'From Madrid, this 14th day of March 1525.
'I, the King'
On the 30th of March Queen Katharine sent her congratulations to her nephew from Greenwich:—
'I have charged the ambassadors of the king, my husband and master, now going to Spain, to inform your Highness of the great pleasure and content I have experienced at hearing of the very signal victory which God Almighty, by His infinite mercy, has been pleased to grant to the imperial arms in Italy, trusting that your Highness will offer thanksgiving to that same God, as the king, my master, is now doing, ordering solemn processions and other religious acts, throughout this kingdom.
'As the king, my husband and master, has never failed to be the constant and faithful ally of your Highness—as his words and deeds have sufficiently testified on every occasion—and as from the continuance of such friendship and alliance the best results may be anticipated, I humbly beseech your Highness to persevere in the path of friendship and affection towards us, since the king has always done his duty and is now rejoicing at your success. I shall say no more, but will refer entirely to the said ambassadors, to whom your Highness will be pleased to give full credence on my part.—Greenwich, 30th of March.
'(Signed) Your good aunt, Katherina'[98]
The emperor also received congratulations from Henry VIII. and Pope Clement VII. On the 31st of March the king wrote:—'My most beloved Son,—This present letter is to congratulate you upon your recovery, as also upon the honourable victory which our Lord has been pleased to grant to your arms, having vanquished and taken prisoner the French king, our common enemy....' The letter is signed, 'C'est de la main de votre père, frère, et cousin, et bel oncle, Henry.'[99]
Just before the battle of Pavia Margaret had sent ambassadors to England with instructions to try and persuade King Henry to send substantial help to the imperial troops, which were badly in need of money, suggesting that an attack might now be made on France during the absence of the king in Italy. Margaret concludes her instructions by proposing that the Princess Mary (who was only nine years old) should be sent to Spain with an increased dowry, and placed under the emperor's care until old enough to be married. The ambassadors are told to add 'that madame and the legate (Wolsey) having already been match-makers in two different cases, there is no reason for not promoting this one. She herself desires this marriage more than any other thing whatsoever, and will leave nothing undone that can bring it about.'[100]
Wolsey replied to these requests by stating that the king, his master, was quite ready to cross the Channel into France under the following conditions: 1st. That madame (Margaret) should provide 3000 horse and 3000 foot. 2nd. That the army should enter France by way of Normandy. 3rd. The emperor should procure sufficient money to keep up his Italian army, etc., etc. But when the envoys stated that 200,000 ducats, which the emperor was sending to his army in Italy, had fallen into the hands of the enemy, the cardinal replied, that if madame agreed to make remittances of 50,000 crowns, the king would contribute an equal sum, to which the envoys answered: 'Madame has not the means to do that; nobody will lend her money, though she is willing, for the stipend of the said 3000 horse and 3000 foot, to sell or pawn her own rings and jewels.' Respecting the delivery of Princess Mary, the cardinal said 'that she was too young, and that the English looked upon her as the treasure of the kingdom, and that no hostages were sufficient security for her.'[101] But soon after the small princess was made to send a fine emerald to the emperor with a message that when they married she would be able to know by the clearness or otherwise of the jewel 'whether his Majesty do keep himself as continent and chaste as, with God's grace, she will.' The emperor being twenty-five, whilst his little fiancée was only nine, the cases were hardly similar; and three months later Charles had engaged himself to marry his cousin, Isabella of Portugal.[102]
A council was held in Spain in order to decide what was to be done with King Francis, in which the Duke of Alva suggested the most exorbitant terms as the price of the king's freedom. The Bishop of Osma pleaded for more generous treatment, but the duke's advice prevailed, and Francis was offered the most humiliating terms, which he indignantly rejected, but finally agreed to the proposals that he should marry the emperor's sister Eleanor, the Dowager-Queen of Portugal, and settle the duchy of Burgundy upon the issue of the marriage; that he should pardon Bourbon, restore the whole of his possessions, giving him his sister, the Duchess of Alençon, in marriage; pay a large ransom, and furnish troops to attend the emperor's coronation in Rome.