Juan Vázquez de Molina a Felipe

Valladolid,

The Admiral,(Don Fernando Enriquez, Admiral of Castile). immediately he had arrived here, spoke to the Princess (Regent) and told her of your Highness's journey, the celebration of your, marriage, the state of affairs in England and the evil treatment meted out to your servants over and above the refusal to allow them to fulfil their duties about your person. He made known to her, in fact, that your Majesty was dissatisfied, and even hinted that you felt oppressed and that means ought to be devised for getting you out of England and setting you at liberty. His plan was to make ready a fleet under the pretext of sending reinforcements to the Emperor, which fleet might touch at an English port, where your Majesty, come with the excuse of seeing it, might go on board and either make for Flanders or else remain on board until you had come to a satisfactory agreement with the English, by which they should undertake to arrange matters so as to permit you to live there as befits their King and Sovereign Lord. Your Majesty, the Admiral thought, ought to be informed of this and your pleasure ascertained by sending to visit you some entirely trustworthy person to whom you might speak in confidence. He wished to propose this scheme to the Council, and did so, setting forth his reasons. When asked whether your Majesty had instructed him to speak as he had done, he said, no, but that Ruy Gómez had described the state of affairs to him, and that if called upon he would willingly go and serve you in this matter

Now, neither your Majesty's letters nor those written by other persons from England seem to confirm that you are in such straits, but the fact that so important a person as the Admiral said so greatly upset us all. He was told that the question should be considered, and was thanked for his information and offer. Since his departure we have talked it over, and have come to the conclusion that the Admiral's words, though prompted by his loving zeal, are not enough to go upon, wherefore we will wait to see whether your Majesty or the Emperor say anything about it before taking any steps to prepare a fleet for so delicate an errand. We agreed, however, that her Highness might well send a gentleman to visit your Majesty and the Queen with letters of credence addressed to you, and tell you how anxious the Admiral had made us all, so as to ascertain the truth and your own pleasure, and if necessary go on to consult the Emperor on the subject.

Don Hernando de Rojas has been chosen as a suitable person for this mission, and he is to start within the next ten days. I thought it well to inform your Majesty of this, and assure you that her Highness and all of us are greatly perturbed, and that this kingdom's love for you is such that I am sure the people here would if necessary sell their very children and all their property, and sacrifice their own lives for your freedom.

Minute. Spanish.