Lives of the last four princesses of the royal house of Stuart

15G THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH. [1638.
was commemorated by Crashaw, the poet, in an ode com-
paring them to " two silken flowers on one stem."*
A third sister was born in 1637, and added to the family
circle much joy, daring her brief life ; but she died before
completing her fifth year. This was the Princess Anne, a
most interesting and holy child, who, when dying, being
reminded to pray, said to Mrs. Corrant, one of her nursery
attendants, " I am not jible to say my long prayer (the
Lord's prayer), but I will say my short one, Lighten mine
eyes, Lord, lest I sleep the sleep of death ;" and with
these words on her most innocent lips, she expired.f
The Princess Elizabeth at her birth was appointed a
regular suite of attendants, consisting of a nurse, three
rockers, a groom of the back stairs, and menials of the
nursery of inferior rank. She was soon placed under the
care of the Countess of Koxburgh, state governess of the
royal children. In early childhood her talents were
precocious, and her sensibility exquisite. The Queen, her
mother, in the temporary absence of King Charles, took
her children to the vesper service, in her chapel in
Hampton Court Palace. Elizabeth, who was not yet two
years old, became restless, and to quiet her she was shown
a book of devotion, belonging to one of the priests, con-
taining, among other illustrations, a picture of the
scourging of the blessed Saviour. " Poor man, poor man !"
exclaimed the tender-hearted babe, and kissed the picture
many times. The royal mother, much delighted, related
this incident to the King as a trait of her child's devotion.
Charles smiled and said, " She begins young. "J
* Crashaw's ' Delights of the Muses.'
f Fuller's ' Worthies.' The posthumous portrait of this child was
introduced into the family group of the children of Charles I., with the
infant Henry Duke of Gloucester in her arms, painted in 1641.
X Coneo's 'Despatches,' 29th March, 1639, Vatican Transcripts.
Green's ' Lives of the Princesses.'