: I ■ 
 
 ^■M. 
 
 
 
 «$ ■ I 
 
 
 :>/^H? 
 
 
.J<±U 
 
 Book 
 
LANEHAMS 
 
 LETTER DESCRIBING 
 
 THE 
 
 jiWagmfirrnt IJagrants 
 
 PRESENTED BEFORE 
 
 QUEEN ELIZABETH, 
 
 AT 
 
 KENILWORTH CASTLE 
 
 in 1575; 
 
 REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO IN THE ROMANCE 
 OF 
 
 KENILWORTH ; 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTORY PREFACE, GLOSSARIAL 
 AND EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
 
 " A very diverting Tract, written by as great a Coxcomb as ever 
 blotted paper." Keniluorth. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR J. H, BURN, MAIDEN- LANE, 
 
 COVENTGARDEN. 
 
 1821. 
 
• 'TV L% 
 
 LONDON . 
 PRINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, DORSET-STREF.T, 
 SALISBURY-SQUARE. 
 
 y>}£ 
 
KENILWORTH. 
 
 UNTO MY GOOD FRIEND, 
 MASTER HUMPHREY MARTIN, Mercer. 
 
 FTER my hearty commenda- 
 tions, I commend me heart- 
 ily to you. Understand ye, 
 that since, through God and 
 good friends, I am here placed 
 at Court, as you know, in a 
 worshipful room, whereby I am not only acquaint- 
 ed with the most, and well known to the best, and 
 every officer glad of my company ; but also at pre- 
 sent have power, while the Council sits not, to go 
 and to see things sight-worthy ; and to be pre- 
 sent at any show or spectacle, any where this 
 progress represented unto her Highness: of 
 
 M 
 
2 KENILWORTH. 
 
 part of which sports, having taken some notes 
 and observations — for I cannot be idle at 
 any rate in the world — as well to put from me 
 suspicion of sluggishness, as to take from you 
 any doubt of my forgetfulness of your friend- 
 ship ; I have thought it meet to impart them 
 unto you, as frankly, as friendly, and as fully, 
 as I can. You know well, the Black Prince 
 was never stained with disloyalty of ingratitude 
 towards any; I dare be his warrant he will 
 not begin with you, that hath at his hand so 
 deeply deserved. But herein, the better for 
 conceiving of my mind, and instruction of 
 you^s, you must give me leave a little, as well 
 to preface my matter, as to discourse somewhat 
 of Killingworth Castle, a territory of the right 
 honourable, my singular good Lord, my Lord 
 the Earl of Leicester ; of whose incomparable 
 cheer and entertainment there unto her Majesty, 
 I will show you a part, here, that could not see 
 all ; nor, had I seen all, could well report the 
 half. Where things for the persons, place, 
 time, cost, devices, strangeness and abundance, 
 of all that ever I saw (and yet have I been, what 
 
KEN1L WORTH. 3 
 
 under my Master Bomsted, and what on my 
 own affairs, while I occupied merchandise, both 
 in France and Flanders long and many a day,) I 
 saw none any where so memorable, I tell you plain. 
 The Castle hath the name of Killingworth, but 
 of truth, grounded upon faithful story, Kenil- 
 worth. It stands in Warwickshire, seventy-four 
 miles north-west from London, and as it were 
 in the centre of England ; four miles somewhat 
 south from Coventry, a proper City ; and a like 
 distance from Warwick, a fair County-town on 
 the north. Of air sweet and wholesome, raised 
 on an easily mounted hill, it is set evenly coasted 
 with the front strait to the east, and hath 
 the tenants and town about it, that pleasantly 
 shift from dale to hill sundry where, with sweet 
 springs bursting forth ; and is so plentifully well 
 sorted on every side into arable, mead, pasture, 
 wood, water, and good air, as it appears to 
 have need of nothing that may pertain to living 
 or pleasure. To advantage, it hath, hard on the 
 west, still nourished with many lively springs, 
 a goodly pool of rare beauty, breadth, length, 
 depth, and store of all kinds of fresh-water 
 b 2 
 
4 KEN1LW0RTH. 
 
 fish, delicate, great, and fat ; and also of wild 
 fowl beside. By a rare situation and natural 
 agreement, this pool seems conjoined to the 
 Castle, that on the west lays the head, as it 
 were, upon the Castle's bosom, embraceth it on 
 either side, south and north, with both the arms, 
 and settles itself as in a reach a flight-shoot 
 broad, stretching forth body and legs a mile 
 or two westward: between a fair park on the 
 one side, which by the brays is linked to the 
 Castle on the south, sprinkled at the entrance 
 with a few conies, that for colour and smallness 
 of number seem to be suffered more for plea- 
 sure than commodity : And on the other side, 
 north and west, a goodly chase ; vast, wide, 
 large, and full of red-deer and other stately 
 game for hunting : Beautified with many delec- 
 table, fresh, and shaded bowers, arbours, seats, 
 and walks, that with great art, cost, and diligence 
 were very pleasantly appointed : Which also the 
 natural grace, by the tall and fresh fragrant trees 
 and soil, did so far forth commend, as Diana 
 herself might have deigned there well enough to 
 range for her pastime. 
 
