Moreover,
she had betrayed an inclination to spend her days in the
seclusion of a convent, and had no thought of marriage. Her
mother, the Duchess of Modena, then regent, by reason of her
husband's death and her son's minority, was anxious for so
advantageous an alliance. And being unable to gain her
daughter's consent, she sought the interference of the pope, who
wrote to the young princess, that compliance with her mother's
request would "most conduce to the service of God and the public
good." On this, Mary Beatrice Eleonora, Princess d'Este,
daughter of the fourth Duke of Modena, consented to become
Duchess of York. Whereon the Earl of Peterborough made a public
entry into Modena, as ambassador extraordinary of Charles II.;
and having agreed to all the articles of marriage, wedded her by
proxy for the royal duke.
Meanwhile, news that the heir to the crown was about to wed a
papist spread with rapidity throughout the kingdom, carrying
alarm in its course. If sons were born of the union, they would,
it was believed, undoubtedly be reared in the religion of their
parents, and England in time became subject to a catholic king.
The possibility of such a fate was to the public mind fraught
with horror; and the House of Commons, after some angry debates
on the subject, presented an address to the king, requesting he
would abandon this proposed marriage. To this he was not
inclined to listen, his honour being so far involved in the
business; but notwithstanding his unwillingness, his councillors
urged him to this step, and prayed he would stop the princess,
then journeying through France on her way to England.
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