BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
(A.D. 1638-1705.)
|It was on St. Catharine's day that this princess was born, in the year
1638, and it was in honor of that saint that she was named. When she
came into the world, Portugal was under the rule of Spain, and had been
so for sixty years, not because the Portuguese were contented with the
despotic laws that governed them, but because they did not feel strong
enough to fight for liberty.
When a nation considers itself oppressed by tyrannical laws, secret
organizations are sure to be formed for the purpose of shaking off the
yoke in one way or another.
In all the principal towns of Portugal these patriotic associations
were formed at the time we speak of, for the purpose of throwing off the
Spanish yoke; and the period was rapidly approaching when their efforts
were to be crowned with success.
It was to the Duke of Braganza, Catharine's father, the last of the
old royal line, that the larger party looked with hope and confidence.
Meanwhile, with a desire to keep clear of the watchful eye of his foes
and the dangerous intrigues of his friends, the duke removed to his
Palace of Villa Vicosa with his beloved wife, the Donna Luiza, and his
two little sons. While living at that most charming spot, that has been
justly named a terrestrial paradise, the {177}duchess added a daughter
to her family circle,--the little Catharine, of whom we have spoken. She
was baptized at the parish chapel during the following month, and her
godfather was a Spanish grandee of high rank and enormous wealth. The
ceremony was performed with great pomp, and gifts of considerable value
were bestowed upon the little girl. She was such a pet in her family,
that each birthday was the occasion of a sumptuous _fête_. On the
second anniversary of her birth an incident occurred which connected the
celebration of it with no less important a matter than the emancipation
of Portugal from the Spanish yoke. On that day Don Gaspar Cortigno
arrived at the Villa Vicosa, and requested an immediate interview
with the duke. This being granted, he presented an appeal from his
countrymen, urging the duke to declare himself their leader, and to
accept the crown to which he was justly entitled.
[[A.D. 1640.]] The nobleman listened attentively to all that his
visitor said; but he was at a loss for a reply, while, he thoughtfully
considered his position. On the one hand was the Portuguese crown, which
was his by inheritance, on the other the blessings of a happy home, with
a charming, affectionate family, and the peaceful possession of estates,
comprising not less than a third of the realm. Should he risk everything
to embark upon an enterprise fraught with danger, perhaps ruin? He could
not decide; but, like a dutiful husband, consulted Donna Luiza. Without
a moment's hesitation, she replied: "This day our friends are assembled
around us to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our little
Catharine; and who knows but this new guest may have been sent to
certify to you that it is the will of Heaven, through especial grace, to
invest you with that crown of which you have long been unjustly deprived
by Spain. For my part I regard it as a happy {178}presage that he comes
on such day." Then lifting up her daughter, and holding her before the
duke, she added, "How can you find it in your heart to refuse to confer
on this child the rank of a king's daughter?" That was enough; the
father decided, though the statesman had faltered; ambition for his
children won the Duke of Braganza's consent, and thenceforth he would
devote his life to the welfare of his country.
A few days later he removed with his family to Lisbon, where he was
proclaimed king, under the title of Juan IV. Then began a fierce
struggle, in which many battles were fought and won by the Portuguese
against their powerful enemy. They were fighting for freedom, and their
desperate charges counterbalanced the superior numbers of Spain. In
moments of discouragement and despondency Donna Luiza was always near to
fill her husband's breast with courage and hope.
[[A.D. 1644.]] England immediately recognized Don Juan as sovereign of
Portugal; but the pope refused to do so, and was imitated by all the
Catholic courts of Europe, excepting France. Four years were spent in
battling for the liberty which was won at last by a decisive overthrow
of the Spanish forces in 1644.
Having accomplished this, Juan IV. sent Sabran as ambassador to England
to negotiate a marriage between the Prince of Wales, who afterwards
became Charles II., and his little daughter Catharine. The treasury of
King Charles was so nearly empty at that time, that the liberal dower
Juan was able to bestow upon the infanta would no doubt have been very
acceptable, but there were other considerations. Catharine of Braganza
was a Catholic; and as the difference of religion had created so much
unhappiness between himself and his own wife, Charles I. hesitated to
thrust the same domestic infelicity on his son, who was
{179}
[Illustration: 0185]
{181}of course a Protestant. And so, for the time being, no decisive
measures could be taken for the marriage.
[[A.D. 1656.]] Don Juan did not live long to enjoy the lofty position
for which he had struggled so desperately; for he died towards the
close of the year 1656, in the prime of life, but worn out with care and
anxiety.