KENILWORTH. 5 
 
 The left arm of this pool, northward, hath my 
 Lcrd adorned with a beautiful bracelet of a fair 
 timbered bridge, that is of fourteen feet wide and 
 six hundred feet long ; railed on both sides, 
 strongly planked for passage, reaching from the 
 ch ise to the Castle. That thus in the midst it hath 
 clear prospect over these pleasures on the back 
 pa"t ; and forward over all the town, and much 
 of ;-,he country beside. 
 
 juere, too, is a special commodity at hand of 
 sundry quarries of large building stone, the 
 goodness whereof may the more easily be judged, 
 in the building and ancient stateliness of the 
 Castle, that (as by the name and histories well may 
 be gathered) was first reared by Kenulph, and his 
 young son Kenelm, born both indeed within 
 the realm here, but yet of the race of Saxons; 
 and reigned Kings of Marchland from the year 
 of our Lord 798, for 23 years together, above 
 770 years ago; although the Castle hath one 
 ancient, strong, and large keep, that is called 
 Caesar's Tower, rather, as I have good cause to 
 think, for that it is square and high, formed 
 after the manner of Caesar's Forts, than that ever 
 
KKN1LWOKTH. 
 
 he built it. Nay, now that I am a little in, 
 Master Martin, I will tell you all. 
 
 This Marchland, that stones c&\\ Mercia, is 
 numbered in their books the fourth of the seven 
 kingdoms that the Saxons had whilom here 
 divided among them in the realm. It began m 
 Anno Dom. 616, one hundred and thirty-ni'ip 
 years after Horsa and Hengist; continued m 
 the race of 17 kings, 249 years together, avid 
 ended in Anno 875, raised from the rest (says 
 the book) at first by Penda's presumption, o'/pr. 
 thrown at last by Buthred's hascardy, and 
 so fell to the kingdom of the West-Saxons. 
 Marchland had in it London, Middlesex, herein 
 a bishopric: had more of shires, Gloucester, 
 Worcester, and Warwick, and herein a bishop- 
 ric ; Chester (that now we call Cheshire), Derby, 
 and Stafford, whereunto one bkhop that had 
 also part of Warwick and Shrewsbury, and his 
 See at Coventry that was then aforetime at Lich- 
 field : Hereto Hereford, wherein a bishopric 
 that had more to jurisdiction, half Shrewsbury, 
 part of Warwick and also of Gloucester, and the 
 See at Hereford : Also had Oxford, Bucking- 
 
KENILWORTH. 7 
 
 ham, Hertford, Huntingdon, and half of Bed- 
 ford ; and to these Northampton, part of Lei- 
 cester, and also Lincoln, whereunto a bishop; 
 whose See at Lincoln City that sometime before 
 was at Dorchester : hereto the rest of Leicester and 
 in Nottingham, that of old had a special bishop, 
 whose See was at Leicester, but afterwards put 
 to the charge of the Archbishop of York. 
 
 Now touching the name, that of old records I 
 understand, and of ancient writers I find, is 
 called Kenilworth ; since most of the Worths 
 in England stand nigh unto like lakes, and are 
 either small islands, such one as the seat of this 
 Castle hath been and easily may be, or is land- 
 ground by pool or river, whereon willows, alders, 
 or such like do grow : Which Althamerus writes 
 precisely that the Germans call 313[l£?lJ I joining 
 these two together with the nighness also of 
 the words and sybred of the tongues. I am the 
 bolder to pronounce, that as our English Worth, 
 with the rest of our ancient language, was left 
 us from the Germans, even so that their Werd 
 and our Worth is all one thing in signification, 
 
8 KE NIL WORTH. 
 
 common to us both even at this day. I take the 
 case so clear, that I say not so much as I might 
 Thus proface ye with the preface ; and now to 
 the matter. 
 
 On Saturday the ninth of July, at long 
 Ichington, a town and lordship of my Lord's, 
 within seven miles of Killingworth, his Honor 
 made her Majesty great cheer at dinner, and 
 pleasant pastime in hunting by the way after, 
 that it was eight o'clock in the evening ere her 
 Highness came to Killingworth; where in the 
 park, about a flight-shoot from the brays and 
 first gate of the Castle, one of the ten Sibyls, that 
 we read were all Fatidicce and Theobulce, as 
 parties and privy to the Gods'* gracious good 
 wills, comely clad in a pall of white silk, 
 pronounced a proper poesy in English rhyme 
 and metre : of effect, how great gladness her 
 goodness' presence* brought into every stead 
 where it pleased her to come, and especially 
 now into that place that had so long longed after 
 
 * The other of the early copies reads "gracious 
 presence." 
 
KENIL WORTH. 9 
 
 the same ; ending with prophecy certain of 
 much and long prosperity, health, and felicity. 
 This her Majesty benignly accepting, passed 
 forth unto the next gate of the brays, which for 
 the length, largeness and use, ( as well it may so 
 serve) they call now the tilt-yard, where a porter, 
 tall of person, big of limb, and stern of counte- 
 nance, wrapped also all in silk, with a club and 
 keys of quantity according, had a rough speech 
 full of passions, in metre aptly made to the 
 purpose : Whereby ( as her Highness was 
 come within his ward,) he burst out in a great 
 pang of impatience to see such uncouth trudging 
 to and fro, such riding in and out, with such din 
 and noise of talk within the charge of his office, 
 whereof he never saw the like, nor had any 
 warning afore, nor yet could make to himself 
 any cause of the matter. At last, upon better 
 view and avisement, as he pressed to come nearer, 
 confessing anon that he found himself pierced at 
 the presence of a personage so evidently express- 
 ing an heroical sovereignty over all the whole 
 estates, and by degrees there beside, calmed his as- 
 tonishment, proclaims open gates and free passage 
 
