Queen Juana: June 1507

Calendar of State Papers, Spain: Supplement To Volumes 1 and 2, Queen Katherine; Intended Marriage of King Henry VII To Queen Juana. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1868.

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'Queen Juana: June 1507', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain: Supplement To Volumes 1 and 2, Queen Katherine; Intended Marriage of King Henry VII To Queen Juana, (London, 1868) pp. 106-110. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/pp106-110 [accessed 25 April 2024]

June 1507

8th June (?) 17. King Ferdinand The Catholic to the Doctor De Puebla, his Ambassador in England.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Patronato Real. Tratados con Inglaterra. Legajo 5. f. 100. Draft written by Almazan.]
El Rey.
(Translastion.)
17. By the King.
fiat. doctor de la puebla mi enbaxador y del mi Consejo. vi vuestras letras de xv de Abril y las del Serenisimo Rey de ynglaterra mi muy caro y muy amado hermano que con ella me enbiastes con las quales y con las buenas nuevas que por ellas me escrebistes de su salud y prosperidad hove mucho plazer por que naturalmente le amo mucho y huelgo de su bien como del mio propio yo vos ruego que por mi plazer y descanso me fagays saber siempre de sus buenas nuevas por que no creo que hay principe en el mundo que tanto fuelgue con ellas como yo.
quanto a la prorrogacion de la paga de la dote de la Illma. princesa de gales mi fija que dicho Serenisimo Rey mi hermano me ha otorgado dezidle de mi parte que me ha parecido muy bien y que ge lo agradezco mucho y que fuelgo de ver que en esto y en todo parece el amor que me tiene y que siendo en Castilla placiendo a N[uest]ro Señor yo trabajare de embiar el cunplimiento de la dicha dote con tanta diligencia como si la dicha prorrogacion no fuera otorgada y porque con la persona que desde Castilla llevara el dinero de la dicha dote placiendo a Nuestro Señor vos escrebire todo lo mas que toca a este articulo no digo aqui mas sobre ello.
fiat. Doctor de la Puebla, my ambassador and of my council, I have seen your letters of the 15th of April and those of the most serene King of England, my very dear and very beloved brother, which you sent with them. I have been much pleased with the good news you wrote me concerning his health and his prosperity, for I love him much and sincerely, and rejoice as much at his good successes as at my own. I beg you, for my satisfaction and tranquillity, to let me always have good news of him, for I think there is no prince in the world who is so glad to hear them as I.
With regard to the prorogation of the payment of the dower of the most illustrious Princess of Wales my daughter, which the said King my brother has granted to me, tell him in my name that I am greatly pleased and thank him much. I am rejoiced to see in this as in all other things his love for me. As soon as, with the help of God, I am in Castile, I shall take care to send him the dower with as much speed as though no prorogation had been granted. As I shall write to you all that refers to this subject by the person who is to go with the money, if God permits, I shall say nothing more about it here.
cifra. en lo del casamiento del Rey de inglaterra mi hermano con la Reyna de Castilla mi hija hame parecido muy bien todo lo que sobre ello escrebis y pues al dicho Rey mi hermano le parece que no debe embiar enbaxador sobre ello fasta que yo desde Castilla le escriba la voluntad de la dicha Reyna mi fija y la dispusicion que yo fallare para quel dicho casamiento se faga pareceme muy bien que lo faga assi y si este negocio fuese de calidad que en mi absencia se pudiera negociar con la Reyna mi fija luego antes de mi llegada alla hubiera trabajado de saber sobre ello su voluntad y de enderezar las cosas a este proposito para poder luego escrebir determinadamente al Rey de inglaterra mi hermano la voluntad y dispusicion que fallaba para facerse el dicho casamiento pero por questo es cosa que sin mi presencia no se puede fazer y tentarlo yo en absencia antes podria dañar que aprovechar al negocio a esta causa sobreseo en mover esta negociacion a la dicha Reyna mi fija fasta ser en Castilla placiendo a N[uest]ro Señor y en siendo alla yo terne mucho cuydado de saber si la Reyna mi fija esta en voluntad de casarse y si se hobiere de casar yo fare ultimo de potencia que case con el dicho Rey mi hermano y no con otro. decidlo assi todo de mi parte al dicho Rey mi hermano y que llegado que yo sea a la dicha Reyna mi fija yo le fare saber lo que en esto fallare lo mas brebemente que yo pudiere y que presuponga que tiene para esto muy ganada mi voluntad y vos doctor tened por cierto que si la dicha Reyna mi fija se hubiere de casar yo no descansare fasta ver fecho el dicho casamiento porque por muchas causas que de suyo son notorias y mayormente con la voluntad quel dicho Rey mi hermano tiene de assentar las cosas a mi contentamiento esto vernia muy bien a mi y a la Reyna mi fija y a Nuestros estados y a mis nietos en mi vida y en mi muerte. y porque sabida en Castilla la voluntad de la dicha rreyna mi fija vos escrebire sobre ello particularmente aqui no es necesario decir mas.
