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 parëts 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