10 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 to all, yields up his club, his keys, his office and 
 all, and on his knees humbly prays pardon of his 
 ignorance and impatience ; which her Highness 
 graciously granting, he caused his trumpeters that 
 stood upon the wall of the gate there, to sound 
 up a tune of welcome; which, beside the noble 
 noise, was so much the more pleasant to behold, 
 because these trumpeters, being six in number, 
 were every one eight feet high, in due proportion 
 of person beside, all in long garments of silk 
 suitable, each with his silvery trumpet of five 
 feet long, formed taper- wise, and straight from 
 the upper part unto the lower end, where the 
 diameter was 16 inches over ; and yet so tempered 
 by art, that being very easy to the blast, they 
 cast forth no greater noise, nor a more unpleasant 
 sound for time and tune, than any other common 
 trumpet, be it never so artificially formed. These 
 harmonious blasters, from the foreside of the gate, 
 at her Highness' entrance, where they began: 
 walking upon the walls unto the inner [court], had 
 this music maintained from them very delectably, 
 while her Highness all along this tilt-yard rode 
 unto the inner gate, next the base-court of the 
 
KEN1LW0RTH. 1 1 
 
 Castle^ where the Lady of the Lake, (famous in 
 King Arthur's book) with two nymphs waiting 
 upon her, arrayed all in silks, awaited her High- 
 ness's coming: From the midst of the pool, where 
 upon a movable island, bright blazing with torches, 
 she floated to land, and met her Majesty with a 
 well-penned metre and matter after this sort: 
 [viz.] First, of the ancestry of the Castle, who had 
 been owners of the same e'en till this day, most 
 always in the hands of the Earls of Leicester ; 
 how she had kept this Lake since King Arthur's 
 days ; and now, understanding of her Highness's 
 hither coming, thought it both her office and 
 duty in humble wise to discover her and her 
 estate; offering up the same, her lake, and 
 power therein, with promise of repair unto 
 the Court. It pleased her Highness to thank 
 this lady, and to add withall : " We had 
 thought indeed the Lake had been ours, and 
 do you call it yours now ? Well, we will herein 
 commune more with you hereafter." 
 
 This pageant was closed up with a delectable 
 harmony of hautboys, shalms, cornets, and such 
 other loud music, that held on while her Majesty 
 
12 KENILWORTH. 
 
 pleasantly so passed from thence toward the 
 Castle-gate ; whereunto, from the base-court, over 
 a dry valley cast into a good form, there was 
 framed a fair bridge of twenty feet wide, and se- 
 venty feet long, gravelled for treading, railed on 
 either part with seven posts on a side, that stood 
 twelve feet asunder, thickened between with 
 well-proportioned turned pillars. 
 
 Upon the first pair of posts were set two 
 comely square wire cages, three feet long, and 
 two feet wide ; and high in them live bitterns, 
 curlews, shovelers, hernshaws, godwits, and 
 such like dainty birds, of the presents of Sylva- 
 nus, the God of fowl. On the second pair two 
 great silvered bowls, featly apted to the pur- 
 pose, filled with apples, pears, cherries, filberds, 
 walnuts, fresh upon their branches, and with 
 oranges, pomegranates, lemons, and pippins, all 
 for the gifts of Pomona, Goddess of fruits. The 
 third pair of posts, in two such silvered bowls, 
 had (all in ears green and old) wheat, barley, 
 oats, beans, and pease, as the gifts of Ceres. The 
 fourth post, on the left hand, in a like silvered 
 bowl, had grapes in clusters, white and red, 
 
KENIL WORTH. 13 
 
 opacified with their vine leaves: The match 
 post against it had a pair of great white silver 
 livery pots for wine : and before them two glasses 
 of good capacity, filled full ; the one with white 
 wine, the other with claret, so fresh of co- 
 lour, and of look so lovely, smiling to the eye 
 of many, that by my faith methought, by their 
 leering, they could have found in their hearts, (as 
 the evening was hot,) to have kissed them sweetly 
 and thought it no sin : And these were the 
 potencial presents of Bacchus, the God of wine. 
 The fifth pair had each a fair large tray, strewed 
 with fresh grass * ; and in them conger, burt, 
 mullet, fresh herrings, oysters, salmon, crevis, 
 and such like, from Neptunus, God of the sea. 
 On the sixth pair of posts were set two ragged 
 staves of silver, as my Lord gives them in his 
 arms, beautifully glittering of armour, there- 
 upon depending bows, arrows, spears, shield, 
 head-piece, gorget, corslets, swords, targets, and 
 such like, for Mars' gifts, the God of war. And 
 
 * In the other early copy "strewed a little with fresh 
 grass. " 
 
14) KENILWORTH. 
 
 the aptlier (methought) was it that those ragged 
 staves supported these martial presents, as well 
 because these staves by their tines seem naturally 
 meet for the bearing of armour, as also that 
 they chiefly in this place might take upon them 
 the principal protection of her Highness's person, 
 that so benignly pleased her to take harbour. 
 On the seventh posts, the last and next to the 
 Castle, were there pight two fair bay branches of 
 four feet high, adorned on all sides with lutes, 
 viols, shalms, cornets, flutes, recorders, and harps, 
 as the presents of Phoebus, the God of music, for 
 rejoicing the mind, and also of physic, for health 
 to the body. 
 
 Over the Castle-gate was there fastened a table 
 beautifully garnished above with her Highnesses 
 arms, and featly with ivy wreaths bordered about, 
 of ten feet square : the ground black, whereupon, 
 in large white capital Roman fairly written, was 
 a poem mentioning these Gods and their gifts, 
 thus presented unto her Highness : which, be- 
 cause it remained unremoved, at leisure and plea- 
 sure I took it out, as followeth : — 
 
KENILWORTH. 15 
 
 AD MAJESTATEM REGIAM. 
 
