National Archives, SP 14/90/79, fols. 151v-152
Letter,
John Chamberlain
to
Sir Dudley Carleton
, 22 February 1617,
London
. One folded sheet, two leaves: the letter occupies pp. 1-3; p. 4 subscription.
[fol. 151v]
The french ambassador and his companie were feasted at whitehall on sonday, and yesterday
at Tiballs, and last night had a great supper at the Lord mayors, (who poore man hath ben at deaths doore these sixe or seuen weekes.) the
Duke of Lennox feasted him before the king
, and this night he is solemnly inuited by the Lord
Haye to the wardrobe to a supper and a maske, where the
[fol. 152]
countesse of Bedford is to be Lady and mistris of the feast, as she is of the managing
of his loue to the earle of Northumberlands younger daughter, with whom he is far ingaged in affection, and findes such acceptance both at her handes
and her mothers, that yt is thought yt will proue a match. but (pour retourne<r>a nos moutons), this feasting begins to grow to an excessiue rate the very prouision
of cates for this supper arising to more then 600li wherin we are too apish to imitate the french monkeys in such monstrous waste: for
supping with mr Controller on thursday, (who by the way desires very much you wold excuse his
long silence with promise of amends) he told me that the Lord
Hay at his last beeing in Fraunce among many other great bankets ^ ⎡made him⎤ had
three wherof the least cost 1000li sterling, the rest 1300li and 1500li. but if there fall out any thing at these bankets worth the knowlege you shall haue
yt by my next. Sir Edward Sackeuile
Sir Harry Rich Si
r
George Goring
and Sir
Thomas Badger
are the principall persons in his maske. the Quenes french musicians (wherof she hath
more then a goode many) made her a kind of maske or antique at
Somerset house on wensday night last.
Bibliography
CSPD 1611-18, 436
H&S, 10.566
Spencer & Wells (1967), 209
Chamberlain (1939), 2.55-6
Bentley (1941-68), 4.650