Loomie (1987), 98-100.
Rousham House, Oxfordshire , Finet's autograph notebooks,
fols. 97-9v.
This transcription is from 98-100. Appended to the bottom of this transcription is
another of the same
passage taken from Finet's autograph notebooks, Rousham House, Oxfordshire, fols.
97-9v. This contains all the deletions and interlinear
insertions that are silently corrected in Loomie's version.
Extract from the third volume of
John Finet
's autograph notebooks, beginning at Michaelmas 1628. The
notebook retains its original parchment cover; the pages are paper, with foliation
in
the top right hand corner of each leaf. The year also appears in the top margin of
each
page. In the following transcription, running titles appear in bold type; these
sometimes carry across two pages in the MS.
[fol. 97]
When a maske was to be represented by the Kyng and certain noblemen at the end of
Christmas 1630 I repayred
in the holydayes to bothe the French
ambassador ordinary, the
Marquis de Fontenay
, and to the Spanish extraordinary, don Carlos de Coloma
to fynd theyre dispositions to be present at it. This latter I found not any waye
curious, so much as to question after it, the other profest a jelosy that the Spanish
ambassador should, as he
sayd, be invited and he not, which playnly, he sayd, he could not but take as an absolut
declaration agaynst the king
his master, who, he knew, would not otherwyse resent it than if our king should send
ten thousand men into
France
to invade yt. This formality discovered by him to me, and by me to our lord
chamberlin, I was two or three dayes before the maske sent both to him and the other
ambassador wyth a message to both after one form (mutatis mutandis) to this purpose.
That his Majestye intending personally to represent a mask and apprehending that the
ambassador myght perhaps expect to be invited to yt, had for theyr better satisfaction
and to prevent question that myght per adventure grow from theyr incounter, sent me
to
let hym know (as I was incharged to do also to the other) that as his majesty had
ever had
[fol. 97v]
and would have an especial care to professe good corespondence and give content to
all ministers of princes his frends and allyes, so he hoped it would not be now taken
in
ill part, if he (the French) did not receyve an
invitation no more than the other (the Spanish) should an invitation to be present
at
his mask, which was an intertaynment intended only for the queens particular pleasure
and satisfaction. To
this the French ambassador ansered that
the Kyng would (he made no question) do him justice and mayntayne the right he had
to
precede the Spanish ambassador,
which right, he sayd, would not but suffer, if the Spanish, and not he, should be
invited and if neyther of them, as by my wordes, he perceyved myght be intended, he
could not conceive but that it was for the satisfaction of the Spanish, and would
be
with some wrong to the king
his master, as it myght seem a kind of questioning of his ryght. This he was bound
to mayntayne but would not proceed to take further exception, till he had given an
account of my message to the queen
, his masters sister, so desyred his
majesty to pardon him, if he did not by me returne then his absolute answer.
The Spanish ambassador shewed
him self less tender and more observant,
[fol. 98]
answering merrily that he was no dancer and too old to take pleasure in those
sports except as his majesty was to be an
actor in them; that, in former tymes, he knew the custome was for the Spanish and
French to be alternatively invited and present at
such shewes and solemnityes, and yf his
majesty should take such course now and hereafter, it should not be displeasing
to him; that besydes he had reason as he was an ambassador extraordinary to expect
an
invitation fyrst, before the other, an ordinary, but that he was so much a servant
to
the kyngs pleasure that he would obey yt in all as assuring himself that his majesty
would never do any other kyngs
minister an honour to the kyng his masters prejedice and with this assurance he would
be
present or absent as his Majesty should
command him.
From the Spanish ambassador I
went (as I had command) to the Venetian (this command proceeding from my intimation
to
his majesty how requisite it would be, in
some sort, to comply with the minister of that state, regarding theyr pretence to
the
same treatment
[fol. 98v]
in poynt of ceremony as is given to teste coronate) and acquaynted him wyth the
substance of what had passed wyth the French and
Spanish as before, adding that his majesty
supposed he would take the reasons of the other ambassadors absence from the maske,
and
why they were not invited to it, for good and apply them to himself with satisfaction.
He answered that he had good reason so to do and humbly thanked his majesty for so
remembering the honour of the state he
represented. The next day I performed the lyke office for the ambassador of the States,
going myself to him at his house in Chelsey and had from him the
lyke acknowledgement as I had from the Venetian.
