Archivio Mediceo del Principato,
Firenze,
Filza 4192
The dispatch was written by
Francesco Quaratesi
and is dated 21 [i.e. 11] Jan. 1616. It occupies
two pages in a folded sheet. Our passage is on page 1.
Sabato notte si fece in Corte un bellissimo balletto, doue si trouorno li Amb
asciatori di Francia, Venezia, et Sauoia. Ma p er che
Sua M aestaí non uolse fare inuitare nessuno a cena, come
lí anno passato, percioí il Sig
ignore Conte, et Sig
nora Contessa di Arondell mi fauorirono di conuitarmi quella sera,
mostrando tutti due desiderio grandissimo di seruire a Sua
Altezza et di tenere memoria de i fauori riceuuti.
...
Sua Maestaí uenne aí uedere il balletto, con lí aiuto
del Duca di Lenox, et Conte di Uorcester; che lo sosteneuano,
conoscendosi, ancora che si sforzasse dissimularlo, esser non poco trauagliato dal
dolore della gamba, quale non uuole con tutto questo che sia gotta [Ö]
Translation
On Saturday night a wonderful masque was performed. The ambassadors of
France
, Venice, and Savoy were present. As His Majesty did not want to invite anybody to
dinner as he did last year, the Earl and Countess of Arundel favoured me with an
invitation that night. They showed the greatest wish to serve your Highness and remember
your favours.
...
His Majesty came to see the masque. He was
helped by the Duke of Lennox
and the
Earl of Worcester
, who held him up. Although he tried to conceal it, it was evident that he was
suffering from a pain in his leg, which was probably due to the gout.
Bibliography
Orrell (1977-78), 174