BL, Harley 481, fols. 2v-3, 10v and 11v
Three entries in the diary of Simonds d'Ewes. The first, dated 7 January 1622, records
the performance of Augurs on 6 January, and the king
's profession of love for
Buckingham
. The second and third entries, dated 5 May
and 14 May 1622, mention the second performance of the masque on 5 May.
[fol. 2v]
Monday was the producer of some nouelties by reason of a freind that came to visite
mee: whoe related unto mee the yesternights maske wich was at court with the great
richnes and rarenes of it, of wich I omitt to speake, only the marques Buck
ingham taking his owne wife out to dance,the king
cried out, becote George I loue thee dearely. this drew on other storyes, as that
but yesterday at chappell at white hall,the king
tarried a long time kalling him
[fol. 3]
to goe with him whilst hee stoode careleslie talking with another lord & that a good while
& yet as soone as hee came hee fell vpon his necke without anye moore words. A little
before alsoe the king
being sett at dinner sent hastilie for him being at tennis to come to him, vowing
not to eate a bitt till hee came: but after diuers messengers returned without doing
any thing, hee himselfe arose & called into the tennis court to him, come away, come
away
Buckingham
for the king
hath vowed not to eate a bitt till yow come: nor was this at all checked. soe that
wee concluded that of the two the king
waited moore vpon him. A third story to argue his greatnes was that the other day
euen this christmas,
the prince
the earle of rutland his father in law, his daughter the marquesses wife, the marquesses
mother&
him ....
himselfe plaiing at cards &the king
looking on hee openly professed: heere is a father & a sonne (meaning himselfe & the
pri
prince) a father & a daughter (meaning rutland and his daughter) & a sonne & a mother
meaning Buck: & his mother; the diuell on mee if I know wich I loue best.
[fol. 10v]
I was partaker of 3 good sermons this day; especiallye one from doctor day at st faiths,
and intruth the last I heard was but a peece of a sermon. this night (the moore the
pittye) was the maske at court.
[fol. 11v]
Hauing spent the foorenoone prettilye well: in the afternoone discoursing with some
about the marquesse &
the prince
wee concluded that
the prince
either in truth or in policye was
ex
exceeding kind to him. as at a maske this yeare they being together in slashd clothes
& the season somewhat cold, the marquesse wanting his cloake &
the prince
hauing his on, tooke it off & threw it on the marquesses backe & hee allsoe as boldlye
accepted it: it was reported alsoe that hee clasped downe the marquesses beauer with
his owne
handes
handes. sure as now howeuer hee made his gaine vpon him.
Bibliography
Bourcier (1974), 56-7, 76, 78