By her father's death Princess Catharine became an heiress of great
wealth; for Don Juan left a will bequeathing to his daughter the island
of Madeira, the city of Lanego, and the town of Moura, with all their
territories and rents. She received other sources of income, besides,
with the proviso that if she married in a foreign land, she was to
relinquish all to the crown and receive the equivalent in money.
Donna Luiza carefully studied the aspect of affairs in other countries
besides the one she ruled, and her penetration enabled her to foresee
that the restoration of Charles II. to the throne of England was merely
a matter of time. That being the case, she made up her mind to work
for an alliance between that prince and her daughter, hoping thereby
to strengthen the position of her own realm. All other proposals,
therefore, for the hand of the infanta were regarded with disfavor.
The elder Princess Dowager of Orange was not so keen-sighted; for when
Charles was sojourning at a village in Flanders, while he was still
an exile, he fell in love with the Princess Henrietta, daughter of
Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, and would have married her, but the
dowager declined the offer, saying, "that she saw no chance for the
amendment of his fortunes."
A few months latter, when a deputation from parliament arrived with
fifty thousand pounds for Prince Charles, and an invitation to return to
England, the old lady could have bitten her tongue out for the blunder
she had made, and endeavored to repair it. {182}But Charles was too
indignant to listen to any of her overtures, or ever to forgive the
insult she had offered him in his adversity.
[[A.D. 1660.]] Henrietta was extremely anxious to see her eldest son
united in marriage with a princess of her own faith; so, once when she
was on a visit to England, she manoeuvred until matters were brought to
such a point that the Portuguese ambassador was authorized to interview
the prince's lord chamberlain on the subject. The former important
personage was no other than Don Francisco de Mello, the godfather of
Catharine. He began by praising the virtues of the king, and added,
"that it was time he should bestow himself in marriage, and that nothing
ought to keep him single but the difficulty of finding a suitable
consort."
The lord chamberlain, Earl of Manchester, assented. Thereupon Don
Francisco continued: "There is in Portugal a princess, in her beauty,
person, and age, very fit for the king, who would have a portion
suitable to her birth and quality. She is a Catholic, to be sure, and
would never depart from her religion; but she has none of that meddling
activity which sometimes makes persons of any faith troublesome when
they come into a country where another mode of worship than their own is
practised. She has been bred under a wise mother, who has taught her not
to interfere in state affairs, of which she is entirely ignorant." The
ambassador concluded by informing the earl that he was authorized to
propose the princess for a wife to the king, accompanied with offers
such as no other power in Europe could make.
This conversation was duly reported to Charles, who sent to Don
Francisco for further particulars. An early interview was granted the
ambassador, who repeated what he had said to the lord chamberlain, and
added, furthermore, {183}"that he was authorized to offer five hundred
thousand pounds sterling in cash as a portion for the Infanta Catharine,
besides the possession of Tangier, on the coast of Africa, which was to
be made over to the crown of England forever. Free trade in the Brazil
and the East Indies was to be granted to the English nation; and
the island of Bombay, with its spacious bay, towns, and castles, was
likewise to belong to them."
Charles was dazzled with such a brilliant offer, and hastened to consult
Lord Clarendon, his prime minister, on the subject.
Clarendon refused to offer immediate advice, and asked, "whether his
majesty had given up all thought of a Protestant wife."
Charles replied, "that he could not find one, except among his own
subjects, and he had seen no one of their number, who had pleased him
sufficiently for that purpose."
A secret meeting was then called of several members of his council, over
which the king presided in person. He stated the business for which he
had requested their presence, and pointed out the importance of Tangier
for the benefit of trade on the Mediterranean sea.
One of the lords suggested the advisability of a Protestant queen.
Charles asked "where he should find one?" Several German princesses were
mentioned, whereupon he exclaimed, impatiently: "Odds fish! They are all
dull and foggy; I cannot like one of them for a wife."
It was then unanimously agreed that a matrimonial treaty should be
opened, with all possible secrecy, with Portugal.
Delighted with the success of his mission, Don Francisco de Mello
offered to go back to his native land to complete the necessary
arrangements. {184}The court of Lisbon was filled with rejoicing when
the object of Don Francisco's return was announced. He was rewarded with
the title of Count da Ponte, and sent back to England with full power to
conclude the marriage.
[[A.D. 1661.]] It was late in January when the count again set foot in
London. To his surprise, the whole aspect of affairs had changed, and he
could not even obtain an interview with the king.
