A letter written
to her by Pope Calixtus II. shows that late in life the King
was desirous of repudiating her to marry an Italian mistress
named Lucretia Alania. The latter repaired to Rome to
negotiate the affair, but the Pope refused to treat with
her, and wrote to Mary saying that she must be prudent, but
that he would not dissolve the marriage, lest God should
punish him for participating in so great a crime. Mary died
a few months after her husband in 1458, and was buried in a
convent at Valencia.--L. and Ed.
The Queen, who had heard of the affection that existed between the King
and the gentleman's wife, replied--
"I cannot have both honour and pleasure together. I well know that I
have the honour whilst another has the pleasure; and in the same way she
who has the pleasure has not the honour that is mine."
Thereupon the gentleman, who understood full well at whom these words
were aimed, replied--
"Madam, honour is inborn with you, for your lineage is such that no
title, whether of queen or empress, could be an increase of nobility;
yet your beauty, grace, and virtue are well deserving of pleasure, and
she who robs you of what is yours does a greater wrong to herself than
to you, seeing that for a glory which is turned to her shame, she loses
as much pleasure as you or any lady in the realm could enjoy.
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