1 88 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. both these alliances were abandoned finally for the more splen- did prospects opened by Suffolk's embassy, nor do we find any record of reluctance upon her part to acquiesce in her father's acceptance. Margaret, who was born March 23, 1429, was about fifteen when this contract took place. The treaty had been signed at Tours, the then residence of the court, where Rapin, quoting Hall, Biondi. and others, states the marriage to have been celebrated, although the father and mother of Margaret having been united at Nanci it is on this, as well as upon other accounts, most probable that those authorities which fix the last-mentioned city as the scene of the nuptials are correct. A notice of the event, comprised in a dozen lines of Monstrelet's chronicle, states that here "with the king were Rene, king of Sicily, and numbers of great lords and knights, the queens of France and Sicily, the dauphiness, and the daughter of Rene, whom the Earl of Suffolk had come with a splendid embassy to demand in marriage for the King of England. After a few discussions everything was agreed on ; but before their departure with the new queen a magnificent tournament was held, in which the Kings of France and Sicily, the Lord Charles d'Anjou, the Counts de Foix and de St. Pol, the Lord Ferry de Lorraine, and several other lords, tilted ; these feasts lasted eight days, and the ladies were most splendidly dressed." The Lord Ferry of Lor- raine, as he is here called, had recently married Margaret's only sister, having eloped with her upon the occasion of this very tournament, since a steady disinclination was mani- fested by the family to his long-projected suit ; and the re- bellious though forgiven pair accompanied the Queen of Eng- land as far as Bar le Due, where, we are told, "Rene and her mother took leave of her with floods of tears, and pray- ers for her welfare." Two leagues from Nanci the King and Queen of France had previously parted with their niece, "with many tears, and recommended her to the protection of God ; their grief was so great that they could not speak."* Although the marriage had taken place in the month of No- vember, delays upon her transit from Nanci rendered it the end of March or the beginning of the following April before Margaret landed at Porchester, whence, proceeding to South- ampton, she was seized with a sudden and serious indisposi- tion, which again protracted her meeting with her royal con-
- Monstrelet.
