Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-03-23
KATHERINE OF ARR iGDN.

Katherine of Arragon was born in
Spain. her parents being King Ferdinand
of Arragon. and Doana Isabel, Queen Of
CASTLE. The first historical notice Of the
subject of this memoir in the Sranisl,
chronicle. is that ut the early age Of four.
she was present ut the marriage Of her
eldest sister. Isabel, with Don Juan. heir
"f Portugal The early infancy of kath-
crime was passed mids. the storms of hat-
tie. Her education WIS commenced in
Gfenada: her mo:hcr. the most learned
princess "f Europe. dcv ,teI every mo-
.ncnt she could spare - the instruction os
her four dau. u.h,crS. In the year 1901,
ambassadors came from the Kin. of Eng
land, Ia demand her for the Prince. his
son. called Arthur. The union was agreed
upon.
The wcddin. was conducted with great
pomp; AMI when the dusk Of Novem-
Der eve cl..scl over gorgeous display,
the bride au.l all her splendid satellites as
semblcd in the comfortable atmosphere of
Westminster Hall Here grand pageant
took place os the following Sunday. \
rnval linn.r WI, laid ou: in the White
hall or Parliament Chamber. The King
xt at side table. With katherine Of Ar
ra.nn at his right Historians vary in
,!cir accounts as t. he a.. Of katherine
\. the time at her marriage, many de
clarcd her 10 have been nineteen; ba: il
We examine dates closely. wc shall find
that when she welded Arthur, she had
y
Before Shrovc;i.ic. katherine and l,s'r
husband departed for Lullow Castle, in
Shropshire. Prince Arthur diel of the
plague. shortly after his nuptials, in l50..
Queen Elizabeth. mother in-law Of Kaih-
crime. had her brought to the country
palace at Croydon, aud this seems to have
been her home.
Immediately after the accession Of Hen
~ VIII. in 1900. he assured the Spanish
Ambassador. Fucnsaliia. Of his attach
men; to Katherine. 10 whom he had been
aiIianccd during his fathers lifetime.
The Privy Council had very earnest de-
bate upon the policy of the marriagc.-
The Archbishop of Canterbury considered
the relationship in which katherine stood
to the Kin. was too near. while the i;i>h-
op of Winchester agreed for the marriage:
until. at length. the Council recommended
that it should take place. II the conscrt Of
her relations cnu!,! hc obtained. II ap-
pears they offered no objection, and the
Spanish Ambassador signed u dcc,l oe con-
sent. with the pr"viso that the marriage
portion of the Princess shou,I never Dc
reduced upon any prctcncc whatever.
Katherine was naturally ola serious an I
reflective character and was rather more
than five years older than her husband
Sho had been early sc!,ooled by hcr moth
or, who was, perhaps. one of the greatest
tcnta'" sovcroisns that ever re; gncL
The Quce','s situation pr"n!isin. an heir
tn the throne, she took To- her chamber n.
the clo>c Of the year 1910. with the usual
ceremony. The young prince was namc,l
+, Henry. He never appeared To be we'll
after his christening, at which il vas sup
posed he took cold. lie died, February
!3i. 1911 The Queen. it appears. like
i natural mother deeply lan,cnte.l his loss,
and was for 4 long time inconsolablc.
4 war now broke out i'm France. Or
the succeeding year. when Henry ,h,
Eighth invaded that country in person, h,
entrusted his Queen with the hi.hes; pow
ers that Ind ever been bestowed on q f.
male Regent in Easland: for he not o,,ly
'lcpatci her to carry nn the government
during his absence. but put her at the
head of all his forces. with the a>si<tanc,
of f;vc If his mobiles. She accon.pan;c,
her royal husband tn Dover, where sh,
was invested with this hi yh trust. llcl
letters soon after her Eesency give Us NJ
insi gh, to many Interesting features ef hci
personal history. They are tao voluui
nous to quote. but prove her bcnevolcnc'
and her accurate judgment Of character
and there c=n be but little doubt as TO tht
superior nature If her powers Of discern
nscht Alter the famous battle Of Fiosi
den. 81 beautifully described in MAR
mion." Katherine performed her YOU o
pilgrimage to the walsingham shrine
She returned in time to wclcouse the King
who landed privately at Dover. the lat.ci
end of September.
On the November following tn QIcc:
again gave birth to prince, bn' the in