Federal authorities say they've returned a lost page from a 500-year-old manuscript to Mexico, decades after portions of it went missing. Dating back to the 16th century, the document describes an early payment structure established by the Spanish military commander who conquered parts of modern-day Latin America, according to the FBI.

"This is an original manuscript page that was actually signed by Hernán Cortés on February 20, 1527," said FBI special agent Jessica Dittmer, a member of the bureau's art crime team, in a statement. The page "outlines the payment of pesos of common gold for expenses in preparation for discovery of the spice lands, so it really gives a lot of flavor as to the planning and preparation for unchartered territory back then," Dittmer said.

Cortés was a conqui

See Full Page