The reason for the change was this: The representatives of Spain knew
well that it would redound to their disadvantage if an alliance between
the royal houses of England and Portugal should be cemented; they
therefore endeavored to prevent it. One of their number happened to be
on terms of intimacy with Charles, and could, therefore, speak plainly
on the subject of his prospective marriage.
His arguments made little impression until he dared to attack the
princess herself; but when he affirmed that she was ugly, deformed, and
delicate, the king began to fear that perhaps he had allowed himself to
be too easily influenced. The Earl of Bristol was a particular enemy
of Clarendon, and prided himself on throwing a wet blanket over every
project that minister seemed to favor. The earl had just returned from a
visit to Portugal, and corroborated every statement made by the Spanish
envoy, merely for the sake of opposition. At the same time he drew
a graphic picture of some of the Italian princesses he had met, and
assured the king that if he would make his selection from their number,
the Spanish government would agree to give the lady of his choice as
large a portion as though she were of their royal blood.
As Charles was not in love with Catharine of Braganza, never having laid
eyes on her, he was easily turned from his purpose, and broke off all
negotiations with the Portuguese court. {185}But he did not abandon his
intention to marry; and so despatched the Earl of Bristol to Parma to
make minute inquiries as to the qualifications of the princesses of that
court. The well-known fondness of Charles II. for handsome women obliged
the earl to make his observations with great care; so when one glance at
the ladies, on their way to church, convinced him that one was too fat,
and both were too ugly, to please his royal master, he dared not present
a favorable report.
Meanwhile the king had taken pains to inquire of other travellers who
had been to Portugal, what sort of a woman the infanta really was; and
the descriptions he got were so different from those presented by the
Spaniards, that he altered his manner towards Don Francisco, and began
to show him many marks of courtesy.
This enraged Vatteville, the Spanish ambassador, to such a degree, that
he openly declared, "that he was directed by the king, his master, to
let his majesty know, that, if he should proceed towards a marriage with
the daughter of his rebel, the Duke of Braganza, he had orders to take
his leave presently, and declare war against him."
This excited the king's indignation, and he manfully replied, "that the
ambassador might be gone as soon as he liked."
Then Vatteville found that he had gone too far, and resorted to the most
fulsome flattery in order to conciliate the irate king.
At last a special messenger arrived from France with a private
communication from Louis XIV., expressing regret that any obstruction
to the Portuguese match had arisen; and assuring King Charles that
Catharine was a lady of rare beauty and accomplishments.
While Charles hesitated, he received a portrait of the dark-eyed
infanta, which, after all, made a deeper impression {186}on his
heart than diplomatists, promises of wealth, or the reasoning of his
lord-chancellor, could ever have accomplished. In this portrait the
princess was represented as a brilliant brunette, with large, dark eyes,
and a profusion of brown hair arranged in short curls on each side of
the head, and falling to the waist in ringlets at the back. "This person
cannot be unhandsome," said the king, gazing attentively on the face of
the woman he was so soon to marry.
The ambassador was summoned, and requested to repeat to his majesty
all that England was to gain in the event of his marriage with the
Portuguese princess. Don Francisco assured Charles that the money he
had promised in the name of the queen-regent was all sealed up in bags
awaiting transportation; and that the fleet which was to be sent for the
princess might even go first and take possession of Tangiers.
It was further agreed that the marriage should take place in England,
although it was not customary for any princess to join her husband in
a foreign land until after the ceremony had been performed with a proxy
acting as bridegroom.
Donna Luiza preferred this arrangement, because the pope had never
acknowledged the independence of Portugal; and, as it would be necessary
to apply for a dispensation before a marriage could be contracted
between a Catholic and a Protestant, she feared that he would mention
Catharine only as the daughter of the Duke of Braganza, and not as a
princess. This would have been a serious affront to the royal house of
Portugal, and most injurious to their cause.
On his part, Charles avoided anything disagreeable that might arise at
the coronation of a Catholic queen in England, by having himself crowned
before such a person ex-
{187}
[Illustration: 0193]
isted. {189}Consequently, that ceremony was appointed for St. George's
day, April 23, 1661, and was celebrated with great splendor and
universal rejoicing.
The following month Charles II. opened parliament in person, and
imparted the news that he intended to marry "the daughter of Portugal."
In June, the treaty which united England and Portugal was signed by King
Charles at Whitehall; and the acquisition of Bombay, which it granted,
gave England a foothold in India that she has retained ever since, as we
know.
