V.

1528.

BOOK of St. Jago, the title of Marquis del Valle de Guaxaca, the grant of an ample territory in New Spain, were fucceffively bestowed upon him; and as his manners were correct and elegant, although he had paffed the greater part of his life among rough adventurers, the emperor admitted him to the fame familiar intercourfe with himself, that was enjoyed by noblemen of the first rank.

Settlement

of the go

1530.

BUT, amidst those external proofs of regard, vernment in fymptoms of remaining diftruft appeared. Though New Spain. Cortes earnestly folicited to be reinftated in the government of New Spain, Charles, too fagacious to commit fuch an important charge to a man whom he had once fufpected, peremptorily refused to inveft him again with powers which he might find it impoffible to controul. Cortes, though dignified with new titles, returned to Mexico with diminished authority. The mili tary department, with powers to attempt new discoveries, was left in his hands; but the fupreme direction of civil affairs was placed in a board, called The Audience of New Spain. At a fubfequent period, when, upon the increase of the colony, the exertion of authority more

• Herrera, dec. 3. lib. iv. c, 1. lib. vi. c, 4. c. 196. Gom. Cron. c. 192.

B. Diaz.

V.

united and extenfive became neceffary, Antonio BOOK de Mendoza, a nobleman of high rank, was fent thither as Viceroy, to take the government into his hands.

1530.

fchemes

THIS divifion of power in New Spain proved, New as was unavoidable, the fource of perpetual of Cortes. diffention, which embittered the life of Cortes, and thwarted all his fchemes. As he had now no opportunity to display his active talents but in attempting new difcoveries, he formed various schemes for that purpose, all of which bear impreffions of a genius that delighted in what was bold and splendid. He early entertained an idea, that, either by steering through the gulf of Florida along the east coast of North America, fome ftrait would be found that communicated with the weltern ocean; or that, by examining the ifthmus of Darien, fome paffage would be discovered between the North and South Seas But having been disappointed in his expectations with refpect to both, he now confined his views. to fuch voyages of difcovery as he could make from the ports of New Spain in the South Sea. There he fitted out fucceffively several small fquadrons, which either perished in the attempt, or returned without making any discovery of

i Cortes Relat. Ram, iii. 294. B.

H 2

monient.

BOOK
V.

1536.

1540.

His death.

moment.

Cortes, weary of entrusting the conduct of his operations to others, took the command of a new armament in perfon, and, after enduring incredible hardships, and encountering dangers of every fpecies, he discovered the large peninfula of California, and furveyed the greater part of the gulf which feparates it from New Spain. The discovery of a country of fuch extent would have reflected credit on a common adventurer; but it could add little new honour to the name of Cortes, and was far from fatisfying the fanguine expectations which he had formed". Difgufted with ill fuccefs, to which he had not been accustomed, and weary of contefting with adverfaries to whom he confidered it as a difgrace to be opposed, he once more fought for redrefs in his native country.

BUT his reception there was very different from that which gratitude, and even decency, ought to have fecured for him. The merit of his ancient exploits was already, in a great meafure, forgotten, or eclipfed by the fame of recent and more valuable conquests in another quarter of America. No fervice of moment was now expected from a man of declining

u

Herrera, dec. 5. lib. viii. c. 9, 10. dec. 8. lib. vi. c. 14. Venegas Hift, of Californ. i. 125. Lorenziana Hift. p. 322, &c.

years,

V.

1540.

years, and who began to be unfortunate. The BOOK emperor behaved to him with cold civility; his ministers treated him, fometimes with neglect, fometimes with infolence. His grievances received no redress; his claims were urged without effect; and after feveral years spent in fruitless application to minifters and judges, an occupation the most irksome and mortifying to a man of high fpirit, who had moved in a sphere where he was more accustomed to command than to folicit, Cortes ended his days on the fecond of December one thousand five hundred and forty-feven, in the fixty-fecond year of his age. His fate was the fame with that of all the perfons who diftinguished themfelves in the discovery or conqueft of the New World. Envied by his contemporaries, and ill requited by the court which he served, he has been admired and celebrated by fucceeding ages. Which has formed the most just estimate of his character, an impartial confideration of his actions must determine.

H 3