 Jupiter hue certos cernens te tendere gressus, 
 Caelicolas Princeps actutum convocat Omnes : 
 Obsequium praestare jubet Tibi quenque benignum. 
 Unde suas Sylvanus Aves, Pomonaque fructus, 
 Alma Ceres fruges, hilarantia vina Liseus, 
 Neptunus pisces, tela et tutantia Mavors, 
 Suave Melos Phoebus, solidamq; longamq; salutem. 
 Dii Tibi Regina hsec (cum sis Dignissima) praebent : 
 Hoc Tibi, cum Domino, dedit se et werda Kenelmi. 
 
 All the letters that mention her Majesty, which 
 are here put in capitals, for reverence and honour, 
 were there made in gold. 
 
 But the night well spent, for that these verses 
 by torch-light could easily be read; a poet, there- 
 fore, in a long ceruleous garment, with side [i. e. 
 long] and wide sleeves, Venetianrwise drawn up 
 to his elbow, bis doublet sleeves under that, of 
 crimson, nothing but silk ; a bay garland on his 
 head, and a scroll in his hand, making first an 
 humble obeisance at her Highness's coming, and 
 pointing unto every present as he spake, the same 
 were pronounced. Thus viewing the gifts, as 
 
]6 KENILWOETW. 
 
 she passed, and how the posts might agree with 
 the speech of the poet : At the end of the bridge 
 and entry of the gate, was her Highness received 
 with a fresh delicate harmony of flutes, in per- 
 formance of Phoebus' presents. 
 
 So passing into the inner court, her Majesty 
 (that never rides but alone) there, set down 
 from her palfrey, was conveyed up to her cham- 
 ber : When after did follow so great a peal of 
 guns, and such lightening by fire-work a long 
 space together, as though Jupiter would have 
 shown himself to be no further behind with his 
 welcome than the rest of his Gods : and that 
 he would have all the country to know, for in- 
 deed the noise and flame were heard and seen 
 twenty miles off. Thus much, Master Martin, 
 (that I remember me) for the first day's Men 
 venu. Be you not weary, for I am scant in the 
 midst of my matter. 
 
 On Sunday, the forenoon occupied as for 
 the Sabbath-day, in quiet and vacation from 
 work, and in divine service and preaching at the 
 parish church : the afternoon in excellent music 
 of sundry sweet instruments, and in dancing of 
 
KENILWORTH. 17 
 
 Lords and Ladies, and other worshipful degrees, 
 uttered with such lively agility, and commend- 
 able grace, as whether it might be more strange 
 to the eye, or pleasant to the mind, for my part 
 indeed I could not discern ; but it was exceed- 
 ingly well, methought, in both. 
 
 At night late, as though Jupiter the last night 
 had forgot for business, or forborne for courtesy 
 and quiet, part of his welcome unto her High- 
 ness appointed, now entering at the first into his 
 purpose moderately (as mortals do) with a warn- 
 ing piece or two, proceeding on with increase, 
 till at last the Altitonant [i. e. High Thunderer,] 
 displays me his main power; with blaze of burn- 
 ing darts flying to and fro, learns of stars 
 coruscant, streams and hail of fiery sparks, light- 
 nings of wildfire on water and land, flight and 
 shooting of thunderbolts, all with such conti- 
 nuance, terror and vehemency, that the hea- 
 vens thundered, the waters surged, the earth 
 shook, and in such sort surely, as had we not 
 been assured that the fulminant Deity was all 
 hot in amity, and could not otherwise testify his 
 welcome unto her Highness, it would have 
 c 
 
18 KENILW01ITIT. 
 
 made me for my part, as hardy as I am, very 
 vengeably afraid. This ado lasted until the 
 midnight was passed, that it seemed well with 
 me soon after, when I found me in my cabin. 
 And this for the second day. 
 
 Monday was hot, and therefore her Highness 
 kept in till five o'clock in the evening; what 
 time it pleased her to ride forth into the chase 
 to hunt the hart of force : which found anon, and 
 after sore chased, and chafed by the hot pursuit 
 of the hounds, was fain of fine force, at last to 
 take soil. There to behold the swift fleeting of 
 the deer afore with the stately carriage of his 
 head in his swimming, spread (for the quantity) 
 like the sail of a ship ; the hounds harrowing 
 after as they had been a number of skiffs to 
 the spoil of a Carvell : the one no less eager in 
 purchase of his prey, than was the other earnest 
 in safeguard of his life : so as the yearning of the 
 hounds in continuance of their cry, the swift- 
 ness of the deer, the running of footmen, the 
 galloping of horses, the blasting of horns, 
 the hallooing and shouting of the huntsmen, 
 with the excellent echoes between whites from 
 
KENILWORTH. 19 
 
 the woods and waters in valleys resounding ; 
 moved pastime delectable in so high a degree 
 as for any person to take pleasure by most 
 senses at once; in mine opinion, there can be 
 none in any way comparable to this: and 
 'specially in this place, that of nature is formed 
 so fit for the purpose ; in faith, Master Martin, 
 if ye could with a wish, I would you had been 
 at it : Well, the hart was killed, a goodly deer, 
 but so ceased not the game yet. 
 
