The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
the duke of Medina Sidonia, in Seville, who supplied him with beautiful horses. Having
rested in this town for a few days, Corteshastened by long days' journeys to the convent of
our dear lady ofGuadaloupe, there to make his devotions. It happened fortunately forhim
that the distinguished lady Doña Maria de Mendoza, wife of the comendador-mayor of
Leon, should arrive there at the same time. She had a number of ladies of quality in her
suite; among others her sister,who was two years afterwards married to the governor of the
Canary islands. Cortes was highly delighted at this circumstance, and after making his
devotions to our dear lady of Guadaloupe, bestowing rich alms on the poor, and having
ordered a number of masses to be said, he repaired, though in deep mourning, with the
whole of his suite, andseveral other cavaliers, who had come to offer their services to him,
topay his respects to Doña Maria de Mendoza, her exceedingly beautifulsister, and to the
other ladies: and as Cortes was a man of excellentgood breeding, of a frank and cheerful
disposition, and eloquent in address, he the more easily gained the good wishes of these
ladies, andthe fame of his great exploits was re-echoed from one end of Spain tothe other.
He was possessed of sufficient wealth to bestow with an unsparinghand; and to the whole
of these ladies he presented the most valuable presents in gold, trinkets of beautiful
workmanship, penachesof green feathers, decorated with gold, silver, and pearls; of course,
the most splendid of these presents fell to the share of the distinguished lady Maria de
Mendoza and her charming sister. This latterlady he even presented with several bars of
gold, to be worked into allmanner of fine ornaments. Among these presents to the ladies he
didnot forget the most delicious perfumes and balsams: he also made hisIndian buffoons
and rope dancers perform in their presence; and onlearning that the last-mentioned lady had
lost one of her mules, hesecretly purchased two others for her, and gave them in charge of
hermajor-domo.
Cortes remained in the town of Guadaloupe until these ladies returnedto the imperial court,
which, at that time, was in Toledo. Heaccompanied them on their journey, and gave them
banquets and feasts everywhere along their route; and he so completely gained the good
wishes of Doña Maria de Mendoza by his graceful behaviour,his great splendour, and the
attentions he paid her, that she began seriously to think of making a match between her
sister and Cortes.If the latter had not promised his hand to Doña Juana de Guzman,niece to
the duke of Bejar, a match would certainly have been broughtabout between them; and by
this alliance with the comendador-mayorof Leon he would have increased his good fortune,
and have obtainedfrom his majesty the appointment of governor of New Spain. However,I
will say no more on this subject, for everything is guided anddirected by the hand of God.
[Pg 330]
Doña 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 moredevoted servant among his subjects, and
she hoped her husband wouldfully acquaint his majesty with the great merits of this man,
that hemight receive the rewards which he so richly deserved.
[Pg 331]
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 atthat 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 inclinedtowards him, and had, as the duke of Bejar
afterwards assured Cortes,on the first news of his arrival in Spain, expressed a great desire
tomake the acquaintance of the man who had rendered him so manyimportant services,
and of whose dangerous and deceitful character somuch had been told him.
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