performed the service; and, in an impressive funeral sermon, urged his hearers, with all the eloquence in his power, to imitate the worthy example of her who, although a Queen, had had the Holy Scriptures translated into her native tongue, and daily read and diligently studied a portion of them. On the burial of the Queen, Richard was so overwhelmed with sorrow, that, to divert his melancholy, he was advised to visit his Irish dominions, then in rebellion. "All this and the next year," says Froissart, "he appeared inconsolable; and it was not till full ten months after Anne's death, that he could decide on a tomb worthy of her memory; and even then, so linked was his heart in hers, that, on the tomb made of fine marble, he had the monumental statue of himself placed by the side of the Queen's, with her hand clasped within his.” The tomb was began in 1395, and ordered to be completed by 1397. The marble part was made by Messrs. Yemely and Lot Loudon, stone-masons. effigies were formed of copper by Messrs, Broker and Priest, citizens and coppersmiths, and, according to the "Foedera," the whole was to cost four hundred pounds. This noble virgin queen. Full liberal and bountiful, Adorned with virtues rare; No child she had, but issueless memory of the gentle Anne of Bohemia, It would be an act of injustice to the to conclude these memoirs without mentioning that in her the renowned poet and sincere friend. Chaucer found a patroness, and a warm With Richard, Chaucer had been intimate from his early childhood. Previous to 1384, he filled more than one public appointment; but in that year he became involved in the riots of the Lollards, as the followers of Wickliffe were called; and, as these transactions endangered his personal liberty, he fled to Holland, and when he returned, two years afterwards, he was imprisoned in the Tower, where, in all likelihood, he would have remained till the day of his death, had not the good Queen Anne by earnest entreaties procured his liberation, and On a tablet by the side of her tomb appointment as clerk of the works, a kindness which he ever afterwards reis a Latin incription, of which the fol-membered, and for which he in numbers lowing is a translation by Skelton :sweet, and tones of earnest gratitude, addressed her in the prologue to his legend of Gode Women, as "Queen Anne, Richard the Second's wife, Of Rome thrice happy Emperor was, Against whom comming plays were made, With princely pomp to gratify The "The clereness and the veray light That in this darke world me wins and ledeth, The herte within my sorrowful brest you dredeth, And loveth so sure, that ye ben verily Again, in "the Cuckoo and the "A maple that is fair and grene, Before the chamber window of the Quene At Woodstock." ISABELLA OF VALOIS, CHAPTER I. Isabella of Valois, although a child, sought in marriage by Richard the SecondHer parentage-Birth-Beauty-Brothers and sisters-Accomplished mindInterview with the English procurators-Her betrothment to Richard-Annoys the Duke of Gloucester-Marriage of the Duke of Lancaster with Catherine Swynford-Richard and his train proceed to Calais-The King's uncles entertained by the French-Richard, after feasting with the French King, receives Isabella-Marries her at Calais-Carries her to England-Her reception by the Londoners-Coronation-Marriage portion-Jewels-Residence-Governess-Life threatened by Gloucester-Death of Gloucester and Arundel-The King's remorse. T venge. Many were the fair maidens proposed to Richard as his future partner, but to no purpose; for, when informed that there were daughters and sisters of the King of Navarre, and a daughter of the Duke of Gloucester, besides other less eligible ladies, all beautiful and marriageable, he flew into a rage, and vowed to marry the royal French girl, or for evermore remain a widower. EEPLY as Richard afford Richard in his projects of rethe Second deplored the death of his dearly-beloved consort, Anne of Bohemia, her remains had been consigned to the tomb little more than two years when negociations were entered into for his second marriage. But as he still clung with doting fondness to the memory of his departed one, and as her image was so deeply graven on his heart, that nothing, save the hand of time, could erase it out, the bride he sought was no beautiful, blooming woman, but the French King's daughter, Isabella, a child who had not yet completed her ninth year, and whose marriage was sought solely for the powerful aid her potent father might Isabella of Valois, the eldest daughter of Charles the Sixth of France, and his Queen, Isabella of Bavaria, was born on the ninth of November, 1387, in the Louvre Palace at Paris, and grew up one of the most accomplished and captivating brunettes of her age. Her countenance beamed with expression, her eyes were large and dark, her complexion was clear and bright, and ner figure a model of grace and beauty. She had six brothers; three died young, and the others, Louis, John, and Charles, were successively dauphins; and five sisters-Joanna, who died in her cradle, Mary, the Nun of Poissy, a second Joanna, married to John the Sixth, Duke of Brittany, Michelle, the first wife of Philip the Good of Burgundy, and Catherine, the fair Queen of Henry the Fifth. After the marriage of Richard and Isabella had been duly debated in council, an embassy, consisting of the Earl of Rutland, the Earl Marshal, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Bishop of Ely, Lewis Clifford, Henry Beaumont, and about five hundred attendants, proceeded to France, to treat with King Charles. On reaching Paris, they met with a cordial reception from the French monarch; and when introduced to Isabella of Valois, they found, to their delight, that, although a child in years, she possessed the mind and accomplishments of an educated, intellectual lady. The first meeting of Isabella and the English nobles took place at the Hôtel de St. Pol, near the river Seine, where the young Princess and her parents then resided. On entering the presence chamber, the Earl Marshal went down on his knees, and, in respectful tones, said to Isabella : "Madam, by the blessing of God, you shall be our Queen." 