The contract secured for Catharine the free exercise of her religion
and the privilege of fitting up a chapel in any palace she might occupy,
besides a settled income of thirty thousand pounds a year, with full
liberty to return to her native land, should she become a widow, without
forfeiting her jointure.
Meanwhile, Vatteville was so enraged at being outdone, that, although
a Catholic representative, he circulated papers among the populace,
setting forth the ills that must necessarily arise in England from the
introduction of a popish queen. He meant to do this secretly, but was
caught in the act of distributing some of these documents from his own
window among the soldiers. The king was so indignant that he sent
his secretary of state to order the ambassador's immediate departure.
Vatteville begged to be allowed to ask his majesty's pardon, but his
request was not granted, and the troublesome busybody was obliged to go
back to Spain without being permitted to speak to the king again.
There was great rejoicing in Lisbon when the Count da Ponte arrived with
full power from the king to complete the arrangements for his marriage,
and the streets rang with the cry of, "Long live the King of Great
Britain, whom God hath raised to protect us from our implacable foes!"
The count was the bearer of a letter from the king to {190}Donna Luiza,
as well as one to the princess, whom he addressed as "The Queen of Great
Britain, my wife, and lady, whom God preserve." Both were considered
fine specimens of letter-writing in their day, and prove Charles II.
to have been a clever correspondent. As soon as the marriage treaty was
ratified, Catharine was addressed as queen, and treated with the utmost
deference at her brother's court. A great change had suddenly come to
the life of this young girl, and she was called upon to fill a position
for which she was totally unprepared, and to become the wife of a merry
monarch, whose views of life were entirely different from her own. We
cannot help pitying her at the outset. She had been brought up under the
most rigid laws, kept in seclusion, and only began to appear in public
after she assumed the proud title of Queen of England. Ignorant of the
trials that awaited her in the future, Catharine watched for the arrival
of the Earl of Sandwich and the fleet that was to convey her to England
with the utmost impatience. No anxiety as to her fate marred the bright
hopes of the young girl whose path seemed strewn with roses; she beheld
not the hidden thorns while listening to the flattering representations
of those around her, and prepared herself to leave her family and her
native land without a pang.
It was not until he had cleared the Mediterranean of pirates, taught
Algiers and Tunis to respect the British flag, and taken possession of
Tangiers in the name of his sovereign, that the Earl of Sandwich made
his appearance in the Bay of Lisbon. Now it happened that the Spanish
troops were marching to besiege a seaport town near Lisbon just when the
English ships sailed into the harbor, and as the town was not prepared
for resistance, it must certainly have fallen, and the consequences
have been disastrous to Portugal. But alarmed at the assistance that had
come, {191}just in the nick of time to their enemies, the Spaniards made
a precipitate retreat, and Catharine congratulated herself upon being
the means of saving her country from ruin.
Sir Richara Fanshawe was the bearer of a miniature of King Charles to
his lady-love, accompanied by an affectionate letter. Catharine was
delighted with it, and made numerous inquiries about her royal lover,
whose romantic history had excited her admiration and wonder.
Charles passed the winter in making preparations for the reception of
his bride; and while he was so engaged there were magnificent displays
of fireworks, illuminations, and bull-fights at Lisbon for the amusement
of the English guests; and the queen-regent was so well pleased with the
Count da Ponte's good management, that she signified her approval of it
by again promoting him. He was created Marquez de Sande.
The greatest formality was observed at the reception of the Earl of
Sandwich, and no point of etiquette was omitted that might tend to add
to the importance of the occasion.
The earl had the honor of being presented to the queen-regent and Queen
Catharine, to whom he delivered letters from King Charles, written in
Spanish.
Several English gentlemen of rank were presented to the Queen of Great
Britain, who had been appointed officers of her household by the king,
her husband, and she admitted them formally to their different posts.
_Fêtes_ and rejoicings were the order of the day; and nothing else was
thought of until the moment for handing over the money arrived. Then
trouble began; and this is by no means the first instance of its arising
from a similar cause.
In consequence of the late advance of the Spanish army, {192}Donna Luiza
had been compelled to fall back on some of the gold she had reserved for
her daughter's portion, to meet the expenses incurred for the defence
of her realm. So she sent for the Earl of Sandwich, and after making
profuse apologies, and explaining her difficulty, offered to pay down
half the promised sum at once, and pledged herself to deliver the rest
within the year.
