Queen Katharine: 1510 | British History Online

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.

Citation:

'Queen Katharine: 1510', 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/pp34-44 [accessed 27 November 2024].

1510



1510 25th May.	7. Diego Fernandez, Confessor and Chancellor to Queen Katharine, to King Ferdinand The Catholic. [Archivo General de Simancas. Patronato Real. Capitulaciones con Inglaterra. Legajo 5 (sin folio).] A su Alteza de Diego Fernandez chanciller. xxv. de Mayo de dx. Muy alto y muy poderoso Señor, todo el tienpo pasado no ose escrevir a V[uestr]a Alteza la disposicion de la Reyna mi Señora por no la enojar y por que todos los medicos se engañaban fasta que el tienpo fue pues de la verdad el postrero dia de Enero a la mañana Su Alteza movio una fija sin dolor ninguno no mas de quanto la noche antes le dolia una rodilla fue tan secreto este caso que no lo supo fasta agora sino el Rey mi Señor y dos mugeres españo las y un medico y yo. el medico dixo que Su Alteza quedava preñada de otro fijo y asi fue creydo y guardose en secreto. Su Alteza por dissimular no se curo de se guardar del frio cresciole el vientre tanto quanto nunca a muger preñada se vio Su Alteza teniase por preñada aunque alguna duda tenia a plazido a Nuestro Señor de ser su medico en tal manera que el vientre se le abaxo y por su infinita piedad la torno a enpreñar. esto a de creer V. Alt. que es verdad asi como yo soy hombre Su Alteza niegalo a todo el mundo y al Rey mas a mi me lo ha dicho y que esta de tres meses y su Alteza me dixo como ya le crescia mucho el vientre lo qual su Alteza no puede negar porque le tiene ya gracias a Nuestro Señor muy grande que todos lo conoscen los medicos assi lo afirman y una muger española que tiene en su camara secreta me dixo lo mismo por sus causas que ellas saben secretas. Doy mi fee a V[uestr]a Alteza que lo esta y que espero en Dios a sido principio para dar a V. M. cien nietos fijos de los Reyes mis Señores por uno Su Alteza esta muy sana y la mas linda criatura del mundo con la mayor alegria y contentamiento que nunca estuvo el Rey mi Señor la adora y Su Alteza a el Vuestra Alteza es obligado dar muchas gracias a Nuestro Señor porque le dio dos fijos tan christianissimos en los Reyes mis Señores y tan sapientissimos doctados todas las perfectiones naturales mas que otro ninguno. los Reales pies y manos de V. Md. beso por la crencia. en todo lo que don luis Carroz embaxador de V. Alt. me mandare me hallara muy verdadero servidor de V[uestr]a Alteza como soy el ynteresse do mi estada en esta tierra despues de servir a dios (fn. 1) ... V. Alteza y a la Reyna mi Señora con muy firme y entera fee el dia que mandaren vuestras Altezas (fn. 2) me torne a nuestro convento estoy muy aparejado para yr a rogar a dios por sus personas y estados Reales el qual ñro Señor a V[uest]ra Alteza conserve con muchos mas ajuntamientos de Reynos y Señorios. de granuch los 25 de Mayo. D. V. A. perpetuo y humil siervo y capellan. v. didac. ffs. [Rubrica.] [Sobre :] Al muy alto y muy poderoso Señor el Rey.	(Translation.) 7. To his Highness. From Diego Fernandez, Chancellor, 25th of May 1510. Most high and most powerful Lord, All the past time I did not dare to write to your Highness of the condition of the Queen my Lady, in order not to annoy her, and because all the physicians deceived themselves until time was the judge of the truth. The last day of January in the morning her Highness brought forth prematurely a daughter, without any other pain except that one knee pained her the night before. This affair was so secret that no one knew it until now, except the King my Lord, two Spanish women, a physician and I. The physician said that her Highness remained pregnant of another child, and it was believed and kept secret. Her Highness, in order to conceal it, did not guard herself against the cold, and her uterus intumuit so much as never was seen in gravida muliere. Her Highness believed herself to be with child, although she had some doubts. It has pleased our Lord to be her physician in such a way that uterus decrevit, and by his infinite mercy he has again permitted her to be with child. This your Highness is to believe, for it is as true as I am a man. Her Highness denies it to all the world and to the King, but to me she has told it that she is since three months [pregnant], and her Highness told me that uterus suus iam intumescit multum ; her Highness cannot deny it, because she is already, by the grace of our Lord, very large, so much so that all the physicians know and affirm it, and a Spanish woman who is in her private chamber told me the same thing