ing state of worldly glory is shown by the fact, that the same year carried off two English queens, wife and mother of the king, both inexpressibly dear to him. The nuns of Ambresbury not being able to sepulture the queen-mother with sufficient magnificence, had her body embalmed, so that no corruption ensued, and in a retired place reverentially deposited it till Edward returned from his Scottish campaign. On the king's return he summoned all his clergy and barons to Ambresbury, where he solemnly completed the entombing of his mother, on the day of the nativity of the blessed Mary, in her conventual church, where her obsequies were reverently celebrated, and she was honourably interred. But the heart of his mother King Edward carried with him to London; indeed he brought there the hearts of both the queens;1 and on the next Sunday, the day of St. Nicholas, before a vast multitude, they were honourably interred, the conjugal heart in the church of the Friars Preachers, and the maternal heart in that of the Friars Minors in the same city."

Among the parliamentary rolls we meet with a remarkably pitiful petition from the converted Jews, patronised by Dame Alianor, companion of King Henry III., setting forth that their converts had been promised two hundred and two pounds and fourpence from the exchequer for their sustenance, which had not been received by them; and that the poor converts prayed

This implies that he had carried the heart of his beloved consort with him to Scotland.

2

Commonly called the Minories. Those authors are mistaken who say she is buried in St. Edward's Chapel; there is no memento of her in Westminster Abbey.

their lord King Edward I. to grant the same, seeing that the said poor converts prayed indefatigably for the souls of the late King Henry and the Queen Alianor his companion, on whom God have mercy; therefore they hope the said sum may be paid by the treasurer for the sustenance of the converts. "For God's sake, sire, take pitie!" is the concluding sentence of this moving supplication.1

Queen Eleanor survived to see the conquest of Wales and the contract of marriage between her grandson Edward of Caernarvon, the heir of England, and her greatgranddaughter, Margaret the heiress of Scotland and Norway, through which a peaceful union of those realms with England, Ireland, Wales, Aquitaine, and Ponthieu, was contemplated; an arrangement which promised to render her descendants the most powerful sovereigns in Europe.

1 Edward I. reformed, at the supplication of the city of London, an abuse which the indulgent disposition of his father had permitted Eleanor to commit in regard to the newly erected bridge of London.

"In the year 1269, Henry III. granted the custody of London. bridge, with the liberties and all things belonging thereunto, for the term of six years, to Queen Eleanor, his consort, who indeed had wrested it from the mayor and commonalty soon after the battle of Evesham, and from that time applied all the tolls and revenues of the bridge to her own profit, caring not how the bridge was kept."-Stow. Edward I. took this unjust revenue from his mother, on the representation of the citizens.-Ibid.

162

ELEANORA OF CASTILE.

SURNAMED THE FAITHFUL.

FIRST QUEEN OF EDWARD I.

Eleanora Infanta of Castile-Descent- Inheritance-Marriage-treatyQueen-mother and Prince Edward visit Spain-Eleanora's marriage at Burgos-Journey to England-Feast at Tothill-Eleanora retires to France Returns to England-Sons born-Crusade-Eleanora prepares to share it-Arrives at Acre-Edward's wound-Assassin-Grief of Eleanora-Prince Edward's illness-His will-Birth of Joanna of Acre -Death of Eleanora's sons-Of King Henry-Queen Eleanor visits Rome-Birth of an heir at Maine-Providential escape of king and queen-Land at Dover-Coronation-War-Marriage of Llewellen Eleanora assists at nuptials-War renewed-Eleanora shares Edward's campaigns-Keeps court at Rhuddlan-Princess born in WalesCaernarvon Castle-Eleanora lodged there-Queen's chamber-The Eagle tower-Birth of Prince Edward-His nurse-Death of Prince Alphonso-Queen at Guienne-Birth of younger daughters-Marriage of elder princesses-Queen's plate-Edward departs for the north . Eleanora follows him-Sudden death-King returns-His extreme grief- Follows her corpse Solemn mourning — Burial -Tomb-Epitaph Crosses to Eleanora's memory-Traits of the times-Eleanora's improvements-Her creditors-Prayers for her soul -Her children.

THE marriage of the infanta Donna Eleanora of Castile with Prince Edward, heir of England, happily termi

nated a war which her brother, King Alphonso, surnamed the Astronomer,1 was waging with Henry III. on account of some obsolete claims the Castilian monarch laid to the province of Gascony.2

Alphonso had invaded Guienne, but, contrary to his usual fortune, Henry III. had the best of the contest, and the royal Castilian was glad to make overtures for peace. Henry, who had not the least gall of bitterness. in his composition, and was always more willing to promote a festival than continue a fray, luckily recollected that Alphonso had a fair young sister to dispose of, whose age would just suit his heir, Prince Edward. He therefore despatched his private chaplain, the Bishop of Bath, with his secretary John Mansel, from Bordeaux, to demand the hand of the young Infanta as a pledge of her brother's placable intentions. These ambassadors speedily returned with Don Alphonso's consent, inscribed in a scroll sealed with gold.3 Alphonso stipulated that the English prince should come to Burgos, to receive the hand of his bride, five weeks before Michaelmas-day, 1254; otherwise the contract should be null and void.

The stipulation was not unreasonable, for both the mother and grandmother of the bride had been long engaged to English princes, who had broken their troth.

The king of Castile was but half-brother to the young

He was the celebrated royal philosopher who invented the Alphonsine tables of Astronomy. His countrymen called him Il Sabio, or the Wise. 2 He pretended that Henry II. had settled this province on his daughter Eleanora, queen of Castile.

3 Preserved in the Chapter House at Westminster. (Rapin.)

Donna Eleanora. She was the only child of Ferdinand III. of Castile, by Joanna Countess of Ponthieu, who had been many years before contracted to Henry III., king of England. Joanna inherited Ponthieu from her mother, the Princess Alice of France, whose betrothment with King Richard, Cœur de Lion, in the preceding century, had involved Europe in war. Eleanor, as the sole descendant of these princesses, was heiress presumptive to Ponthieu and Aumerle, which provinces the royal widow of Castile, her mother, retained in her own possession.

When the preliminaries of the marriage were settled, the Queen of England, Eleanor of Provence, set out for Bordeaux with her son Prince Edward, and from thence travelled across the Pyrenees with him to Burgos, where they arrived August 5th, 1254, within the time limited by the royal astronomer.

A stately festival was held in the capital of Castile, in honour of the nuptials of the young Infanta with the heir of England. At a tournament given by King Alphonso, the prince received knighthood from the sword of his brother-in-law. Edward was just fifteen, and the princess some years younger,1 at the time of their espousals.

After the chivalric festivities at Burgos had ceased, Queen Eleanor re-crossed the Pyrenees, accompanied by her son and young daughter-in-law. King Henry

She is mentioned by all chroniclers as a very young girl. Piers of Langtoft, her contemporary, speaks of her as a child. Her age seems about ten at this period. Robert of Gloucester, Piers, and Matthew Paris, are the authorities for the events of this marriage.