Pages 395-401
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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Citation:
August 1521
| 19th August. |
93. The Infanta Catalina to the Emperor Charles. [Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 8. f. 123. Autograph. The postscriptum is holograph.] A Su Magt. de la Señora ynfante. a xix de Agosto. S. C. C. Mt. Yo he escrito a V[uest]ra Magt. algunas cartas y todas aquellas han seydo como el marques y la marquesa han querido porque no me han dado ni dan lugar a otra cosa. esta es para que V. mt. sepa la vida de la Reyna mi Señora e mia en que se gasta syn que V. Mt. se sirva. y porque a quien yo lo escribo ara relacion a V. Mt. por amor de dios suplico a V. Mt. le de credito y lo mande proveer con la brevedad que ser pueda acordandose que la Reyna mi Señora y yo no tenemos otro bien ny remedio syno a V. Mt. cuya vida e muy Real estado nuestro Señor acreciente y prospere y trayga bienaventuradamente a estos sus Reynos como yo deseo. de tordesillas a diez y nueve de Agosto. [de letra de la Infanta.] suplyco a V[uest]ra Mat. me perdone la mano ajena que no e podido mas. servydora de V[uest]ra magestad que sus Reales manos besa la ynfante. [Rubrica.] [Sobre :] A la Sacra Cesarea Catholica majestad el Emperador y Rey my Señor. |
(Translation.) 93. To his Majesty. From the señora Infanta. 19th of August. Sacred, imperial, and catholic Majesty. I have written several letters to your Majesty, and all of them have been as the marquis and the marchioness desired, because they have not and do not give me permission to do anything else. This [letter] will let your Majesty know in what manner the life of the Queen my lady and my own are spent without any profit to your Majesty. As the person to whom I write will report to your Majesty, I beseech your Majesty, for God's sake, to believe him, and give your orders immediately, remembering that the Queen my lady and I have no other comfort or resource than your Majesty, whose life and royal state may our Lord augment and prosper, leading you happily back to these your kingdoms, as I desire. From Tordesillas, 19th of August. [Written in the hand of the Infanta.] I beseech your Majesty to pardon me that this letter is written in a strange hand. I can no more. Your Majesty's servant, who kisses your royal hands. The Infanta. [Sign manual.] [Addressed :] To his sacred, imperial, and catholic Majesty the Emperor and King, my Lord. |
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| 19th August. |
94. The Infanta Catalina to the Emperor Charles. [Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 8. f. 122. Autograph. The postscriptum holograph.] El memorial de la Señora ynfante. Memorial de la Señora ynfante para Su magestad. yo se que a V. mt. han escripto que le deservi en tienpo que la junta estovo en tordesyllas y V. mt. me escrevio sobre ello mas rezio de lo que yo le merescia. lo que en ello pasa es que yo los hable y conosci algunos dellos despues que entraron porque segund con el mando que entraron aunque no queria hablavan a la Reyna mi Señora y a mi y yo no lo pudiera escusar. y en lo primero que les hable y una carta que escrevi fue que el marques y la marquesa me hizieron antes que viniesen que les escriviese y despues de venydos que les rogase que no los echasen de alli en que hize lo que pude como si me fuera la vida en ello. y porque despues que los echaron yo los avlava y veya, mandando ellos la casa mejor que sy fuera todo suyo, y porque me fablavan aquellos de quien tenian enojo, y quando juan de padilla se fue me dieron una carta que firme para que bolviese porque diz que cunplia al servicio de la Reyna mi Señora, escrivieron a V. mt. como les cumplia culpandome. la verdad es que en esto yo no tuve malicia ny lo entendia y que como yo les escrevia a lerma a escondidas estando la junta aquy fiziera por ellos lo que pudiera aunque no sabia en que mundo estava y fuera escusado de escrevir otra yntincion de la que yo tenia y tengo, porque yo no tengo otro deseo syno servyr a V. mt. como a dios. y quando me dieron la carta de V. mt. yo respondiera syno que me la tomaron para enbiar donde quisieron, y la carta que alla escrevi en respuesta de la de V. mt. ellos me la dieron fecha para que la firmase. yo hasta aqui no he querido dar enojo a V. mt. como (fn. 3) mis cartas cerca de lo que aqui paso con el marques y marquesa porque trahen tanta guarda sobre my para que no escryba mas de lo que quisyeren. pero pues dios me dio a V. mt. por padre y se que es mas servido que sin cabsa yo no sea maltratada dende que V. mt. los puso en casa de la Reyna mi Señora, hasta que vinyeron las comunidades yo lo he pasado por no dar a V. mt. enojo. agora despues que bolvieron como ellos tienen enojo de todos y no querrian que hablase ny viese a nadie de los criados y criadas de la Reyna my Señora que aquy dexaron, a lo menos de los governadores con quien yo me he criado, porque los ablo aviendome de servyr o me vienen algunos a visitar, syno vienen por su mano. y porque la condesa de modica muger del almirante me escryve y yo le escryvo por las muchas piedades y buen exemplo que aqui me hizo y