Read Online Katharine of Aragon by Jean Plaidy - Free Book Online Page A

dazzlingly attired, and her gowns were more magnificent than those of the girls, but beauty such as that possessed by some of these girls did not need fine clothes to show it off.
    The people lined the river banks to cheer her on her way to Westminster and as she smiled and acknowledged their cheers she temporarily forgot her longing for home.
    Alighting from her barge she saw that before Westminster Hall a tiltyard had been prepared. On the south side of this a stage had been erected; thiswas luxuriously hung with cloth of gold; and about the open space other stages, far less magnificent had been set up for the spectators.
    This, Katharine discovered, was the joust, the Englishman's idea of the perfect entertainment. Here the nobility of England would gather to tilt against each other.
    On this, the occasion of the most important wedding in England, the great houses were determined to outshine each other, and this they endeavored to do with such extravagance that, as the champions entered the arena, there were continual gasps of wonder and wild applause.
    Katharine was led on to the stage amid the cheers of the people; and there she seated herself on cushions of cloth of gold. With her were the King, the Queen and all the royal family. But she herself occupied the place of honor.
    She thought how pleased her parents would be if they could see her now.
    Beside her sat Arthur, looking pale and tired; but perhaps that was because Henry was also there, radiant and full of health. He had seated himself on a stool at the bride's feet and sat clasping his hands about his knees in a manner which was both childish and dignified.
    Margaret, of whom Katharine felt a little in awe, was seated with her mother, but Katharine noticed how she kept her eyes on young Henry. Little Mary could not resist bouncing up and down in her seat now and then with excitement. No one restrained her, for her childish ways found such favor with the people.
    The King was pleased. At such moments he felt at ease. Here he sat in royal panoply, his family all about him—two Princes and two Princesses to remind any nobles, who might have disloyal thoughts concerning his right to the throne, that he was building the foundations of his house with firmness.
    “Look,” said Henry. “There's my uncle Dorset coming in.”
    Katharine looked and saw the Queen's half-brother entering the arena beneath a pavilion of cloth of gold which was held over him by four riders as he came. He looked magnificent in his shining armor.
    “And,” cried Henry, “there's my uncle Courtenay. Why, what is that he is riding on? I do declare it is a dragon!”
    He gazed up at Katharine, eager to see what effect such wondrous sights were having upon her. Her serenity irritated him mildly. “I'll warrant you do not see such sights in Spain,” he challenged.
    “In Spain,” said Arthur, “there is the great ceremony of La Corrida.”
    “I'll warrant,” boasted Henry, “that there are no ceremonies in Spain to compare with those in England.”
    “It is well,” Arthur replied, “that Katharine does not understand you or she would not admire your manners.”
    Henry said: “I wish she would learn English more quickly. There is much I would say to her.”
    Katharine smiled at the boy, whose attention was now turned back to the arena, where Lord William Courtenay, who had married Queen Elizabeth's sister, came lumbering in astride his dragon.
    Katharine was being introduced to English pageantry; she thought it a little vulgar, a little simple, but she could not help but marvel at the care which had gone into the making of these symbols; and the delight which they inspired was infectious.
    Now came the Earl of Essex whose pavilion was in the form of a mountain of green on which were rocks, trees, flowers and herbs; and on top of the mountain sat a beautiful young girl with her long hair loose about her.
    The spectators applauded wildly, but many of the nobles present whispered that