from secret signs which they have. I pledge my word to your Highness that it is so, and I hope in God that it has been a beginning to give to your Majesty a hundred grandsons of their Graces my Sovereigns instead of one. Her Highness is very healthy, and the most beautiful creature in the world, with the greatest gaiety and contentment that ever was. The King my Lord adores her, and her Highness him. Your Highness is bound to give many thanks to our Lord that he gave you two such Christian children in their Graces my Sovereigns, so very wise, learned, and with all the natural perfections above all others. I kiss the royal feet and hands of your Majesty for your confidence. In all that Don Luis Caroz, ambassador of your Highness, shall command me, you will find me a very true servant of your Highness as I am. The interest of my stay in this land after serving God (fn. 3) ... your Highness and the Queen my Lady with very firm and entire faith. The day that your Highnesses shall command that I return to my convent I am quite prepared to go, to pray to God for your persons and royal states, which may our Lord preserve with many more additions of kingdoms and lordships. From Greenwich, the 25th of May. The perpetual and humble servant and chaplain of your Highness. V. Didacus Fernandez. [Sign manual.] [Addressed :] To the very high and very powerful Lord the King.
28th May.	8. Don Luis Carroz, Spanish Ambassador in London, to Miguel Perez De Almazan, First Secretary of State of King Ferdinand the Catholic. [Archivo General de Simancas. Patronato Real. Capitulaciones y Tratados con Inglaterra. Legajo 5, folio (no le tiene). Autograph in cipher. Deciphered by Almazan.] A mi de Don Luys Carroz, xxix (fn. 2) de Mayo de dx. La manera de como nos tratamos el frayle y yo es esta el me da las meiores palabras que se pueden dar. fallo le en las obras muy frio y tanto que del ni de su favor no me he podido aprovechar para la mas minima cosa que se ha fecho. se cierto y el no es tan discreto que lo sepa encobrir que es receloso y temeroso de mi tanto que piensa y cree que a ninguna otra cosa yo soy venido aqua sino a echar a el desta casa. lo que yo he fecho y fago con el es esto honoralle quanto es menester y no demasiado porque no sospeche que en aquello ay engaño refirmarle a cada correo que viene quan servido es del Su Alteza en los negocios que aqua se tratan por Su Alteza y se que el los sabe se los fablo para que me ayude en ellos, y esto digole que por mandamiento de su Alteza lo fago porque sabe bien Su Alteza que en lo de su servicio mirara con la misma diligencia que yo y en fin que ninguna cosa con el me puede aprovechar que quanto mas adelante ymos peor le fallo. sin duda su entendimiento no esta bien assentado y bien se parece en sus obras. daña mucho al servicio de Su Alteza en esto que tiene ocupada la Reyna que no me puedo aprovechar della en ninguna cosa y es desta manera que si quiero embiar a suplicar algo a la Reyna no fallo con quien que los de casa por miedo del no lo osan fazer ni han ossado essos pocos que hay venir a verme ni en la corte topandome fablarme. si lo digo a el que lo diga a la Reyna de mi parte o lo faze en manera que no me aprovecha o me faze razones por donde no es bien fazer lo que yo quiero. en fin que concluyo con esto que diria que no he visto mas mala persona en mi vida. y de lo que fasta aqui he alcançado nos es forçado dissimular con el y sufrille honorandole y faziendole las meiores muestras que se le pudieren fazer. quando la Reyna salga yo la tratare y vere como me governare en lo que me sera forçado negociar porque (fn. 4) tercera persona con la Reyna mirare con quien y como en manera que todo este conservado. aqui esta aquella criada de la Reyna que se dize francisca de Caceres y caso con francisco Grimaldo. es la mas aficionada persona al servicio de Su Alteza del mundo y la mas abil para lo que conviene assi a la Reyna como al Rey nuestro Señor. teme la el frayle cosa que no se puede dezir y este nos defiende que esta ni entra en palacio ni para estar en servicio de la Reyna ni para verla. ternia yo por bien dos cartas de su Al. la una para el Rey la otra para la Reyna de ruego y en fin con crehencia para mi y lo que yo entiendo de fazer es probar si se podra acabar que la Reyna la cobre en su servicio y donde no fazer que el Rey la tome para madama maria su hermana y pues este dentro en palacio ella misma se cobrara el lugar y sin cobrarle alla aprovechara muy mucho que agora no teniendo alla nadie no alcanço lo de alla como seria menester. y offrecensse infinitas cosas de cada dia ques bien ser sabidor dellas que como son moços los principes