Queen Juana: 1524

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:

'Queen Juana: 1524', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain: Supplement To Volumes 1 and 2, Queen Katherine; Intended Marriage of King Henry VII To Queen Juana, ed. G A Bergenroth( London, 1868), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/pp417-421 [accessed 27 November 2024].

'Queen Juana: 1524', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain: Supplement To Volumes 1 and 2, Queen Katherine; Intended Marriage of King Henry VII To Queen Juana. Edited by G A Bergenroth( London, 1868), British History Online, accessed November 27, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/pp417-421.

"Queen Juana: 1524". Calendar of State Papers, Spain: Supplement To Volumes 1 and 2, Queen Katherine; Intended Marriage of King Henry VII To Queen Juana. Ed. G A Bergenroth(London, 1868), , British History Online. Web. 27 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/pp417-421.

1524

1524 (?) 15th July. 97. Fray Garcia De Loaisa, General of the Predicant Friars and Confessor of the Emperor, to the Emperor Charles.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 8. f. 143. Holograph.]
A Su Magt. del confessor.
Allegue a tordesyllas el miercoles y luego me ocupe en cunplir el mandamiento de V[uest]ra Mt. y es la conclusion que echo el examen que conver (fn. 1) ... me paresce que la Señora infanta es libre en conciencia para casarse con quien V[uest]ra Magestad fuere servydo porque el desposorio que se hiz ... el duque de jasa es anulado y sin obligacion porque reclamo con ti .. po y como devia de derecho y el primer desposorio que se hizo ... año de dezinueve con el marques de brandenburc aunque ella era de doze años cunplidos como asta aqui avemos hallado por cuenta verdadera ... sin obligacion in foro conciencie porque el marques y la marquesa l ... que firmase aquellos pergaminos que venian escritos en latin desde bar ... na diziendo a Su Alteza que era sobre cierta renunciacion de su legitima porque convenia ansy al servico de V[uest]ra Mt. y callaron de industria el casamiento con el marques de brandenburc que no la dixeron palabra, por no alterarla y porque su ama les dixo que no era de hedad, por manera que la Señora infanta tanto supo del dicho desposorio como de las cosas que se hac .. en persia y hasta que yo llegue aqui nunca esta cosa la avia pasado por pensamiento, y como para el matrimonio se rrequiera libre y actual consentimiento queda claro que no esta presa delante de dios en ningun contrato de los pasados, y pues la voluntad desta Señora es libre para obedescer a V[uest]ra Magt. en lo de portugal me paresce que V[uest]ra Alteza venga a celebrar las cortes a Valladolid, porque estando cerca podra con menos difficultad y mas suavemente y con acuerdo del Reyno sacar a la Señora ynfanta de las manos de su madre. desde burgos no se provehera esta cosa como es menester para que en qualquier peligro que suscediese en la vyda de la Reyna quedase V[uest]ra Mt. en ojos de todos sin culpa ninguna. y si paresciere que el tienpo que esta señalado para las cortes es breve y no zufre mudança no es inconveniente alargarle diez dias pues la causa es tan conforme a V[uest]ro servicio. acresciente dios la vyda de V[uest]ra Mat. con descanso de alma y de cuerpo.
de tordesillas a xv de Julio.
escrivo al canciller. la cuenta deste negocio el la dara a V[uest]ra Mt.
Siervo y capellan de V[uest]ra Ce. Mat. generalis ornis. prerum.
[Sobre :] A la Ce. y Ca. Magestad.
(Translation.)
97. To his Majesty. From the Confessor.