 For about nine o'clock, at the hither part of the 
 chase, where torch light attended, out of the 
 woods, in her Majesty's return, there came 
 roughly forth Hombre Salvagio [i. e. a Savage 
 Man,] with an oaken plant plucked up by the 
 roots in his hand, himself foregrown all in moss 
 and ivy ; who, for personage, gesture, and 
 utterance beside, countenanced the matter to 
 very good liking ; and had speech to this effect : 
 — That continuing so long in these wild wastes, 
 wherein oft had he fared both far and near, yet 
 happed he never to see so glorious an assembly 
 before : and now cast into great grief of mind, for 
 that neither by himself could he guess, nor knew 
 c 2 
 
20 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 where else to be taught, what they should be, or 
 who bare estate. Reports, some had he heard of 
 many strange things, but broiled thereby so much 
 the more in desire of knowledge. Thus, in great 
 pangs, bethought he, and called he upon all 
 his familiars and companions, the fawns, the 
 satyrs, the nymphs, the dryades, and the hama- 
 dryades; but none making answer, whereby his 
 care the more increasing, in utter grief and 
 extreme refuge, called he aloud at last after his 
 old friend Echo, that he wist would hide no- 
 thing from him, but tell him all, if she were 
 here. "Here" (quoth Echo.) " Here, Echo, 
 and art thou there ?" (says he) "Ah ! how much 
 hast thou relieved my careful spirits with thy 
 courtesy onward. Ay me, good Echo, here 
 is a marvellous presence of dignity ; what are 
 they, I pray thee, who is Sovereign, tell me, I 
 beseech thee, or else how might I know ?" " I 
 know," (quoth she.) " Knowest thou ?" says 
 he ; " marry, that is exceedingly well : Why then, 
 I desire thee, heartily show me what majesty, 
 ^for no mean degree is it) have we here : a 
 King, or a Queen ?" "A Queen J" (quoth Echo.) 
 
KENILWOltTH. 21 
 
 "A Queen P says he, pausing, and wisely viewing 
 awhile, " now full certainly seems thy tale to 
 be true." And proceeding by this manner of 
 dialogue, with an earnest beholding her High- 
 ness awhile, recounts he, first, how justly that 
 former reports agree with his present sight, 
 touching the beautiful lineaments of counte- 
 nance, the comely proportion of body, the 
 princely grace of presence, the gracious gifts of 
 nature, with the rare and singular qualities of 
 both body and mind in her Majesty conjoined, 
 and so apparent at eye. Then shortly rehears- 
 ing Saturday's acts, of SibyVs salutation ; of the 
 Porter's proposition ; of his Trumpeters music ; 
 of the Lake Lady's oration, and of the seven 
 Gods' seven presents, he reported the incredible 
 joy that all estates in the land have always of 
 her Highness wheresoever she came; ending 
 with presage and prayer of perpetual felicity, and 
 with humble subjection of him and his, and 
 all that they may do. After this sort the 
 matter went, with little difference, I guess, sa- 
 ving only in this point, that the thing which 
 I here report in unpolished prose, was there 
 
%£ KENILWORTH. 
 
 pronounced in good metre and matter, very 
 well endited in rhyme. Echo finely framed, 
 most aptly, by answers thus to utter all. And 
 I shall tell you, Master Martin, by the mass, 
 of a mad adventure — As this Savage, for 
 the more submission, broke his tree asunder, 
 and cast the top from him, it had almost light 
 upon her Highness's horse's head ; whereat 
 he startled, and the gentleman much dis- 
 mayed. See the benignity of the prince : as 
 the footmen looked well to the horse, and he 
 
 of generosity soon calmed of himself "No 
 
 hurt, No hurt," quoth her Highness. Which 
 words, I promise you, we were all glad to hear, 
 and took them to be the best part of the play. 
 
 Tuesday, pleasant passing of the time with 
 music and dancing ; saving that toward night 
 it liked her Majesty to walk afoot into the chase 
 over the bridge, where it pleased her to stand : 
 while upon the pool, out of a barge, finely 
 appointed for the purpose, to hear sundry kinds 
 of very delectable music ; thus recreated, and 
 after some walk, her Highness returned. 
 
 Wednesday, Her Majesty rode into the chase 
 
KENILWORTH. 23 
 
 a hunting again of the hart of force. The 
 deer, after his property, for refuge took the soil ; 
 but so mastered by hot pursuit on all parts, 
 that he was taken quick in the pool : The 
 watermen held him up hard by the head, while 
 at her Highnesses commandment, he lost his ears 
 for a ransom, and so had pardon for life. 
 
 Thursday, the fourteenth of this July, and 
 the sixth day of her Majesty's coming, a great 
 sort of Ban-dogs were there tied in the outer 
 court, and thirteen bears in the inner. Whoso- 
 ever made the pannel, there were enough for a 
 quest, and one for challenge an need were. A 
 wight of great wisdom and gravity seemed their 
 foreman to be, had it come to a jury ; but it fell 
 out that they were caused to appear there upon 
 no such matter, but only to answer to an 
 ancient quarrel between them and the Ban- 
 dogs, in a cause of controversy that had long 
 depended, been obstinately full often debated, 
 with sharp and biting arguments on both 
 sides, and could never be decided : grown 
 now to so marvellous a malice, that with 
 spiteful upbraidings and uncharitable chaffings, 
 
24 XENIL WORTH. 
 
 always they fret, as any where the one can 
 hear, see, or smell the other: and indeed at 
 utter deadly feud. Many a maimed member, 
 (God wot) bloody face, and a torn coat, hath the 
 quarrel cost between them ; so far likely the less 
 yet now to be appeased, as there wants not 
 partakers to back them on both sides. 
 
