no less spirits, than of those they personated. The first was to the cornets, the second to the violins. After which, they took out the men, and danced the measures; entertaining the time, almost to the space of an hour, with singular variety: when, to give them rest, from the music which attended the chariots, by that most excellent tenor voice, and exact singer (her Majesty's servant, master Jo. Allin) this ditty was sung: When all the ages of the earth Were crown'd, but in this famous birth; A queen, in whom all they do live! After it, succeeded their third dance; than which, a more numerous composition could not be seen: graphically disposed into letters, and honouring the name of the most sweet and ingenious prince, CHARLES duke of YORK. Wherein, beside that principal grace of perspicuity, the motions were so even and apt, and their expression so just, as if mathematicians had lost proportion, they might there have found it. The author, was master Thomas Giles. After this, they danced galliards and corrantos. And then their last dance, no less elegant in the place than the rest, with which they took their chariots again, and triumphing about the stage, had their return to the House of Fame celebrated with this last SONG; whose notes (as the former) were the work and honour of my excellent friend, Alfonso Ferrabosco. Who, Virtue, can thy power forget, And who yet imitate Their noises tarry the same fate. Force greatness all the glorious ways You can, it soon decays; But so good Fame shall never: Her triumphs, as their causes, are for ever. To conclude which, I know no worthier way of epilogue, than the celebration of who were the celebraters. The QUEEN'S MAJESTY. The Co. of HUNTINGDON.1 The Co. of MONTGOMERY. The La. ANNE CLIFFORD. 1 The Countess of Huntingdon.] This high-born lady (wife of Henry Hastings, fifth earl of Huntingdon) was Elizabeth, the daughter of Ferdinando Stanley, earl of Derby, by the lady who immediately precedes her in the list. 2 The Countess of Essex.] This beautiful young creature (for she was not yet seventeen) was the unfortunate and guilty wife of Robert Devereux, earl of Essex, whose nuptials were celebrated with such splendor at Whitehall, and for whom Jonson composed the Masque of Hymen. She was the sister of the viscountess Cranborne mentioned below, and was, at this time, the pride and boast of the English court. Wilson blames her father for keeping her there during the absence of her husband, and hints, that she was too much admired by Prince Henry. At this period, however, nothing had happened to tarnish her name. 3 The Viscountess of Cranborne.] Lady Catharine Howard, youngest daughter of Thomas earl of Suffolk, and recently married to William viscount Cranborne, son of that great statesman Robert Cecil, first earl of Salisbury. For the remaining names, see the preceding Masques. 66 THE SPEECHES, &c.] Jonson has prefixed no date to these, and the Masque of Oberon which follows them; but the time is ascertained by the public records. On Monday the fourth of June, 1610, Henry, then in his sixteenth year, was created Prince of Wales with extraordinary pomp and solemnity. On the next day, (Tuesday,) the beautiful Masque of Oberon was performed, and on Wednesday the Barriers or Tilting. A very full account of the "formalities and shews," as they are called, on the Prince's creation, may be found in Winwood's State Papers (vol. iii. pp. 179 -181.) In the Masque, which is said to have been a most glorious one," it appears that some introductory matter (not absolutely connected with it) has been omitted. Of the Barriers, sir Ralph Winwood's correspondent (sir John Finnet) thus speaks. "The third and last day did not give place unto any of the former, either in stateliness of shew or sumptuousness in performance. The names of the TILTERS were these: the Duke of Lenox, the Earls of Arundell, Pembroke, Dorset, and Montgomery; the Lords Walden, Compton, Norris, North, Hay, and Dingwell; Sir Thomas Sommerset, Sir Thomas Howard, Sir Henry Carey, Sir Sigismond Alexander, and Mr. Henry Alexander. The Earl of Pembroke brought in two caparisons of peach-coullered velvet, embroidered all over with fair orientall pearls, and yet the Lord Walden carryed away the reputation of bravery" (splendour of apparel) "that day. But to speak generally of the court, I must truly confess unto you that I have not, in all my life, once seen so much riches in bravery as at thys time. Embroidered suits were so common, as the richest lace which was to be gotten seemed but a mean grace to the wearer." The praise of superior skill at this course, is given in another place, to the earls of Pembroke and Montgomery and the duke of Lenox. Pembroke was eminent in every accomplishment, as well as virtue; and from the incidental notices of his brother Philip, which occur in all the court correspondence of the time, it is difficult to believe that he was so wretched a creature as later writers choose to represent him. Illiterate he assuredly was, but he excelled in all polite and manly exercises; and it is somewhat to his praise that though he continued a most distinguished favourite to the last moment of the king's existence, he provoked no ill-will, and excited no envy. His declining years were stained with ingratitude of the basest kind; and he was abandoned to merited disgrace and contempt. It was, I believe, at these Barriers, that Carr laid the foundation of his surprising fortune. He was pitched upon by lord Dingwell (Hume says, by lord Hay) on account of his youth and beauty, to present him, in quality of his page, with his lance and shield. In approaching the lists for this purpose, he was thrown from his horse, and taken up with a broken leg. The rest is matter of history, and too well known. |