The ambassador was perplexed. He had been ordered to receive the entire
sum, and knew perfectly well how much his sovereign depended upon it.
Besides, he had already taken possession of Tangier, and had stationed
an English garrison there. He dared not incur the expense of removing
the troops back home, nor would his gallantry permit him to insult the
lady he was sent to convey to England by leaving her behind. His was
an exceedingly delicate position, and he behaved like a kind-hearted
gentleman by consenting to receive Catharine with half the sum of money
originally offered. Then rose another difficulty, which proves that
Donna Luiza was more diplomatic than honest; for when it came to the
delivery of the bags, they were found to contain, not gold, but sugar,
spices, and other merchandise, which had been valued by the Portuguese
at a much higher rate than was fair.
This was an imposition against which the Earl of Sandwich violently
protested, but that did him no good, for he could get nothing else
unless he would accept jewels, which he positively refused. After a
great deal of argument, it was at last arranged that Diego Silvas, a
man of wealth and excellent character, should accompany the goods as
supercargo, dispose of them in London, and pay the sum realized thereon
to the king's exchequer. At the same time a bond was given by the
government of Portugal for the payment of the residue within the space
of a year. Thus everything was settled at last, and the royal bride
{193}took her departure. Although she was leaving her mother and her
native land, Catharine did not shed a tear. Everything seems to have
been sacrificed for the formality of court etiquette--no sentiment being
permissible.
The young queen, followed by the king and Don Pedro, her two brothers,
the officers of the royal household, and a train of grandees, emerged
from her apartments and descended the grand staircase to the main hall,
where, at the entrance to the court chapel, she was met by her mother.
This was the spot appointed for the leave-taking of the two queens.
Catharine asked permission to kiss her mother's hand, whereupon Donna
Luiza folded her in a fond embrace, and blessed her. Then they parted,
and Catharine was led to her carriage between her two brothers. Before
entering she turned and made a profound courtesy to the queen-mother,
who forthwith retired. Perhaps in the privacy of her own chamber,
this woman, who, though a queen, was still a mother, gave vent to the
emotions she had schooled herself to conceal.
It was St. George's day, and that saint being the patron of Portugal
as well as of England, the festival was celebrated with more than the
customary splendor.
Amidst salvos of artillery the queen's barge approached the "Royal
Charles," which carried eighty cannon and six hundred men, and Catharine
was assisted to mount the ladder that had been built for her special
use.
As soon as she got on board, a salute was fired by the British fleet,
and answered by the Portuguese forts. Then, having been formally
delivered over to the Earl of Sandwich, Queen Catharine was conducted to
her cabin, where she bade farewell to her two brothers, who immediately
returned to the city.
Everything was now ready for the fleet to set sail excepting the wind,
which proved contrary, and prevented the {194}ships from leaving the
bay. That night there was a general illumination and a magnificent
display of fireworks, both on land and water. The wind continued
unfavorable throughout the next day, and the queen-mother sent
frequently to inquire how her daughter fared on shipboard. There was
no complaint to make; for the royal cabin and state-room were most
luxuriously fitted up with damask furniture and curtains, costly
carpets, and soft downy cushions.
A little surprise was prepared for Queen Catharine that night by her
brother, the king, who with Don Pedro and a chosen party of courtiers,
embarked in several barges with their musical instruments, and serenaded
the departing princess, performing the music and singing the sonnets and
madrigals that had been composed in honor of her nuptials.
On the morning of the twenty-fifth the wind changed and the voyage
began. The fleet consisted of fourteen men-of-war; but only three, the
"Royal Charles," the "Gloucester," and the "Royal James," were occupied
by Catharine of Braganza, her attendants, and officers of state.
The others contained the queen's equipage and the merchandise that
represented half her dowry. There were more than a hundred Portuguese
in Catharine's suite, the principal ones being two ladies of the highest
rank, Donna Maria de Portugal, Countess de Penalva, and sister to the
Marquis de Sande, and Donna Elvira de Vilpena, Countess de Ponteval.
These were appointed to _chaperon_ the bride. Six noble young ladies
formed part of the suite also, and an English count very discourteously
described them as "six frights, calling themselves maids-of-honor, and
a duenna, another monster, who took the title of governess to these
extraordinary beauties." Besides these, there were six chaplains, four
bakers, a perfumer, and a barber.
