him in
ousting Richard and succeeding him to the English throne. Henry, on
his part, agreed to reconcile the contending parties by marrying
Elizabeth of York, eldest daughter and co-heir of Edward IV., and this
promise he faithfully kept. After his defeat of Richard the Third at
Bosworth he assumed the royal title, advanced to London, and had
himself crowned King of England; and at the following Christmas
festival he married Elizabeth of York. The Archbishop who married them
(Archbishop Bourchier) had crowned both Richard III. and Henry VII.,
and Fuller quaintly describes this last official act of marrying King
Henry to Elizabeth of York as the holding of "the posie on which the
White Rose and the Red Rose were tied together." And Bacon says, "the
so-long-expected and so-much-desired marriage between the King and the
Lady Elizabeth was celebrated with greater triumph and demonstrations,
especially on the people's part, of joy and gladness, than the days
either of his entry or coronation."

The Christmas festivities were attended to with increasing zest during
the reign of Henry VII., for the King studied magnificence quite as
much as his predecessors had done. His riding dress was "a doublet of
green or white cloth of gold satin, with a long gown of purple velvet,
furred with ermine, powdered, open at the sides, and purpled with
ermine, with a rich sarpe (scarf) and garter." His horse was richly
caparisoned, and bore a saddle of estate, covered with gold. His
Majesty was attended by seven henchmen, clothed in doublets of crimson
satin, with gowns of white cloth of gold. The Queen appeared with
equal splendour, "wearing a round circle of gold, set with pearls and
precious stones, arrayed in a kirtle of white damask cloth of gold,
furred with miniver pure, garnished, having a train of the same, with
damask cloth of gold, furred with ermine, with a great lace, and two
buttons and tassels of white silk, and gold at the breast above." And
the royal apartments were kept with great splendour. At his ninth
Christmas festival (Dec. 31, 1494) the King established new rules for
the government of the royal household (preserved among the Harleian
MSS.), which he directed should be kept "in most straightest wise."
The Royal Household Book of the period, in the Chapter-house at
Westminster, contains numerous disbursements connected with Christmas
diversions. In the seventh year of this reign is a payment to Wat Alyn
(Walter Alwyn) in