Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/239

MARRIAGE OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. 95 was repeated by the attendant nobles, who con- chapter eluded the ceremony by kissing the hand of the princess in token of their homage. In due time the representatives of the nation, convened in cortes at Ocana, unanimously concurred in their approbation of these preliminary proceedings, and thus Isabella was announced to the world as the lawful successor to the crowns of Castile and Leon.^'^ It can hardly be believed, that Henry was sin- cere in subscribing conditions so humiliating ; nor can his easy and lethargic temper account for his so readily relinquishing the pretensions of the Prin- cess Joanna, whom, notwithstanding the popular imputations on her birth, he seems always to have cherished as his own offspring. He was accused, even while actually signing the treaty, of a secret collusion with the marquis of Villena for the pur- pose of evading it ; an accusation, which derives a plausible coloring from subsequent events. The new and legitimate basis, on which the pre- f"j^g"J° tensions of Isabella to the throne now rested, drew the attention of neighbouring princes, who con- tended with each other for the honor of her hand. 40 Alonso de Palencia, Coronica, anced by the opposite one of Pul- MS.jpart. 2, cap. 4.— CastillOjCro- gar, a contemporary writer, like nica, cap. 118. — Mariana, Hist, de himself. (Reyes Catolicos, cap. Espaila, torn. ii. pp. 461, 462. — 5.) And as Ferdinand and Isa- Pulgar, Reyes Catolicos, part. 1, bella, in a letter addressed, after cap. 2. — Castillo affirms that Hen- their marriage, to Henry IV., tran- ry, incensed by his sister's refusal scribed also by Castillo, allude in- of the king of Portugal, dissolved cidentally to such a recognition as the cortes at Ocaiia, before it to a well-known fact, the balance had taken the oath of allegiance of testimony must be admitted to her. (Cronica, cap. 127.) This to be in favor of it. See Castillo, assertion, however, is counterbal- Cronica, cap. 114.