The voyage to England was so tempestuous that some of {195}the vessels
had to put in at Mount's Bay for repairs. All the passengers suffered
terribly from sea-sickness, and many of them from terror. The Duke of
York's squadron awaited the fleet off the Isle of Wight, and as soon as
it appeared in sight the royal brother-in-law sent his secretary in a
boat to ask permission to kiss Queen Catharine's hand. Having obtained
it, the duke, accompanied by Lord Chesterfield, the Duke of Ormond, Lord
Carlingford, the Earl of Suffolk, and others, all in full dress, went in
a barge to the admiral's ship. The Marquez de Sande received the party
and conducted them to the royal cabin. Catharine, dressed in an English
costume, was seated on a throne, under a richly embroidered canopy, when
the duke was announced. She advanced to meet him; he knelt to kiss her
hand, but she quickly raised him, and allowed him to salute her cheek.
Then returning to her throne, Catharine conversed for a few minutes with
his highness, her almoner, Russell, acting as interpreter. But the Duke
of York spoke Spanish well; so in a few moments, after he had taken
a seat by the queen's invitation on her left, he continued the
conversation in that tongue.
When the royal brother-in-law retired, Catharine advanced beyond the
canopy with him, but he tried to prevent it, telling her "she should
recollect her rank," whereupon she sweetly replied, "that she wished to
do that out of affection which she was not obliged to do." This answer
pleased the duke so much that he called to see his sister-in-law every
day, and a most friendly relation was established between them. On one
occasion he expressed a desire to see her in her national dress; so the
next day she received him attired as a Portuguese lady.
The fleet arrived at Portsmouth, May 13, the Duke of York's boat
following the "Royal Charles," and the duke himself handed the queen
to her barge, when she disembarked. {196}Countess de Pontevel attended
Catharine, but Countess Benalva was too ill to leave the ship. The
governor of Portsmouth, the city officials, and the leading persons
of the neighborhood assembled on the beach to welcome the queen, who
entered an open carriage and drove through the principal streets, to
gratify the people's desire for a look at her. She had the good sense
to appear in an English costume, so that she would not seem so much of
a stranger among her new subjects. It was not until five days after his
bride landed at Portsmouth that King Charles found time to leave home.
He was accompanied by Prince Rupert, his cousin, and attended by a troop
of his bodyguard. On reaching Portsmouth he went directly to visit the
queen. The Marquez de Sande and other dignitaries awaited his approach,
and after being graciously received by the king, conducted him to an
apartment, where he made his toilet before presenting himself to her
majesty.
Catharine had been ill for several days with sore throat and cold, and
was still confined to her bed, which, by the physician's order, she was
forbidden to leave. But now that he had come, Charles was so anxious to
see her that he insisted on entering her chamber at once. The Earl of
Sandwich had the honor of attending him; and the interview, which was
conducted in Spanish, was entirely satisfactory to all parties. Charles
expressed his pleasure at seeing his bride, and kindly assured her that
he was delighted to hear from her physician that her indisposition was
not serious. She answered with so much prudence and discretion all
the king's questions that when he returned to his apartments he
congratulated himself on the fortunate choice that had been made for
him.
The following morning Catharine was so much better that it was decided
to have the marriage ceremony performed without delay. This was
accordingly done after the {197}manner of the Catholic ritual, no one
being present but the Portuguese ambassador, a few nobles and ladies.
After the queen's conscience was satisfied in this regard, it was
necessary that the king's should be also; therefore a public Protestant
ceremony took place in the afternoon, Sir Richard Fanshawe having the
honor of being the king's groomsman.
The king was so delighted with his bride that he wrote his chancellor
from Portsmouth: "I am so well satisfied that I cannot tell you how
happy I am, and I must be the worst man living (which I hope I am not)
if I be not a good husband, for I am confident that no two dispositions
were ever better suited to each other than my wife's and mine."
The royal couple arrived at Hampton Court on the 29th, which, being the
anniversary both of the king's birth and restoration, was observed as
a national holiday. The usual rejoicings in honor of the queen's first
appearance among her London subjects took place, and she was welcomed
with every token of popular favor that could be devised. When their
majesties alighted from their carriage they passed through a line of
guards, and were closely followed by the two Portuguese countesses and
other ladies and gentlemen of the royal household. The high officials
were assembled at the palace to greet her majesty and kiss her hand,
and the foreign ministers were also present to offer congratulations
of their respective sovereigns. As her majesty passed through the long
suites of rooms the nobility, gentry, and ladies of the court were
presented to her according to their rank. Poor Queen Catharine was
so fatigued by the time she had seen so many strange faces, made
innumerable bows, and had her hand kissed _ad nauseam_, that she was
obliged to retire to her bedroom for a short repose. The same evening
the {198}Duchess of York arrived from London to pay her respects to her
royal sister-in-law. She was met by the king at the garden gate, and led
at once to the presence of the queen, who embraced her affectionately.
