Queen Juana: May 1520

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: May 1520', 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. 200-204. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/pp200-204 [accessed 15 April 2024]

May 1520

1520 (?) May (?) 49. The Marquis Of Denia to the Emperor Charles.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 5. f. 287. Holograph. No date.]
A su Magestad.
la Reyna nuestra Señora me a preguntado por Su Mt. y que donde va y esta. yo dixe que estava en galyzya que se yba a flandes y Alemaña a lo dell ynperyo. preguntome sy yban grandes de Castylla con Su Magt. dixe que sy que yban los mas. dyxome que sy avya en esta comarca algunos en sus casas. dyxele que no que todos estavan con Su Magt. dyxome que no se hallava vyen en esta vylla que se querya yr daqui. dyxele que no allandose Su Alteza vyen quera razon de no estar aqui. dixome que en Valladolyd estuvo cuando vyno de flandes en vyda del Rey Su Señor y que se allava vyen. yo le dyxe que Valladolyd no era lugar donde su Alteza avya de estar asy porque es muy mal sano como por su avyto. dyxome cada dya me duelen aquy las muelas y no lo puedo sofryr. yo dyxe a Su Alteza que a todos nos dolian y que esto mas lo azya el tienpo quel lugar. en fyn me apreto tanto que le dyxe que pues su padre la avya traydo aqui que no era razon que se mudase asta que Su Alteza vyniese o selescryvyese. dyxome que yo lo escryvyese a Su Alteza luego con pa. (fn. 1) de recado y en esto quedo. despues me a llamado dos vezes y me a preguntado quando verna la respuesta.
en Valladolyd y Medyna y en otras partes se a dicho que la Reyna nuestra señora esta presa y que serya vyan (fn. 2) procurar que la llevasen a Valladolyd o a otro lugar grande, y esto ny lo dycen por que lo crehen asy ny por que desean su servycyo. parecyome quera cosa que Su Magt. deve saver para que se myre en esto porque sy en el Reyno ubyese alguna novedad no serya maravylla que por dar color a su culpa quisyesen asyr desto como se yzo en tiempos pasados, y pues yo con ell ayuda de Nuestro Señor tengo de azer lo que devo pues esto se a confyado de my, razon es que claro se me dyga lo que tengo de azer y se me dexe fyrmado porque demas de cunplir aquello yo are en lo que mas me parecyere lo que convenga a servycyo de Su Magestad.
tanbyen pyde dyneros y dyzeme que syempre ge los davan y que no save porque se a de hazer menos estando yo aqui y dyxome tantas lastymas que me yzo pyadad (fn. 4) y por otra parte enbravecyase. yo soy de parecer que no le den dyneros y sy por dalle algun contentamyento se le dyeren sean pocos. y que aquy y en toda parte se sepa quel servycio se a de azer a Su Alteza y las mercedes sean de recebyr de Su Magt. a quien suplico mande provello todo de manera que yo sepa lo que tengo de azer. [Rubrica.]
(Translation.)
49. To his Majesty.
The Queen our lady has asked about your Majesty, where you are going and where you are. I said you were in Galicia, on your way to Flanders and Germany [to occupy yourself] with the affairs of the empire. She asked me, "Are grandees of Castile going with his Majesty?" I replied, "Yes, most of them go." She asked whether some of them had remained in their houses in this province. I said, "No ; all accompany his Majesty." She said she was not well in this town, and wished to leave it. I said, "If your Highness is not well, you shall not remain here." She said that when, during the lifetime of the King her lord, (fn. 3) she was staying in Valladolid, she was well. I said that Valladolid was not a place where her Highness could conveniently stay, on account of its bad sanitary condition as well as of her dress. She tells me every day that she suffers here so much from toothache that she cannot bear it. I said to her Highness that we all suffered, but that that was the fault of the weather and not of the place. She insisted so much that I said at last that, as her father had sent her to this place, no change could be made until he should come in person, or a letter were written to him. She told me to write directly [and send the letter] with great care and speed. There we stopped. She, however, afterwards called me twice into her presence, and asked when the answer will come.
In Valladolid, Medina, and other places it has been said that the Queen our lady is kept a prisoner, and that it would be good to bring her to Valladolid or to some other large town. They do not say it because they believe it, nor because they desire her good. I think your Highness ought to know this, and to consider the subject ; for if there should be some disturbances in this kingdom, it would be no wonder if, in order to give a pretext for their offence, they should avail themselves of this, as has been the case in times past. As, with the help of God, I have to settle this business which has been confided to me, it is only reasonable that I should be clearly told what I have to do, and an order be given to me signed [by your Majesty]. I should in such a case not only execute it, but besides do all that your service requires.
