Country gentlemen in our own times have often wondered what this "hunting-match" could be. Possibly it may have been a coursing meeting. The foundation of the rules of coursing, in its modern sense, was the code drawn up by the Duke of Norfolk in the reign of Elizabeth,[218] and as Sir Everard had been a good deal at the Court of that Queen, and was devoted to field sports, it is not unreasonable to infer that the so-called "hunting-match" may have been ostensibly what we should call a coursing-meeting, with, perhaps, some hawking added. It was arranged that on the arrival of the guests invited to take part in it at Dunchurch, Sir Everard was to hint to them that a decisive blow of some sort was about to be struck in London, although they were not to be enlightened as to its nature until the news should arrive of its success. On the receipt of this news, Digby was at once to despatch a party to seize the Princess Elizabeth at the house of her governor, Lord Harington--he had been created Baron Harington of Exton in 1603--at his house near Coventry, and if Catesby should fail to secure the persons of the Prince of Wales or the Duke of York in the South, Digby was to proclaim her Queen. The little volunteer army in Warwickshire was then to seize the horses at Warwick Castle and the store of armour at Whewell Grange, Lord Windsor's house in Worcestershire, "and by that time," said Catesby, in unfolding his plan, "I hope some friends will come and take our parts."[219] [218] _The Greyhound_, by Hugh Dalziel, 1887. [219] R. Winter's Letter to the Lords. S.P.O. 21st Jan. 1605. Jardine, p. 73. Sir Everard was not going to leave his wife and children at Gothurst, between the great rallying centre of his expected army in Warwickshire and the possible opposing army which, in case of failure, might approach from London. On the contrary, he was anxious to place them on the further side of Warwickshire, so that the band of Catholic warriors might lie between them and the source of danger; at the same time he wished to have them within easy reach; and, for this purpose, he hired or borrowed from Mr Throckmorton, a house called Coughton (containing many "secret recesses"[220]), near Alcester, and about twenty-five miles from the primary rallying point at Dunchurch. [220] _Records of the Eng. Prov. S. J._, Vol. iv. p. 34, footnote. Sir Everard said in his examination in Nov. 1605, that he "did borrow a howse of Mr Thomas Throckmorton for one moneth, purposing to take it longer, or to enquire out some other if that were not to be had, if" his "wife should like to live there."[221] [221] S. P. Domestic, James I., Vol. xvi. No. 94.