Then the royal family seated themselves in the queen's bed-chamber
and partook of a cup of tea, or "China drink," as it was called when
introduced into England only a year or two before.
However, Catharine of Braganza was the first tea-drinking queen of
England, and no doubt she and her sister-in-law of York became quite
well acquainted over their social cup the first day they met.
A portrait in the historical gallery at Versailles, painted by Lely,
represents Catharine as a very pretty little woman at the time of her
marriage. Her eyes, complexion, and hair are dark and handsome, and
unmistakably those of a Spanish lady.
The queen's bed at Hampton Court was covered with crimson velvet,
embroidered in silver, at a cost of eight thousand pounds, and was
presented to Charles on his departure from Holland to assume the crown.
The large mirror and toilet were of beaten gold,--a present from the
queen-mother, Henrietta,--and the hangings were all of silk and gold,
with embroidered canopies. Valuable paintings adorned the walls,
luxurious carpets covered the floors, and magnificent Indian cabinets,
brought from Portugal, stood in various parts of the palace.
The new and brilliant scenes by which Catharine was surrounded were
all so strange that, while they interested her, she found them very
fatiguing. She had been bred in a convent, as we know, and felt more
real gratification in her daily devotional exercises than in the gayety
in which she was often compelled to take a leading part, even when her
interest was not awakened. She heard mass daily, and was disposed to
spend so much time in her chapel that the
{199}
[Illustration: 0205]
{201}ambassador, her godfather, felt called upon to remind her of her
duties as queen and wife.
King Charles was the most witty, fascinating prince in Europe,
thoroughly good-natured, brave, reckless, devoted to pleasure, and
devoid of religious and moral principles. The free and easy manners of
his court shocked the innocent, virtuous little queen to such a degree
that she would have preferred not to appear in public at all. But her
_naivete_ amused her husband, who devised all sorts of pleasures for her
entertainment.
But Catharine's dream of happiness was soon to end in a rude awakening,
when her tender, loving husband became unkind and unreasonable. There
was a very bad woman at the English court, named Lady Castlemaine,
whose husband was living in France This woman had managed by her wicked
intrigues to gain great influence over the king, and she was universally
despised by everybody excepting his majesty. The queen-mother in
Portugal had heard of this creature, and warned her daughter to have
no communication with her whatever. Therefore, when Charles, most
unreasonably, presented her name, at the head of the list of ladies
whom he recommended for appointments in the royal household, the queen
crossed it off. Charles remonstrated, but Catharine was firm; thereupon
Charles asserted his authority as king and husband. Catharine became
excessively indignant, and passionately refused to have Lady Castlemaine
among her ladies. The matter was dropped for the moment; but the king
assumed an injured air, and made himself disagreeable for a few days
after; without the slightest warning he introduced the objectionable
party to the queen before her whole court. He knew that he was wrong,
and, like many a man before and since, felt angry with his wife because
such was the case. He reproached her with being stubborn and undutiful,
and {202}used threats that he never meant to put into execution. She
burst into tears, told him that he was tyrannical and unkind, and
declared that she would go back to Portugal.
One would suppose that the sight of a young, pretty woman in distress
would have moved the sympathies of the gay, light-hearted king; but he
was not accustomed to being ruled in that way, so he merely replied:
"That she would do well first to learn whether her mother would receive
her, and he would soon give her an opportunity for knowing, for he
would forthwith send home all her Portuguese servants, who had, he knew,
encouraged her in her perverseness."
Everybody at court knew that the king and queen had quarrelled, for they
scarcely looked at each other. If Catharine had known how to manage her
husband she might have won him; but she was too honest to flatter him
more than he deserved, and loved him too well to let him suppose she
could justify his conduct when she knew how much he had been to blame.
She spent hours at a time in her room weeping, while he amused himself
with his friends and treated his wife with indifference. He was more
deeply offended at her wishing to leave him than at any of her angry
reproaches, and sent Lord Clarendon to talk to her in his behalf. She
was very penitent, but insisted that she ought to have the privilege
of selecting her own servants, and would on no account consent to the
presence of an objectionable person.