 Well, Sir, the bears were brought forth into 
 the court, the dogs set to them to argue the 
 points even face to face; they had learned 
 counsel also on both parts: what, may they be 
 counted partial that are retainers but to a side ? 
 I ween no. Very fierce both the one and the 
 other, and eager in argument: if the dog in 
 pleading should pluck the bear by the throat, 
 the bear with traverse would claw him again by 
 the scalp : Confess an he list, but avoid he could 
 not, that was bound to the bar ; and his counsel 
 told him that it could be to him no policy in plead- 
 ing. Therefore thus with Tending and proving, 
 with plucking and tugging, scratching and biting, 
 by plain tooth and nail on one side and the other, 
 such expense of blood and leather was there 
 between them, as a month's licking, I ween, will 
 
KENILWORTH. 25 
 
 not recover ; and yet remain as far out as ever 
 they were. 
 
 It was a sport very pleasant of these beasts ; 
 to see the bear with his pink eyes leering after 
 his enemies approach, the nimbleness and wait 
 of the dog to take his advantage, and the force 
 and experience of the bear again to avoid the 
 assault: If he was bitten in one place, how he 
 would pinch in another to get free ; that if he 
 was taken once, then what shift, with biting, with 
 clawing, with roaring, tossing and tumbling, he 
 would work to wind himself from them ; and when 
 he was loose, to shake his ears twice or thrice 
 with the blood and the slaver about his physiog- 
 nomy, was a matter of a goodly relief. 
 
 As this sport was held at day-time, in the 
 Castle, so was there abroad at night very 
 strange and sundry kinds of fire-works, compelled 
 by cunning to fly to and fro, and to mount very 
 high into the air upward, and also to burn 
 unquenchably beneath the water, contrary, ye 
 wot, to fire's kind : This intermingled with a 
 great peal of guns, which all gave both to the 
 ear and to the eye the greater grace and delight, 
 
26 KENILWORTH. 
 
 for that with such order and art they were 
 tempered, touching time and continuance, that 
 was about two hours space. 
 
 Now, within also, in the mean time, was there 
 showed before her Highness, by an Italian, such 
 feats of agility, in goings, turnings, tumblings, 
 castings, hops, jumps, leaps, skips, springs, 
 gambols, summersets, caperings, and flights ; 
 forward, backward, sideways, downward, and 
 upward, with sundry windings, gyrings and 
 circumflexions ; all so lightly and with such 
 easiness, as by me, in few words, it is not ex- 
 pressible by pen or speech, I tell you plainly. I 
 blessed me, by my faith, to behold him ; and 
 began to doubt whether it was a man or a spirit ; 
 and I ween had doubted me till this day, had it 
 not been that anon I bethought me of men 
 that can reason and talk with two tongues, and 
 with two persons at once, sing like birds, 
 courteous of behaviour, of body strong, and in 
 joints so nimble withal, that their bones seemed 
 as lythie and pliant as sinews. They dwell in a 
 happy island (as the book terms it,) four months 
 
KENILWOllTH. 27 
 
 sailing southward beyond Ethiopia. Nay, Master 
 Martin, I tell you no jest ; for both Diodorus 
 Siculus, an ancient Greek historiographer, in his 
 third book of the acts of the old Egyptians; 
 and also from him Conrad Gesnerus, (a great 
 and learned man, and a very diligent writer in 
 all good arguments of our time, but deceased ;) 
 in the first chapter of his Mithridates, report- 
 eth the same. As for this fellow, I cannot tell 
 what to make of him, save that I may guess 
 his back be metalled like a lamprey, that has no 
 bone, but a line like a lute-string. Well, Sir, 
 let him pass and his feats, and this day's pastime 
 withal, for here is as much as I can remember 
 me for Thursday's entertainment. 
 
 Friday and Saturday there were no open 
 shows abroad, because the weather inclined to 
 some moisture and wind, that very seasonably 
 tempered the drought and the heat, caused by 
 the continuance of fair weather and sunshine all 
 the while since her Majesty's thither coming. 
 
 On Sunday, opportunely, the weather broke 
 up again ; and after divine service in the parish 
 
28 KENILWORTH. 
 
 church for the sabbath-day, and a fruitful 
 sermon there in the forenoon : At afternoon, in 
 worship of this Kenilworth Castle, and of God 
 and Saint Kenelm, whose day, forsooth, by 
 the Calendar this was, a solemn bridal of a 
 proper couple was appointed : Set in order in 
 the tilt-yard, to come and make their show 
 before the Castle in the great court, where was 
 pight a comely Quintain for feats at arms, which 
 when they had done, to march out at the north- 
 gate of the Castle homeward again into the town. 
 And thus were they marshalled. First, all the 
 lusty lads and bold bachelors of the parish, 
 suitably habited every wight, with his blue 
 buckram bride-lace upon a branch of green 
 broom (because rosemary is scant there) tied 
 on his left arm, for on that side lies the heart ; 
 and his alder pole for a spear in his right hand, 
 in martial order ranged on afore, two and 
 two in a rank : Some with a hat, some in a 
 cap, some a coat, some a jerkin, some for 
 lightness in doublet and hose, clean truss'd 
 with points afore ; Some boots and no spurs, 
 this spurs and no boots, and he again nei- 
 
