ened one Sunday that Cortes came rather late to mass in the
cathedral church. His majesty had already taken his seat, and the
noblemen of his suite, each according to his respective rank and
station. Cortes, clothed in his deep mourning cloak, passed by all these
illustrious noblemen, and seated himself next to the earl of Nassau, who
sat very near to his majesty. This self-assumed precedence of so many
illustrious personages, as it was termed, appeared so presumptuous, and
showed so great a want of propriety, that those persons who considered
themselves slighted thereby, immediately began to murmur forth their
disapprobation of such conduct. However, the duke of Bejar, the admiral
of Castile, and the earl of Aguilar, who were present, took Cortes'
side, and observed that no reproach could be made to the latter on this
score, as his majesty, to do him honour, had ordered that he should take
his seat next to the earl of Nassau. It should also be taken into
consideration, these noblemen further said, what vast territories Cortes
had added to the crown, how greatly indebted the whole of Christendom
was to him; that their titles had merely descended to them from their
forefathers, whereas the marks of distinction which his majesty was
pleased to confer upon Cortes were the immediate consequences of the
latter's own merits.

However, it is certainly true that the great favour in which Cortes
stood with the emperor, the admiral of Castile, the earl of Nassau, and
with the duke of Bejar, added to the title of marquis which had been
conferred upon him, had turned his head a little; for he now began to
neglect his other patrons, the cardinal de Siguenza, the
comendador-mayor of Leon, the latter's wife Dona Maria de Mendoza, and
the members of the council of the Indies, all of whom had interested
themselves so greatly for him; and he exclusively courted the three
noblemen above mentioned, with whose protection he imagined he could
obtain anything. The first thing he did was to storm his majesty with
petitions to appoint him governor of New Spain, each time enumerating
the many important services he had rendered the crown, promising, should
his majesty be pleased to grant his prayer, to equip an armament for a
voyage of discovery to the islands and rich countries of the South seas.
His distinguished patrons likewise used all their influence with his
majesty to obtain this appointment for him. The emperor, however,
replied, that Co