together under the same canopy to the hall where the banquet was spread.
The seats for Queen Mary and her husband were on a dais under a canopy, where their table was laid. Below the dais were various tables for the queen's ladies, the Spanish grandees, their wives, and the English nobility. Bishop Gardiner dined at the royal table. A band of musicians played throughout the meal, and four heralds entered between the first and second courses and pronounced a Latin oration in praise of matrimony.
After the banquet King Philip returned thanks to the council and nobles, and the queen spoke very graciously
QLEEN MARY PLIGHTS HER TROTH TO PHILIP.
in Spanish. At six o'clock the tables were removed and dancing began, which lasted until nine.
The Spanish fleet sailed for Flanders next day, having first landed eighty of the most superb horses that ever were seen for Philip's use. Four of five hundred Spaniards, among whom were a number of fools and buffoons, were permitted to remain in England ; but the queen's marriage articles forbade the presence of a large number, so the rest were obliged to return home.
Within a week of their marriage the royal couple gave a sumptuous festival of the Garter at Windsor Castle to celebrate King Philip's admission to that order. Later there was a grand hunt, and a large number of deer were slaughtered.
The usual pageantry attended the public entry into London, which was made with an imposing retinue of English nobles and Spanish grandees. Philip had brought over enough gold and silver to fill ninety-seven chests, each a yard and a quarter long. This treasure was piled on twenty carts and drawn through the city so that everybody might see it before it was taken to the Tower to be coined.
Festivities were kept up until the Duke of Norfolk died, when, as Mary had loved him very much, the whole court was ordered to go into mourning. The queen retired to Hampton Court, where, with her husband, she lived very quietly until the opening of her third parliament, in November. Then she rode in procession, King Philip at her side, to her palace at Whitehall. She was very anxious that the lands her father had taken from the church should be restored, but her council would not consent because they declared she could not support the splendor of her crown if she deprived herself of these sources of revenue. She replied, "that she preferred the peace of her conscience to ten such crowns as England."
Her reason for requesting the restoration of the church property was that Cardinal Pole was on his way to visit her, and she desired to be prepared for whatever instructions he might bear from the pope.
Every mark of honor was bestowed on Pole when he arrived. He was rowed up the Thames to Whitehall, Bishop Gardiner received him at the water-gate, King Philip at the principal entrance, and Queen Mary herself at the head of the grand staircase.
On the day appointed for Cardinal Pole's mission to be made known to parliament the queen was so ill that the proceedings took place in the audience chamber at Whitehall. Her majesty was carried to the throne, where King Philip sat at her left hand and Cardinal Pole at the right.
Lord Chancellor Gardiner made the opening address, introducing the cardinal, who spoke eloquently of his own sufferings and exile, and pleaded the cause of the Roman Catholics and of the queen with such good effect that a petition for a reconciliation with the pope was prepared on the spot, and duly signed by each of the peers.
This was presented to the royal couple next day, who, in the presence of parliament, delivered the document into the hands of the Roman ambassador, who thereupon solemnly pronounced absolution and benediction on all present.
During this ceremony Mar}''s illness returned; but she was better by Christmas, which was celebrated with unusual splendor on account of the royal marriage and of the recent reconciliation to Rome. The Princess Elizabeth was enjoying the most