390 HISTORY OF KING HENRV VII. 



their wives, they descended to the heirs, and did not 

 accrue to the husbands. And although his own case 

 had both steel and parchment, more than the other, 

 that is to say, a conquest in the field, and an act of 

 parliament, yet notwithstanding, that natural title 

 of descent in blood did, in the imagination even of a 

 wise man, breed a doubt, that the other two were 

 not safe nor sufficient. Wherefore he was wonderful 

 diligent to inquire and observe what became of the 

 King of Arragon, in holding and continuing the 

 kingdom of Castile ; and whether he did hold it in 

 his own right ; or as administrator to his daughter ; 

 and whether he were like to hold it in fact, or to be 

 put out by his son in-law. Secondly, he did revolve 

 in his mind, that the state of Christendom might by 

 this late accident have a turn. For whereas before 

 time, himself, with the conjunction of Arragon and 

 Castile, which then was one, and the amity of Maxi 

 milian and Philip his son the archduke, was far too 

 strong a party for France ; he began to fear, that 

 now the French king, (who had great interest in the 

 affections of Philip, the young King of Castile,) and 

 Philip himself, now King of Castile, who was in ill 

 terms with his father-in-law about the present go 

 vernment of Castile; and thirdly, Maximilian, 

 Philip s father, who was ever variable, and upon 

 whom the surest aim that could be taken was, that 

 he would not be long as he had been last before, 

 would, all three, being potent princes, enter into 

 some strait league and confederation amongst them 

 selves : whereby though he should not been dangered, 



