Henry the Fifth, according to Stow, kept his “Lent in the Castle of Kenelworth, and caused an harbor there to be planted in the marish for his pleasure, among the thorns and bushes, where a foxe had harbored, which foxe he killed, being a thing thought to prognosticate that he should expell the craftie deceit of the French king; besides which he also there builded a most pleasaunt place, and caused it to bee named ‘le Plaisant Marais,’ or the Pleasaunt Marsh.” Here, also, during the same Lent, “whilst the King lay at Kenelworth, messingers came to him from the Dolphin of France, named Charles, with a present of Paris balles with him to play withall; but the Kinge wrote to him that he would shortlie send to him London balles, with the whiche he woulde breake down the roofes of houses.” Of this incident Shakspeare has taken advantage in the following scene in his play of Henry the Fifth:-- _Ambass._ The prince, our master, Says that you savour too much of your youth, And bids you be advised, there’s nought in France That can be with a nimble gaillard won-- You cannot revel into dukedoms there; He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, This tun of treasure; and in lieu of this, Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks. _K. Hen._ What treasure, uncle? _Exe._ Tennis-balls, my liege. _K. Hen._ We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us; His present and your pains we thank you for. When we have matched our rackets to these balls, We will in France, by God’s grace, play a set Shall strike his father’s crown into the hazard. And tell the pleasant prince, this mock of his Hath turn’d his balls to gun-stones; and his soul Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance That shall fly with them; for many a thousand widows Shall this his mock, mock out of their dear husbands; Mock mothers from their sons; mock castles down.--ACT i. sc. 2.