Читать книгу The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne - López de Gómara Francisco - Страница 2

The Byrth and lynage of Hernando Cortez

In the yeare of our Sauiour, 1485. being kings of Castill and Aragon, the Catholike princes Fernando and Isabell his wyfe, was borne Hernando Cortez in a towne called Medellin, situated in the prouince of Andulozia: his Father was named Martyn Cortez de Monroy, & his mother was called Lady Katherin Pisarro Altamirano, they were bothe of good byrth, and procéeded from foure principall houses, that is to say, the house of Cortez, the house of Monroy, the house of Pisarro, and the house of Altamirano, which foure houses are auncient, noble and honorable: yet these parents but poore in goods, but riche in vertue & good life, for whiche cause they were muche estéemed and beloued among theyr neighbours. His mother was of inclination deuoute, but somewhat harde: his father was charitable and mercyfull, who in his youth applied himselfe to the warres, and was Liuetenant to a company of horsemen. Hernando Cortez in his childehood was very sickely, so that many tymes he was at the poynt of death: And when he came to .xiiii. yéeres of age, his parents sent him to the Vniuersitie of Salamanca, where he remayned twoo yeares, learnyng Grammar, and then returned to Medellin werie of his studie, yea possible for want of money: yet his parēts were much offended with him for leauing his studie, for theyr onely desire was to haue had him a student at lawe, whiche is a facultie both riche and worshipfull, consideryng their sonne to be of a good witte and abilitie: Yet he caused muche strife in his Fathers house, for he was a very vnhappy ladde, high minded, and a louer of chiualrie, for which cause he determined with himselfe to wander abroad to séeke aduentures. And at that instant happened two iorneys fit for his purpose & inclination. The one of them was to Naples wyth Gonsalo Hernandez of the Citie of Cordoua, who was a worthy man, & named the great captaine. And the other iourney was to the Weast India, with the Lorde Nicholas de Ouando, a knight of the order of Larez, who was then appointed for gouernour of those parties. And musing with himselfe which waye to take, determined to passe into India, chiefly bycause the gouernour was of his acquaintance, and such a one as would haue care of him. And likewise the great desire of gold made him to couet that voyage more than the Iorney vnto Naples. Now in the meane while that y^e fleet was preparing for India, it chaunced, Hernando Cartez pretended to go vnto a certaine house in the night season to talke with a woman, and clyming ouer a Wall whyche was of weake foundation, both he and the Wal fell togither: So that with the noyse of hys fall, and ratling of his armoure which he ware, came out a man newly married, and findyng him fallen at hys dore would haue slayne hym, suspecting somewhat of his newe married wife, but that a certaine olde woman (being his mother in lawe) wyth great perswasions stayed him from that fact. Yet with the fall he fell into a grieuous Ague, and continued sicke for a long season, so that he could not procéede vppon his voyage with the gouernour Ouando. And when he had obtained and fullye recouered his health, he mynded to passe into Italy, And so toke hys way towarde Valentia, wandering here and there almoste a whole yeare wyth much necessitye and penurie, and then returned home againe to Medellyn, with determination to procéed vppon his pretended voyage of India: Wherevppon hys father and mother waying their sonnes estate, desired God to blesse hym, and gaue him money in his purse for his iorney.