Queens of old SpainHume, Martin A. S. (Martin Andrew Sharp)
Philosophy
Queens of old Spain
Hume, Martin A. S. (Martin Andrew Sharp)
Queens -- Spain; Spain -- History; Women -- Political activity
The next day brought fresh changes of gorgeous raiment, this time of
purple velvet and gold, and the public reception of Philip by his bride
in the great hall. There, under the canopy of state, the betrothed
pledged each other in a cup of wine, whilst the Spanish courtiers
sneered at everything English, and the Englishmen frowned at the
Spaniards. On the day of St. James, the patron saint of Spain (25th
July), the ancient cathedral was aglow with brilliant colour. All the
pomp that expenditure could command, or fancy devise, was there to
honour a wedding which apparently was to decide the fate of the world
for centuries. The Queen, we are told, blazed with jewels to an extent
that dazzled those who gazed upon her, as she swept up to her seat
before the altar, with her long train of cloth of gold over her black
velvet gown sparkling with precious stones. Philip wore a similar
mantle, covered with gems, over a dress of white satin almost hidden by
chains and jewels. Upon a platform erected in the midst of the nave,
Philip and Mary were made man and wife by Bishop Gardiner, who
afterwards proclaimed to the assembly that the Emperor had transferred
to his son the title of King of Naples.
At the wedding banquet in the bishop’s palace that afternoon Mary took
precedence of her husband. She sat on the higher throne, and ate off
gold plate, whilst Philip was served on silver; and Spaniards scowled at
the idea that their prince should be second to any. The solid
sumptuousness and abundance of everything struck the Spaniards with
amazement, both at the banquet and at the ball and supper which
followed. But the richer the country the greater their disappointment.
Already they were grumbling that the sacrifice the King had made was
vain. Philip, after all, was not to be master in England, and must go to
a council to ask permission to do anything with English resources. Nay,
said the courtiers, so far from being master, it is he who has to dance
as these Englishmen play: he must bend to their prejudices and caprices,
not they to his, as was fitting for vassals. The English, on their side,
were just as dour under the terrifying predictions of French agents; and
as the royal lovers travelled to Basing, and so to Windsor, Richmond and
London, matters grew worse and worse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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