AS in battailes, so in all other acti­ons that are to bee reported, the first, and most necessary part is the discription of the place, with his oportunities, and properties, whe­ther they be naturall, or artificiall. The greate hall (wherein the Maske was presented) receiued this diuision, and order: The vpper part where the cloth & chaire of State were plac't, had scaffoldes and seates on eyther side continued to the skreene; right before it was made a partition for the dauncing place; on the right hand whereof were consorted ten Musiti­ons, with Basse and Meane Lutes, a Bandora, a double Sack-bott, and an Harpsicord, with two [Page] treble Violins; on the other side somewhat neerer the skreene were plac't 9. Violins and three Lutes, and to answere both the Consorts (as it were in a triangle) sixe Cornets, and sixe Chappell voyces, were seated almost right against them, in a place raised higher in respect of the pearcing sound of those Instruments-eighteen foote from the skreen, an other Stage was raised higher by a yearde then that which was prepared for dancing: This higher Stage was all enclosed with a double vale, so artifi­cially painted, that it seemed as if darke cloudes had hung before it: within that shrowde was concea­led a greene valley, with greene trees round about it, and in the midst of them nine golden trees of fif­teene foote high, with armes and braunches very glorious to behold: From the which groue toward the State was made a broade descent to the daun­cing place, iust in the midst of it; on either hand were two ascents, like the sides of two hilles, drest with shrubbes and trees; that on the right hand lea­ding to the bowre of Flora: the other to the house of Night; which bowre and house were plac't op­posite at either end of the skreene, and betweene them both was raised a hill, hanging like a cliffe o­uer the groue belowe, and on the top of it a good­ly large tree was set, supposed to be the tree of Di­ana; behind the which toward the window was a small descent, with an other spreading hill that cli­med vp to the toppe of the window, with many trees on the height of it, whereby those that played on the Hoboyes at the Kings entrance into the hall [Page] were shadowed: The bowre of Flora was very spa­cious, garnisht with all kind of flowers, and flowrie branches with lights in them; the house of Night ample, and stately, with blacke pillors, whereon ma­ny starres of gold were fixt: within it when it was emptie, appeared nothing but cloudes and starres, and on the top of it stood three Turrets vnderpropt with small blacke starred pillers, the middlemost be­ing highest and greatest, the other two of equall proportion: about it were plac't on wyer artificial Battes, and Owles, continually mouing: with ma­ny other inuentions, the which for breuitie sake I passe by with silence.

Thus much for the place, and now from thence let vs come to the persons.

The Maskers names were these, (whom both for order and honour I mention in the first place.

• 1 Lord Walden.
• 2 Sir Thomas Howard
• 3 Sir Henrie Carey, Master of the Iewell house.
• 4 Sir Richard Preston, Gent. of the K. priuie Chamber.
• 5 Sir Iohn Ashley, Gent. of the K. priuie Chamber.
• 6 Sir Thomas Iarret Pentioner.
• 7 Sir Iohn Digby, one of the Kings Caruers.
• 8 Sir Thomas Badger, Master of the Kings Hariers.
• 9 Maister Goringe.

Their number Nine, the best and amplest of numbers, for as in Musicke seuen notes containe all varietie, the eight being in nature the same with the [Page] first, so in nūbring after the ninth we begin againe, the tenth beeing as it were the Diappason in A­rithmetick. The number of 9. is famed by the Mu­ses, and Worthies, and it is of all the most apt for chaunge, and diuersitie of proportion. The chiefe habit which the Maskers did vse, is set forth to your view in the first leafe: They presented in their fay­ned persons the Knights of Apollo, who is the father of heat, and youth, and consequently of amorous affections.

