Ancient Scottish ballads, recovered from tradition, and never before ...

QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION.
Henry II. of England, while Duke of Norman-
dy, married, at the age of nineteen, "the fam'd
Eleanor Dutchess of Guienne and Aquitain,
who had lately been divorc'd from Lewis king
of France, for consanguinity and suspicion of
adultery, after she had born him two daugh-
ters."
—
Echard, b. ii. c. 1. The great dispari-
ty in age, and the moral taint which attached
to her, would lead us to suspect that Henry was
directed in his choice, more by the allurement
of several rich provinces in France, than by af-
fection for the lady. This may account for his
notorious infidelity to her bed, particularly with
'Fair Rosamond,' whom, it is said, Eleanor,
in a fit of jealousy, caused to be poisoned.
Whilst our historians charge Eleanor with insti-