These ambassadors thus setled, if I may say so
of the French, I had a place assigned for theyr
principall followers aloft over a box at the left hand of his majestyes seat. But
the
Spanish, understanding that they must mingle wyth the French, excused theyr appearance
wyth a modest apprehension and obiection
particularly of the ambassadour himself, that some difference
[fol. 99]
or dispute might perhaps fall out between them about theyr placing. In the interim
the count de la Porta (of Vicenza in the
state of Venice) one that lived in the house wyth the Venetian ambassador, being a
person
titular, was assigned his place (upon my motion) to my lord chamberlin and the earl
marshall on the forme of the lordes beneath our earles, when suddenly he himself came
to
me the same evening of the maske and demanded whether the ambassador of Venice
might not have permission to be present at the mask sconosciuto, or unknown. I
hereupon repayred to my lords chamberlin and marshall for resolution and received
their
allowance of it, as not inconvenient, though there was a caution and resolution taken
by
both theyr lordships before hand (not without the knowledge of his majesty) that the
French ambassador must not come thither under the lyke disguise because it
might be understood or conceived, perhaps, by the Spanish to have bene done by designe,
not wythout disadvantage to his pretensions, whereof his majesty had professed to
avoyd the determination. But the
Venetian (as I sayd) having allowance for it came to the
[fol. 99v]
maske and saw all, but seen of few, placed in a little low box (at the right hand
of the kyng) capable only of fyve or six persons and wherein he might syt covered,
as he
was all the maske, wythout discovery or notice.
[fol. 97]
The Kynges Maske and the french Ambassadors exceptions
1630
When a Maske was to be represented by the kyng and certayn noblemen at the end of
Christmas. 1630 I repayred
in the holydayes
to
both ⎡to the⎤
french Ambassador Ordinary the
Marquis du Fonteney, and to the Spanish Extraordinary
Don Carlos de Coloma
. ^ ⎡to sound theyr dispositions for theyr p presence at it⎤ this latter I
foun<d>not any
thing
⎡waye⎤ cu
r
rious so much as to question after it,
but
the
other profest a Ielosy that the
Am
Spanish Ambassador should
(as he sayd he had heard) be inuited and he
excluded, which he
playnly told me
⎡not which he
ch
playnly
playnly
sayd⎤ he
could not but take
was
^ ⎡for⎤ an absolut declaration agaynst the kyng
his master, who he knew (he sayd) would no otherwyse resent it th
e
an if
the
⎡our⎤ kyng should sen
t
d
an
ten thousand men into
France
to inuade yt. This formality
yt his
discouered by him to me and by me
to my lord Chamberlin I was,
some
twoo or three dayes
before the Maske, sent bothe to him and to the other ^ ⎡Ambassado
r⎤ wyth a ⎡
<..>
⎤ message ⎡to bothe after one forme⎤ (mutatis mutandis) to this purpose.
That his Majesty intending personally to represent a Mask and
apprehending that the Ambassadors myght perhaps
be
expect to
be inuited to it
he
, had for theyr ^ ⎡better⎤ satisfaction and to
preuent question that. myght peraduanture grow from theyr incounter, sent me to lett
him
(as I had
know (as I was in charged to doo also
the
to the
other) that ^ ⎡as⎤ his Majesty had euer had and
[fol. 97v]
insatisfaction of the french
Ambassador for his absence from ye King
es Mask would haue an especiall care to preserue good correspondence, and
giue consent to
the
⎡all⎤ ministers of princes his freendes and allyes, so he hoped
it would not be now taken in ill part if he (the french)
should
⎡did⎤ not receyue (no more then the other (the spanish) should) an inuitation
to be present at
the
⎡his⎤ Mask which was an
a present
intertaynment
intended only for the Queens
particuler pleasure and satisfaction. To this the french Ambassador answered that the kyng would (he made no
question) doo him Iustice and mayntayne the right he had to precede
d
the
Spanish Ambassador which right (he sayd) could not but
falter if the Spanish and not he should be inuited, and if neyther ^ ⎡of
them⎤ (as by my wordes he perceyued ⎡myght be⎤
was
intended) he could not conceyue But ^ ⎡
that he he not muche
itt was for satisfaction of the Spanish
and
and,⎤
it
would be wyth some wrong
to
to the kyng his
Master,
and
⎡as that which⎤ in great forme a kynde of
questioning of his right which he was bound to mayntayne but would
yet
⎡not⎤ proceed
not for the
to take farther exception ^ ⎡
<........>
⎤ tyll he had geuen an account of my message to the
Queen
his Masters syster; so
<.......>
desyred his Majesty to pardon him if he did not by me retourne
there his absolute answere
The Spa
The Spanishe Ambassador
showed him self
less te
less tender and more obseruant
[fol. 98]
answering merily that he was no dancer and too old to take pleasure in these
sportes, except as his Majesty was to be an actor in them. That in
former tyme it had bene (he knew) the custome here for the Spanishe and frenche
Ambassadors to be alternatiuely inuited and present at
sh
further showes and solemnityes, and yf his Majesty should take that
course now and hereafter it should not be displeasing to him ^ ⎡he expecting
to
to be
the
fyrst inuited as an Extraordinary⎤ that
bysydes he had reason, as he was an Ambassador
Extraordinary to expect an inuitation before the other an Ordinary,
but that he was so much a seruant to the kyngs
w
pleasure that he would obay
it in all
as
as assuring him self his Majesty would neuer doe
any other kyngs Minister an honor to the kyng his Masters preiudice and wyth this
assurance he would be present
and
or absent as his Majesty
should command him.
From the Spanish Ambassador I went (as I had command) to the
Venetian, (this command proceeding from my intimation to his Majesty how
requisite it would be (in some sort) to comply with the Minster of that
stat
.
e
to
regarding theyr pretence to the same treatment
[fol. 98v]
Ambassadors not at the kynges
maske in poynt of ceremony as is giuen
all
⎡to prooun towardes
⎤ teste coronate) and acquaynted him wyth the substance of what had passed with the
other Sre
French and Spanish Ambassador
^ ⎡as before⎤ adding that his Majesty supposed he (the
Venetian) would take
his as
the reasons of the ^ ⎡other
Ambassadors⎤ absence to the maske (and
th.. give. s
^ ⎡wer they .ep.e⎤ not inuited to yt) for good, and apply them to him self
for his satisfaction: he answered he had good reason so to doo, and humbly thanked
his
Majesty for remembring the honour of the State he represented. The
next day I performed the lyke office towards the Ambassador of the
States, repayring to him my self, to Chelsy and had from him the lyke acknoweldgement
as
I had from the Venetian.
These Ambassadors thus setled (
of the frenche myght
If I
may^ ⎡say⎤ so of the frenche) I had a
place assigned for theyr principale followers ^ ⎡aloft⎤ ouer
the
⎡a⎤ box at the left hand of his Majes tyes seat, but the
spanishe vnderstanding from me that they must mingle wyth the frenche, excused theyr
apparence wyth a modest apprehension and obiection (particulerly if the
Ambassador him self) that some difference
[fol. 99]
The Venetian ther sconosciuto or dispute might ^ ⎡perhaps.⎤ fall out
between them about theyr placing. In the Interim the Conte de la Porta (of vicenza
in
the seate of Venice one that lyued in house wyth the Venetian
Ambassador) being a person titular was assigned his place (upon my
motion to my lord Chamberlin and
the
my lord Marshall) on the forme quarter the Lords beneath
our Earles, when sodaynly he ⎡the Count⎤ him self came to me the same euening of
the mask and demanded whether the Ambassador
him self
of Venice might not haue permission to be present at the maske
sconosciuto, or Vnknown.! I herupon repayrd to my lord
Chamberlin and lord marshall for resolution and
receyued theyr allowaunce
of
⎡to⎤ it as not inconuenient; thoughe there were a caution and resolution taken
by both theyr lordships before hand (which wythout
knowledge of his Majesty) that the french Ambassador must not come thether under the lyke
disguyse, because it myght be understood or conceyued (perhaps) by the Spanishe
Ambassador to haue bene done of dessigne
<..>
not wytheout disaduantage to his pretentiens,
of ex. but
wherof his
Majesty auoyded the determination. But the Venetian (as I sayd)
hauing allowance for it came to the
[fol. 99v]
Feasts
for
made to the Spanish Ambassador
Maske and saw all forme of four, placed in a litle lowe box (at the right hand of
the
kyng) capable only of fyue or sixe persons and wherein he might syt couered (as he
was
all the Maske) without discouery or notice.
Bibliography
Loomie (1987),
98-100