no pueden estar sin novedades. ha acahecido esto, estaban en palacio dos hermanas del duque de boquinquan entramas casadas la una era muy favorecida de la Reyna la otra dizen que parecia bien al Rey y andava tras ella. en otra manera dizen que estos amores no son del Rey sino de un mancebo su privado que se dice conton (fn. 6) y solia ser repostero del Rey muerto, este conton grangeava estos amores y dizen que para el Rey y esto se cree mas cierto por lo que ha mostrado sentir el Rey de lo que agora dire. la favorecida de la Reyna ha andado muy solicita en esto de su hermana y ha ayuntado consigo para lo que en este caso le parecia que convenia al duque su hermano y a su marido y al marido de la hermana y del conseio de todos quatro ha salido que estando el duque en el aposiento de su hermana aquella de quien se tiene la sospecha del Rey vino alli el conton a fablar con ella y vio al duque. ataiose el duque travo con el de palabras y el fin dellas fue que el cargo la mano con muchas palabras pesadas. el Rey fue desto tan sentido que repasso al duque malamente. en aquella misma noche el duque se fue de palacio y no entro ni torno alla de aquellos dias y assimismo se fue el marido de aquella Señora y se llevo a ella. hala puesto en un monesterio a lx millas de aqui que no la vee nadie. el Rey porque ha entendido que todo esto sale de la hermana favorecida de la Reyna al otro dia despues que la una fue ida echo a la otra de palacio y a su marido con ella y ahun porque entiende el Rey que hay algunas otras mugeres del officio de la favorecida es a saber que andan por palacio assechando algun mal recaudo para presentarlo a los oydos de la Reyna queria hecharlas todas sino porque le ha parecido demasiado escandalo. despues quasi todos los de la corte lo han sabido de que la Reyna ha estado enojada con el Rey y el Rey con ella y assi anda este temporal entrellos. dixelo al frayle y quexeme del en no haberme fecho parte desto y sintiendome del enojo de la Reyna y diziendole algo que me parecia convenia fazer a la Reyna en este caso y el como me parecia que se devia governar porque en esto entiendo saber mi parte assi por parte de casado como por haver tratado mucho tiempo con cassados desta materia. negomelo reziamente y era como si se negara lo que estava pregonado y dixome que estas señoras no seran ydas por nada de aquello y dizeme un disparatis quales el no mostre creer lo que me dezia. ni fable mas en aquello. yo se lo dixe por provar si por estas o aquellas podria travar con el algunas pendencias y que siempre en lo de aqua no me tuviesse por estrangero. ninguna manera con el hasta agora he podido fallar que me aproveche segun tiene mala cabeza y las mugeres inglesas y españolas desta casa que estan cerca la Reina son simples yo he miedo que la Reyna no se govierne mal en estas barrumbadas y ya lo faze porque no encubre nada el mal que quiere a conton y esto pesa mucho al Rey y tambien podria ser que al fraile segund he entendido le cupiesse su parte de la fiesta lo que no me pesaria por su parte. todo esto he querido dezir a V. md. para que si le parece lo diga (fn. 8) Su Alteza y sino que se calle y a mi tambien que me mande callar y no perder tiempo en estas cosas sino fago servicio con ellas que pensando fazerlo me entremeto de lo que se faze en palacio y puesto que el frayle no me lo diga alcanço harta parte dello en lo poco que ha que estoy aqui. y esto he yo procurado saber y lo escribo porque ahy me fue dicho por el Señor Camarero que devia escrevir por menudo todo lo de aqua que en esto faria servicio a Su Alteza. mas ha de saber V. md. como habra ocho dias que el fraile me vino a dezir de parte de la Reyna como me fazia saber que no era preñada de mas de nueve semanas y que la barriga se le era desfecha que no queria que lo escriviesse a S. A. fasta que lo embiasse a dezir porque queria aguardar que este preñado de agora se certeficasse bien el tercero mes y certificado con la buena nueva deste preñado a Su Alteza se le templara el enojo del passado. dixcle que lo faria assi como me lo mandava de parte de la Reyna. despues me ha dicho que la Reina misma lo quiere escrevir con este correo no se lo que se fara. antes que esta se cierre lo sabre y fare mencion dello. yo antes que el fraile me fablasse esto yo ya lo sabia y luego que aqui llegue ahunque la barriga de la Reyna estava crecida y se tenia por cierto su preñado temi lo que ha sido porque falle quien me dixiesse que cinquo meses despues que se publico su preñado le havia continuado la purgacion que esto aunque acaheria en algunas mugeres preñadas son tan pocas que temi algun desconcierto. quando vi que se alargava el