known chapel in the abbey. Henry VII. is depicted in miniature, perhaps too minutely for accurate resemblance; he is there fair in complexion, with yellow waving hair, different to all other representations. The monument of Henry and Elizabeth, which occupies the centre of his noble chapel, was designed by Torregiano, who likewise cast the effigies of the royal pair reclining thereon. Elizabeth's statue is exquisitely designed, but its merits can scarcely be appreciated by those who are not empowered to have the bronze gates of the stately sepulchre unclosed, to gaze upon the divine composure of the royal matron's beauty, serene in death. The statue strikingly resembles the portraits of the queen, many of which remain. The sweet expression of the mouth and the harmony of the features agree well with the soft repose that pervades the whole figure.' The proportions are tall; the figure is about five feet six in length; yet is considerably less than the stature of the king. On a little white marble tablet let into the bronze frieze, on the queen's left hand, is the following inscription, the Italian having very oddly misspelled the queen's name: Hic jacet regina Hellisabect Here rests queen Elizabeth, Daughter of Edward IV. some time monarch of this realm; Wedded to King Henry VII.: The illustrious mother of Henry VIII., In the [palace of the] Tower of London, Having completed her 37th year. Elizabeth of York was one of the most beautiful of our queens, for in her person were united delicacy of features and complexion with elegance and majesty of stature. Her portraits are numerous, and extremely like her monumental statue. Her usual costume was a veil or Torregiano, the famous Italian sculptor, was employed by Henry VII., and Henry VIII. to construct the tomb and cast the statues; he received 1000l. for his labour. He is the same person whom Benvenuto Cellini reviles for having broken the nose of Michael Angelo with a blow of his mallet in a passion. He was (after he left England) employed by Lorenzo de Medici, but his temper was so diabolical, that he quarrelled with every one. 'There is a portrait of Elizabeth, in a family group, painted under the directions of her son, Henry VIII., by Holbein, in which himself, his queen Jane Seymour, his father Henry VII., and his mother Elizabeth of York, are represented standing at the four corners of an altar. It was Holbein's master-piece, but was burnt in the fire at Whitehall, in the reign of William III.; Charles II. had, however, employed Le Sueur to make a copy of it at St. James's Palace. There is an VOL. IV.-6 scarf ricny bordered with gems, put on like a hood, hanging down on each side of the face as low as her breast, her hair banded on the forehead. Several contemparies quoted in the course of this narrative describe her as fair in complexion, with hair of pale gold' like her mother, the beautiful Elizabeth Woodville. The heavenly serenity of expression in all her portraits is still more remarkable than her beauty; and leads to the conclusion that, when her subjects universally call her the good queen Elizabeth, they spoke but the truth. inferior copy at Hampton Court. We sought in vain for the copy at St. James's, the domestics there supposed that it was burnt there in the fire that occurred in the beginning of this century. 1A contemporary portrait, called Elizabeth of York, in the possession of his grace the duke of Norfolk, in oil-colours, is in fine preservation at Norfolk House. Mr. P. H. Howard, M. P., has presented us with a copy of this picture made by Mr. Kearney. The eyes are brown and lively in expression, the complexion bright brunette, the features like those of Elizabeth of York; we should say they have a sisterly resemblance to the queen. The portrait is probably that of her sister, the princess Anne, who married Thomas earl of Surrey, afterwards the third duke of Norfolk, of the Howard line. The costume is very like that of the queen; the pointed hood edged with splendid jewellery is the same, and she holds a white rose in her hand; there is a rich collar round the bust, which, as it appears like that of the Garter, has above all caused the portrait to be identified with the queen her sister. KATHARINE OF ARRAGON, FIRST QUEEN OF HENRY VIII. CHAPTER I. Country and parents of Katharine-Queen Isabel of Castille and king Ferdinand of Arragon-Place of birth-Reared in the Alhambra-Betrothed to Arthur prince of Wales-Accidents of voyage-Arrival at Plymouth-Henry VII. meets her-Introduction to prince Arthur-Katharine's Spanish dances-Prince Arthur's dances-Katharine's progress to London-Married to prince Arthur -Grand festivities-Residence at Ludlow-Death of prince Arthur-Katharine is sent for by the queen-Widowhood-Her marriage proposed with prince Henry-Her reluctance-Is betrothed to him-Katharine's sister visits England-Double policy of Henry VII.—His death-Henry VIII.'s preference of Katharine-Marries her-Their coronation-Festivals-Birth of eldest son -Rejoicings-Death of the prince-The queen's excessive grief-Legacy to the queen-She is appointed queen regent-Her letters-Flodden-King's return Queen shares in May-day festival-Birth of princess Mary-Queen intercedes for rebel apprentices-Ballad in her honour-Visit of her nephew the Emperor-Queen's voyage to France-Assists at Field of Cloth of GoldFriendship with queen Claude — Katharine's present to the Emperor and entertainment-His opinion of her happiness in wedlock. Ar a time when joy and prosperity were swelling in a flood-tide for her native Spain, Katharine of Arragon first saw the light; for her renowned parents, king Ferdinand of Arragon, and donna Isabel, queen of Castille, had made every city possessed by the Moors bow beneath their victorious arms, with the exception of Granada and Malaga, which alone bore the yoke of the infidel. Donna Isabel, the mother of Katharine, had been raised to the throne of Castille by a revolutionary act of the Cortes, the people being disgusted at the imbecile profligacy of her brother, king Enrico, who was by them deposed and degraded from his regal rank. The Castillian Cortes likewise illegitimated his only child and heiress, donna Juanna, on account of the shameless character of the wife of king Enrico, and bestowed the inheritance on Isabel, who was carefully educated from girlhood with reference to the queenly station she afterwards so greatly adorned. She was at the age of fourteen demanded in marriage by our Edward IV., and capriciously rejected on account of his passion for Elizabeth Woodville, an insult which left a lasting impression on the mind of the royal Castillian