Cardinal Pole; Or, The Days of Philip and Mary: An Historical Romance — John Shaqi
Cardinal Pole; Or, The Days of Philip and Mary: An Historical RomanceAinsworth, William Harrison
History
Cardinal Pole; Or, The Days of Philip and Mary: An Historical Romance
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Great Britain -- History -- Mary I, 1553-1558 -- Fiction; Pole, Reginald, 1500-1558 -- Fiction
But we have Philip actually brought before us as he lived and moved at
the period in question in the portraits of Titian and Sir Antonio More.
There we see his slight and singularly elegant figure, and admire his
striking costume. There we may peruse his remarkable lineaments, every
trait of which has been preserved by the great painters with
extraordinary fidelity. Philip’s face was a perfect oval, and all the
features good, except the mouth, the lower lip of which was too full,
and projected beyond the upper—a defect inherited by the Prince from his
father, who was considerably under-jawed. Philip’s complexion was fair,
of almost feminine delicacy and clearness, his eyes large and blue, and
shaded by thick brows meeting over the nose. His hair, worn short,
according to the Spanish mode, was of a golden yellow—a circumstance
which, no doubt, caused the Redshank to liken him to “my Lord of
Jedward’s kinsman;”—and his pointed beard of the same hue. His forehead
was lofty, and white as marble, and his nose long, straight, and
perfectly proportioned. In regard to his attire, he was extremely
particular, affecting dark colours, as they best suited him; and he had
the good taste to dispense with embroidery and ornament. On the present
occasion he had in no wise departed from his rule. Black velvet
haut-de-chausses, black taffetas hose, velvet buskins, doublet of black
satin, all fitting to perfection, constituted his habiliments. Over all,
he wore a short black damask mantle furred with sable. His neck was
encircled by the collar of the Golden Fleece, and on his head sat a
black velvet cap, having a small chain of gold as its sole ornament.
This costume, chosen with great judgment, was admirably calculated to
display the graces of his person, and set off the extreme fairness of
his complexion. Moreover, the Prince’s demeanour was marked by
extraordinary loftiness, and an ineffable air of the highest breeding
pervaded his every look and gesture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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