e felt at
parting with her parents and friends, and leaving her native land, and
they endeavored in every way to make the journey as comfortable and as
agreeable as possible to her.

[Sidenote: The vessel.]

[Sidenote: Causes of delay.]

During all this time a vessel, which had been dispatched from England
for the purpose, was waiting at a certain port on the northern coast
of France called Kiddelaws, ready to take the queen and her bridal
train across the Channel. The distance from Nancy to this port was
very considerable, and the means and facilities for traveling enjoyed
in those days were so imperfect that a great deal of time was
necessarily employed on the journey. Besides this, a long delay was
occasioned by the want of funds. King Henry had himself agreed to
defray all the expenses of the marriage, and also of the progress of
the bridal party through France to England. These expenses were
necessarily great, and it happened at this time that the king was in
very straitened circumstances in respect to funds. He was greatly
embarrassed, too, in the efforts which he made to procure money, by
the difficulties which were thrown in his way by the party of the Duke
of Gloucester, who resisted by every means in their power all action
of Parliament tending to furnish the king's treasury with money, and
thus promote the final accomplishment of the marriage.

[Sidenote: Henry's want of money.]

In consequence of all these difficulties and delays, it was nearly
three months from the time when the bridal ceremony was performed at
Nancy before Margaret was ready to embark for England in the vessel
that awaited her at Kiddelaws.

[Sidenote: Expenses to be incurred in England.]

It was not merely for the expenses of the journey through France of
Margaret and her train that Henry had to provide. On her arrival in
England there was to be a grand reception, which would require many
costly equipages, and the giving of many entertainments. Then,
moreover, the marriage ceremony was to be performed anew, and in a far
more pompous and imposing manner than before, and after the marriage a
coronation, with all the attendant festivities and celebrations. All
these things involved great expense, and Margaret could not come into
the kingdom until the preparations were made for the whole. To such
straits was the king reduced in his efforts to raise the money which
he deemed necessary for the proper reception of his bride, that he was