suddenly attacked Ferdinand both in Italy and
on the Catalonian frontier, and made approaches to Henry for the marriage
of his son with a French princess. This hurried the pace in Spain, and
Queen Isabel ordered Estrada to carry through the betrothal of Katharine
and her brother-in-law without loss of time, "for any delay would be
dangerous." So anxious were the Spanish sovereigns that nothing should
stand in the way, that they were willing to let the old arrangement about
the dowry stand, Henry retaining the 100,000 crowns already paid, and
receiving, when the marriage was consummated, the remaining 100,000; on
condition that in the meanwhile Katharine was properly maintained in
England. Even the incestuous nature of the union was to be no bar to its
being effected, though no Papal dispensation had been yet obtained. Isabel
sought salve for her conscience in this respect by repeating Dona Elvira
Manuel's assurance that Katharine still remained intact; her marriage with
Arthur not having been consummated. To lure Henry into an armed alliance
against France once more, the old bait of the recovery of Normandy and
Guienne was dangled before him. But the King of England played with a
firmer hand now. He knew his worth as a balancing factor, his accumulated
treasure made him powerful, and he held all the cards in his hand; for the
King of Scots was his son-in-law, and the French were as anxious for his
smiles as were the Spanish sovereigns. So he stood off and refused to
pledge himself to a hostile alliance.

In view of this Ferdinand and Isabel's tone changed, and they developed a
greater desire than ever to have their daughter--and above all her
dowry--returned to them. "We cannot endure," wrote Isabel to Estrada on
the 10th August 1502, "that a daughter whom we love should be so far away
from us in her trouble.... You shall ... tell the King of England that you
have our orders to freight vessels for her voyage. To this end you must
make such a show of giving directions and preparing for the voyage that
the members of the Princess's household may believe that it is true. Send
also some of her household on board with the captain I am now sending you
... and show all signs of departure." If in consequence the English spoke
of the betrothal with young Henry, the ambassador was to show no desire
for it; but was to listen keenly to all that was proposed, and if the
terms were acceptable he might clinch the matter at once without