THE NEW PLAY AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sra,—In last week's Spectator, in your article on Mr. Wills' historical play, "Charles I.," you say,—" We should like to know whether Mr. Wills has any authority for making Charles call his wife' Mary.' Her name was Henrietta Marie, the English, or rather the Latin form, Henrietta Maria, was that by which she was designated in England. We have nowhere found her called 'Mary.'" In Miss Strickland's life of this Queen it is stated that one cause of offence which Charles gave to the Puritans was his calling the Queen "Mary," and having her name so inserted in the Liturgy. And there is in my family a Prayer-book of the time of Charles I. in which the Queen is thus mentioned.
The prayer in the Litany runs thus :—" That it may please Thee to bless and preserve the Queen Mary and all the Royal family."—I am, Sir, &c., E. S. W. [The Prayer-book is good evidence, and we have had plenty produced to us by other correspondents of the same nature.— ED. Spectator.]
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