• FLORA the Queene of Flowers, attired in a changeable Taffatie Gowne, with a large vale embrodered with flowers, a Crowne of flowers, and white buskins painted with flowers.
• ZEPHYRVS in a white loose robe of sky co­loured Taffatie, with a mantle of white silke prop't with wyre, stil wauing behind him as he moued; on his head hee wore a wreath of Palme deckt with Primmeroses and Violets, the hayre of his head and beard were flaxen, and his buskins white, and pain­ted with flowers.
• NIGHT in a close robe of blacke silke & gold, a blacke mantle embrodered with starres, a crowne of starres on her head, her haire blacke and spangled with gold, her face blacke, her buskins blacke, and painted with starres, in her hand shee bore a blacke wand, wreathed with gold.
• HESPERVS in a close robe of a deep crimson [Page] Taffatie mingled with skye colour, and ouer that a large loose robe of a lighter crimson taffatie, on his head he wore a wreathed band of gold, with a starre in the front thereof, his haire and beard red, and bus­kins yellow.

These are the principall persons that beare sway in this inuention, others that are but secunders to these, I will describe in their proper places, discour­sing the Maske in order as it was performed.

As soone as the King was entred the great Hall, the Hoboyes (out of the wood on the top of the hil) entertained the time till his Maiestie and his trayne were placed, and then after a little expectation the consort of ten began to play an Ayre, at the sound wherof the vale on the right hand was withdrawne, and the ascent of the hill with the bower of Flora were discouered, where Flora & Zepherus were bu­sily plucking flowers from the Bower, and throw­ing them into two baskets, which two Siluans held, who were attired in changeable Taffatie, with wreathes of flowers on their heads. As soone as the baskets were filled, they came downe in this order, First Zepherus and Flora, then the two Siluans with baskets after them: Foure Siluans in greene taffatie, and wreathes, two bearing meane Lutes, the third a base Lute, and the fourth a deepe Bandora.

As soone as they came to the discent toward the dauncing place, the consort of tenne ceac't, and the foure Siluans playd the same Ayre, to which Zephe­rus and the two other Siluans did sing these words in a base, Tenor, and treble voyce, and going vp and [Page] downe as they song, they strowed flowers all about the place.

[Page]The Musique ceaseth, and Flora speaks.

[Page]The song in forme of a Dialogue.

THis song being ended the whole vale is sodain­ly drawne, the groue and trees of gold, and the hill with Dianas tree are at once discouered.

Night appeares in her house with her 9. houres, apparrelled in large robes of black taffatie, painted thicke with starres, their haires long, blacke, and spangled with gold, on their heads coronets of stars and their faces blacke, euery houre bore in his hand a blacke torch, painted with starres, and lighted. Night presently descending from her house spake as followeth.

Toward the end of this speech Hesperus begins to de [...]cend by the house of Night, and by that time the speech was finisht he was readie to speake.

This is her pleasure.

[Page]This spoken, the foure Siluans played on their in­struments the first straine of this song following: & at the repetition thereof the voices sell in with the instrumentes which were thus deuided, a treble and a base were placed neere his Maiestie, and an other treble and base neere the groue, that the words of the song might be heard of all, because the trees of gould instantly at the first sound of their voices began to moue, and dance according to the measure of the time which the musitians kept in singing, and the nature of the wordes which they deliuered.

[Page]This dancing song being ended, the goulden trees stood in rankes three by three, and Night ascended vp to the groue, and spake thus, touching the first three seuerally with her wand.

Presently the Siluans with their foure instrumēts, Either by the simplicity, neg­ligence, or con­spiracy of the painter, the passing away of the trees was some­what hazarded the patterene of them the same day hauing bene showne with much ad­miration, and the 9 trees beeing left vnsett together euen to the same night. and fiue voices, began to play, and sing together the song following at the beginning whereof that part of the stage whereon the first three trees stoode be­gan to yeeld, and the three formost trees gently to sincke, and this was effected, by an Ingin plac't vn­der the stage. VVhen the trees had sunke a yarde they cleft in three parts, and the Maskers appeared out of the tops of them, the trees were sodainly con­uayed away, and the first three Maskers were raysed againe by the Ingin. They appeared then in a false habit, yet very faire, and in forme not much vnlike their principall, & true robe. It was made of greene taffatie cut into leaues, and layed vpon cloth of sil­uer, and their hats were sutable to the same.

When those wordes were sung, the three maskers made an honour to the King, and so falling backe the other sixe trees three by three came forward, & when they were in their appointed places Night spake▪ againe thus

The song of transformation againe.