parir afirme lo que temia y mire V. md. que yerro tan maño affirmar ser preñada una muger que purgaba y fazerla retraher para parir publicamente. los del conseio secreto del Rey estan muy enojados y sentidos deste yerro y a mi me lo han dicho y por su cortesia dan la culpa a las mugeres de la camara que han dado a entender a la Reyna sin ser preñada que lo era. yo les he rogado que entendiessen en esto y que ellos y el Rey aconsolassen y confortassen a la Reyna la qual quiça estaria triste y desconsolada por el desseo que tenia de alegrar al Rey y al pueblo con un principe porque el fraile me dijo que estaba enojada. y mas que entendiessen en la razon que se debia dar a todo el mundo que esta aguardando este parto, y he de fablar con ellos por saber lo que han fecho. antes que esta se cierre lo sabre y lo escrevire y se que a causa desto se murmura entre esta gente del conseio y otros que lo presumen no ser preñada que la Reyna seria inabil para concebir. y crea V. md. que la Reyna tiene gentil color en el rostro y tanto de sana como ninguna persona puede tener sino que creo que algun desconcierto en el comer y en los manjares que come causan en ella alguna indisposicion de donde se sigue no purgar bien y es la principal causa de no concebir y esto deste comer sin orden me han dicho cierto que lo faze, quieren que salga y no este mas retrayda. fasta agora no se sabe para quando salrra. (fn. 9) el frayle me ha dicho sobreste preñado mil desvarios y entre los otros que cierto ha sido preñado y que a tres meses movio y que lo vio el Rey y que tuvieron por cierto que quedava de otro preñada y assi lo han creydo fasta facer este yerro que han fecho. Despues de aquello que ellos dizen que fue mover y despues que creyeron que era verdaderamente preñada de otro quiso Dios despues de algun tiempo que la Reyna dexo de purgar y entonces començo le a crecer la barriga y tuvieron por cierto el preñado fasta venir a este articulo de agora que ha purgado y la barriga se es deshecha y despues ha dexado de purgar, y torna a afirmar que es preñada. plega a dios que lo sea y que todos nos alegremos y cobremos lo perdido. he fablado con el Rey lo que se determina que devemos dezir del parto de la Reyna. fallanlo tan dificil que no saben lo que se determinen. la Reyna escrive. no se sepa aqua que de sus negocios he yo algo escrito porque he dicho que no lo escrivo. fecha en londres a xxviij. de Mayo año de Dx. don luys carroz.	8. [Written by Almazan :] To me from Don Luys Carroz, 29th of May, 1510. The way in which we, the friar and I, treat one another is this : he gives me the best words that it is possible to give, but I find him very cold in deeds, and so much so, that I have not been able to make use of his help in the least little thing which has been done. I know it for certain, and he is not so discreet that he knows how to conceal it, that he is very suspicious and fearful of me ; indeed, so much so, that he thinks and believes that I am come here for no other purpose but to turn him out of this house. That which I have done and do with him is this :—to praise him as much as is necessary, but not overmuch, that he may not suspect that there is any deceit in it ; to tell him, after the arrival of every courier, how pleased his Highness is with him, how much I am aware that he knows the affairs which are negotiated here, and that I speak to him about them in order that he may assist me. I tell him that I do this by order of his Highness, because his Highness knows well that in all that concerns his service he will act with the same diligence as I. Nevertheless I cannot make use of him in anything, and the more we advance the worse I find him. There is no doubt his mind is not quite right, and it is clear that he greatly injures the service of his Highness, inasmuch as he keeps the Queen engaged, so that I cannot make use of her in anything ; so much so, that if I wish to send to ask a favour of the Queen, I find no one to send. For those of the household, from fear of him, do not dare to do it, nor have the few [Spaniards?] who are there dared to come and see me, or to speak to me when they meet me at court. If I beg him to tell something to the Queen, either he does it in a way that does me no good, or he gives me reasons why it is not well to do what I wish. In fine, I may conclude by stating that I have never seen a more wicked person in my life. According to what hitherto I am able to understand, we are forced to dissimulate with him, to endure him, honouring him and making him the best demonstrations that can be made. When the Queen goes out I shall speak with her, and see how to guide myself, and