An extract from the notebooks of
Sir John Finet
, assistant to
Sir Lewis Lewkenor
, Master of Ceremonies at the court of
James I.
[p. 31]
The King
being desirous, that the French, Venetian, and Savoyard Ambassadors should all be
invited to a Maske at Court preprared for New-years night, an exception comming from
the French, was a cause of deferring their invitation till Twelfe night, when the
Maske was to be re-acted. This French Ambassador having demanded Audience by the mediation
of the Lord Haye
, and not obtained it as he affected (haveing not taken the due course of accesse
by the Chamberlain (the Earle of Pembrooke ) or being perhaps forgotten) was offended that the Spanish Ambassador (who had demanded
one before the Kings remoove to Royston, but was referred to his conveniency at his
returne thence) should have (as he had) an Audience before him. With this consideration,
and not without his Majesties sence of such formality, he was not invited till for
the Twelfe night, when he with the other two mentioned were received at eight of the
Clock, the houre
[p. 32]
assigned (no Supper being prepared for them, as at other times to avoid the trouble
incident) and were conducted to the privy Gallery by the
Lord Chamberlaine
, and the
Lord Danvers
appointed (an honour more then had been formerly done to Ambassadors Ordinary) to
accompany them, the Master of the Ceremonies being also present.
They were all there placed at the Maske on the Kings right hand (not right out, but
Byas forward) first and next to the King
the French, next him the Venetian, and next him the Savoyard. At his Majesties left
hand sate the Queene, and next her
the Prince
. The Maske being ended, they followed his Majesty to a Banquet in the Presence, and
returned by the way they entered: the followers of the French were placed in a seate
reserved for them above over the Kings right hand; the others in one on the left.
[marginal note]
[
Seigneur
Van Mall.
] The Spanish Ambassadors Son, and the Agent of the Arch-Duke (who invited himselfe)
were bestowed on the forme where the Lords sit, next beneath the Barons, English,
Scotish, and Irish as the Sonns of the Ambassador of Venice
, and of Savoy had been placed the Maske night before, but were this night placed
with their Country-men in the Gallery mentioned.
Bibliography
H&S, 10.547
Sullivan (1913), 237
Finet, Finetti philoxenis (1656), 19-24