Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/215

 of Cumberland, by Sir Joshua Reynolds.—A Landscape, by Teniers.

Vandyck drawing-room, fitted up in white and gold—

Catherine of Braganza, sister to Don Alphonso King of Portugal, and wife to Charles II. Royal marriages are so generally matches of convenience and political management, that though we may lament, yet we are scarcely surprised to find them unproductive of that happiness usually sought for, and more frequently found, by their subjects in that state. But even this apology cannot be offered by the favourers of the fickle monarch, in extenuation of neglecl and contempt, which almost amounted to brutality, towards his consort; for in terms less harsh it is impossible to mention, that the names of more than one of his mistresses appear in the list of attendants appointed for the person of Catherine. During the war carried on by Cromwell against Spain, he had encouraged the Portuguese to revolt from the Catholic King, and entered into a treaty with them for that purpose. On the Restoration, they were desirous of renewing the alliance, and by way of giving additional strength to the connection, they proposed the Princess Catherine in marriage, with a portion of 300,0001. and the fortresses of Tanjore and Bombay. Spain,