Hovv Cortez came into Spayne.
Where one Alonso de Estrada gouerned the state of Mexico, as substitute of Marcus de Aguillar, accordying to the Emperours commaundement, Cortes considered with himselfe that it was not possible for him to haue agayne his office, except he wente personally to the Emperours court, where he had many aduersaries and fewe friendes, so that he was afflicted on euery side: yet he in fine determined to goe into Spayne, as well for businesse of importaunce of his owne, as also matters touchyng the Emperour and his new kingdoms whereof I will reherse particularly some.
As touchyng his owne causes, first he beyng a man of good yéeres, went to marry, hoping to haue children, vnto whom he might leaue the profite of his labour and payne: also to appeare before the King his maister face to face, and to enforme his Maiestie what landes and Kyngdomes hée had wonne and brought vnto his royall crowne: To signifie lykewise vnto hym, of the dissention among the Spanyardes hys subiectes in Mexico, and to answere for himselfe, to any false reportes whiche had bene made agaynst hym: And finally, to receyue a condigne rewarde for hys worthie and faythfull seruice. Cortes beyng in these imaginations, there was brought a letter vnto him, from the reuerend father Garcia de Loaisa ghostly father vnto the Emperour, and afterwarde was ordeyned Cardinall, in the whiche letter he conuited him earnestly to come vnto Spayne, to the entent that the Emperours Maiestie mighte bothe sée and know him, assuring him of his friendshippe. After the receyte of this letter, he made al the hast possible to departe vpon his iourney, ceasing from his voyage whiche he had in hande, for to inhabite the riuer De las Palmas. Before his departure he dispatched twoo hundred Spaniardes, & thrée score and ten horsemen, with many Mexicans for the countrey of Chichimea, to inhabite there, finding the lande riche of siluer mines, as it was reported, giuyng vnto those men expresse order, that if the people of that prouince did not entertayne them with friendship, that then they should accept thē as enimies, and forthwith to make warre, and to take them for slaues, for that they are a barbarous people. He wrote his letter to Vera Crux, to prepare with all spéede twoo good shippes, and for that purpose he sent Pero ruiz de Esquiuel, who was a Gentleman of Siuill: But he wente not on the iourney, for a moneth after, they founde him buried in a little Iland of the lake, with one hande out of the graue, whiche was eaten with dogges and foule: he was buried in his dublet and his hose: he had one onely wounde in his forehead: And a Negro, his slaue, who wente in his company, was neuer hearde of, nor yet the Canao and Indians that wente with him, so that the truth of his death was neuer knowen.
Cortes made an Inuentary of his moueable goodes, whiche was valued at twoo hundred thousande Castlins of golde: he left for gouernour of his owne estate, the Licenciat Altamirano his kinsman, with other two friends: he furnished twoo shippes, and proclaymed frée passage and victuals vnto all those that would goe in his cōpany: he shipped for his owne account a thousand fiue hundred markes of siluer, twentie thousand Castlins in good gold, and ten thousand Castlins of base golde. He tooke in his company Gonsalo de Sandoual, Andres de Tapia, and other of the chiefest of the conquerours. He brought with him a Sonne of Mutezumas, & another Sonne of Maxixca, who was become a Christian, & named Don Lorenso, with many other Indian Gentlemen of Mexico, Tlaxcallan, and other cities: eight players with a cudgell, twelue tenis players, with certaine men & women of that countrey, who were white of colour, and other dwarfes & deformed persons. He brought also wilde beasts, as Tigres, & other strange beastes called Aiotochtli, and one Tlaquaci. Moreouer he brought a great number of mantels made of feathers & Conny heare, Targets, bushes or tuffes of galant feathers, and looking glasses of stone. In fine, he came lyke a great Lorde, & arriued in Spayne, in the ende of the yéere 1528. the Courte being then in Tolledo. The newes of his arriuall was blowen through out all Spayne, and euery one desirous to sée him.
The honour vvhiche the Emperour shewed vnto Hernando Cortes, with rewarde.
The Emperour receyued Cortes magnifically, and to giue him the greater honour, he went & visited him at hys owne lodging.