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3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 68.
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Treaty of marriage.
380. Queen Isabella of Spain to Ferdnand, Duke De
Estrada.
We have read your letters of the 2d of July, in which you
inform us that, God be thanked, the treaty of marriage has
been concluded between the Princess of Wales, our daughter,
and Henry, the present Prince of Wales. These tidings have
given us much pleasure on account of the desire we have
always had to enter into such a connection. |
Advantages gained
by Henry VII.
We are under much obligation to you for the trouble you
have taken in the business, which you have conducted with
the diligence, care, and prudence that we expected from you.
Moreover, although, on account of the importance of the connection
to the King of England, it was reasonable to expect
that he would have been more liberal in the framing of the
treaty, and that the articles would not have been framed
so much to his advantage, yet we well know that you
have not neglected to do all that was possible, and that the
reasons which led you to assent to the treaty were good ones.
Besides, as it is already settled, it may remain so ; we therefore
send the ratification of the treaty which you asked for. |
Navigation.
You can, moreover, tell the King of England, our brother,
how much pleasure it has given us to be enabled to renew
and strengthen the friendship existing between us by means
of this new connection. Speak also of the great love which
we shall always bear the said King ; and say that we pray
that our Lord may permit him and us to see the fruit of this
union. Tell him with how much good will we have sent you
the ratification of the act of the betrothal, in accordance
with your request. Also, that he may the more clearly perceive
the love we bear him, and that his subjects may begin
to experience the advantages which will ensue from our
friendship, we have sent him a document, which will enable
the ships of his subjects and naturals to traffic in our kingdoms
in the same manner as the ships of our own subjects.
Say to him all that may seem best to you on this head, in
order the more to gain him over to our side, and to strengthen
his love and friendship towards us. Let this be, at present,
your principal object.
On the King giving you a ratification, similar to that
which we have sent you here enclosed, signed with his name,
and sealed with his seal, and having such other signatures as
are appended to ours, and which are customary for him to
affix to similar instruments, give him our ratification ; telling
him, when you see him, with how much willingness we have
done it as abovesaid. Send us the instrument of ratification
which he will give you as soon as you can, and let us know
particularly what you have done in the business.—Segovia,
3rd October 1503.
Signed : I, the Queen.
Signed by M. P. D'Almazan.
Addressed : "To Ferdinand, the Duke."
Written in the hand of the Duke de Estrada : "Received at
Durham House on the day of All Saints of the same
year. It came in the ship 'George.'"
Spanish. Written in two different keys of cipher. Only a
fragment of one of them is extant. Deciphered by the
editor. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 69.
|
381. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same despatch, written in the same cipher.
Indorsed in the hand of the Duke de Estrada : "Received
at Durham House on the 8th of March 1504, by a
messenger from Salisbury."
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3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 74.
|
382. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same despatch, written in the same cipher. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 75.
|
383. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same despatch, written in the same cipher. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 77.
|
384. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same despatch, written in the same cipher. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 70.
|
King of France.
385. Queen Isabella of Spain to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
You will have seen by our other letters, dated the 20th
of August last, that the King of France had begun to make
war on our kingdoms, and had collected all his forces in Languedoc
to make war upon us there. We also told you of the
provision we had commanded to be made, and that we did
not wish to force the King of England, our brother, to declare
himself for us, as is obligatory upon him, until the French
had entered our realms, as more at large is set forth in our
said letter. In case you may not have received it, I have
ordered that the duplicate of it should be sent to you along
with this letter. |
Succours to be
sent to Spain
from England.
The French had, however, already entered our counties of
Roussillon on the 16th of the present month, and are now
encamped before Salsas. But if the troops which we lately
despatched should arrive in good time, we hope, God
willing, that all will be effectually remedied through His aid.
Still, notwithstanding this, we have resolved to send you a
letter from us to the said King, our brother, concerning the
matter. We do this, because of the obligation which the said
King of England, our brother, is under to help us in the
defence of our possessions, for the sake of the love and amity
subsisting between us, as well as in virtue of what has been
stipulated and sworn to between us and him.
Therefore, on receiving this letter, let the King of England
know of the entry made by the French into our kingdom,
in the manner that may seem best to you ; and if you
shall see that it be well, tell him what I wrote to you, namely,
that our troops have only lately departed, and that, on account
of the long journey, we cannot tell whether they will arrive
in good time. Say this to him, and give our letter which is
sent from hence to the said King, our brother. You shall
also pray and require him, on our part, to aid us with all his
forces, and see what succour he will give us. |
2,000 infantry to
be selected.
If the said King of England should not be inclined to afford
us further assistance, he must at any rate be pleased to give
us the assistance which is obligatory upon him ; and upon our
forwarding the money, send us troops. Tell him that you
have the money, and that we pray and require him to be
willing immediately to send 2,000 English infantry, picked
men, and well armed, and provide at once a good captain to
command them. This being done, you shall endeavour to
make them embark instantly, and come direct to Fuente
Rabia.