THen Night toucht the second three trees and the stage suncke with them as before. And in breefe the second three did in all points as the first: Then night spake againe.

Night toucht the third 3. trees & the same charme of Night and Diana was sung the third time, the last three trees were transformed, and the Maskers raisd. VVhen presently the first Musique began his full Chorus.

THis Chorus was in manner of an Eccho, seconded by the Cornets, then by the consort of ten, then by the consort of twelue, and by a double Chorus of voices standing on either side, the one against the other bearing fiue voices a peece, and sometime e­uery Chorus was heard seuerally, somtime mixt, but in the end altogether: which kinde of harmony so distinguisht by the place, and by the seuerall nature of instruments, and changeable conveyance of the song, and performed by so many excellēt masters, as were actors in that musicke, (their number in all a­mounting to fortie two voyces and instruments) could not but yeeld great satisfaction to the hearers.

While this Chorus was repeated twice ouer, the Nine maskers in their greene habitts solemnely de­scended to the dauncing place, in such order as they were to begin their daunce, and as soone as the Cho­rus ended, the violins, or consorte of twelue began to play the second new daunce, which was taken in forme of an Eccho by the cornetts, and then cat'cht in like manner by the consort often, sometime they mingled two musickes together; sometime plaid all at once; which kind of ecchoing musicke rarely be­came their Siluan attire, and was so truely mixed to­gether, that no daunce could euer bee better grac't then that, as (in such distraction of musicke) it was performed by the maskers. After this daunce Night descended from the groue, and addreste her speech to the maskers, as followeth.

At the end of this speech Night began to leade the way alone, & after her an Houre with his torch and after the houre a masker, and so in order one by one, a torch-bearer and a masker, they march on to­wards Dianas tree. VVhen the Maskers came by the house of Night, euery one by his houre recei­ued his helmet, and had his false robe pluckt off, & bearing it in his hand, with a low honour offred it at the tree of Chastitie, and so in his glorious habit, with his houre before him march't to the bowre of Flora. The shape of their habit the picture before discouers, the stuffe was of Carnation satten layed thicke with broad siluer lace, their helmets beeing made of the same stuffe. So through the bowre of Flora they came, where they ioyned two torch-bea­rers, and two Maskers, and when they past downe to the groue: the houres parted on either side, and made way betweene them for the Maskers, who de­scended [Page] to the dauncing place in such order as they were to begin their third new dance. All this time of procession the sixe Cornets, and sixe Chappell voices sung a sollemne motet of sixe parts made vp­on these wordes.

The motet beeing ended the Violins began the third new dance, which was liuely performed by the Maskers, after which they tooke forth the La­dies, and danc't the measures with them, which be­ing finisht, the Maskers brought the Ladies back a­gaine to their places: and Hesperus with the rest de­scended from the groue into the dauncing place, & spake to the Maskers as followeth.

A Diologue of foure voices two Bases and two trebles.

WHile these wordes of the Chorus (kindly fare­well farewell) were in singing often repeated Hesperus tooke his leaue seue ally of Night, Flora, & Zephyrus, the Howers, and Siluans, and so while the Chorus was sung ouer the second time, hee was got [Page] vp to the groue, where turning againe to the sing­ers, and they to him. Hesperus tooke a second farwel of them, and so past away by the house of Night: Then Night spake theis two lines, and therewith all retired to the groue where they stoode before.

Now the Maskers began their lighter daunces as Currantoes, Leualtas and galliards, wherein when they had spēt as much time as they thought fit, night spake thus from the groue, and in her speech descē ­ded a little into the dauncing place.

At the end of these words, the violins began the 4. new dance, which was excellētly discharged by the Maskers, & it ended with a light chāge of musick & mesure: After the dance followed this dialogue of 2 voices, a base & tenor sung by a Siluan, & an Howre.

This Chorus was performed with seuerall Ecchoes of musicke, and voices, in manner as the great Chous before. At the end whereof the Maskers putting off their visards, & helmets, made a low honour to the King, and attended his Ma: to the banquetting place