ested is Coventry, which they
reached probably about the 8th of March, and where they were certainly
on the 15th of that month, the eve of Palm Sunday. Henry had a house
at Coventry, in right of the duchy of Cornwall, called Cheylesmoor;
and probably they took up their abode in that mansion during their
stay at Coventry. The greater part of the time spent in Warwickshire
was perhaps passed in the castle of Kenilworth, a favourite residence
of his grandfather, John of Gaunt, who made very great additions to
the mansion, always afterwards called the Lancaster Buildings. Henry
himself, too, had been much employed in improving this place, and
surrounding it with pleasure-grounds and arbours,[217] instead of the
thorns and brakes which had formerly been seen there. Just seven years
before this visit with his Queen, he had drained and planted the rough
land near the castle; and the local historians tells us the spot was
called "The Plesance in the Marsh."

[Footnote 215: Rapin says, but, as it should seem,
without reason, that Henry's aim was, under colour
of shewing the country to the Queen, to procure by
his presence the election of members for the
parliament who would be favourable to him.]

[Footnote 216: MS. Cott. Domit. A. 12.]

[Footnote 217: Elmham says, that, in 1414, Henry
kept his Lent in the castle of Kenilworth, and
caused an arbour to be planted in the Marsh there,
for his pleasure, amongst the thorns and bushes
where a fox before had harboured, which he killed.]

From Kenilworth the royal party went (probably about the 20th of
March) to their house at Leicester, where they kept the festival (p. 290)
of Easter.[218] Easter Sunday fell that year on the 23rd of March.
Could Henry have known of the sad calamity which befel him that very
Easter, his rejoicings would have been turned into mourning. It was at
that very time that the disastrous conflict took place, in which the
English were routed, and the Duke of Clarence, whom Henry had left his
representative on the Continent, was slain. Where the King was when
the melancholy tidings reached him, and which induced him to cut short
his progress, does not appear. We know that the joyful news of
Agincourt reached London on the fourth morning after the battle;