Archivio di Stato, Torino,
Corte, Materie Politiche relative all’estero, Lettere Ministri, Gran Bretagna,
Mazzo 2
Account of
The Golden Age Restored
in a dispatch sent home by the Savoy agent, Antonio
Scarnafiggi, dated 30 [i.e. 20] Jan. 1616. The
dispatch occupies three pages of a single folded sheet (extract on pp. 1-2). The sheet
is unbound, but belongs to a series of letters written in
1616.
li 16 giorno dei Re all’ Inglese alle sett’ hore andai al balletto,
Sua Maesta` ui uenne con non pocca
difficultà per la sua gotta, ui uenne anche la Regina col
Principe. il balletto fu’ bellissimo si per l’ inuentioni che per la
richezza degli habiti; l’ inuentione fu’ l’età del ferro signoreggiata da Marte
accompagnato da molti cauallieri furiosi et incantati, cangiata poi nell’ eta dell’
oro
signoreggiata da Pallade, et Astrea, quali discendendo dal Cielo sopra carri dorati
cantando dissincantorno li cauallieri et cambiata la scena di Marte in un tal palazzo
Regale et nell’ eta dell’ oro fecero il balletto doue erano infinite dame et cauallieri
carrichi de un’ inestimabile tesoro di gioie gli habiti de cauallieri con riccami
d’ oro
et d’ argento alti dua ditta stimati 300 lire sterline l’ uno, poi si fece una comedia
in lingua inglese e si compi’ la festa con molto ordine et grandissi ma quiete.
Translation
On the 16th, Twelfth Night in the English style, at seven o’clock, I went to the
masque. His Majesty attended, though in some
considerable difficulty from his gout.The
Queen
and Prince were also there. The masque was
very fine, as much for its conception[inuentione]as for the richness of the costumes.
The concept was the Age of Iron ruled over by Mars accompanied by many knights driven
mad by enchantment, changing into the Golden Age ruled by Pallas
and Astraea, who descended from heaven singing in golden
chariots, and released the knights from their spell. Then, the scene having changed
from
Mars to a most royal palace and to the Golden Age, a masque was performed by countless
ladies and knights, laden with an inestimable treasure of jewels, the knights’ costumes
embroidered with gold and silver, two inches thick. The costumes were valued at 300
pounds sterling each. Afterwards a comedy was performed in the English language. The
festivity ended very quietly and in good order.
Bibliography
Orrell (1979b), 83