I arrived at Tordesillas on Wednesday, and occupied myself immediately in executing the command of your Majesty. Having investigated into the case, the conclusion is that, in [my opinion], it seems that the señora Infanta is at liberty in her conscience to marry whomsoever your Majesty should choose. Her marriage, which was concluded with the Duke of Saxony, is annulled, and without any binding force, because she protested in time and in the form required by law. Her first marriage, which she concluded in the year nineteen with the Marquis of Brandenburg, is without any binding force, in foro conscientiœ, although she was then twelve years of age, as we have found in the true registers, because the marquis and the marchioness [told her] to sign the parchments written in Latin, which had been sent from Bar[celo]na, saying to her Highness that they concerned a certain renunciation of her right of inheritance which the service of your Majesty required. They intentionally concealed her marriage with the Marquis of Brandenburg from her, and did not tell her a single word about it, in order not to excite her, and because her nurse declared to them that she was by no means of sufficient age. Thus the señora Infanta knew of her marriage as much as of what is done in Persia. Until I arrived here such a thing has never been thought of by her. As for the conclusion of marriage a free and positive consent is required, it is clear before God none of the former [marriages] has been concluded. Thus the señora Infanta is free to obey your Majesty with respect to Portugal, and it seems to me that your Majesty should come and hold the cortes in Valladolid, whence, being near at hand, you can with less difficulty, more gently, and with the consent of the kingdom, get the señora Infanta out of the hands of her mother. From Burgos this could not be done in such a manner as is necessary, in order that, if anything happens to endanger the life of the Queen, your Majesty may remain blameless in the eyes of all. If you should think that the time assigned for the meeting of the cortes is too short for making any change, it would be no inconvenience to delay it until ten days later, as this matter so much regards your service. May God give your Majesty a long life, with repose for your soul and body.
From Tordesillas, 15th of July.
I write to the chancellor, giving him an account of this affair, and he will communicate it to your Majesty.
Your imperial Majesty's servant and chaplain,
Generalis Ordinis Predicatorum.
[Addressed :] To his imperial and catholic Majesty.
11th October. 98. Fray Juan De Avila to the Emperor Charles.
[Archivo General de Simancas. Estado. Castilla. Legajo 8. f. 143. Holograph.]
A Su Alteza de frey Juan de Avila.
S. C. y muy C. Mat.
Dios todo poderoso de a V. Mt. la vida e salud que para su servicio y salvacion cunple y bien de todos sus Reynos. amen. ya V[uest]ra Mt. sabe muy bien como yo le aya servido en todos tienpos en ausencia y presencia con mucha verdad y lealtad e poniendo siempre a la Reyna mi Señora en el conoscimiento e amor que era Rason qu Su Alteza toviese de V[uest]ra Magt. segund lo vio e conoscio en mi V[uest]ra Magt. en la su presencia y porque Dios que es la verdad save que en mi nunca fue ni ay otra cosa de lo que digo a el solo me remito que me dara la perdicion y castigo como a mal siervo suyo si otra cosa ay en mi en contrario de su servicio y del de V. Mt.
bien creo se acordara V. Mt. como el dia de la partida de burgos acabada la misa luego que don pedro Sarmiento hablo a V. Mt. allegue yo a besar las manos a V. Mt. y le suplique si era servido (fn. 2) ... hiziese mr~d de mandar me dar licencia para venir a besar las manos de la Señora ynfante ... arla y no mas pues la avia yo servido y enseñado toda su vida y esto que fuese depues ... a de tordesillas y que si V[uest]ra Mt. no se servia dello que no lo haria. V[uest]ra Mt. por ... magnificiencia me dio licencia disiendo que bien, y que fuese para quando saliese de ally. yo he ... con esta licencia de V[uest]ra Mt. fuy en Valladoly. despues hartos dias que V. Mt. fue y vol ... de Tordesillas y se dio conclusion en el concierto de la Señora ynfante y estuve en nuestra casa ... syn salir de ally a parte ninguna yo Señor he seydo syenpre maltractado y por ... obras y amenaças dende que V[uest]ra Mt. me ynvio a man ... dandome licencia para yrme a reposar en my orden donde el general m ... sol ... Mat. ge lo escrivya asi. yo lo hise como V[uest]ra Mt. me hiso la merced en ello pero dende entonces aca nunca se me ha dado descanso por que jamas me han dexado rreposar en casa alguna ... agora en Valladoly entre otras cosas hisieron escrivir ciertas cartas a la Señora ynfante a mi general para que me hisiese luego