Chapter 21

I slept fitfully that night, waking from time to time to check on the safety of our barrels and by turns hopeful of an audience with the Queen and despondent that we would be unable to meet her. However, after we had eaten a light breakfast, I spied an unusual figure approach us in the company of Oviedo. This was a Moorish woman, who I assumed must be the trusted servant of the Queen and the wife of Oviedo. That was the case, and we were soon engaged in a conversation that lifted my spirits. Catalina informed us that the Queen was extremely busy with affairs of State, especially with the threat of war with the King of Scotland, but she was curious to know what gifts we had brought her from Spain. She had been living in England since 1501, and apart from visits by the Spanish Ambassador, and her servants from Spain, she had almost no contact with people from her homeland. Therefore, she had agreed to grant us an audience so that she could hear what had brought us to England and to Richmond Palace.

My brother and I hurriedly donned our finest clothes, and I made sure to wear my cap with the scallop shell showing that I had made a pilgrimage to Santiago. I knew that the Queen was a devout Catholic, so I hoped that this symbol of piety on my part might make her feel more sympathetic to our reason for meeting her. I also put the sweet oranges we had brought in my satchel. Then, I paid the driver who was instructed to go with Oviedo and deliver the barrels we had brought. I explained to Oviedo that one of the two orange trees was to be given to Francis Guevarra as payment for his successful efforts in obtaining an audience with the Queen.

Then, we followed Catalina of Motril into the palace. With her as guide, we quickly passed from the public areas to the more private chambers. The guards recognised Catalina who vouchsafed for us, so we had no difficulty in soon arriving at the Queen’s private chambers. We were instructed by a servant to wait for the Queen in the library where the Queen spent many hours reading and studying. Catalina informed us that the Queen was very educated and could speak and read Latin and had mastered the English language to the extent that she was able to debate on many topics with eminent scholars.

The palace had been rebuilt by King Henry VII after a terrible fire that had destroyed the old palace in 1497. In 1502 the new palace became the usual residence of the royal family, and continued to be so after the death of King Henry VII and the accession of his son Henry VIII. The library contained thousands of books that lined the walls on shelves. We were gazing in awe at this display of learning and almost failed to notice that the door had been opened, and a servant announced the arrival of the Queen.