The Children of Westminster Abbey: Studies in English HistoryKingsley, Rose Georgina
History
The Children of Westminster Abbey: Studies in English History
Kingsley, Rose Georgina
Children -- England -- London; Westminster Abbey -- Biography
Besides the three palaces we have mentioned, Prince Henry purchased with
his own money, in 1612, beautiful Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire,
from the widow of the famous Earl of Leicester. And in the same year
King James gave his son another house connected closely with the story
of Leicester and Amy Robsart--Woodstock Manor in Oxfordshire. But the
prince's days were numbered, and as far as we know he never visited his
new purchase of Kenilworth. His health was not in a satisfactory state
in this year of 1612, and he was careless about it. While he was staying
at his palace of Richmond in June, he took great delight in swimming in
the Thames after supper on the warm summer evenings; a most dangerous
practice for any one. His attendants besought him to give it up. But
he, like most of the Stuarts, was fond of his own way. He was deaf to
all entreaties, and went on with his swimming. He also took much
pleasure in walking beside the Thames in the moonlight, "to hear the
sound and echo of the trumpets," regardless of the evening dews which
rose cold and damp along the river. Then in exceedingly hot weather, he
made a desperate journey on horseback, of ninety-six miles in two days,
from Richmond to Belvoir Castle, to meet the king who was on a great
progress--riding sixty miles the first day in nine hours. The progress
ended at Woodstock, where the prince entertained his father and mother
and Princess Elizabeth, after making several hasty and fatiguing
journeys thither to see that all was in order in his new manor. He then
returned to Richmond and busied himself with preparations for the coming
of the young Elector Palatine, on whose marriage with Princess Elizabeth
all Henry's hopes were fixed.
[Illustration: WESTMINSTER ABBEY FROM THE NORTH.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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