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| The Infante Don Luis and Lady Mary |
As was mentioned in the earlier post — The Plans to Abduct the Princess Mary — Emperor Charles V and his ambassador, Eustace Chapuys, were
actively plotting, in 1536, to spirit Henry VIII’s daughter, Lady Mary, away from
England. Henry may have had a sense that Catholic plots of that sort might be
expected, Mary representing their hopes that the kingdom would return to the
old religion. Nevertheless, it is astonishing that the Holy Roman Emperor himself
could be the leader of a plot to kidnap a daughter of royal family.
The strategy of regularly moving Mary’s household on short
notice did, indeed, foil their plans. Charles fell back to a plan-B of getting
her out of the country by marrying her off to his brother-in-law, Don Luiz,
second son to the King of Portugal.
It is almost as astonishing to find that the Emperor and
ambassador were still watching for their opportunity some two and a half years
later. In the person of a special ambassador, Don Diego de Mendoza, the Emperor
had put forward marriage candidates for both Mary and for Henry himself in
1538. For Mary, Don Luiz was still the choice. For Henry, the Emperor offered
Christina, the 17 year old dowager Duchess of Milan.
Mendoza was quickly replaced as Charles’ representative in the
negotiations by Mary, the dowager Queen of Hungary, and governor of the
Netherlands. Mary was also the governess of the orphaned Dorothea and Christina
of Denmark. Perhaps, equally important, the dowager was a close cousin of the
deceased Katherine of Aragon.
The French King Francis I was informed forthwith that
Charles had promised Henry VIII the Duchy of Milan as part of Mary’s wedding
settlement. Francis had already been promised Milan by the Emperor, and, for
all he expressed confidence that their agreement would stand, his diplomats
were instructed to do all that was possible to prevent matters going forward.
How Henry came to understand that he was offered Milan is
not clear. Thus matters stood when Chapuys wrote the Emperor on August 31,
1538.
This seemed to us a fair opportunity to ask her, as we did, then
and there, whether, in case of a favourable opportunity presenting itself, she
would have courage enough to leave England by stealth. To this question of
ours, the Princess, from modesty, as we presume, did at first show some
reluctance to reply. Then she said that she could not say yes or no, for things
might arrive at such a pitch, and the occasion for her departure from this
country might become so propitious and favourable, that she would have no
scruple or difficulty at all in leaving anyhow. She would let me (Chapuys) know
her intentions on that score; for it might happen after all that the King, her
father, might hereafter show greater consideration for her, or cause her to be
more respected and better treated than she had-been until now, in which case
she would much prefer remaining in England, and conforming herself entirely to
her father’s commands and wishes, obeying him implicitly, and so forth, though
still acting by my (Chapuys), advice. Such was the Princess’ language in the
two long conferences we held with her. In short, she begged us to present Your
Majesty her most humble commendations until she herself did so by letter.[1]
The option of kidnapping Mary was still very much in the
mix. Mary felt her position in the English Court might be improved, she having
become marriage bait. But she did not necessarily know that Henry stood to be
greatly disappointed not to receive the highly lucrative Duchy of Milan.
At some point, however, Mary’s living conditions, loosened
after Anne Boleyn’s miscarriage of early 1536, had been tightened again. When
Don Hurtado writes the Emperor, on September 14, she is ill.
The Princess (Mary) when I last saw her was in good health, but
for the last few days (I hear) she has been rather delicate. I fancy the cause
to be the confinement (estrechez) in which she lives, for nowadays she is kept
much closer and more poorly than before. Her Highness’ personal commendations I
reserve for next occasion when I am in Your Imperial Majesty’s presence.[2]
Hurtado feels that her living conditions are to blame. Any
hopes she might have had of better treatment under the new circumstances had
yet to be realized. In fact, quite the opposite.
At the same time, the dowager Duchess of Hungary was seeking
instructions from Charles. There were many practical matters to be settled.
You may also tell the King that in order to forward those negociations,
and proceed more steadily in the matter, so as to bring the whole affair to a
conclusion as soon as possible; knowing, moreover, that he has already been
acquainted by you with the conditions of both marriages—that of the Infante of
Portugal, Dom Luys, and that of the dowager duchess of Milan, our niece—I beg
him to be pleased to state to you in writing what property and rank (avancement?)
he intends giving to his daughter, the Princess; what dower he purposes for the
Duchess, and what property is to be inherited by the sons and descendants of
the said marriages, his own and the Princess’. That being done, and perfectly
understood on both sides, so as to make things quite clear, the King may send
his ambassadors when he likes.[3]
Negotiations were about to get underway in earnest.
[1]
Spanish Letters. VI.i.26. London, 31 August 1538,
[2] Spanish
Letters. VI.i.43. From Breda, 14 September 1538.
[3] Spanish
Letters. VI.i.47-8. 16 September 1538. Draft copy.
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