Page:The Queens of England.djvu/531

 CATHERINE OF BRAGANZA. 481 continued devotedly attached to his memory. The king's last request had been "Let not poor Nelly starve," and no greater proof of attachment could have been given by the queen than that of allowing the Duke of St. Albans, son of Nell Gwynne, an annual pension of 2,000/, out of her own income. This cir- cumstance, if true, tells much in favor of Catherine. Somerset House was the residence of Catherine after her husband's death, and during the summer months she spent some part of her time at her villa at Hammersmith, where she resided in much privacy, and with great economy, if we except the splendid concerts which she gave at stated periods, music being one of her favorite pursuits. She was much respected by James the Second, and by the whole court during the seven years she resided in England after Charles' death. In 1692, the queen- dowager returned to Lisbon, to pass the residue of her days in her native land, carrying with her whatever she had amassed by the prudent management of her income and some valuable pictures which formed part of the payment of a debt which she claimed from the crown. On her homeward way she was in- vited by Louis the Fourteenth to visit the French court, but she was too anxious to behold the home of her youth to accept the invitation. After an illness on the road which detained her for a time, she entered Lisbon, January 20th, 1693, being tri- umphantly attended by her bother, Don Pedro, then the reign- ing monarch, and a large train of his nobility who had hastened forth to welcome her on her return. Although she quitted Eng- land, Catherine provided for her English household to the day of her death ; the Countess of Fingall and her daughters at- tended her to Portugal, but at the end of eight years returned to their own country by permission of their royal mistress. Catherine continued to be treated with the greatest respect and attention in Portugal. The last years of her life were passed at Bemposta, where she built a new palace, chapel, and quinta, and whence occasional visits were made to the court by the express desire of her brother the king. In 1704, Catherine being ill and unable to quit Bemposta, the court repaired to her palace there to receive a visit from the Archduke Charles, then a candidate for the Spanish crown, and who was supported in his claims by England and Portugal. In 1705, Catherine, who had been neglected and despised by the wits of England as a person of no capacity, was in conse- quence of the tact she exhibited in governing during a short season when her brother required her services, made Queen