RICHARD CŒUR-DE-LION
Honor enough his merit brings,
He needs no alien praise
In whose train, Glory, like a king's,
Follows through all his days.
RICHARD CŒUR-DE-LION
(1157-1199 A. D.)
There was once a prince of England who was married when only five years old. This youthful bridegroom was Richard, the son of Henry II. and Eleanor of Aquitaine; and his bride was a maiden of three, Alice, daughter of Louis VII. of France. The ceremony was a curious one, for of course such babies could not really take the marriage vows. But the parents of the small couple made the required vows in the name of their children, and solemnly promised that the little prince and princess should marry as soon as they were old enough. Though the children were too young to understand the meaning of the ceremony, it was considered as binding upon them as if they had been a man and a woman.