obliged to pledge a large portion of the crown jewels, and also of the
family plate and other personal property of that kind. A considerable
part of the property so pledged was never redeemed.

[Sidenote: Passage across the Channel.]

[Sidenote: Rough weather.]

At length, however, things were so far in readiness that orders
arrived for the sailing of the expedition. The party accordingly
embarked, and the vessel sailed. They crossed the Channel, and entered
Portsmouth harbor, and finally landed at the town of Porchester, which
is situated at the head of the harbor. The voyage was not very
agreeable. The vessel was small, and the Channel in this place is
wide, and Margaret was so sick during the passage, and became so
entirely exhausted, that when the vessel reached the port she could
not stand, and Suffolk carried her to the shore in his arms.

[Sidenote: Margaret's reception.]

The boisterous weather which had attended the party during their
voyage increased till it ended in a dreadful storm of thunder,
lightning, and rain, which burst over the town of Porchester just at
the time while the party were landing. The people, however, paid no
attention to the storm and rain, but flocked in crowds into the
streets where the bride was to pass, and strewed rushes along the way
to make a carpet for her. They also filled the air with joyful
acclamations as the procession passed along. In this way the royal
bride was conveyed through the town to a convent in the vicinity,
where she was to rest for the first night, and prepare for continuing
her journey to London.

[Sidenote: Passage to Southampton.]

The next day, the weather having become settled and fair, it was
arranged that Margaret and her party should be conveyed from
Porchester to Southampton along the shore in barges. The water of this
passage is smooth, being sheltered every where by the land. The barges
first moved down Portsmouth harbor, then out into what is called the
Solent Sea, which is a narrow, sheltered, and beautiful sheet of
water, lying between the Isle of Wight and the main land, and thence,
entering Southampton Water, they passed up, a distance of eight or ten
miles, to the town.[4]

[Footnote 4: See Frontispiece.]

[Sidenote: The queen takes lodgings in a convent.]

On the arrival of the queen at Southampton, she was conveyed again to
a convent in the vicinity of the town, for this was before the days of
hotels. Here she was met by