Page:Catherine of Bragança, infanta of Portugal, & queen-consort of England.djvu/109

Rh After Catherine and her brothers had stepped into the swaying barge they were immediately followed by Sandwich, Montague, and the other English nobles of Catherine's household. Then came the new Marquez de Sande, our old friend de Mello, who had been reappointed Ambassador-extraordinary to England from Portugal. Four other Portuguese gentlemen, who were to form part of Catherine's escort to England, completed the barge's load. There was a little covered cabin, but one fancies Catherine did not use it, but preferred to sit above, and keep her eyes as long as she could on her beloved Portugal.

In other boats behind them came officers of the royal household, in attendance on Alphonzo, who kept himself and his entourage resolutely in the background to-day, so that Catherine should receive all the honour. Directly the barge began to move deafening salutes of cannon burst out anew, and never ceased till Catherine came to the side of the Royal Charles, which had a complement of six hundred in her crew, and was a ship of eighty brass cannon.

Catherine was helped up the companion—which was one of special ease for her accommodation. As soon as she reached the deck of the Royal Charles a royal salute was fired by the fleet, and answered from the forts on shore, the guns firing alternately. Amid this din of rejoicing Catherine was formally handed over to Lord Sandwich by her brother the King, and he led her down to the cabin that had been prepared for her.

It was in that cabin that the last of her heart-rending farewells, the leave-taking with her two beloved brothers, had to be gone through. The author of the Iter Lusitania (sic) or Portugal Voyage, has much to say regarding that cabin. In his poem, afterwards printed in London, and dedicated to "their sacred Majesties King Charles II. and Queen Catherine," and embellished with their portraits, he thus bursts forth. It may be remarked that the Iter