" Her tears had not
ceased to flow when, two days after the announcement of her
marriage, Lord Chancellor Finch, on behalf of the council, came
to congratulate her; and Lord Chief Justice Rainsford, on the
part of the judges, complimented her in extravagant terms.
This union, which the bride regarded with so much repugnance, was
appointed to take place on the 4th of November, that date being
the bridegroom's birthday, as likewise the anniversary of his
mother's nativity. Dr. Luke gives a quaint account of the
ceremony. "At nine o'clock at night," he writes, "the marriage
was solemnized in her highness's bedchamber. The king; who gave
her away, was very pleasant all the while; for he desired that
the Bishop of London would make haste lest his sister [the
Duchess of York] should be delivered of a son, and so the
marriage be disappointed. And when the prince endowed her with
all his worldly goods [laying gold and silver on the book], he
willed to put all up in her pockett, for 'twas clear gains. At
eleven o'clock they went to bed, when his majesty came and drew
the curtains, saying, 'Hey! St. George for England!'"
For a time both court and town seemed to forget the trouble and
strife which beset them. Bonfires blazed in the streets, bells
rang from church towers, the populace cheered lustily; whilst at
Whitehall there were many brilliant entertainments. These
terminated with a magnificent ball, held on the 15th instant, the
queen's birthday; at the conclusion of this festivity the bride
and bridegroom were to embark in their yacht, which was to set
sail next morning for Holland.
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