An extract from the office book of
Sir John Astley
, Master of the Revels, concerning the revels and plays performed at
Whitehall
during the Christmas
season of 1622/3. The extract is transcribed in volume 3 of Malone and Boswell's
The Plays and Poems of
William Shakespeare
. The office book is now lost.
[p. 147]
"Upon Twelfe night, the Masque being put off, the play called A Vowe and a Good One
was acted by the princes servants.
"Upon Sonday, being the 19th of January, the Princes Masque appointed for Twelfe
daye, was performed.
The speeches and songs composed by Mr. Ben. Johnson, and the scene made by Mr. Inigo
Jones
, which was three tymes changed during the tyme of the masque: where in the first
that was discovered was a prospective of
Whitehall
, with the Banqueting House;
the second was the Masquers in a cloud; and the third a forrest. The French embassador
was present.
"The
Antemasques of tumblers and jugglers.
"
The Prince
did leade the measures with the French
embassadors wife.
"The measures, braules, corrantos, and galliards being ended, the
Masquers with the ladyes did daunce 2 contrey daunces, namely The Soldiers Marche,
and Huff Hamukin, where the French Embassadors wife and Mademoysala St.
Luke did <daunce>.
Bibliography
Bawcutt (1996a), 139-40
Bentley (1941-68), 4.673-4