by whom and in what manner those negotiations with the Queen are to be carried on, which I am forced to carry on through a third person. There is here a servant of the Queen, whose name is Francisca de Cáceres. She is married to Francisco Grimaldo, and is the most attached person in the world to the service of her Highness, and the most skilful for whatever suits the Queen or the King our Lord. (fn. 5) The friar fears her more than can be said, and forbids this woman entering the palace, or remaining in the service of the Queen, or seeing her. I should think that two letters of recommendation and with a power for me from his Highness would be good, the one for the King and the other for the Queen. What I intend to do with them is to try whether I can persuade the Queen to take her back into her service, and if not, to obtain from the King that he takes her for Madame Mary, his sister. As soon as she is in the palace, she herself will recover her place, and, even if she does not recover it, she will render the greatest services ; for now, having nobody there, I do not know, as I ought to know, what passes there. Every day occur numberless things which it is well for me to know, especially as the King and the Queen are young and cannot be without novelties. What lately has happened is that two sisters of the Duke of Buckingham, both married, lived in the palace. The one of them is the favourite of the Queen, and the other, it is said, is much liked by the King, who went after her. Another version is that the love intrigues were not of the King, but of a young man, his favourite, of the name of Conton, (fn. 7) who had been the late King's butler. This Conton carried on the love intrigue, as it is said, for the King, and that is the more credible version, as the King has shown great displeasure at what I am going to tell. The favourite of the Queen has been very anxious in this matter of her sister, and has joined herself with the Duke, her brother, with her husband and her sister's husband, in order to consult on what should be done in this case. The consequence of the counsel of all the four of them was that, whilst the Duke was in the private apartment of his sister, who was suspected [of intriguing] with the King, Conton came there to talk with her, saw the Duke, who intercepted him, quarrelled with him, and the end of it was that he was severely reproached in many and very hard words. The King was so offended at this that he reprimanded the Duke angrily. The same night the Duke left the palace, and did not enter or return there for some days. At the same time the husband of that lady went away, carried her off, and placed her in a convent sixty miles from here, that no one may see her. The King having understood that all this proceeded from the sister, who is the favourite of the Queen, the day after the one was gone, turned the other out of the palace, and her husband with her. Believing that there were other women in the employment of the favourite, that is to say, such as go about the palace insidiously spying out every unwatched moment, in order to tell the Queen [stories], the King would have liked to turn all of them out, only that it has appeared to him too great a scandal. Afterwards, almost all the court knew that the Queen had been vexed with the King, and the King with her, and thus this storm went on between them. I spoke to the friar about it, and complained that he had not told me this, regretting that the Queen had been annoyed, and saying to him how I thought that the Queen should have acted in this case, and how he, in my opinion, ought to have behaved himself. For in this I think I understand my part, being a married man, and having often treated with married people in similar matters. He contradicted vehemently, which was the same thing as denying what had been officially proclaimed. He told me that those ladies have not gone for anything of the kind, and talked nonsense, and evidently did not believe what he told me. I did not speak more on that subject. I spoke with him in order to try whether I could not in this or that manner discuss with him some pending affairs, and [to remind him] that he never ought to consider me as a stranger in these matters, but until this time I have not found him serviceable to me. He is stubborn, and as the English ladies of this household as well as the Spanish who are near the Queen are rather simple, I fear lest the Queen should behave ill in this ado. She does so already, because she by no means conceals her ill will towards Conton, and the King is very sorry for it. According to what I have heard, it may be that even the