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Being thus resolved, the next day they apparelled Isabella after the Spanish fashion, in a gown of green satin cut upon cloth of gold, embroidered with esses of pearls, wearing a great chain of most rich orient pearls about her neck, having a hatband of diamonds, and a fan in her hand, after the manner of your Spanish ladies. The hairs of her head which were full and long, and of a bright pleasing colour, sown and interwoven with diamonds and pearls, did serve her instead of a coif. With this most rich dressing, and lively disposition and admirable beauty, she showed herself that day in London, riding in a fair caroche, carrying along with her, taken by so beautiful a sight, the souls and eyes of as many as looked on her. There were with her in the same caroche Clotaldo and his wife and Ricaredo, and on horseback many noble gentlemen of their kindred and alliance. All this honour Clotaldo was willing to do his prisoner for to oblige the Queen to use her as the spouse of his son.

Being come now to the Court, and brought into the chamber of presence where the Queen was, Isabella entered thereinto, presenting there the fairest show which can fall within the compass of imagination. The room was large and spacious, and the train that came with her had not gone above two steps forward but they stood still, and Isabella, alone by herself, advanced herself towards the state where the Queen sat; and being thus alone, she seemed to appear just like that star or exhalation which by the region of fire is wont to move itself in a clear and quiet night, or like unto a ray or beam of the sun which at the opening of the day discovers itself between two mountains. All this did she seem to be, or rather like a comet which did prognosticate the inflaming and setting on fire of many of those souls that were present, which love had thoroughly heated if not burned with the rays of those resplendent suns of beautiful Isabella; who, full of humility and courtesy, made her approaches by degrees, addressing herself to kneel down before the Queen, and then, after a short pausing, said thus unto her:

“May it please your most excellent Majesty so far forth to honour this your servant that she may kiss your royal hand; so shall I ever hereafter hold myself to be a lady, since that I have been so happy as to come to see your greatness.”

The Queen continued looking upon her a good while without speaking one word, it seeming unto her, as she afterwards told a great lady of her bedchamber, that she had a starry heaven before her, whose stars were those many pearls and diamonds which Isabella bare about her. Her fair face and eyes were the sun and moon; and take all together in the whole piece, she was a new wonder of beauty. The ladies that attended about the Queen’s person wished that they had been all eyes, that there might not remain anything in or about Isabella which they might not behold and view a full. Some commended the quickness of her eyes, some the colour of her face and pureness of complexion, some the properness of her body, and some the sweetness of her speech; and some likewise, who out of mere envy said:

“The Spaniard is a very handsome woman, but her habit and dressing seemeth very strange and out of fashion.”

After some little suspense, the Queen causing Isabella to rise up, she said unto her: