British Library, MS Cotton
Julius C. iii, fols. 301-301v
Letter,
John Pory
to
Robert Cotton
, dated 7 Jan. 1606, in a folio-sized volume of 328 original letters
to Cotton. One folded sheet, two leaves; pp. 1-3, letter; p. 4 subscription. There
is
some damage to the bottom of fol. 301; the transcription of this portion of the MS
is
supplied from Goodman (1839), 2.126.
[fol. 301]
Sir Euer since your departure I haue bene very vnfitt to learn any thing; because my
hearing (which Aristotle calles Sensus eruditionis) hath by an accidental could bene almost taken
from me; which makes me very vnsociable, and to keep within dores. Yet not in such a retired fashion,[but]but that I haue seen both the mask
on Sunday and the barriers on Munday night. The bridegroom carried himself as grauely
and gracefully, as if he were of his fathers age. He had greater guiftes giuen him
then my lord of Mountgomery had: his plate being valued at 3000.li, and his jewels, mony, and other guiftes at 1000.li more. But to returne to the maske; Both Inigo,Ben, and the actors men and weomen
did their partes with great commendation. The conceit or soule of the mask was Hymen bringing in a bride and Iuno
pronubas priest a bridegroome, proclaiming that those two should be sacrificed to
Nuptial vnion, and here the poet made an apostrophe to the vnion of the kingdomes.
But before the sacrifice could be perfomed Ben Ionson turned the globe of the earth
standing behind the altar, and within the Concaue sate the 8. men-maskers representing
the 4. humours and the fower affections whi<ch>leapt forth to disturb the sacrifice to vnion: but amidst their fury reason that sate
aboue them all crowned with<burning tapers, came down and silenced
them. These eight>
[fol. 301v]
together with Reason their moderatresse mounted aboue their heades, sate somewhat like the ladies
in the Scallop shell the last year. Aboue the globe of erth houered a midle region
of cloudes in the center wherof stood a grand consert of musicians, and vpon the Cantons or hornes sate the ladies, 4. at one corner, and 4. at another, who
lighted
⎡descended⎤ upon the stage, not after the stale downright perpendicular fashion,
like a bucket into a well; but came gently sloping down. These eight, after the sacrifice
was ended, represented the 8. nuptial powers of Iuno pronuba who came downe to confirme
the Vnion. The men were clad in Crimzon, and the weomen in white. They had euery one
a white plume of the richest Herons fethers, and were so rich in jewels vpon their heades as was most glorious. I think they hired and borrowed all the principal jewels and ropes of perle both in court and citty. The Spanish ambassador seemed but poore to the meanest of them. They danced
all variety of dances, both seuerally and promiscuè and then the weomen took in men, as namely
the Prince
(who danced with as great perfection and as setled a Majesty as could be deuised) the Spanish ambassador, the Archidukes ambassador, the duke,
etct. And the men gleaned out the
Queen
, the bride, and the greatest of the ladies. The second night the Barriers were as
well performed by 15. against 15. the Duke of Lenox being chieftain on the one side,
and my lord of Sussex
on the other.
Bibliography
Goodman (1839), 2.124-7
H&S, 10.465-7; 7.xviii
Orgel & Strong, 1.105-6
Nichols (1828), 2.33-4
M. Sullivan (1913), 199