66 "Sir," answered the young Princess, with dignity, and without being prompted, "if God and my father so desire it, nothing will please me better, as I am told I shall then be one of the greatest ladies on the earth." Then taking the Earl Marshal by the hand, she bid him rise, and led him to her mother, who, in conjunction with the English ambassadors, was greatly pleased at the manner in which she had conducted herself. "The French King," says the chronicler, "had assembled all his council, to the intent to make the better answers to the ambassadors of England. He allowed these ambassadors two hundred crowns daily for their small expenses, and for their horses; and the chief, as the Earl Marshal and the Earl of Rutland, were oftentimes with the King, and dined with him. After being eleven days at Paris, the English lords were told that the French approved of the match, but that it could not be done shortly, because the lady, who was yet very young, was affianced to the Duke of Brittany's eldest son; therefore, as that promise must be broken before they could proceed any further, the French King should send into England the next Lent to show how the matter went. The ambassadors being content with this answer, they took their leave, and departed from Paris to Calais, and so to England, where King Richard was joyous of their coming, and pleased at the progress they had made. "Shortly afterwards, the English ambassadors being at Paris with the French King, their matters took such effect, that it was fully agreed that the King of England should have in marriage Isabella of Valois; and, by virtue of procuration, the Earl Marshal affianced and espoused her in the name of King Richard the Second, and so from henceforth she was called Queen of England. "When the ambassadors returned, the King was right glad, and so were others; but, withal, the Duke of Gloucester, uncle to the King, made no joy thereof, for he saw well that an alliance of peace would now be concluded between the two kings and their realms, which grieved him sore; and of this matter he spoke so oftentimes to the Duke of York, his brother, who was a prince of weak intellect, that he drove him at length to be almost of his opinion." About this time the Duke of Lancaster dishonoured his royal name by marrying Catherine Swynford, a knight's widow, and governess to his two daughters by Blanch, his first wife. With Swynford he had cohabited about twenty years, during which she had borne him a daughter and three sons, renowned in English history as the Beauforts. The lords and the ladies of the royal blood took great umbrage at the marriage; but Richard, to gratify his uncle, openly approved of it, legitimated the children, and created the eldest son Earl of So- | returning home, to present him with merset. But this kingly favour, although fifty thousand nobles, and to elevate his pleasing to Lancaster, by no means ap- only son Humphrey to the earldom of peased the ferment into which the Court Rochester, with a yearly pension of two had been thrown. The Duke and thousand nobles. Duchess of Gloucester, the Countess of Arundel, and other royal lords and ladies, declared that as the low-born, immoral Duchess would, in right of her husband, take rank as second lady in the kingdom, they would leave others to do the honours of the Court if she attended the Queen, as disgrace themselves by entering her presence they would not. Whilst the Court was thus embroiled, the Count St. Pol, who had married Richard's half-sister, Matilda Holland, was sent to England by the French King. Richard promised the Count that he would go to Calais, meet the French King, receive his bride, and if a peace could not be concluded, at least to establish a truce for thirty or forty years. King Richard, accompanied by Count St. Pol, the Dukes and Duchess of Lancaster, York, and Gloucester, numerous other nobles, and several prelates, went to Calais, held a conference with the Duke of Burgundy, returned again to England to dispatch important business, and immediately afterwards crossed once more to Calais; the trench King and Queen with their infant daughter proceeding at the same time from Paris to St. Omer, where they were waited upon by the English King's uncles and their wives, with many other English lords, knights, esquires, and ladies. These noblemen the French cordially welcomed, entertained with show and feasting, and presented with valuable gifts of jewels, and gold and silver plate. But, al though all the others felt proud and grateful at the honour done them by their polite French neighbours, the Duke of Gloucester, on whom the most marked attention and valuable presents had been bestowed, greatly murmured; whenever the peace was mentioned, he, in tones of anger, declared that France was too rich a country to be on other than terms of war with. Nor, indeed, was his powerful voice obtained in favour