salir de Valladoly y del Abrojo disiendo e pubhcando que V[uest]ra Mt. no me avia dado licencia y que mandava que luego me fuese de ally. a V. Mt. suplico por reverencia de dios nuestro Señor pues tantos tienpos a que yole sirvo y a sus Catolicos padres y hermana y con tanta linpieça e verdad y yo no tengo otro Señor despues de dios que no permita que yo sea asy tractado e fatigado en mi veges y en fin de tantos trabajos quantos yo e çufrido e pasado pues yo no hago ni hise mal a quien me persygue por servir yo a V[uest]ra Mt. dios todo poderoso guarde a Vuestra Mt. y prospere su vida y estado ymperial por largos tiempos. amen. de Avila a xj de Otubre. S. C. C. Mt. besa los pies e las manos de V[uest]ra. Mt. su pobre frayre y Capellan.
frey Juan de Avila el confessor. [Rubrica.]
[Sobre :] A la Sacra C. y muy Catholica Mt. el emperador Ntro. Señor.
98. To his Highness. From Fray Juan de Avila.
Sacred, imperial, and very catholic Majesty,
God Almighty give your Majesty the life and health which your service and salvation and the weal of all your kingdoms require. Amen. Your Majesty knows very well that I have served you at all times, whether you were present or absent, with much goodwill and loyalty, always directing the Queen our lady towards that good understanding and love which it is reasonable that her Highness should have for your Majesty. Your Majesty has seen and known it when you were here. God, who is the truth, knows that it never was nor is otherwise than I say. I appeal to Him alone, and may He destroy and punish me as a bad servant of His, if there is any other thing in me in opposition to His and to your Majesty's service.
Your Majesty will remember that on the day of your departure from Burgos, when, after mass, Don Pedro de Sarmiento spoke with your Majesty, I approached your Majesty to kiss your hands, and begged you to be pleased to give me permission to go and kiss the hands of the señora Infanta ... (fn. 3), and nothing more, because I had served and instructed her all her life long, and that this should be after ... (fn. 3) from Tordesillas, and if your Majesty should not be pleased to grant it, I would not do it. Your Majesty ... magnificence gave me permission, saying : good, and I might go when she should leave. I ... with this permission of your Majesty, went to Valladolid. Many days later, when your Majesty went to and re[turned] from Tordesillas, and the marriage of the señora Infanta was concluded, and I remained in our convent ... without ever going out, I have, Señor, always been ill treated, and by ... deeds and threats from the moment when your Majesty sent to com[mand] ... giving me permission to go and to repose in a convent of my order, where the general ... Majesty wrote it. I did it because your Majesty favoured me thereby, but from that time until now I have never been permitted to live in peace, for in no convent whatever have they permitted me to repose ... now in Valladolid they, among other things, had certain letters written to the señora Infanta [and] to my general that he should order me directly to leave Valladolid and Abrojo, saying and publishing that your Majesty had not given me permission, but ordered me immediately to leave that place. I beseech your Majesty, by your reverence for God our Lord, as I have served so long a time your catholic predecessors and your sister with so much integrity and so truly, and, next to God, I have no other lord than you, not to permit me to be treated in that manner and worried in my old age, after so many hardships as I have suffered and undergone. I neither do nor have done injury to him who persecutes me, by serving your Majesty. God Almighty guard your Majesty, and prosper your imperial life and state during many years. Amen.
From Avila, 11th of October.
Sacred, imperial, and catholic Majesty, your Majesty's feet and hands kisses your poor friar and chaplain.
Fray Juan de Avila, Confessor.
[Sign manual.]
[Addressed :] To his sacred, imperial, and very catholic Majesty, the Emperor, our lord.

Footnotes

  • 1. Roto en los puntos. ¿con ver mio me?
  • 2. Los puntos indican roturas en el original.
  • 3. Paper gone.