St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, Nov 1877-Nov 1878: No 1, Nov 1877Various
General
St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, Nov 1877-Nov 1878: No 1, Nov 1877
Various
Children's literature -- Periodicals; Children's periodicals, American
In a few months Richard was murdered in prison by order of King Henry,
and his queen's childish figure was shrouded in the heavy crape of her
widow's dress. Her superb jewelry was taken from her and divided
among the children of Henry IV., and she was placed in still closer
captivity. Her father, the King of France, sent to demand that she
should return to him, but for a long time King Henry refused
his consent. Meantime, she received a second offer of marriage
from--strange to say--the son of the man who had killed her husband
and made her a prisoner, but a handsome, dashing young prince, Harry
of Monmouth, often called "Madcap Hal." Perhaps you have read, or your
parents have read to you, extracts from Shakspeare's "Henry IV.," so
that you know of the wild exploits of the Prince of Wales with his
friends, in turning highwayman and stealing purses from travelers,
often saying,
"Where shall we take a purse to-morrow, Jack?"
and finding himself in prison sometimes as a result of such
amusements? Isabella was a child of decided character, and truly
devoted to the memory of her husband, and much as she had enjoyed
her rank she refused to continue it by marrying handsome Madcap Hal,
although he offered himself to her several times, and even as she was
embarking for France.
Poor little Isabella, who had left France so brilliantly, returned a
sad child-widow, and all that remained to her of her former splendor
was a silver drink-cup and a few saucers. As Shakspeare says:
"My queen to France, from whence set forth in pomp,
She came adorned hither like sweet May,
Sent back like Hallowmas or shortest day."
She was received throughout France with joy, and tears of sympathy.
When Isabella was eighteen. Madcap Hal again offered his hand to her,
supposing she had forgotten her former prejudice, but although she
married again she was so far faithful to the memory of her English
husband that she would not accept the son of his murderer. Some years
later, when Prince Hal was king, he married her beautiful sister
Katherine.
Isabella's second husband was her cousin, the Duke of Orleans, whose
beautiful poems are considered classic in France. Again she was the
joy of her family and the pride of France, but all her happiness was
destined to be fleeting, for she survived her marriage only one year.
Her husband, who loved her fondly, wrote after her death:
"Alas!
Death, who made thee so bold,
To take from me my lovely princess,
Who was my comfort, my life,
My good, my pleasure, my riches?
Alas! I am lonely, bereft of my mate--
Adieu! my lady, my lily!
Our loves are forever severed."
And in another poem, full of expressions that show how very devoted
was his affection for her, he says:
"Above her lieth spread a tomb
Of gold and sapphires blue,
The gold doth show her blessedness,
The sapphires mark her true.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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