227 



life of our sovereign lady. Knights, and citizens, and 

 throngs of people are filling every street, and crowding 

 every window. The queen is passing through the city 

 to her palace of Westminster, in a litter borne on poles, 

 and supported by stately prancing steeds ; and right arid 

 left, behind and in advance, ride valiant men, whom 

 the king has deputed to this honour. The queen has 

 come from Eltham Palace, where the hawthorn-trees are 

 all in blossom, and the little birds are singing blithely, 

 as if to hail their queen on the day of her corona- 

 tion. And when the train of knights and citizens is 

 seen passing beneath the lofty portal of the ancient 

 abbey, sweet sounds greet them, not of joyous birds 

 that warble their harmonious concerts among the 

 trees in Eltham park, but deep solemn music, and 

 glorious human voices chanting in unison ; and thus 

 welcomed and attended, enters Elizabeth, to pass 

 forth again a crowned and anointed women. And with 

 her is Count James, of St. Pol, uncle to the .Duchess of 

 Bedford, with a hundred knights and their attendants ; 

 a sovereign prince, and near kinsman of the queen, 

 whom Charles the Bold had deputed to be present at 

 the coronation. King Edward desired that the peers of 

 England and the citizens of London should be assured 

 that the lady whom he married was worthy, by her high 

 descent, to share his throne, and he had requested the 

 French king to induce some of the princes of the house 

 of Luxemburg to visit England, and claim kindred with 



