hero of this great battle did not allow the holiday
season to interfere with his military operations; but he did
generously suspend proceedings against Rouen upon Christmas Day and
supply his hungry foes with food for that day only, so that they might
keep the feast of Christmas. After his military successes in France
Henry married the Princess Katherine, the youngest daughter of Charles
VI., King of France, and the king and queen spent their first
Christmas of wedded life at Paris, the festival being celebrated by a
series of magnificent entertainments. Henry's subsequent journey to
England was "like the ovation of an ancient conqueror." He and his
queen were received with great festivity at the different towns on
their way, and on the 1st of February they left Calais, and landed at
Dover, where, according to Monstrelet, "Katherine was received as if
she had been an angel of God." All classes united to make the
reception of the hero of Agincourt and his beautiful bride a most
magnificent one. They proceeded first to Eltham, and thence, after due
rest, to London, where Katherine was crowned with great rejoicing on
the 24th of February, 1421. Henry's brilliant career was cut short by
his death on the last day of August, 1422.

"Small time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd
This star of England: fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he achiev'd,
And of it left his son imperial lord."[27]

Fabian's account of the stately feast at the coronation of
Henry the Fifth's newly-wedded consort is an interesting
picture of the

COURT LIFE AND CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES OF THE PERIOD.

Queen Katherine was conveyed to the great hall at Westminster and
there set to dinner. Upon her right hand, at the end of the table, sat
the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry, surnamed the rich Cardinal of
Winchester; and upon her left hand the King of Scotland in his royal
robes; near the end sat the Duchess of York and the Countess of
Huntingdon. The Earl of March, holding a sceptre, knelt upon her right
side, and the Earl-Marshal upon her left; his Countess sat at the
Queen's left foot under the table, and the Countess of Kent at her
right foot. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was overlooker, and stood
before the Queen bareheaded; Sir Richard Nevill was carver, the Earl
of Suffolk's brother cupbearer, Sir John Steward server, Lord Clifford
panterer, Lord Willoughby butler, Lord Grey de Ruthyn naperer, the
Lord