that the current rumour of the intention of Mary to make Courtenay her Consort was untrue. “She was against such a match, because she distrusted the English nation, knowing it to be treacherous and fickle, because Courtenay is too young and lowly, her heart being high and magnanimous. Besides which, if she married an Englishman, the children—if she had any—would not be so much thought of as if her husband were a foreign prince.” The Emperor’s son Philip, a young widower of twenty-seven, after several years of widowhood, was betrothed to his cousin, the Princess of Portugal, whose rich dowry was sorely needed by the Emperor for the war; but Renard well understood without instructions that if Mary of England could be won for the House of Spain, the gain would be infinitely greater than any Portuguese money dowry could bring. So he gently hinted to Paget in his talk that the Prince was not married yet, though the Spanish merchants in England had falsely reported that he was. Paget was doubtful. Yes, he said, no doubt the Queen’s marriage would be the richest one in the world, but it was not yet time to discuss it. Nevertheless, Renard decided when first he saw the Queen in private to mention Philip’s name as if by chance, “so as to put the idea of such a marriage into her head; for if she takes to it, she will be better able to convert her councillors to it than anybody else in the world.” The idea once started was eagerly taken up by the Emperor—if, in fact, it did not originate with him—and no time was lost by him in preparing the ground on his side. He wrote to Philip as soon as Renard’s information reached him that Mary would probably favour a foreign marriage, recommending him to send from Spain a formal embassy to congratulate Mary upon her accession. But to this recommendation he added the hint that if Philip would break off the Portuguese match and consent to his marriage with the new Queen of England it would be a masterstroke of policy. Charles had not seen his son for two years, and although he knew well that Philip was dutiful, yet he did not venture to press him too urgently. The Prince was, as Granvelle wrote to Renard, a man of full age, with children,[12] and the Emperor would do nothing decisive with regard to the English marriage unless Philip’s own inclinations led him to it. There was some fear on the part of the Emperor that Mary might think of himself for a husband. To this he had no inclination.[13] He was, as we have seen, in declining health, and had in secret already made up his mind to embrace a monastic life as soon as he could cripple France and leave his son at peace. Pending Philip’s reply, Renard was instructed to keep the affair open with the Queen, always mentioning Philip as being the preferable _parti_, but without pledging him, “in case the Portuguese affair has gone too far, ... or if the Prince’s fancy alights elsewhere.” Even Courtenay, who was known to be intriguing with