well pleased the English monarch that he agreed, in return, to marry his heir §resumptive, Arthur of Brittany, to the aughter of Tancred. The King of France, who, with all his crusading army, had reached Sicily a few months before the landing of the English, after receiving ten thousand ounces of gold as his share of tho spoil obtained from the helpless Tancred, embarked on his journey at the close of March, 1191 ; but as Richard had appointed to meet his mother, and his future bride, Berengaria, at Messina, he resolved to await their arrival. Meanwhile King Sancho being well pleased with the match, had entrusted his daughter to the charge of Eleanora, and the royal ladies, escorted by the wise and gentle Philip, Earl of Flanders, travelled in safety across Italy to Sicily, when, on reaching the town of Rigo, near Faro, they tarried whilst a message was conveyed to Richard, who, having already freed his hands of Alice, by resigning to her brother, King Philip, her dower, the city of Gîsors, hastened to welcome them to Messina, where they were joyously met by Queen Joanna. Eleanora had enjoyed the society of her long^-absent daughter, Joanna, but a few brief days, when, by the desire of Richard, she proceeded to Rome, to request the Pope to permit Geoifrey, the youngest son of Fair Rosamond, to be consecrated Archbishop of York. It certainly speaks well for the character of Richard, that he should thus warmly interest himself on behalf of a natural brother, to whom his father had shown more affection than to his legitimate offspring. Nor can it be denied to Eleanora, that, by undertaking at so advanced an age, an additional journey, solely to benefit the son of a former rival, she acted otherwise than with a feeling of kindness, and christian forgiveness, euch as is indeed rarely to be found. After executing the mission with success, Eleanora departed from Rome, and proceeded to England, where she remained, during the long absence of Richard, diligently watching over the interests of his crown and his people. It has been suggested that she acted as Regent, but this appears improbable, as the contemporary chronicles nowhere mention her appointment to the high office, whilst they all state, that Richard, ere he departed for the Holy Land, conferred the chief justiciaryship, with all needful regal powers, on that hated minister, Longchamp, Bishop of Ely. But although exercising no recognized political authority, the influence of Eleanora, in aU important state matters, was doubtless great, and it also appears probable, that she resided in England by King Richard's express desire, as, during his absence, she never once visited her favourite territory, the sunny Aquitaine, whose government she placed in the hands of her grandson, Otho of Saxony. Scarcely had Eleanora quitted Sicily, when Richard prepared with all speed for his embarkation, and as a mutual and lasting attachment had sprung up between Kerengaria and Richard's sister Joanna, it was resolved that they should both accompany him on his venturous expedition. Etiquette, however, demanded that the unwedded Berengaria should not sail in the same vessel with her future lord, and accordingly the royal ladies occupied a well-equipped galley, commanded by the valiant Stephen de Turnham, which sailed in the van of the fleet, and was strongly guarded by a band of veteran swordsmen. At length, on the tenth of April, 1191, «* The warriors embarked, The anchors were weighed, The decks cleared, the sails set, The ropes all belayed. The King led the van, In hia galley so brave, Whilst the rowers chimed out, As their oars lashed the wave, * Row on, lads, row on, lads, Across the deep sea, Farewell to Messina, Farewell Sicily.' " Thus, with a fleet of about two hundred and twenty sail, Richard and his future bride, and his sister, proceeded on their venturous voyage to the Holy Land. But the mighty armament which had sailed out of port in such