LITTLE FOLKS OF OLD TIME.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

LITTLE FOLKS OF OLD TIME.

ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND. One bright September day in 1.533, over a path strewn with green rushes, a gaily gowned procession wound its way from Greenwich Palace to the Convent of the Grey Friars. Beautiful and high-born were the men and women who moved along in solemn stafe. But the people looked only for The three-day-old daughter of King Henry VIII —wee Elizabeth, whose christening called forth all this pomp. Her tiny body was wrapped in a cloak, of royal purple vlevet with a tram so long tliat it was carried by a countess and two earltk After a long, -tiresome ceremony, eofstly gifts were given to, the little baby. By n ie time the gift-giving was over, it was twilight and everyone, high and low, was very hungry. So the King ordered little sweet cakes and goblets filled with a spicy drink passed around to all. Five hundred torches lighted the return procession. This time the people gazed upon both the Princess and her gifts. Before her went trumpeters and after her came lords and ladies carrying, uplifted, that all might see, the | cups and bowls of gold set about with j bright jewels. Four years later Elizabeth, now ft I demure little maiden, again took parti in a christening procession. This time, the bady was her tiny half-brother, I afterward to, rule England as Edward, VI. Elizabeth carried in her little hands the chrism of oil with which the royal baby was to be anointed. That all might see thia bowl, tho bady’s uncle carried Elizabeth in his arms. But in the return procession she walked be- - side the Princess Mary, her half-sister, her hand warm in the-clasp of the older ! girl. ... For several years the two girls, little and big, lived in Greenwich Palace, with their baby brother. They loved him dearly. When .Elizabeth was seven years old she made Edward a birthday present of a “shyrte eain’jkc of her owno workynge.” Elizabeth was studious., always busy ; with lessons. Iler favourite study was i history, but she studied also geometry, I astronomy, music, and many languages. I She loved to ride. Whenever she could | she spent the whole day in the saddle. If you ever should go to the British .Museum. ask to be shown the little bool: she made for her stepmother. It contains prayers, translated into French, Latin, and Spanish by Elizabeth and copied in her dear, beau tit ul handwriting. The cover of canvas was stitched by” her v-ith crimson silk, and in the centre she worked in Idue-and-eilver tho initials “K.P.” Perhaps her school days were the happiest she ever knew; for, before she came to the throne, she had many trying adventures. And during her long reign she had to solve vexing problems, decide - weighty matters, and walk, at the head of countless processions of Stale.