PAGE 4
The Spanish-English Lady
by
I say, then, that all things standing in this estate, when there wanted but four days till that of the wedding, one evening gave disturbance to all this their joy. A servant of the Queen’s came and brought a message to Clotaldo, with express command from her Majesty that the next morning he should bring to her presence his Spanish prisoner that he brought from Cadiz.
Clotaldo returned answer that her Majesty’s pleasure should most willingly be obeyed. The gentleman went his way, leaving the hearts of all the whole house full of passion, perturbations, and fears.
“Ay me,” said the lady Catalina, “if it be come to the Queen’s knowledge that I have bred up this child in the Catholic religion, and shall from thence infer that all we of this family are Catholics! Besides, if the Queen shall ask her what she hath learned in eight years since that she was our prisoner, what can the poor harmless soul answer which shall not, notwithstanding all her discretion, condemn us?”
Which Isabella hearing, spake thus unto her:
“Let not, dear lady, this fear give you any trouble at all; for my trust is in God that He will put words into my mouth at that instant, out of His divine mercy towards me, that shall not only not condemn you, but shall much redound to your good.”
Ricaredo was much startled therewith, as divining thereby some ill success. Clotaldo sought out means that might give some courage to his great fear, but found none save in the great confidence which he had in God and in the wisdom of Isabella; and he earnestly entreated her that by all the ways she possibly could devise she should excuse her condemning of them to be Catholics; for though in spirit they were ready to receive martyrdom, yet notwithstanding the flesh was weak, and was loath to drink of that bitter cup.
Not once, but often, Isabella assured them that they were secure, and that, because of her, that thing should not come to pass which they feared and suspected; for albeit she then knew not what answer to make to those interrogatories and questions which in such a case as this might be put unto her, yet had she such a lively and assured hope that she should answer thereunto in such sort (as she had at other times told them) that her answers should rather do them good than hurt.
They discoursed that night on many things, especially on this particular, that if the Queen had known that they were Catholics she would not have sent them so mild a message; whence they might infer that she was only desirous to see Isabella, whose unequalled beauty and ability had come to her ears, and to those of the Court, as it did to all those of the city. But because they had not before this presented her unto her Majesty, they found themselves faulty, of which fault they thought good to excuse themselves by saying that from that very instant that she came into his power he had made choice of her, and as it were marked her out for to be the wife of his son Ricaredo. But in this, too, they likewise found themselves faulty for having made such a match without her Majesty’s leave and licence; howbeit this fault did not seem unto them worthy of any great punishment. With this they comforted themselves, and agreed amongst themselves, by a joint consent, that Isabella should not go meanly clad to Court, but like a bride, since that she was the spouse of his son Ricaredo.