" The next action which
served to inflame public prejudice against catholicism, was the
marriage of the Duke of York to a princess professing that faith.
Soon after the death of his wife, it was considered wise and well
his royal highness should marry again. Of the four sons and four
daughters the duchess had borne him, three sons and one daughter
had died before their mother, and the surviving son and another
daughter quickly followed her to the tomb; therefore, out of
eight children but two survived, Mary and Anne, at this time
respectively aged nine and seven. It being desirable there
should be a male heir-presumptive to the crown, the king was
anxious his brother should take unto himself a second wife. And
that a lady might be found worthy of the exalted station to which
such a union would raise her, the Earl of Peterborough was sent
incognito to report on the manners and appearance of the
princesses of the courts of Neuburg and of Modena. Not being
impressed by the merits of those belonging to the former, he
betook himself to the latter, where, seeing the young Princess
d'Este, then in her fifteenth year, he came to the conclusion no
better choice could be made on behalf of the duke than this fair
lady. On communicating this opinion to his royal highness and to
his majesty, the king commissioned him to demand the hand of the
princess in marriage for his brother.
Difficulties regarding this desired union now arose. The young
lady, having been bred in great simplicity and ignorance, had
never heard of such a country as England, or such a person as the
Duke of York; and therefore had no mind to adventure herself in a
distant land, or wed a man of whom she knew nought.
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