KEXI I.WORTH. 29 
 
 ther one nor other : One had a saddle, ano- 
 ther a pad or a pannel fastened with a cord, 
 for girths were geazon : And these, to the num- 
 ber of sixteen wights, riding men and well beseen : 
 But the bridegroom foremost in his father's tawny 
 worsted jacket, (for his friends were fain that 
 he should be a bride-groom before the Queen) a 
 fair straw hat with a capital crown, steeple-wise on 
 his head ; a pair of harvest gloves on his hands, 
 as a sign of good husbandry ; a pen and ink- 
 horn at his back, for he would be known to be 
 bookish : lame of a leg that in his youth was 
 broken at foot-ball ; well beloved of his mo- 
 ther, who lent him a new muffler for a napkin, 
 that was tied to his girdle for losing it. It 
 was no small sport to mark this minion in his 
 full appointment, that, through good tuition, 
 became as formal in his action as had he 
 been a bride-groom indeed ; with this special 
 grace by the way, that ever as he would 
 have framed to himself the better countenance, 
 with the worst face lie looked. 
 
 Well, Sir, after these horsemen, a lively 
 morrice-dance according to the ancient man- 
 
30 KENILWCRTII. 
 
 ner: six dancers, maid-marian, and the fool. 
 Then three pretty pucelles, as bright as a breast 
 of bacon, of thirty years old a-piece; that carried 
 three special spice-cakes of a bushel of wheat 
 (they had by measure, out of my Lord's bake- 
 house) before the bride, Cicely, with set coun- 
 tenance and lips so demurely simpering, as it 
 had been a mare cropping of a thistle. After 
 these, a lovely loober-worts, freckle-faced, red- 
 headed, clean trussed in his doublet and his hose, 
 taken up now indeed by commission, for that he 
 was loath to come forward, for reverence belike of 
 his new cut canvas doublet ; and would by his 
 good will have been but a gazer, but found to 
 be a meet actor for his office ; that was to bear 
 the bride-cup, formed of a sweet sucket barrel, a 
 fair turn'd foot set to it, all seemly besilvered and 
 parcell gilt adorned with a beautiful branch of 
 broom, gaily begilded for rosemary : from 
 which two broad bride-laces of red and yellow 
 buckram begilded, and gallantly streaming by 
 such wind as there was, for he carried it 
 aloft: this gentle cup-bearer had his freck- 
 led physiognomy somewhat unhappily infested, 
 
KENILWORTH. 31 
 
 as he went, by the busy flies, that flocked about 
 the bride-cup, for the sweetness of the sucket 
 that it savoured of; but he, like a tall fellow, 
 withstood their malice stoutly — see what man- 
 hood may do — beat them away, killed them by 
 scores, stood to his charge, and marched on in 
 good order. 
 
 Then followed the worshipful bride, led, after 
 the country manner, between two ancient parish- 
 ioners, honest townsmen. But a stale stallion 
 and a well spread (hot as the weather was,) God 
 wot, and ill-smelling was she: thirty years 
 old,* of colour brown-bay, not very beautiful in- 
 deed, but ugly, foul, and ill-favored ; yet mar- 
 velous fond of the office, because she heard 
 say she should dance before the Queen, in which 
 feat she thought she would foot it as finely as 
 the best : Well, after this bride there came, by 
 two and two, a dozen damsels for bride-maids, 
 that for favour, attire, for fashion and clean- 
 liness, were as meet for such a bride as a tureen 
 
 * The other early copy reads " thirty-five years old. 
 

 32 KENILWORTH. 
 
 ladle for a porridge-pot : More, but for fear of 
 carrying all clean, had been appointed, but 
 these few were enough. 
 
 As the company in this order were come into 
 the court, marvellous were the martial acts that 
 were done there that day. The bride-groom, for 
 pre-eminence, had the first course at the Quin- 
 tain, and broke his spear with true hardiment; but 
 his mare in her manege did a little so titubate, 
 that much ado had his manhood to sit in his 
 saddle, and escape the foil of a fall; With 
 the help of his hand, yet he recovered himself, 
 and lost not his stirrups (for he had none to his 
 saddle.) had no hurt as it happened, but only 
 that his girth burst, and lost his pen and ink- 
 horn which he was ready to weep for : but his 
 handkercher, as good hap was, found he safe at 
 his girdle : that cheered him somewhat, and had 
 good regard it should not be soiled. For though 
 heat and cold had upon sundry occasions made him 
 some times to sweat, and sometimes rheumatic, yet 
 durst he be bolder to blow his nose and wipe his 
 face with the flappet of his father's jacket, than 
 with his mother's muffler : 'tis a goodly matter, 
 
KENILWORTH. 33 
 
 when youth are mannerly brought up, in fatherly 
 love and motherly awe^ 
 
 Now, Sir, after the bride-groom had made 
 his course, ran the rest of the band a while 
 in some order ; but soon after, tag and rag, 
 cut and long tail: where the specialty of 
 the sport was, to see how some for their 
 slackness had a good bob with the bag; and 
 some for their haste, too, would topple down- 
 right, and come down tumbling to the post: 
 Some striving so much at the first setting 
 out, that it seemed a question between the man 
 and the beast, whether the course should be 
 made on horseback or on foot : and put forth 
 with the spurs, then would run his race by as 
 among the thickest of the throng, that, down 
 came they together, hand over head : Another, 
 while he directed his course to the quintain, 
 his jument would carry him to a mare among 
 the people; so his horse was as amorous, as 
 himself adventurous: Another, too, would run 
 and miss the quintain with his staff, and hit 
 the board with his head. 
 
