Thus was celebrated the marriage of Henry the young Lord Herbert, son of Edward, fourth Earl of Worcester, then Master of the Horse, who was eminently distinguished alike for his noble and ancient lineage and courtly attainments. Greatly was his son’s marriage honoured, not only by the presence of royalty in the person of a queen of Elizabeth’s high-toned feelings and sentiments, but, if possible, more so by her condescending to participate in the dance on that festive occasion. The particulars afforded by this domestic incident take us far back to a most interesting period in our country’s history. The great Queen’s reign was then within three years of its close. The Pope had published his bulls to exclude King James from the throne of England. On the 19th of November following, was born at Dunfermline in Scotland, Prince Charles, whose future reign was destined materially to affect the family and fortunes of the Somersets, Earls of Worcester. The social habits of the aristocracy, as here briefly pourtrayed, evince a peculiarly primitive character. Three days’ feasting shows a singular lustihood of enjoyment in the revels attaching to such occasions of festivity. But, notwithstanding we are treating of the most elevated society, in the most flourishing period of the Augustan Age of our Literature, as it has been not inappropriately styled, a comparative grossness of habit prevailed, occasioning a particular relish for such carousals, during the period that viands and wine were served without stint or stay. Many of the modern common luxuries of the table were then unknown; asparagus, artichokes, cauliflowers, and other edibles were not introduced; while the finest clothing was costly, being of foreign manufacture. Considerations like these should check the forming of hasty judgments in reference to the manners and customs of olden times. The lady whom Henry Lord Herbert had thus espoused was Anne, sole daughter and heir of John Lord Russell, eldest son of Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford. She bore him nine sons, of whom Edward was the eldest son and heir, and four daughters, making in all a family of thirteen children. Sir John Somerset, the second son, married Mary, daughter of Thomas Arundel, Lord Arundel of Wardour; and, as will appear in the sequel, he resided at Troy House, near Monmouth. The fifth son, Thomas Somerset, lived at Rome, 1676; and his brother Charles was governor of Raglan Castle in 1646, and afterwards died a Canon at Cambray in Flanders. Four other sons died in infancy; and another, later in life, died unmarried. Kennet, the historian, records, in respect of one of the daughters, that King James reprimanded the Earl, her father, for his sending her to Brussels to be made a nun,[58] in 1620.