"
The merry monarch was therefore well pleased at the prospect of
his union, as were likewise the chancellor and four or five
"competent considerers of such an affair" whom he consulted.
These worthy counsellors and men of sage repute, who included in
their number the Duke of Ormond and Sir Edward Nicholas,
Secretary of State, the Earl of Manchester, and the Earl of
Southampton, after regretting it was not agreeable to his majesty
to select a queen who professed the protestant religion, gave it
as their opinion there was no catholic princess in Europe whom
he, with so much reason and advantage, could marry as the infanta
of Portugal. They, moreover, added that the sum promised as part
of her portion, setting aside the places, "was much greater--
almost double to what any king had ever received in money by any
marriage." The council, therefore, without a dissenting voice,
advised him to the marriage.
On the 8th of May, 1661, his majesty, being clad in robes of
state, and wearing the crown, rode in great pomp to open
Parliament, which he addressed from the throne. In the course of
his speech, he announced his approaching marriage in a singularly
characteristic address. "I will not conclude without telling you
some news," he said, "news that I think will be very acceptable
to you, and therefore I should think myself unkind, and ill-
natured if I did not impart it to you. I have been put in mind
by my friends that it was now time to marry, and I have thought
so myself ever since I came into England.
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