er than of a prince who had opened his way to the throne by force of
arms. The acclamations of the people were every where loud, and no less
sincere and hearty. Besides that a young and victorious prince, on his
accession, was naturally the object of popularity, the nation promised
themselves great felicity from the new scene which opened before them.

* Bacon, p. 579. Polyd. Virg. p. 565.

During the course of near a whole century, the kingdom had been laid
waste by domestic wars and convulsions; and if at any time the noise of
arms had ceased, the sound of faction and discontent still threatened
new disorders. Henry, by his marriage with Elizabeth, seemed to insure a
union of the contending titles of the two families; and having prevailed
over a hated tyrant, who had anew disjointed the succession even of the
house of York, and had filled his own family with blood and murder,
he was every where attended with the unfeigned favor of the people.
Numerous and splendid troops of gentry and nobility accompanied
his progress. The mayor and companies of London received him as he
approached the city; the crowds of people and citizens were zealous
in their expressions of satisfaction. But Henry, amidst this general
effusion of joy, discovered still the stateliness and reserve of his
temper, which made him scorn to court popularity: he entered London in
a close chariot, and would not gratify the people with a sight of their
new sovereign.

But the king did not so much neglect the favor of the people, as
to delay giving them assurances of his marriage with the princess
Elizabeth, which he knew to be so passionately desired by the nation.
On his leaving Brittany, he had artfully dropped some hints that, if he
should succeed in his enterprise, and obtain the crown of England,
he would espouse Anne, the heir of that duchy; and the report of this
engagement had already reached England, and had begotten anxiety in
the people, and even in Elizabeth herself. Henry took care to dissipate
these apprehensions, by solemnly renewing, before the council and
principal nobility, the promise which he had already given to celebrate
his nuptials with the English princess. But though bound by honor,
as well as by interest, to complete this alliance, he was resolved to
postpone it till the ceremony of his own coronation should be finished,
and till his title should be recognized by parliament. Still anxious to
support his personal and heredi