nothing
could be determined upon the subject at that time.

"We must wait," said the king, "until we can see what arrangement can
be made in regard to the princess's present engagement, and then, if
King Richard will send to us again, next spring we will give a final
answer."

So slow are the movements and operations in such a case as this among
the great, that the embassadors were occupied three weeks in Paris in
advancing the business to this point. They were, however, well
satisfied with what they had done, and at length took their leave, and
returned to London in high spirits with their success, and reported
the result to King Richard. He himself was well satisfied too.

The negotiations went on prosperously during the winter, and in the
spring another embassage was sent, larger than the preceding. The
attendants of this embassage were several thousand in number, and they
occupied a whole street in Paris when they arrived there. By this
embassage the arrangement of the marriage was finally concluded. The
ceremony was in fact performed, for Isabella was actually married to
Richard, by proxy as it is called, a customary mode of conducting
marriages between a princess and a king. One of the embassadors, a
grand officer of state, personated King Richard on this occasion, and
the marriage was celebrated with the greatest possible pomp and
splendor.

Besides the marriage contracts, there were various other treaties and
covenants to be drawn up, and signed and sealed. All this business
required so much time, that this embassage, like the other, remained
three weeks in Paris, and then they returned home to London, and
reported to Richard what they had done.

Still the affair was not yet fully settled. A great many of the nobles
and the people of England very strenuously opposed the match, for they
wished the war with France to be continued. This was particularly the
case with Richard's uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. He had greatly
distinguished himself in the war thus far, and he wished it to be
continued; so he did all he could to oppose the consummation of the
marriage, and the negotiations and delays were long protracted.
Richard, however, persevered, and at length the obstacles were so far
removed, that in the fall of 1396 he began to organize a grand
expedition to go with him to the frontiers of France to receive his
bride.

Immense preparations were made on both sides for the ceremonial of
this visit. The mee