Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/373

349 ALLIANCES AND DEATHS. 349 this had not wholly failed, although the wary king chapter seems to have come into it rather as a silent part- — ner, if we may so say, than with the intention of affording any open or very active cooperation.'^ The relations of amity between the two courts were still further strengthened by the treaty of marriage above alluded to, finally adjusted October 1st, 1496, and ratified the following year, between Arthur, prince of Wales, and the infanta Dona Catalina, conspicuous in English history, equally for. her mis- fortunes and her virtues, as Catharine of Aragon.'^ The French viewed with no little jealousy the progress of these various negotiations, which they zealously endeavoured to thwart by all the artifices of diplomacy. But King Ferdinand had sufficient address to secure in his interests persons of the highest credit at the courts of Henry and Maximil- 11 Zurita, Hist, del Rey Her- doure moost liberally and bounte- nando, lib. 2, cap. 25. — Rymer, fully." Chronicle, p. 483. Foedera, (London, 1727,) vol. xii. i^ gee the marriage treaty in pp. 638-642. Rymer. (Fcedera, vol. xii. pp. Ferdinand used his good offices 658-666.) The marriage had to mediate a peace between Henry been arranged between the Span- Vn. and the king of Scots ; and ish and English courts as far back it is a proof of the respect enter- as March, 1489, when the elder of tained for him by both these mon- the parties had not yet reached the archs, that they agreed to refer fifth year of her age. This was their disputes to his arbitration, confirmed by another, more full and (Rymer, Fosdera, vol. xii. p. 671.) definite, in the following year, " And so," says the old chronicler 1490. By this treaty, it was stip- Hall, of the English prince, " bey- ulated, that Catharine's portion ing confederate and alied by treatie should be 200,000 gold crowns, and league with al his neighbors, one half to be paid down at the he gratefied with his moost heartie date of her marriage, and the re- thanks kyng Ferdinand and the mainder in two equal payments in quene his wife, to which woman the course of the two years ensu- none other was comparable in her ing. The prince of Wales was to tyme, for that they were the medi- settle on her one third of the reve- ators, organes, and instrumentes by nues of the principality of Wales, the which the truce was concluded the dukedom of Cornwall, and earl- betwene the Scottish kynge and dom of Chester. Rymer, Foedera, him, and rewarded his ambassa- vol. xii. pp. 411-417.