes, on the
first news of his arrival in Spain, expressed a great desire to make the
acquaintance of the man who had rendered him so many important services,
and of whose dangerous and deceitful character so much had been told
him.

When Cortes arrived at the imperial court, his majesty ordered
apartments to be given him in the palace. When he had approached near to
the town, the duke of Bejar, the earl of Aguilar, and several other
gentlemen of distinction went out to meet him, and gave him a most
honorable reception. On the following day, he was allowed to throw
himself at his majesty's feet; and to show him every possible
distinction on the occasion, he was accompanied by the admiral of
Castile, the duke of Bejar, and the comendador-mayor of Leon. After
Cortes had obtained leave from his majesty to speak, he knelt down, but
his majesty immediately desired him to rise; upon which Cortes addressed
the emperor, and enumerated the many important services he had rendered
the crown, the various conquests he had made down to the perilous
expedition to the Honduras, and then recounted the disturbances and
conspiracies which the veedor and factor had caused in Mexico during his
absence. Though thi