The glorious choir
with its groined and pendent roof, its walls adorned with the richest
stuffs, its exquisitely carved stalls, above which hung the banners of
the knights-companions, together with their helmets, crests, and
swords, its sumptuously--decorated altar, glittering with costly vessels,
its pulpit hung with crimson damask interwoven with gold, the
magnificent and varied dresses of the assemblage--all these
constituted a picture of surpassing splendour.
Vespers over, the king and his train departed with the same
ceremonies and in the same order as had been observed on their
entrance to the choir.
On returning to the royal lodgings, Henry proceeded to his closet,
where having divested himself of his mantle, he went in search of the
Lady Anne. He found her walking with her dames on the stately terrace
at the north of the castle, and the attendants retiring as he joined her,
he was left at full liberty for amorous converse. After pacing the
terrace for some time, he adjourned with Anne to her own apartments,
where he remained till summoned to supper with the knights-
companions in Saint George's Hall.
The next morning betimes, it being the day of the Patron Saint of the
Order of the Garter, a numerous cavalcade assembled in the upper
ward of the castle, to conduct the king to hear matins in Saint George's
Chapel.
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