After that King Charles brutally upbraided her with the non-performance
of the marriage treaty with regard to her dowry,--though she was not to
blame for it,--and insulted the Portuguese ambassador on her account.
Diego Silvas was thrown into prison because he was unable to complete
arrangements for paying the sum of money which was, in reality, not yet
due. Catharine knew that these indignities {203}were aimed at herself,
and felt very unhappy that others should be made to suffer on her
account.
A temporary reconciliation was effected between the royal couple by the
visit of Queen Henrietta, who declared that she had come to England with
the express intention of offering her congratulations on their marriage.
She set up her court at Greenwich Palace, and on the day after her
arrival the young couple paid their first state visit together. Queen
Henrietta awaited them at the first door of the palace after they
ascended the stairs; and when she took the poor, neglected, almost
heart-broken Catharine in her arms, and folded her in a motherly
embrace, the young woman must have felt that she had found a friend
at last. The queen-mother could speak no Spanish, and Catharine little
English, but the king and the Duke of York acted as interpreters. It is
probable that Queen Henrietta meant to intimate to her son, and to all
the courtiers present, the respect due the young queen when she said:
"That she should never have come to England again, except for the
pleasure of seeing her, to love her as a daughter, and serve her as a
queen." Catharine replied with gratified pleasure, "That in love and
obedience, neither the king nor any of her children should exceed her."
This visit lasted four hours, and seems to have had a good effect, for
on their return to Hampton Court the king and queen supped in public,
much to the delight of their court; and the next evening, when the king
returned from a trip to London, her majesty went some distance on the
road with her household to meet him.
Queen Henrietta returned the visit of the royal couple, and spent nearly
a month at Hampton Court, going back to London on the 23d of August, the
day appointed for Catharine to make her first public entrance into the
metropolis. {204}This was done with great magnificence; crowds of people
gathering to the banks of the Thames to view the array of boats that
floated in attendance upon the royal barges. At six o'clock in the
evening the king and queen, with their attendants, landed at Whitehall
Bridge, where the queen-mother, with her whole court, all in rich
attire, waited to receive them.
A series of entertainments succeeded; and King Charles, once having
introduced Lady Castlemaine at court, insisted upon her presence always,
though his conscience often pricked him for doing what he knew to be
wrong. The fact was that he was surrounded by people who recognized no
law but their own desires; and whenever they saw Charles disposed to
yield to his wife's just opposition to the woman who entertained them,
and who was one of them in dissipation, they jeered at him. He, on
the other hand, had not the moral courage to do right in spite of his
friends. It was not because he respected Catharine less, but that he
loved pleasure more. We must not suppose that all his statesmen approved
of his conduct; on the contrary, Lord Clarendon and others took him to
task as much as they dared, and considered the queen an ill-used wife.
Charles had threatened to send all the Portuguese attendants back home,
and at the expiration of four months after their arrival in England he
determined to carry the threat into execution.
This was a sore trial to her, particularly as the king fixed upon a day
for their departure without naming any reward for their services, or
sending a letter to the Queen of Portugal to explain his reason for
dismissing them. Catharine would have remunerated them herself, but she
had no money, and so could not afford to be generous. She begged her
husband to permit her to retain a few of them, and as a great favor
he consented to the old Countess of Penalva, {205}two or three of the
cooks, and the priests who officiated in her majesty's chapel.
Now, as we have said, the king's conduct was not approved by all the
statesmen; there were some among the most faithful of them who were so
pained at the course he was pursuing that they ventured to censure him
for it. But he paid little heed to their wise counsel, and the party of
which they were the representatives grew daily in numbers and power.
Had Queen Catharine not been a most sensible and magnanimous woman,
she might well have united herself to this party in opposition to her
husband, and created no end of disturbance; but she loved King Charles
devotedly, and was willing to make any sacrifice to obtain his affection
in return. She was wrong; for, while she opposed him, he could not but
respect her, because he knew that she was prompted by a sense of right,
and it would have been better for her and for him if she had remained
firm.
She yielded at last, perhaps under bad advice, and suddenly treated
Lady Castlemaine with such courtesy as to surprise the whole court, King
Charles included. It is barely possible that her principal reason for
this concession was a desire to retain the king's support for her native
land, which was just then greatly needed. Be this as it may, Charles
misunderstood his wife, and attributed her former refusal to grant his
request to perversity and hypocrisy, and congratulated himself upon his
perseverence and decision. This, no doubt, colored his conduct later in
life. {206}