Page:The Queens of England.djvu/525

 CATHERINE OF BRAGANZA. . 475 sion made on him even at a moment so unfavorable ; it is ad- dressed to Lord Clarendon : , her eyes are excellent good, and not anything in her face that in the least degree can shock one. On the contrary, she has as much agree- ableness in her looks altogether as ever I saw ; and, if I have any skill in physiognomy, which I think I have, she must be as good a woman as ever was born. Her conversation as much as I can perceive is very good ; for she has wit enough,, and a most agreeable voice. You would much wonder to see how well we are acquainted already. In a word. I think myself very happy; but I am confident our two humors will agree well together. I have not time to say any more. My Lord Lieutenant will give you an account of the rest." The ceremony of marriage was performed immediately after the first introduction of Charles to Catherine, by Lord Au- bigny, the queen's almoner, according to the Roman ritual, with which she would not dispense, the Portuguese ambassador, and two. or three of her attendants, being the only persons present. Dr. Sheldon, Bishop of London, afterwards married them publicly after the form of the Protestant church, on which occasion Catherine is said to have turned her head away pout- ingly, neither repeating the words of the ritual nor looking the Bishop in the face, though she required him to pronounce her the wife of Charles before he quitted her chamber. This, how- ever, has more charitably been attributed to her not venturing publicly to pronounce so much English, the rest of her be- havior on her arrival in this country being marked by the greatest prudence and good humor. This hasty and imperfect marriage afterwards was made a pretext for agitating a di- voice, it being pretended by some to be a mere contract, and not binding on the king. On her wedding day Catherine was robed in a rose-colored dress, according to the English fashion, trimmed with knots of blue ribbon, which the Countess of Suf- folk, first lady of the bedchamber, when the ceremony was ended, cut off and distributed to the company, beginning with the Duke of York, the officers of state, ladies, and every guest having the honor in turn, till the queen had not one remaining. On the 27th the royal couple proceeded to Windsor, and hav- ing passed one night there, arrived on the 29th, the anniversary of the king's birth and coronation, at Hampton Court, where they were received with much festivity. The general opinion of Catherine at this time was that she was a very fine and handsome lady, and that the king was well
 * * Her face is not so exact as to be called a beauty, though