dio, me quyere la marquesa sacar los ojos y haze pesquisas sobre mi quien me lleva o trae cartas de la condesa o sus hermanas, y me hazen poner guardas para que no me hable ni escriva, y otras cosas muy fuera de lo que devria hazer comigo, por que como V. mt. podra saber para my no ay nescesydad y pluyese a dios que no fuese mas dañosa la conpañia que ellos me dan que de la que me apartan. y yo no tengo otra cosa que dar a quien me desea servir syno la palabra y no pienso en mas de servir a V. mt. como a dios. suplico a V. mt. les escriva y enbie a mandar que me traten de otra manera y que aya alguna diferencia de mi a sus hijas en lo publico y provea en lo que se sygue. yo no querria otro confesor y maestro salvo al guardian pues que el Rey Catholico mi Señor y abuelo y V. mt. me lo dieron y es lo que me conviene por su onestidad y bondad, y porque ellos le querrian derraygar de aqui y me ynportunan que tome otros frayles a V. mt. suplico me enbie a mandar que para maestro y confesor no use de otro. yten que V. mt. enbie a rogar y mandar al Cardenal por que tiene mucho cuydado de my que con acuerdo del guardian mande a una dueña de las de la Reyna my Señora que tengan mis vestidos y ropa o lo que toviere por que la que V. mt. me dio para guarda ropa y su marido son criados de la marquesa y ge lo toman todo y lo gastan y funden y yo no tengo cosa propia ni me dura y porque para otra cosa que va mas que en los vestidos la e menester para que este comigo y el guardian sabe qual es. yten que de la Ropa blanca y cofias o vestidos o oro o joyas o otras cosas de la Reyna mi Señora no se saque nada para mi aunque escriva que lo he menester syno fuere lo que yo suplicare a V. mt. por carta de mi mano, porque lo que se a sacado con cedulas de V. mt. a mi no me venia ni lo pedia y me lo an tomado y se perderia todo. que si alguna cosa liviana diere por cargo que tengo de algund criado que no lo maltraten ny afrenten porque lo que ellos me quieren tomar no me falta poder. que al guardian le traten bien porque es servidor de V. mt. la Reyna mi Señora y yo le devemos mucho y que V. mt. se acuerde del para le hazer merced. V. mt. hizo merced del oficio de Costurera en lugar de marya a ysabel sarmiento a mi suplicacion. a V. mt. suplico que porque es mi maestra de labrar y cabe muy bien en ella mande al marques que dexe asentarla merced y que aunque el escriva alla se acuerde que yo suplique por ella. yten que V. mt. mande al guardian que por ninguna cabsa dexe de ver y consolar a la Reyna mi Señora quando le llamare o a el le paresciere y que mande que no ge lo estorven porque no tiene otro con quien descanse y es buen servidor de V. mt. yten V. mt. provea por amor de dios que si la Reyna mi Señora quisiere pasearse al corredor del Rio o de las esteras o salir a su sala a recrear, que no ge lo estorven y que sus hijas ni cryados de la marquesa ni otra persona no pasen al retrete de my la ynfanta por delante de Su Altesa, syno las personas que suelen hazer el servicio, porque por andar la marquesa y sus hijas syn que la Reyna las vea mandan a las mugeres que no le dexen salir a la sala y corredores, y la encierran en su camara que no tyene luz ninguna sino con velas y no tiene mas adonde se retraya de la Camara, y no se saldra aunque la saquen por fuerça, y quando otra cosa provase estan ay las mugeres. |
94. Memoir of the Señora Infanta. Memoir of the Señora Infanta for his Majesty. I know it has been written to your Majesty that I disserved you during the time when the Junta was in Tordesillas, and your Majesty wrote to me on that subject more severely than I deserved. The truth is that I spoke with and knew some of them when they came [into this place]. As when they entered they had the command of everything, I could not avoid their speaking to me and to the Queen my lady, although I did not wish it. I spoke with them at first, and wrote them a letter, because the marquis and the marchioness forced me to write to them before they had arrived, and when they were here to ask them not to drive them (fn. 1) away. I did in this respect all I could, as though my life depended on it. When they (fn. 1) had been sent away I spoke with them (fn. 2), and saw that they commanded the house more absolutely than if it had been their own. They (fn. 4) spoke to me about those with whom they were dissatisfied, and when Juan de Padilla had left, gave me a letter to sign, calling him back, as that was said to be in the interest of the service of the Queen my lady. On this account they (fn. 5) wrote to your Majesty accusing me of complying with their (fn. 4) wishes. The truth is that I had no malice nor did I intend [to do harm], and, as I wrote to them (fn. 5) to Lerma in secret when the Junta was here, I was ready to do all I could for them, although I did not know in what a world I was living. It was not necessary to write other sentiments than I had and have, because I have no other will than to serve your Majesty as much as God. When they (fn. 5) gave me the letter of your Highness I should have answered, had they not taken it from me, to send it where they wished. The letter which I wrote in answer to that of your Majesty