ke was eager to receive the notice and applause of the courtly throng,
whilst both children looked with astonishment at the sumptuous
preparations, and the costly splendor of their own and the spectators'
dresses.

The ceremony began by the high and mighty Princess, as the little bride
was called in the formal language of the day, being brought in great
state and in solemn procession to the King's great chamber at
Westminster Palace. This took place the day before the wedding, on the
14th of January. The bride, splendidly dressed, most probably in the
bridal robes of white cloth of gold, a mantle of the same bordered with
ermine, and with her hair streaming down her back, and confined to her
head by the coronet of a duchess, was led by the Earl of Rivers, the
bridegroom's uncle. She was followed, of course, by her mother, and by
the noblest of the court ladies of rank, and the gentlewomen of her
household, whilst behind came dukes, earls, and barons, all in
attendance on the little bride.

As soon as she had arrived in the lofty hall of Westminster Palace she
was led to the dais, or place of estate, as it was called, where, under
a canopy, and seated on a chair of estate, or kind of throne, she kept
her estate, _i. e._, sat in royal pomp with the King, Queen, and their
children seated on either hand, whilst her procession of peers and
peeresses stood around and waited upon her. Refreshments were then
brought "according to the form and estate of the realm," which must have
been a very wearisome and formal ceremony for a little girl of six years
old, and which ended that day's ceremony.

On the 15th the Princess came out of the Queen's rooms, where she had
slept, and led on one hand by the Earl of Lincoln, nephew to the King,
and on the other by the Earl of Rivers, she passed through the King's
great chamber in the palace into the White Hall, and from there to St.
Stephen's Chapel. She was followed by a long suite of ladies and
gentlewomen. Meanwhile the little bridegroom, the Queen, and a noble
procession of lords and gentlemen, had already entered the chapel and
taken up their places on the seats appointed for them, ready to receive
and welcome the bride. There were also present the King and the Prince
of Wales, the King's mother, and the three Princesses who acted as
bridemaids, Elizabeth, Mary, and Cecily.

As soon as the bride drew near to the door, between her two noble
supporters, the Bishop of Norwich came for