Archivio Mediceo del Principato,
Firenze,
Filza 4195
Preparations for the masque, reported in a dispatch sent
home by the Tuscan agent
Amerigo Salvetti
, dayed 10 Jan. 1624 [i.e. 31 December 1624]
. It belongs to a parchment bound collection of letters written 4 May 1614-24
April 1626, and occupies four pages in a single folded sheet (extract on pp.
2-3).
Habbiamo hora tutta la Corte aí Londra uenutaui per fare queste lor feste di Natale,
et fuora che di dance et altri passatempi, non si parla In
Corte di negotij. Il Signor Principe corseí lunedií
passato allí Anello, con i due Ambasciatori di Francia. In sua compagnia
molto galantemente et alla franzese; et il giorno de tre Re Lí Altezza Sua faraí il
suo
balletto, et saraí il medesimo che si doueua fare lí anno passato, che
non si uolse fare, rispetto all ritrouarsi qui allí hora gli Ambasciatori di Spagna, ai quali toccaua quelí anno lí Inuito, et nella congiuntura chíerauamo
di
principio di trattato con francia non si uoleua disgustare il suo
Ambasciatore, si che fuí tralasciato di farlo.
Translation
The court is now in
London
, to spend their Christmas festivities. At court, they
do not talk about serious matters, but dances and other diversions. Last Monday
the Prince
ran at the ring, very elegantly and in the French fashion, with the two French
ambassadors. On Twelfth Night, his Highness will give his masque. It will be the same
one which was to have been performed last year, and which was not staged because the
two
Spanish Ambassadors were present and it was their turn that year to be invited. We
were
at that delicate point when the treaty with
France
was at its beginning, and they did not wish to displease the French ambassador, and
because of this they
omitted to perform it.
Bibliography
Orrell (1979a),
10