was given to me by them already drawn up, and I had only to sign it. Hitherto I have avoided giving annoyance to your Majesty with my letters about what is going on here, because the marquis and the marchioness watch me so closely that I cannot write anything but what they like. God has given me your Majesty to fill the place of a father, and I know that it is not in your interest that I should be illtreated in the house of the Queen my lady, where you have appointed them. Until the commons came to this place I have suffered all in order not to give annoyance to your Majesty. Now, since they (fn. 6) have returned, being angry with everyone, they do not like me to speak with any of the servants of the Queen my lady, men or women, at least not with those whom the governors left here, and with whom I have been brought up. Because I speak with them when they are attending upon me or some come to visit me, and because the Countess of Modica, wife of the admiral, writes to me and I write to her, owing to the great compassion she had for me, and the good example she gave when she was here, the marchioness wants to tear out my eyes, searches me, and makes enquiries by whom I send and who brings me letters from the countess and her sisters. They set guards over me to prevent my speaking or writing and do many other things very different from what is due to me. Your Majesty must know that for me such things are not necessary, and would God that the society which they procure me were not more injurious than that from which they separate me. I can give nothing but words to those who wish to be agreeable to me, and think only of serving your Majesty as I serve God. I beseech your Majesty to write, and order them to treat me in a different manner, and that some difference be made in public between me and their daughters. You ought to provide for what follows. I do not wish any other confessor or tutor than the guardian who was appointed to that office by the Catholic King my lord and grandfather, and by your Majesty. I like him on account of his honesty and goodness. As they (fn. 7) wish to drive him away they importune me to take other friars. I beseech your Majesty to command me not to take another tutor and confessor. Item.—Your Majesty ought to ask and command the cardinal, who takes great care of me, concurrently with the guardian, to appoint one of the ladies of the Queen my lady to take charge of my dresses and apparel or what I may possess, for the person whom your Majesty appointed for the place of lady of my wardrobe and her husband are servants of the marchioness. They take every thing, use it, and spoil it, so that I have nothing of my own, and nothing lasts me. For other reasons of greater importance than my dresses, it is also necessary that she stays with me. The guardian knows who she is. Item.—Of the linen, head dresses, dresses, gold, jewels, and other things belonging to the Queen my lady, nothing ought to be taken for my use, although I should write that I want it, unless I ask your Majesty in a letter written with my own hand. For all that has hitherto been taken in virtue of the orders of your Majesty has not been given to me, nor did I ask it. They have taken it from me, and it will be lost. If I should give some trifles to one of my servants to whom I am obliged, they ought not to treat him ill and to abuse him. If they want to take something from me I have the power (fn. 8) [to give it]. The guardian must be well treated ; for he serves your Majesty and the Queen my lady, and I owe him much. Your Majesty ought to remember him and show him favour. Your Majesty, at my supplication, was pleased to appoint Isabel Sarmiento to the office of needlewoman in the place of Maria. As she is my teacher of embroidery, and does it very well, I beg you to command the marquis to permit her to receive a reward, and if he writes to you, to remember that I have recommended her. Item.—Your Majesty ought to order the guardian on no condition to discontinue seeing and consoling the Queen my lady, as often as she calls for him, or as he thinks it proper. Do command that he be not prevented from doing so, because she has no other person to comfort her, and he is a loyal servant of your Majesty. Item.—Your Majesty ought for the love of God to provide that, if the Queen my lady wishes to walk for her recreation in the corridor on the river or on the other side, (fn. 9) or if she wishes to go to the large room to refresh herself, she be not prevented from doing so. Further, that the daughters and servants of the marchioness do not enter my, the Infanta's, closet before the Queen arrives, but only such persons as are of the service. For the marchioness and her daughters having entered the closet without being seen by the Queen, they direct the women not to let her go to the large room or to the corridors, but lock her up in her chamber where no other light enters except candlelight, and there is no room whither she could retire from that chamber. She would not go out, even if she were taken off by force, and if it should prove to be otherwise there would be the women [to prevent her from leaving the house]. |