Great Britain -- History -- Henry VI, 1422-1461; Margaret, of Anjou, Queen, consort of Henry VI, King of England, 1430-1482
But there was nothing that they could do. Margaret was so young and so
beautiful that every body was captivated with her person and behavior,
and whatever she did was thought to be right. Indeed, the general
course which she pursued on her first arrival in England _was_ right
in an eminent degree. There have been many cases in which young
queens, in coming as Margaret did, away from their native land and
from all their early friends, to reign in a foreign court, have
brought with them from home personages of distinction to be their
favorites and friends in their new position. But when this is done,
jealousies and ill-will always sooner or later spring up between these
relatives and friends of the foreign bride and the old native advisers
of the king her husband. The result is, in the end, a king's party and
a queen's party at court, and perpetual quarrels and dissensions
ensue, in which at least the people of the country are sure to become
involved, from their natural jealousy of the foreign influence, as
they call it, introduced by the queen.
[Sidenote: Margaret's friends and counselors.]
[Sidenote: Her good sense.]
[Sidenote: Example for all young brides.]
Queen Margaret had the good sense to avoid this danger. All the
principal persons who came with her to England, for the purpose of
accompanying her on the journey, and of carrying back to her father
and friends in France authentic assurances of her having been
honorably received by her husband as his bride and queen, were
dismissed and sent home again immediately after the coronation, as we
have already seen. Margaret retained only certain domestic servants,
and perhaps some two or three private and personal friends. As for
counselors and advisers, she threw herself at once upon the ministers
and counselors of the king--the Cardinal Beaufort, who had been his
guardian from childhood, and the Earl of Suffolk, who was one of his
principal ministers, and had been sent by him, as his proxy and
representative, to negotiate the marriage and bring home the bride.
She made Lady Suffolk, too--the wife of the earl--her most intimate
female friend. She appointed her to the principal place of honor in
her household, and in other ways manifested great affection for her.
The good sense and discretion which she thus manifested--young as she
was, for she was not yet seventeen--in choosing for her confidential
friend a lady of the age and standing of Lady Suffolk, instead of
attempting to place in that position some foreign belle of her own
years, whom she had brought with her for the purpose from her native
land, as many young brides in her situation would have done, deserves
much commendation. In a word, Margaret, in becoming a wife, gave
herself up entirely to her husband. She made his friends her friends,
and his interests her interests, and thus transferred herself, wholly
and without reserve, to her new position; an example which all young
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