ANNE OF DENMARK.

QUEEN-CONSORT OF JAMES THE FIRST, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

ANNE OF DENMARK was undeniably inferior, both in education and intellect, to most of the royal ladies. Her political position was, nevertheless, more important than any queen-consort of England, since she was the wife of the first monarch whose sovereignty extended over the whole of the British islands.

She was the first queen of Great Britain; a title which has been borne by the wives of our sovereigns from the commencement of the seventeenth century to the present era. Before, however, she attained this dignity, she had presided fourteen years over the court of Scotland as consort of James VI.

The crowns of Denmark and Norway were, by the people, during the lifetime of Christiern II., bestowed on his uncle Frederic I., whose reign, and the change of religion from the Catholic to the Lutheran creed, commenced simultaneously in 1524. The son of this elected king was Christiern III., who completed the establishment of the Protestant religion in Denmark. His eldest son, Frederic II., suc ceeded him; he married Sophia, the daughter of his neighbor, the duke of Mecklenburg, and had by her six children. Anna, or Anne, the second child and subject of this biography, was born at Scanderburg, December 12, 1575.

It was the opinion of the French ambassador, that Frederic II. was

one of the richest princes in Europe, for he possessed the endowments of seven bishoprics in Denmark and Norway, which his father, Christiern III., had appropriated to his own use.

"Our king, this year, (1585,)" saith a queer old chronicle of delectable quaintness, "was become a brave prince in bodie and stature, so weel exerciset in reading, that he could perfitlie record all things he had either heard or read. Therefore that noble king, Frederic II. of Denmark, who had then twa doghters, was willing (gif it suld please our king) either to give him the choice of thaim, or that he would accept the ane of thaim, as it suld please the father to bestow quhilk suld be the maist comely, and the best for his princelie contentment." King James received the Danish ambassadors, who brought this civil offer, at Dunfermline, but advised them instantly to depart for St. Andrew's, as the plague was raging in the palace. The Scotch government did not relish the idea of a naval war with the powerful king of Denmark for the possession of the Orkneys; they had, as well, a shrewd idea that his daughter would have a "rich tocher," and therefore sent Peter Young, the king's old schoolmaster, to inquire all needful particulars in Denmark.

The Scotch ambassadors from Denmark returned, bringing with them the portrait of young Anna, which James received. How lovely the little miniature was may be seen to this day among the Scottish regalia, at Edinburgh. There is likewise a whole-length portrait of her, in a corner of the royal bedroom at Hampton Court, as a dark-eyed girl, with a very delicate ivory complexion. The dress is entirely white; the youth of the portrait, the queer costume of the high head, shoulder-ruff and immense farthingale, (the same worn at the court of France in 1589,) authenticate the tradition that it was another of Anna's portraits sent at this time to king James. Both the miniature of the Order of the Thistle, and this young portrait at Hampton Court, give the idea that Anna of Denmark, at sixteen, was a very pretty girl.

King James compared the portrait of the youthful Danish princess with that of the mature Katharine of Navarre, and then entered into a long course of prayers for guidance on the subject of his marriage. At the conclusion of his devotional exercises, he called together his council, and told them "how he had been praying and avisen with God for

a fortnight, and that, in consequence, he was resolvit to marry the Danish princess."

The ceremonial of the marriage by proxy was delayed till the 20th of August that year (1589), because a noble fleet, the pride of the maritime and flourishing state of Denmark, had to be prepared to carry the young queen to Scotland to her future home. The earl-marischal of Scotland received her hand as proxy for his king at Corenburg, a strong fortress-palace in the isle of Zealand, built on piles, overhanging the sea, very richly furnished with silver statues and other articles of luxury.

Twice the Danish squadron, with the bride-queen, made the coast of Scotland, so near as to be within sight of land, and twice they were beat back by baffling winds, which blew them to the coast of Norway.

King James had previously heard that his wife was upon the sea, and had, from that time, exerted himself to his utmost for her honorable reception in Scotland. He busied himself greatly in the appointment of the ladies and gentlemen who were to compose the household of his bride; and it may be observed that he preferred those who had been faithful to his unfortunate mother in her long adversity.

Just after the woful catastrophe of poor lady Melville, arrived Steven Beale with the tidings of the distresses of the royal bride, who remained storm-bound on the desolate coast of Norway. He delivered her letters to king James, at Craigmillar castle. The king read them with great emotion. The very next day the king declared in council, that it was his intention "to send the earl of Bothwell (Francis Stuart), with six royal ships, to claim the Danish princess as his bride, and bring her home." In the afternoon Bothwell made his appearance, with a handful of monstrous long bills, containing the calculations of the expense of such a voyage, which cast the king into great perplexity.

From this moment, James took the resolution of going himself on this errand. It was an undertaking of some danger; for the best ship the chancellor could furnish was one of but 120 tons-a mere bauble for enduring the wintry seas, which rage between Scotland and Norway, and which had so seriously discomfited the powerful Danish fleet.

Fortune favored the brave, for a prosperous breeze succeeded the frightful storms, which had nearly shipwrecked his bride; and in four