ing tired of her, arranged for her to be married to a certain
knight named Swinton, and she lived with this knight for some time,
until at length he died, and Catharine became a widow.

The Duchess of Lancaster died also, and then the duke became for the
second time a widower, and he now conceived the idea of making
Catharine Swinton his wife. His motive for this was not his love for
_her_, for that, it is said, had passed away, but his regard for the
children, who, on the marriage of their mother to the father of the
children, would be legitimatized, and would thus become entitled to
many legal rights and privileges from which they would otherwise be
debarred. The other ladies of the court, however, particularly the
wives of the other dukes--the Duke of Lancaster's brothers--were
greatly incensed when they heard of this proposed marriage, and they
did all they possibly could do to prevent it. All was, however, of no
avail, for the Duke of Lancaster was not a man to be easily thwarted
in any determination that he might take into his head. So he was
married, and the poor despised Catharine was made the first duchess in
the realm, and became entitled to take precedence of all the other
duchesses.

This the other duchesses could not endure. They could not bear it,
they said, and they _would_ not bear it. They declared that they would
not go into any place where this woman, as they called her, was to be.
As might have been expected, an interminable amount of quarreling and
ill-will grew out of this affair.

About the time of this marriage of the duke, the king himself was
married a second time, as will be related in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE LITTLE QUEEN.

A.D. 1395-1396

Some account of Isabella of France, the little queen.--Richard opens
negotiations with the King of France.--A grand embassage sent to
France.--Their reception.--Interview of the embassadors with little
Isabella.--The negotiations go on satisfactorily.--The marriage
ceremony is performed by proxy.--Richard makes arrangements to go
and receive his bride.--Grand preparations for the expedition.--The
meeting on the French frontier.--The pavilions.--Precautions to guard
against violence or treachery.--Ceremonious interviews.--Grand
entertainment.--Richard receives his bride.--The palanquin.--Excitement
in London.--Reception of the little queen.--The little queen's mode of
life in England.

King Richard's second wife was called the