le and Guadeloupe
to Madrid, winning golden opinions all the way by his courtly manners
and his profuse liberality.

Upon his arrival at Madrid, he was received by the emperor with great
courtesy. Cortez threw himself at the feet of his majesty, enumerated
the services he had performed, and vindicated himself from the
aspersions of his enemies. The monarch seemed satisfied, ordered him
to rise, and immediately conferred upon him the title of Marquis of
the Valley, with a rich estate to support the dignity. Cortez fell
sick, and the emperor honored him with a visit in person. Many other
marks of the royal favor Cortez received, which so encouraged him that
he began to assume haughty airs, and applied to the emperor that he
might be appointed governor of New Spain. The emperor was displeased,
declined giving him the appointment, and a coldness ensued. Cortez,
however, at length regained some favor, and obtained the title of
Captain General of New Spain, with permission to fit out two ships on
voyages of discovery to the south seas. He was also entitled to
receive, as proprietor, one twelfth of the lands he should discover,
and to rule over the countries he might colonize.

Cortez was now a man of wealth and renown. His manners were highly
imposing, his conversation was rich and impressive, and his favor at
court gave him a vast influence. His income amounted to about one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year. There was no family in
Spain which would not have felt honored by his alliance, and when he
sought the hand of the young, beautiful, and accomplished niece of the
Duke of Bejar, his addresses were eagerly accepted. The storm-worn yet
still handsome cavalier led to the altar his blushing bride so
glittering with brilliant jewels, cut by the exquisite workmanship of
the Aztecs, as to excite the envy even of the queen of Charles V.

Cortez soon became weary of a life of idleness and luxury, and longed
again for the stirring adventures of the New World. Early in the
spring of 1530, he again embarked, with his wife and mother, for New
Spain. With his characteristic zeal for the conversion of the natives,
he took with him twelve reverend fathers of the Church. After a short
tarry at Hispaniola, he landed at Vera Cruz on the 15th of July. As
it was feared that Cortez might interfere with the government of the
country, the Queen of Spain, who was quite displeased that the wife of
Cortez wore more brilliant jewels tha