Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/505

Rh cost and in the name of the king, laying it at the sovereign's feet, with all its wealth of gold and pearls, and land and vassals, it was an undetermined question how much of it belonged to the monarch and how much to the discoverer and conqueror, and it is not at all strange that opinion should be divided on the subject. But in every emergency, whatsoever the monarch said or did, whether he granted lands and honors or withheld them, Cortés was bound to believe all as right. He might sometimes sacrifice wealth and power to religion; more frequently he would sacrifice religion to wealth and power, but never would he abate one jot of his devoted obedience to the king, unless it was clearly to the king's interest that he should be slightly disobeyed.

From the time of the Honduras expedition, and his separation from the faithful Marina, the star of the conqueror declined. From that day care fast engraved wrinkles on his forehead. The hardships and disappointments experienced on the march had broken his spirits and lowered his strength of mind, and they never recovered. In the mean time he had reached the summit of fame; he was captain-general and governor of the country he had conquered, and was made a marquis with vast grants. Nevertheless his soul was embittered by the fact that the gifts of his royal master were benefits only in name, that real honors were withheld, that he was no longer supreme in the land of his achievement, but must be ruled like any other by an audiencia and subsequently by a viceroy. Still, his restless impulse carries him forward to new and exciting scenes. New Spain is conquered, and he would penetrate beyond. The California and Spice Island expeditions fail; he wrangles with the viceroy over the right of further discoveries, of which he is finally and effectually deprived.

Nowhere is the presence of noble character more visibly displayed than when taunted, maligned, and robbed by the royal officials. While possessing ample