con la presente embio mi respuesta a las cartas del dicho Serenisimo Rey de inglaterra mi hermano en fin de la qual va creencia remitida a la dicha Illustrisima princesa de gales mi hija y a vos por virtud de la qual le direys todo lo contenido en la presente y la dicha Illustrisima princesa mi fija le dira lo que le escribo que es en esta misma sustancia. de —
cipher. Concerning the marriage of the King of England my brother with the Queen of Castile my daughter, I am pleased with all which you write on that subject. The King of England my brother thinks it best not to send an ambassador until I write to him from Castile what the wishes of the said Queen my daughter and her disposition with respect to this marriage are. It seems to me that he is right in doing so. If this affair could be settled with the Queen my daughter during my absence, I would not wait until my arrival, but without loss of time endeavour and take every measure to ascertain her wishes in this respect, so as to be able immediately to give a definite answer to the King of England my brother about her wishes and inclination with regard to the conclusion of this marriage. That, however, is impossible to accomplish when I am not there, and to try it during my absence would do more harm than good in this affair. This is the reason why I postpone opening these negotiations with the Queen my daughter until I am, with the help of our Lord, in Castile. As soon as I arrive, I shall be very careful to ascertain whether the Queen my daughter is willing to marry, and if she is, I shall do all in my power to make her marry the said King my brother, and no one else. Tell all this in my name to the King my brother, and assure him that as soon as I see the Queen my daughter, I shall let him know as quickly as possible what she thinks of it. He may feel sure that he has already gained my goodwill. And you, Doctor, do not doubt that, if the said Queen my daughter is to marry, I shall not rest until the said marriage is concluded. For from various reasons, which are clear of themselves, and especially on account of the desire of the said King my brother to settle everything to my satisfaction, this marriage would be very advantageous to me, to the Queen my daughter, to our kingdoms, and to my grandchildren during my life and after my death. As it is my intention to write to you very minutely as soon as I learn in Castile the wishes of the said Queen my daughter, it is not necessary to say more here.
I send with this my answer to the letters of the most serene King of England my brother, with credentials for the most illustrious Princess of Wales and for you. Tell him all that is contained in this letter, and the most illustrious Princess my daughter will tell him what I write to her. It is to the same effect. From —
8th June? 18. King Ferdinand The Catholic to Katharine, Princess Of Wales.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Patronato Real. Tratados con Inglaterra. Legajo 5. f. 101. Draft written by Almazan.]
princesa de gales.
