Prince Henry's Barriers 11

Northamptonshire Record Office, Winwood Papers, 6

Letter from John Chamberlain to Ralph Winwood , dated 13 January 1609/10 in a folio book of Winwood's correspondence. The letter occurs on pages 1r-v of a single folded sheet. The subscription is on 2v.


[fol. 1]


Sir I can make you no longe relation of owr christmas games, beeing growne such a house-doue that I stirre litle abrode specially to looke after such sports. the barriers on twelfth night (they say) were well performed, and the Prince behaued himself euery way very well and gracefully. the three prises were bestowed on the earle of mongomerie, younge Darcy (sonne to the Lord Darcy) and Sir Robert Gordon a Scot, more in fauor of the nation then for any due desert. in stead of a plaudite they had an exceeding goode peale of ordinance or chambers that graced the matter very much. the next day the Prince with his assistants all in a liuerie, and the defendants in theyre best brauerie rode in great pompe to conuoy the King to St James whether he had inuited him and all the court to supper (the Queen only beeing absent) and there ended his table the allowance wherof from the publishing of his challenge had ben 100li a day. If the charge [.] do not hinder yt he wold faine undertake another triumphe or shew against the King s day in march: and the Queen wold likewise in hand with a maske against Candlemas or Shrouetide.


[fol. 1v]

From London this 13th of January 1609


[fol. 2v]

[in another hand]

13 February 1609
Mr Chamberlain to Sir R. Winwood

Bibliography
Winwood (1725), 3.117 (dates the letter 13 Feb. 1610)
H&S, 10.513
Chamberlain (1939), 1.293-5 (dates the letter 13 Jan. 1610)