Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/246

1 02 CASTILE UNDER HENRY IV. I. Articles of marriage. PART him with himself in the government at home, in order to give him greater consequence in the eyes of his mistress. He then despatched a confidential agent into Castile, with instructions to gain over to his interests all who exercised any influence on the mind of the princess ; furnishing him for this pur- pose with cartes blanches, signed by himself and Ferdinand, which he was empowered to fill at his discretion. ^^ Between parties thus favorably disposed, there was no unnecessary delay. The marriage articles were signed, and sworn to by Ferdinand at Cer- 14 69. vera, on the 7th of January. He promised faith- fully to respect the laws and usages of Castile ; to fix his residence in that kingdom, and not to quit it without the consent of Isabella ; to alienate no property belonging to the crown ; to prefer no for- eigners to municipal offices, and indeed to make no appointments of a civil or military nature, without her consent and approbation ; and to resign to her exclusively the right of nomination to ecclesiastical benefices. All ordinances of a public nature Avere to be subscribed equally by both. Ferdinand en- gaged, moreover, to prosecute the war against the Moors ; to respect King Henry ; to sufier every noble to remain unmolested in the possession of his dignities, and not to demand restitution of the domains formerly owned by his father in Castile. The treaty concluded with a specification of a magnificent dower to be settled on Isabella, far N Zurita, Anales, torn. iv. fol. 157, 163.