She had
arrived in England before the king and queen left Hampton Court,
and had taken up her residence at Greenwich Palace. The avowed
object of her visit was to congratulate them upon their marriage.
Charles and his bride therefore took barge to Greenwich, one
bright July day, followed by a brilliant and illustrious train,
that they might wait upon her majesty. And she, being made aware
of their approach, met them at the portal of the palace. There
Catherine would have gone down upon her knees to this gracious
lady--the survivor of great sorrows--but she took the young queen
in her arms, and calling her beloved daughter, kissed her many
times. Then she greeted her sons Charles and James, likewise the
Duchess of York, and led them to the presence-chamber, followed
by the whole court. And presently when Catherine would, through
her interpreter, have expressed her gratitude and affection, the
elder queen besought her to lay aside all ceremony, for she
"should never have come to England again except for the pleasure
of seeing her, to love her as her daughter, and serve her as her
queen." At these sweet words the young wife, now in the first
days of her grief, was almost overcome by a sense of
thankfulness, and could scarce restrain her tears; but she
answered bravely, "Believe me, madam, that in love and obedience
neither the king nor any of your children shall exceed me."
The court of the merry monarch and that of the queen mother being
now settled in town, a period of vast brilliancy ensued, during
which great festivity and much scandal obtained, by reason of
intrigues in which the king and his friends indulged.
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