ide-saddle which she brought
was, however, of a very simple construction. It consisted of a seat
placed upon the horse's back, with a sort of step depending from it on
one side for the feet to rest upon. Both feet were placed upon this
step together.

Queen Anne, after her marriage, lived very happily with her husband
for twelve years. She was devotedly attached to him, and he seems
sincerely to have loved her. He was naturally kind and affectionate in
his disposition, and, while Anne lived, he yielded himself to the good
influences which she exerted over him. She journeyed with him wherever
he went, and aided him in the accomplishment of all his plans.
Whenever he became involved in any difficulty, either with his nobles
or with his subjects, she acted the part of mediator, and almost
always succeeded in allaying the animosity and healing the feud before
it proceeded to extremes. She resided with her husband sometimes at
one palace and sometimes at another, but her favorite residence was at
the palace of Shene, near the present town of Richmond.

Although the king was crowned at the time of his accession to the
throne, he did not fully assume the government at that time on account
of his youth, for you will remember that he was then only about eleven
years old; nor did he, in fact, come fully into possession of power at
the time of his marriage, for he was then under sixteen. At that time,
and for several years afterward, his uncles and the other influential
nobles managed the government in his name. At length, however, when
he was about twenty-one years old, he thought it was time for him to
assume the direction of affairs himself, and he accordingly did so. At
this time there was another grand celebration, one scarcely inferior
in pomp and splendor to the coronation itself.

Among other performances on this occasion there was a tournament, in
which knights mounted on horseback, and armed from head to foot with
iron armor, fought in the lists, endeavoring to unhorse each other by
means of their spears. The tournament was held at Smithfield. Raised
platforms were set up by the side of the lists for the lords and
ladies of the court, and a beautiful canopy for the queen, who was to
act as judge of the combat, and was to award the prizes. The prizes
consisted of a rich jeweled clasp and a splendid crown of gold.

The queen went first to the ground, and took her place with her
attendants under her canopy. The knights