BEDROOM B.
BEDROOM B.
BEDROOM B.
BEDROOM B.
HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES.By Zucchero.BORN 1594, DIED 1612.
HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES.By Zucchero.BORN 1594, DIED 1612.
HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES.
By Zucchero.
BORN 1594, DIED 1612.
Garter on the leg. Mantle, Collar, and George of the Order. Red velvet surcoat. White satin trunk hose, braided with gold. White shoes and rosettes. Jewelled sword-belt and glove. Hat on table.
THE eldest son of JamesVI., King of Scotland, afterwardsI.of England, by Anne of Denmark; born at Stirling Castle, and consigned when an infant to the joint care of the Earl of Mar, and the Countess his mother, who had been nurse to His Majesty. The lady was of an austere temper, though conscientious, and between her, her son, and the Queen, many quarrels ensued. Neither James nor his wife liked the trouble of educating or bringing up their own children, the younger members of the family being sent out to board and lodge at the houses of different noblemen. But James loved pomp, and appointed a household for his eldest son, when still an infant. Besides the Earl of Mar, his Governor, the illustrious babe had a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, in the person of Sir David Murray, who attended him into England, andremained with him till his death. When between five and six, Henry was removed to the custody of Adam Newton, a learned Scot, on whom James, on his accession to the English throne, bestowed the Deanery of Durham (although a layman), and a Baronetcy. This was probably a reward for translating a work of the royal pedant’s into Latin. The Pope was anxious himself to superintend the education of the heir-apparent to the English Crown, but the proposal was not smiled upon!
No sooner did the little Prince arrive in England than a residence was allotted him in one of the royal palaces, and a splendid household appointed, with numerous attendants—the celebrated Inigo Jones named Comptroller of the Works.
Henry was of a mild, loving, gentle disposition, combined with high courage, and a passion for military exercises of all kinds; dutiful and respectful to a bad father, religious, and truthful in the extreme, he was indeed a gracious Prince. He never pronounced the name of God but with the deepest reverence, and abhorred the practice of swearing, to which James was so strongly addicted. On one occasion when out hunting, his sport was spoiled by a butcher’s dog setting on the stag, and killing him. A courtier who was present observed, had His Majesty been there, he would assuredly have sworn. ‘Nay, sir,’ said the Prince, ‘all the pleasure in the world is not worth an oath.’
The Ambassador of HenryIV.of France, writing to his Sovereign, says,—‘None of his pleasures savour of a child. He loves horses and hunting, is fond of games, especially tennis; usually plays with those older than himself. He studies for two hours every day, but loves better to toss the pike, leap, shoot, etc. etc. He is kind and faithful to his dependants. Is never idle. He is already feared by those who have the management of affairs, especially my Lord of Salisbury, who seems to fear the Prince’s ascendency.’
Be it remembered, this testimony is of a boy of thirteen years of age. He governed his large household, as he grew in years, with a discretion and a justice which argued well for the kingdom it was vainly hoped he would one day govern.
‘He loved, and did mightily strive,’ says Cornwallis, ‘to do somewhat of everything, and to excel. He walked fast and far to prepare, in case long marches should be required of him. He greatly delighted in art, science, and mechanism.’
Did ever Prince seek to educate himself more thoroughly, or strive to render himself worthy to govern a great country? By nature haughty, he subdued what might have been arrogance into proper dignity. He took as great an interest in naval as in military affairs, and his political opinions were in every way opposed to those of his father; but he was a most dutiful son, extremely reserved, the result of his early education. He was a zealous Protestant, and steadily refused marriage with all the Catholic Princesses suggested to his choice, saying, if he must marry one, it should be the youngest of them all, as there would be more hope of her conversion.
He formed few friendships, Sir John Harrington being one of those singled out by him. He showed great partiality for his cousin Arabella Stuart, and strove to befriend her several times. His sister Elizabeth he loved dearly, from his early boyhood; and the correspondence between the royal children, although partaking of the formal style of the day, was marked by tenderness.
Most of the contemporary writers concur in the opinion that the Prince’s heart was not susceptible, but there were whispers abroad, that he was a victim to the charms of the beautiful and wicked Lady Essex, and that his dislike to Lord Somerset was enhanced by rivalry.
Neither of his parents was worthy to possess the blessing of such a son. The Queen tried in vain to gain some influence over his mind, but she loved him not, and James, it was easyto imagine, was jealous of the adoration with which his English subjects regarded his son and heir. Moreover, Henry, though always respectful to his father, silently rebuked him by the contrast in their way of life and general conduct. Amongst the different suitors for the hand of his beloved sister, the Prince of Wales favoured the young Elector Palatine, more especially on account of his strong Protestant tendencies.
It was in the midst of the preparations for the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth, that the hope of the nation was seized with sudden and almost unaccountable illness. Different causes were assigned:—he had, when over-exerted by too frequent swimmings in the Thames, ridden hastily to and from Belvoir Castle, to wait on the King’s Majesty, etc. etc. The illness, pronounced by the physician to be putrid fever, appears to have been aggravated by injudicious medical treatment. He was lying at St. James’s, where his father, mother, and sister visited him in the early days of his illness. But James soon took fright for his own safety, and retired to Theobalds. Delirium with fearful convulsions now set in, with lucid intervals, when Henry displayed all the courage and gentle patience which might well be expected from so good and noble a Prince. His illness lasted about a fortnight. We quote the words of Richard Earl of Dorset on this deeply deplored death: ‘Our rising sun set; it had scarcely shone, and with him all our glory lies buried.’
The news which plunged the whole nation in sorrow, the King received with much indifference, and issued an order forbidding the people to wear mourning, on the plea of the approaching nuptials of his daughter. He also directed that the arrangements for the Christmas festivities should in no wise be interrupted.
A report was now circulated which accused Lord Rochester of having poisoned the Prince of Wales, a suspicion whichdoubtless gained more credence when that unworthy man was found guilty of the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury. Bishop Burnet says that Henry’s brother Charles never wavered in his belief that such was the case, although the Court physicians denied it.
The description which Sir Charles Cornwallis gives us of Henry’s appearance is as follows: ‘He was of a comely stature, about five feet eight inches high, strong, straight, and well made, as if Nature in him had showed all her cunning; with somewhat broad shoulders and a small waist, of an amiable and majestic countenance; his hair auburn, long-faced, and broad forehead, piercing grave eye, a most gracious smile, with a terrible frown.’
The beautiful house at Bramshill, Hants, now the property of Sir William Cope, was said to have been built as a residence for the Prince of Wales, likewise the picturesque old house of Charlton, in Kent.