friar should have his part in this feast, and I should not regret it. I have told all this to your Lordship, in order that you may tell it his Highness, if you think it advisable, and if not, conceal it and order me likewise not to speak any more of it, and not to lose my time in such things, unless I obtain some advantage thereby. Because I hope [to obtain some advantage thereby] I take notice of what is going on in the palace, and although the friar does not tell me anything, I have already learnt a good deal about it during the short time I have been here. And this [knowledge] I have procured, and I write it, as the Lord Chamberlain has told me that I ought to write minutely all that [happens] here, because by doing so I would render a service to his Highness. Your Lordship must know that eight days ago the friar came to tell me on the part of the Queen that she wishes me to know that she non erat gravida for more than nine weeks, and that uterus suus deminutus est. She does not wish that I should write it to his Highness until she should send to tell me ; for she wishes to wait until hœc graviditas sua is well certified in the third month, so that the good news huius graviditatis may temper the annoyance of his Highness at what had passed. I told him that I would do as he commanded me on the part of the Queen. Afterwards he told me that the Queen herself desired to write it by this courier. I do not know what will be done, but before this letter is closed I shall know and make mention of it. I knew it already before the friar had spoken to me. Soon after my arrival I feared that which has taken place would be the case, because, although uterus reginœ multum intumuerat et graviditas eius pro re certa habebatur, inveni aliquem qui certiorem me fecit, quinque per menses, postquam reginam gravidam esse publicatum fuerat, menstruas suas purgationes continuavisse. Res talis quamquam aliquibus contingit mulieribus gravidis, they are so few that I feared some error. When I saw the bringing forth delayed I felt sure of that which I had suspected, and your Lordship may judge for yourself how excusable the error was to affirm mulierem menstruantem esse gravidam, and to make her withdraw publicly for her delivery. The privy councillors of the King are very vexed and angry at this mistake, as they have said to me, although from courtesy they give the blame to the bedchamber women who gave the Queen to understand that she was pregnant whilst she was not. I have asked them that they should think of what was to be done in this case, and that they and the King should console and comfort the Queen, who perhaps might be sad and disconsolate, as she had desired to gladden the King and the people with a prince, according to what the friar has told me. Moreover, [I entreated them] to think of the account which was to be given to all the world who are expecting that bringing forth, and I shall speak with them to know what they have decided. Before this letter is closed I shall know and write it. I know that many of the privy councillors and other persons are murmuring, and they presume that, quia regina non est gravida, concipiendi incapacem eam esse. Your Lordship may believe me, the Queen has a pretty and most healthy colour in her face, but I think some irregularity in her eating and the food which she takes cause her some indisposition, the consequence of which is quod non menstruat bene, quœ res principalis est causa non concipiendi. As for her eating without care they have told me for certain that she does so. They wish she should go out and be no longer withdrawn ; it is, however, not yet known when she will go out. The friar has told me a thousand extravagant follies de graviditate illa, et inter alia, dixit, procul dubio gravidam eam fuisse, sed post menses tres abortum fecisse : regem ipsum eum vidisse ; attamen ab omnibus pro certo habitum fuisse, eam gravidam remansisse alio feto. Paulo post, id est dum, abortu facto, regina, ut dicunt, gravida remansit alio feto, Deo placuit ut menstruare desiverit, uterus intumuerit, et eam gravidam esse, iterum pro certo habitum sit ; usque iterum menstruavit, et uterus suus decrevit. His diebus rursus menstruare desiit et se gravidam esse dicit. God grant it may be so, and that we all may rejoice and recover the lost. I have spoken with the King as to what we are to say of the Queen's confinement. They find the case so difficult that they do not know what to determine. The Queen writes. It must not be known here that I have written ought of these affairs, because I have said that I do not write of them. Don Luis Caroz. London, 28th of May of the year '510.