From: "The Sisters of Henry VIII" by Maria Perry, pgs. 10 & 11:
(This is in regards to Margaret's proposed marriage to James IV of Scotland)
"When the King of Scotland was not fighting, he was hunting in the mountains. He was also a notable lover, although continued, Don Pedro, piously recalling his own epsicopal function, it was believed that James had recently given up lovemaking, " as well as from fear of God as from fear of scandal." This was the man aged twenty four at the time of Don Pedro's dispatch, to whom Henry VII proposed to marry his eldest daughter Margaret, however she was only nine years old and she was small and delicate for her age. The Scots were keen to have her sent over the Border as soon as possible but Henry had his doubts, and, he confided to Don Pedro, there were two formidabel opponents to the match at the English court: "The Queen and my mother are very much against the marriage." They say if the marriage were concluded we should be obliged to send the Princess directly to Scotland, in which case they FEAR that the King of Scotland would not WAIT, but injure her and endanger her health." Henry did not embarrass the ambassador by mentioning something which was widely known in England, though perhaps not often referred to in courtly circles. The King was Lady Margaret's only child. In giving birth to him her womb had been damaged; she was "spoyled" and could have no more children."
"The Countess's experience had been traumatic. Preganant at twelce she had borne her only son during the War of The Roses, three months after her husband, Edmund Tudor, had died of the plague. He had been Henry VI's lieutenant in a particularly dangerous part of Wales, and was captured and imprisoned by Yorkist retainers. Although he was ransomed, his health never recovered. Left alone at Carmarthen Margaret travelled through the winter storms to Pembroke Castle, where Edmund Tudor's brother Japsper had given her shelter. She was remarried before she was thirteen. After this experience, it is not surprising that the Queen and the King's mother would not hear of Princess Margaret being sent to Scotland until she was safely into puberty. Their opposition was also fuelled by current gossip about James IV's amorous adventures. He had two illegitimate children by Marion Boyd, with whom he had commenced a liason shortly after his accession, and by the time De Ayala had arrived in Edinburgh the Kings was said to be simultaneously in love with two ladies, Janet Kennedy and Margaret Drummond. IF the Queen and Lady Margaret had their way, Henry joked ruefully to Don Pedro, the King of Scotland might have to wait for Margaret for "another nine years."