of the marriage till Richard promised, on The obstacles to the marriage and peace being now removed, “in every part about there were pitched up tents and pavilions, and all the country was full of French and English people.' On the morning of the twenty-seventh of October, 1396, the two kings left their lodgings and went in grand procession to their tents, which were placed not far asunder. From their tents they proceeded on foot to an appointed spot, which was surrounded by four hundred French and four hundred English knights, armed cap-à-pie, and with drawn swords. Through the ranks of these knights the two kings passed, Richard being supported by the Dukes of Berri and Burgundy, and the French King by those of Lancaster and Gloucester; when the Kings neared each other, the eight hundred knights, weeping for joy, went down on their knees. Richard and the French King met together bare-headed and warmly saluted each other, when the French King led Richard into his tent, which was noble and rich; and the four dukes joined hands and followed the two Kings. The knights all the time stood regarding each other with pleasant countenances till the ceremony was concluded. When the two Kings, hand in hand, entered the tent, the four dukes fell on their knees before them. The dukes, after they had risen at the bidding of the Kings, went and talked together at the front of the tent, whilst the Kings remained inside and held conversation by themselves. In the meantime wine and spices were brought in. The Duke of Berri served the comfit box, and the Duke of Burgundy the wine to the French King, and the Dukes of Lancaster and Gloucester served the King of England; and after the Kings had partaken of wine and spices, the other knights and esquires served the prelates and lords. On the day following, about eleven o'clock, the King of England and his cured her many enemies. Walsingham, if ever he quitted the sanctuary of Bein a spirit of bitterness, which was verley. In a few days the Queen-mother doubtless occasioned by her adherence died of grief, which so overcame Richard, to the new tenets, complains of her and that, unable to save the life of his her Bohemians visiting the abbeys and mother, he pardoned his brother, who monasteries, not to give, but to take shortly afterwards married Elizabeth, away. And, according to Prynne, the second daughter of the Duke of LanParliament, in 1384, after inveighing caster. The King's reluctance to paragainst the King's extravagance and misrule, petitions, amongst other articles more or less reasonable, against the Queen's gold; but this request the King promptly negatived, declaring that he would never consent to diminish the revenue of his beloved consort. don his brother was attributed to the influence of the Queen; but this was evidently a purposed misrepresentation, as, although her friends were the wronged persons, she sought not to be revenged on the murderer or his ex cusers. Anne of Bohemia made it a rule of life to sedulously comply with the will of her beloved husband. "It is my unbounded duty," she would say, "to love all that the King loves, to do all that he desires me, for I have vowed before God and man to cherish and to obey him." In one instance this womanly obedience In 1385, an incident occurred which further increased the hostility of the King's relations to Anne of Bohemia. Whilst Richard was on his way to repel the incursions of the Scots with a powerful army, the King's half-brother, John Holland, murdered Lord Stafford, who was about proceeding from York to London with letters from the King to a rare but commendable qualitythe Queen. Feelings of bitter jealousy carried her beyond the bounds of justice, led to the perpetration of the foul deed. and lost her the esteem of every descendStafford was a brave knight, a great ant of the royal house of Plantagenet. favourite, and a powerful adherent of In her household was a beautiful Bohethe Queen's, whilst Holland bitterly mian woman, mentioned in the "Fhated her and her friends. According dera" as the Landgravine of Luxemto Froissart, whilst Stafford's archers bourg, with whom the King's especial were protecting Sir Meles, a Bohemian favourite, the young Duke of Ireland, knight and friend of the Queen's, they, fell deeply in love. This nobleman had in the fray, slew an esquire of Holland's, been married to Philippa, daughter of and he, to be revenged, drove his dagger Lord de Coucy, and grand-daughter of into the heart of Stafford, and killed the late King Edward the Third, "but him on the spot. The murderer fled for now," says Walsingham, "he divorced sanctuary to the shrine of St. John of her to marry the Bohemian damsel:" Beverley. The father and relatives of and Richard the Second, being quite the slain loudly demanded justice; and blind to the faults of his favourite, had although Joanna, the mutual mother of the weakness to shock the nation by the King and the homicide, implored sanctioning this abandonment of his fair the mercy of her son in favour of his cousin, whilst the Queen, by not opbrother, her pleadings were vain. Rich- posing the disgraceful transaction, infiard confiscated the property of the assas-nitely injured the good name of herself, sin, and threatened him with the gallows and the husband she so adored. CHAPTER II. The regal power usurped by the Duke of Gloucester-The King's friends condemned to death or exiled-Execution of Burleigh-Sorrow of the King and Queen-The King recovers his authority-The sovereignty of Aquitaine conferred on the Duke |