vi INTRODUCTION. 



very bold ftep, and making ufe of the love poffei^ed in the 

 hearts of both foldiers and failors, put to fea With the fleet with- 

 out waiting for either leave or orders. He faiied to F'era Cruz, 

 where, hearing of the prodigious wealth of Mexico^ he fet forward 

 towards that country, with a body of troops confifting of about 

 300 foot, 15 horfe, and 1300 Indians to carry tiie baggage; 

 andj, after various conflids and difficulties, fubdued this vaft 

 country for the king of Spam. In 1528 Cortez returned home, 

 where he was received with great honour by that monarch, pre- 

 fented with a large eftate by him, created a Marquis, and mar- 

 ried to a lady of very high rank. The next year he returned to 

 Mexico^ whence he fent parties to difcover the more northern regi- 

 ons of this empire. His people were kindly received there, and a 

 friendly peace concluded between them and the Spa7uards. 

 Some troubles that happened in relation to his difcoveries, where- 

 in the viceroy interfered, inclined him to return once more into 

 Spain m the year 1542, where he was received with as much 

 diftinftion as before, but obtained no fatisfa(51:ion with regard to his 

 complaint. This however did not cool his zeal for his prince, whom 

 he ferved gallantly in the calamitous expedition again ft Algiers. 

 From this time Cortez led a private life, and died near Seville^ in 

 the year 1554 ; his corpfe, by his own deiire, was carried into 

 New Spain. While the conqueft of Mexico took up the at- 

 tention of CorteZy that of Peru was carried on by Francis 

 Pizarro^ and Diego de Almagro in conjund:ion. They made a 



con- 



