ELEANOR A OF CASTILE, /irsi Cnrart of lÊtatarit tfjt /irst. CHAPTEE I. Henry the TJiiroVspurpose in proposing a match between Edward and Eleanora of Castile —Henry's overturesfavourably received by llie King of Castile—Terms of the marriage treaty—Eteanora's parentage—Marriage—Journey to England—Bower— Banquet at Tothill—She goes to Erance—On her return to England, gives birth to the Princess Eleanora—Visits the most venerated shrines in the country—Gives birth to Prince Henry—Goes with her husband to the Holy Land—Edward takes Nazareth—Is wounded by an assassin, whom he kills—The wounds threaten to be mortal—Eleanora bewails his misfortune—He recovers—His will—Eleanora gives birth to Joanna of Acre~She etnbarks with her husbandfor Europe—At Sicily hears of the death of Prince John and Henry the Third—Entertained by the Pope at Borne—-Tarries in France—Prince Alphonso born—Narrowly escapes death by lightning—The little battle of Chalon. i HKN iiïng Henry ι chaplain, the Bishop of Bath, and his sethe Third, favoured cretary, John Mansel. These discreet by more than his personages, on making known the obordinary good forject of their mission, were honourably tune, had quelled the received by Alphonso, who sent them rebellion in Gascony, back with letters patent, scaled with the in 1253, he, to sigolden seal, containing his approval of lence some obsolete the match, his renunciation of all claim claims wbich Alphonso the Tenth, King or title to Gascony, his counsel that of Castile, laid to that province, resolved Henry would be kind and gentle as a on a matrimonial alliance between EleIamb to his subj ects, andfierce and savage anora of Castile, Alphonso's half-sister, as a lion to his enemies, and, in conclu and hia own heir, Prince Edward. sion, a stipulation that, if the proposed As the Castilian monarch had supmarriage was not solemnized by, at the ported the rebellious Gascons, and latest, five weeks before Michaelmas day, agreed, in the event of success, to accept 1254, the contract should be invalid. them as his lieges, Henry was desirous This stipulation was inserted to prevent to bring about the marriage with all the ill-convenience suffered by the bride's speed and privacy. He accordingly de-mother and grandmother, to both of spatched from Bourduaux, as ambassa-: whom English Princes had broken their dors to the Castilian court, his special ! long-pledged troth-plights,