maid. Finally, the young queen Isabel was wedded to don Ferdinand, heir of the kingdom of Arragon; and though the married sovereigns each continued to sway an independent sceptre, 'See Life of Elizabeth Woodville; vol. iii. they governed with such connubial harmony, that the whole peninsula of Spain was greatly strengthened and benefited by their union. At the close of the year 1485, the ancient Moorish city of La Ronda had just fallen beneath the victorious arms of queen Isabel, and several other strong-holds of the infidel had accompanied its surrender, when she set out from her camp, in order to keep her Christmas at Toledo, which was then the metropolis of Spain. On the road the queen was brought to bed of a daughter,' at the town of Alcala de Henares, December 15, 1485. This child was the youngest of a family consisting of one prince and four princesses. The new-born infanta, though she made her appearance in this world some little time before she was expected, was, nevertheless, welcomed with infinite rejoicings by the people, and the cardinal Mendoca gave a great banquet to the maids of honour on occasion of her baptism. She was named Catalina, the name of Katharine being unknown in Spain, excepting in Latin writings. The first historical notice of this princess in Spanish chronicle is, that at the early age of four she was present at the marriage of her eldest sister, Isabel, with Don Juan, heir of Portugal. The early infancy of Katharine of Arragon was passed amidst the storms of battle and siege; for queen Isabel of Castille herself, with her young family, lodged in the magnificent camp with which her armies for years beleaguered Granada. Nor was this residence unattended with danger; once in particular, in a desperate sally of the besieged Moors, the queen's pavilion was set on fire, and the young infantas rescued with great difficulty from the flames. The little Katharine, a few months after, accompanied her parents in their grand entry, when the seat of Moorish empire succumbed to their arms, and from that moment Granada was her home. At this time she was four years old. In Granada the early education of the young Katharine commenced. The first objects which greeted her awakening intellect were the wonders of the Alhambra, and the exquisite bowers of the Generaliffe; for in those royal seats of the Moorish dynasty was Katharine of Arragon reared. Queen Isabel, herself the most learned princess in Europe, devoted every moment she could spare from the business of government to the personal instruction of her four daughters, who were besides provided with tutors of great literary attainments. Katharine was able to read and write Latin in her childhood, and she was through life desirous of improvement in that language. She chiefly employed her knowledge of Latin in the diligent perusal of the Scriptures, a fact which Erasmus affirms, adding, “that she was imbued with learning, by the care of her illustrious mother, from her infant years." It was from Granada, the bright home of her childhood, that Katha rine of Arragon derived her device of the pomegranate, so well known These particulars are taken from a beautiful Spanish MS., the property of sir Thomas Phillipps, bart., of Middle Hill, by Andres Bernaldes, called Historia de los Reyes Catolicos don Fernando y donna Isabel: folio 12, 13, 41, 42, 125. to the readers of the Tudor chroniclers.' That fruit was at once the production of the beautiful province with which its name is connected, and the armorial bearings of the conquered Moorish kings. How oft must Katharine have remembered the glorious Alhambra, with its shades of pomegranate and myrtle, when drooping with ill health and unkind treatment under the grey skies of the island to which she was transferred. Donna Catalina," says the manuscript of Bernaldes, "being at Granada with the king and queen in the year 1501, there came ambassadors from the king of England to demand her for the prince of England, his son, called Arthur. The union was agreed upon, and she set off from Granada to England, parting from the Alhambra on the 21st of May, in the year 1501. There were at the treaty the archbishops of St. Jago, Osma, and Salamanca, the count de Cabra, and the countess his wife, the commander-mayor Cardenas, and donna Elvira Manuel, chief lady of honour. She had likewise four young ladies as attendants. The princess embarked at Corunna, August 17. Contrary winds forced her vessel back on the coast of Old Castille, which occasioned great illness to donna Catalina. After she was convalescent, she embarked more prosperously, on the 26th of September, in the best ship they had, of 300 tons, and after a good voyage landed at a port called Salamonte,3 on the 2d of October, where the senora donna Catalina was grandly received, with much feasting and rejoicing." This was whilst she staid at Plymouth, where the nobility and gentry of the neighbouring counties crowded to do honour to their future queen, and entertained her from the time of her arrival with west-country sports and pastimes. The steward of the royal palace, lord Brook, was sent forward by Henry VII. directly the news was known of the infanta's arrival, in order "to purvey and provide" for her. The duchess of Norfolk and the earl of Surrey likewise came to attend on her. The duchess was immediately admitted into her presence, and remained with her as her companion. King Henry himself, November 4th, set forward from his palace of Shene on his progress to meet his daughter-in-law; the weather was so very rainy, and the roads so execrably bad, that the royal party were thoroughly knocked up when they had proceeded no farther than Chertsey, where they were forced to "purvey and herbage" for their reposing that night. "Next morning, however," continues our journalist," the king's grace and all his company rose betimes, and strook the sides of their coursers with their spurs, and began to extend their progress towards East Hampstead, when they pleasantly encountered the pure and This device is still to be seen among the ornaments of the well of St. Winifred, to which building Katharine of Arragon was a benefactress.-Pennant. 'Translated from André Bernaldes, cap. clxiii. fol. 236. 'The port was Plymouth. 'Leland's Collectanea, vol. v. pp. 352–355. The information of these court movements has been drawn from the narrative of a herald who witnessed the whole; he has so little command of the English language in prose narrative as to be in places scarcely intelligible. But English prose was at this time in a crude state, as all such memorials were till this era metrical, or in Latin. E |