por que esto no es razon que vaya en claro lo escribo por cifra. vi lo que fablastes al Rey de ynglaterra mi hermano sobre el casamiento suyo con la Reyna de Castilla mi hija vuestra hermana, y lo que el a ello vos respondio y pues le parece que no me deve embiar embaxador sobre ello fasta que yo desde Castilla le escriba la voluntad de la dicha Reyna mi fija y la disposicion que yo fallare para quel dicho casamiento se faga pareceme muy bien que lo faga assi. y si este negocio fuese de calidad que en mi absencia se pudiera negociar con la Reyna mi fija luego antes de mi llegada alla hubiera trabajado de saber sobre ello su voluntad y de endereçar las cosas a este proposito para poder luego escrebir determinadamente al Rey de inglaterra mi hermano la voluntad y dispusicion que fallara para fazerse el dicho casamiento pero porque esto es cosa que sin mi presencia no se puede fazer y tentarlo yo en absencia antes podria dañar que aprovecharia al negocio dyreys al dicho Rey mi hermano que por esta causa sobreseo en mover esta negociacion a la dicha Reyna mi fija fasta ser en Castilla placiendo a Nuestro Señor que en siendo alla yo terne mucho cuydado de saber si la Reyna mi fija esta en voluntad de casarse y que si se hoviere de casar yo fare ultimo de potencia por que case con el dicho Rey mi hermano y no con otro y que de alli le fare saber lo que en esto fallare lo mas brebemente que yo pudiere y que presuponga que tiene ya para esto muy ganada mi voluntad assi por el amor que le tengo y por las grandes excelencias de su Real persona como porque habiendo de casar la dicha Reyna mi fija yo no veo principe en el mundo que para ella y para mi y para mis nietos y para la conservacion de todos Nuestros estados assi en vida como en muerte fuesse tan conviniente y provechoso como el dicho Rey mi hermano mayormente con la voluntad determinada que tiene de asentar en este caso las cossas a mi contentamiento por que segun su virtud y prudencia y potencia en mi vyda sermeya gran descanso y gran ayuda tenerle por fijo por que tengo por cierto que miraria todo lo que el pudiese por la conservacion y acrecentamiento de la honra y estado mio y de la Reyna mi fija y no por la diminucion dello como fizo el difunto y muriendo yo yria muy descansado en pensar que dexava a su cargo y gobernacion y amparo mi fija y mis nietos y todos nuestros estados assi que en siendo en Castilla placiendo a Nuestro Señor yo trabaxare de saber sobre ello la voluntad de la Reyna mi fija y os fare saber la disposition que para ello fallare para que de mi parte la dygais al Rey de inglaterra mi hermano y si la fallare tal como el la dessea el conocera y vera por la obra en el mismo negocio el amor que yo le tengo teniendo por cierto que de su parte para conmigo vere y conocere yo lo mismo las otras cossas vereys por la que va en claro.
18. Princess of Wales.
Because it is not convenient for this to be sent in common writing I write in cipher. I have read what you have said to the King of England my brother about his marriage with the Queen of Castile, my daughter and your sister, and what he answered to you. The King of England thinks it is best not to send an ambassador until I write to him from Castile what the wishes of the said Queen my daughter, and her intentions with respect to this marriage are. I am of opinion that it is very night and that he ought to do so. If this affair could be settled with the Queen my daughter during my absence, I would not wait until my arrival there, but without loss of time endeavour and make every arrangement to ascertain her wishes in this respect, so as to be able immediately to give a definite answer to the King of England my brother, about his wishes and inclinations concerning the conclusion of this marriage. As, however, this cannot be done without my presence, and to try it during my absence would rather injure than benefit the affair, you are to tell the said King my brother that, induced by this reason, I postpone opening the negotiations with the said Queen my daughter until, with the help of our Lord, I arrive in Castile. As soon as I am there I shall take great care to ascertain whether the Queen my daughter is willing to marry, and if she is I shall do all in my power that she marries the King of England my brother, and no one else. I shall then let him know as soon as possible in what state I find this affair there [in Castile]. He may rest assured that he has my goodwill already, owing to the love I bear him and to his excellent personal qualities, as well as because, if the Queen my daughter is to marry, I know no Prince in the world who would be so acceptable to her, to myself, and to my grandchildren, and who would offer so great advantages for preserving all our states during my life and after my death, as the said King my brother, especially as he is determined in such a case to settle all affairs to my satisfaction. As he is so virtuous, so prudent, and so powerful, it would be a great comfort and advantage to me to have him during my lifetime for a son, and I am perfectly sure that he would do all he could to preserve and increase my honour and states as well as those of the Queen my daughter, and not try to injure them as he who is now dead has done ; and in [the hour of] my death I should be comforted by the idea that I was leaving my daughter, my grandchildren, and all our kingdoms in his charge and under his government and protection. Therefore, as soon as, with the help of our Lord, I am in Castile I shall endeavour to know the wishes of the Queen my daughter, and let you know in what disposition I find her, that you may in my name inform the King of England my brother. If I find her disposed as he wishes, he will see by what I shall do in this affair the love I bear him, and I am persuaded that his behaviour will bear testimony of and manifest to me the same sentiments on his part. The other news you will find in the letter in common writing.