Moreover, we send orders which will enable you to take
up, for the passage of the troops, such ships as you may have
in England. If you cannot secure any belonging to our own
subjects, freight those belonging to the English. Try your
utmost to have the troops, you shall thus send, the best chosen
and the best armed that it is possible to obtain, and get them
to come as soon as ever they can.
You will see how necessary it is they should set off instantly,
in order to be of any use. On this account we strictly charge
you to use extreme diligence in the business. |
Pay of the troops.
As regards the pay that will have to be made to the said
troops, endeavour to let it be as little as possible, and not
any greater than the English are accustomed to give, or at
the most only as much as is given to the Swiss, which is
three ducats per month, being the highest pay ever given to
infantry. Therefore try to make it as little as you possibly
can. Borrow the money that will be required for the abovesaid
pay, agreeing for us to repay it in England on the
terms stipulated by you. In case you should not be able to
obtain the said money on credit, I send you enclosed in this
letter a letter of credit for 10,000 ducats. |
Ships for their
passage.
In case there should be no ships in which the said 2,000
English can come, and should the ships which are coming from
Flanders not be expected shortly to pass by England, let us
know immediately by means of letters in triplicate, and tell
us what ships will be required, that we may send them to you
instantly. But should you not have ships, at present, in which
the said infantry can come as abovesaid, you must not give them
any pay. Endeavour, however, to find out how many troops
are to come, and what captain is appointed to command them,
and spread abroad a report in England that there are many
more troops going to Spain, because, as you will see, such
tidings and rumours will inspire France with fear, and will
produce a favourable impression in Italy. |
Guienne and
Normandy.
If you should see an opportunity for moving the King of
England to attempt the recovery of his duchies of Guienne
and Normandy, induce him thereto by all the means in your
power, and confer with him as to the course which ought to
be pursued. Tell him that if he will but set his hand to the
work, as there is reason he should, we will be content to aid
him to recover, at our own cost, the duchies of Guienne and
Normandy, and that we will make no peace or truce with the
King of France without his consent, should he make war upon
France ; he, on his part, binding himself not to make it without
our knowledge and consent.
Obtain all the favour and aid that you can in our affairs,
from the King of England, our brother, and if you should
not be able to effect more, at least endeavour to have the
said troops sent over immediately, and to get all you can in
this matter. You shall also speak with the King of England
and with the chief men in his kingdom, and try to induce
them to take a willing part in the affair. You must,
moreover, say and declare, that our desire is to aid him
to recover the duchies of Normandy and Guienne for the
house of England ; and by the colour you give to what you
say, and by the reports you spread, you may effect all the
abovesaid.
If you should see that it will not annoy the King of
England, our brother, and the chief men of his kingdom, and
that it can do no harm, make use of the Princess of Wales, our
daughter, that is to say, should you not be able to obtain the
money necessary for the despatch of the said troops. For it
will be a great disservice to us if the coming of the said
2,000 English troops should be deferred. |
Princess of Wales
to be applied to.
In that case you shall say to her, by virtue of my letter
of credence which I will send, that you pray her to raise,
upon her jewels and plate, the money which may be necessary
for the despatch of the 2,000 infantry, so that, whatever
happens, the said English troops may come immediately.
Therefore, if the King of England should excuse himself from
sending, or delay the departure of the said 2,000 infantry,
which is a thing not to be believed, speak to the Princess, my
daughter. And tell her that this is the most important
matter we ever had to do with, or looked to have, as well
on account of what affects her in it, as our own daughter,
as on account of its affecting the Spanish succession. She
must, therefore, endeavour to have the said 2,000 infantry
immediately enlisted in her name, and appoint a very good
captain to come with them. Let her do this with much
diligence as above said, and endeavour, above all, to obtain
that the troops which shall come should be picked men.
Do you meantime solicit the departure of the abovesaid
with the diligence and despatch which we look for from you,
and immediately let us know by different routes what you
have been able to do in the matter.—Segovia, 3rd October
1503.
Signed : I, the Queen.
There is no Secretary's signature.
Addressed : "To his Magnificence, Ferdinand, Duke de
Estrada. Duplicate ;—must be read."
Indorsed in the hand of the Duke de Estrada : "I received
this on the 20th January 1504, at Richmond.
Domingo Carboneza, of the ship William de Ricusta,
brought it me. He had received it from Martin
Sanchez de Zamudio."
Spanish. Written in two different keys of cipher. Only
a fragment of one of them is extant. Deciphered by
the editor. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 71.
|
386. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same despatch as the preceding one, written in the
same cipher. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 72.
|
387. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same. |
3 Oct.
S. E. T. c. I.
L. 4. f. 73.
|
388. Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke De
Estrada.
The same. |