Moreover, she asks money, and says that it was always given to her, and that she does not know why it is not done whilst I am here. She complained so much that I felt pity for her, and at other times she was furious. I am of opinion that no money should be given to her, or if in order to satisfy her it be given, that it be little. Every one must know here that he has to serve her Highness, but that the rewards are to be received from your Majesty, whom I beseech to give such orders that I may know what I am to do.
[Sign manual of the Marquis.]
1520 (?) May (?) 50. The Marquis Of Denia to the Emperor Charles.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 5. folio 288. Holograph.]
Cesarea sacra catolica Magestad,
despues daver escryto esta carta me llamo la Reyna nuestra Señora y me dyxo que estava muy quexosa de my porque le negava la muerte del Rey su Señor que le dixese sy era vyvo porque le convenya savello. yo le respondy que yo le avya dycho la verdad y que asy ge la dyrya syenpre y sy otra cosa fuera que Vra Magt. ge lo dyxera. Respondyome eso es bueno, como vos los traxistes aquy asy les dyryades lo que dixesen. sobresto ubo grandes platicas y al cabo dixo sy se yva V[uestr]a Magt. a flandes que aunque la tyerra es buena estuviera vyen aca y que mejor avia de traer all ynfante. preguntome por madama leonor. yo le dixe que quedava en burgos.
preguntome que grandes yban deste reyno con V[uestr]a Magt. dixele que todos los que tenyan salud para yr yvan. preguntome sy avyan venydo aqui que como no la avyan vysto. yo le dyxe que no avyan venydo que eran ydos a sus casas adereçarse. dixome pues como an de yr syn venyr aquy prymero. yo le dyxe que creya que no. tornome a dezir como a tanto que no vyenen aqui no me maravillo que se vayan syn my licencia, querriales escrevyr rogandoles que vengan porque me cunple para algunas cosas ablalles. yo dixe a Su Alteza que se le acordase que pues no escryve al Rey su padre ni a V. Magt. que no es razon que escryba a nadie. dyxome que era verdad pero que le convenya y que me rogava que yo les escrivyese. yo dixe que lo harya. pyenso de dezyr a su Alteza que les e scrito sy otra vez me lo pregunta y que me respondyeron que vernyan sy pudiesen. enestas platycas me a traydo dos dyas e en todo se ara con ayuda de Nuestro Señor lo que sea servicio de V[uestr]a Magt.
50.
Imperial, sacred, and catholic Majesty,
After having written this letter, the Queen our Lady called me into her presence, and said that she complained much of me because I denied the death of the King, her Lord (fn. 5), and I ought to tell her whether he was alive, because it was very important to her to know. I answered that I had told and would always tell her the truth. If it were otherwise, I said, your Majesty would tell her so. She said "It is good. As you have brought them (fn. 6) hither, so you instruct them what to tell me." On this subject we had great altercation. At last she asked whether your Majesty would go to Flanders, [and said] that although it is a good country, you had nevertheless better stay here, and that the Infante ought also to come. She asked the news of Madame Leonor, and I said that she remained in Burgos.
She asked me which of the grandees of this kingdom would go with your Majesty. I said that all of them who had sufficient health would go. She asked whether they had come hither, and why they had not seen her? I said they had not come here, but were gone to their houses to make preparations. She said, How? they are to go without first coming hither! I said, I thought they would not [come hither]. She replied, "As it is so long a time since they have come here, I do not wonder that they go without my licence. I should like to write to them, asking them to come, because I want to speak with them on several subjects." I said to her Highness she should not forget that as she does not write to her father nor to your Majesty she ought not to write to any one. She said that was true, but as she wanted it she begged me to write to them. I said I would. It is my intention, if she afterwards asks, to tell her that I have written, and that they have answered that they would come if they could. These conversations have lasted two days. With the help of God that which your service requires shall be done in every respect.

Footnotes

  • 1. debe ser prisa.
  • 2. sic, debia ser vyen.
  • 3. Philip.
  • 4. Sic.
  • 5. King Ferdinand the Catholic.
  • 6. The servants of the palace.