most sensitive part, his heart-felt loyalty and love for his sovereign spurned, his influence and popularity gone — what had he to live for? Then, too, he began to suffer the infirmities of age; his constitution was shattered, and his sight and hearing were growing dull. The hardships of so many rough campaigns, the wounds received, the fevers, and the long exposures, all had left their impress. If one wishes to see glorious recompense, let one look at Peru, which has done even more than Mexico to fill the royal coffers. Perhaps the turbulence there has taught the monarch prudence. Go further then, and compare the conduct of Cortés with that of Pizarro after their respective conquests: the one is gentle, obedient; the other arrogant and blood-bespilling. Yet wherever it is most politic that it should be inflicted, there will the punishment be felt. When the monarch has no further need of the man, it is well the man should die.
But the life of Cortés was destined to be spared for a few more indignities. He had sent to Mexico for his daughter Doña María, to be married to Álvaro Perez de Osorio, heir to the estates and titles of the marqués de Astorga. The engagement was cancelled by Osorio for pecuniary and prudential motives.[1] The humiliation, the insult, which struck at once the pride of the conqueror and the heart of the father, affected him to such a degree that for a time he was prostrated by a dangerous fever.
Before this, namely, on February 3, 1544, Cortés had made a touching and dignified appeal to the monarch for redress, praying for a final settlement of his affairs. To this as in the other instance no reply was made. It has even been stated that after Charles refused to see Cortés the latter on one occasion forced
- ↑ The dowry of Doña María was to have been 100,000 ducats in gold, which under the present circumstances could probably not be raised at the time. Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 237. This occurred subsequently to the making of his will, from which it appears that 20,000 ducats had already been paid to Marqués Astorga on account of the dowry, and Cortés provided that the remainder be paid, to fulfil the contract.