 Many such frolicsome games were there 
 
 D 
 
34 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 among these riders; who, by and by after- 
 wards, upon a greater courage, left their quin- 
 taining, and ran at one another. There to see 
 the stern countenances, the grim looks, the 
 courageous attempts, the desperate adventures, 
 the dangerous curvets, the fierce encounters, 
 whereby the buff at the man, and the counter- 
 bufF at the horse, that both sometimes came 
 topling to the ground : By my troth, Master 
 Martin, 'twas • a lively pastime ; I believe it 
 would have moved a man to a right merry 
 mood, though it had been told him that his 
 wife lay dying. 
 
 And hereto followed as good a sport, methought, 
 presented in an historical cue, by certain good- 
 hearted men of Coventry, my Lord's neighbours 
 there: who understanding among them the thing 
 that could not be hidden from any : how careful 
 and studious his Honor was, that by all pleasant 
 recreations her Highness might best find herself 
 welcome, and be made gladsome and merry, 
 (the ground-work indeed and foundation of his 
 Lordship's mirth, and gladness of us all,) made 
 petition that they might renew now their old storial 
 
KENILWOKTII. 35 
 
 show : of argument how the Danes whilom here 
 in a troublous season were for quietness borne 
 withal and suffered in peace, that anon, by 
 outrage and unsupportable insolency, abusing 
 both Ethelred the King, then, and all estates 
 every where beside ; at the grievous complaint 
 and counsel of Huna, the King's Chieftain 
 in wars, on Saint Brice's night, .Anno Dom. 
 1012, (as the book says, that falleth yearly 
 on the thirteenth of November) were all dis- 
 patched and the Realm rid. And for because 
 that the matter mentioneth how valiantly our 
 English women, for love of their country, be- 
 haved themselves, expressed in action and 
 rhymes after their manner, they thought it might 
 move some mirth to her Majesty the rather. 
 The thing, said they, is grounded in story, and 
 for pastime wont to be played in our City yearly : 
 without ill example of manners, papistry, or any 
 superstition : and else did so occupy the heads 
 of a number, that likely enough would have 
 had worse meditations: had an ancient begin- 
 ning and a long continuance 'till now of late laid 
 down, they knew no cause why, unless it was by 
 d % 
 
36 KKNII.WOKTH. 
 
 the zeal of certain of their preachers ; men very 
 commendable for their behaviour and learning, 
 and sweet in their sermons, but somewhat too 
 sour in preaching away their pastime: they 
 wished therefore, that as they should continue 
 their good doctrine in pulpit, so, for matters of 
 policy and governance of the City, they would 
 permit them to the Mayor and the Magistrates : 
 and said, by my faith, Master Martin, they 
 would make their humble petition unto her 
 Highness, that they might have their plays up 
 again. 
 
 But aware, keep back, make room now, here 
 they come — 
 
 And first, Captain Cox, an odd man, I pro- 
 mise you : by profession a mason, and that right 
 skilful ; very cunning in fence, and hardy as 
 Gawain ; for his ton-sword hangs at his table's 
 end ; great oversight hath he in matters of story : 
 For as for King Arthur s Book ; Huon qfBcur- 
 deaux ; The Four Sons of Aymon ; Bevis of 
 Hampton ; The Squire of Low Degree ; The 
 Knight of Courtesy, and the Lady FagucU ; 
 Frederick of Geneva ; Sir Eglamoar ; Sir Tryc- 
 
XEN1LWORTH. 37 
 
 raour ; Sir Larnwell ; Sir Isenbras ; Sir Ga- 
 wain ; Oliver of the Castle ; Lucrece and Eury- 
 alus ; VirgiVs Life ; The Castle of Ladies; The 
 Widow Edyth; The King and the Tanner; 
 Friar Rush ; Howleglas ; Gargantua ; Robin 
 Hood ; Adam Bell, Clym of the dough, and 
 William of Cloudesley ; The Churl and the 
 Bird ; The Seven Wise Masters ; The Wife lapt 
 in a MoreVs-skin ; The SacJc T full of News ; 
 The Serjeant that became a Friar ; Scogan ; 
 Colin Clout ; The Friar and the Boy ; Elynour 
 Rumming ; and The Nutbrown Maid ; with 
 many more than I rehearse here — I believe he 
 hath them all at his fingers ends. 
 
 Then in philosophy, both moral and natural, 
 I think he be as naturally overseen; beside 
 poetry and astronomy, and other hid sciences, 
 as I may guess by the omberty of his books ; 
 whereof part, as I remember, The Shepherds Ka- 
 lendar ; The Ship of Fools ; DanieVs Dreams ; 
 The Book of Fortune ; Stans Puer ad Mensam ; 
 The Highivay to the Spittle-house; Julian of 
 Brentford 'a Testament ; The Castle of Love ; 
 The Budget of Demands ; The Hundred Merry 
 
38 KENILWOItTH. 
 
 Tales ; The Book of Riddles ; The Seven Sor- 
 rows of Women ; The Proud Wives Pater-Nos- 
 ter ; The Chapman of a Pennyworth of Wit. 
 Besides his ancient plays, Youth and Charity ; 
 Hickskorner ; Nugizee ; Impatient Poverty ; 
 and herewith Doctor Boord's Breviary of Health. 
 What should I rehearse here ; what a bunch of 
 ballads and songs, all ancient : as Broom broom 
 on Hill ; So woe is me begone, trolly lo ; Over 
 a Wliinny Meg; Hey ding a ding; Bonny lass 
 upon a green ; My bonny one gave me a beck ; 
 By a bank as I lay : and a hundred more he 
 hath fair wrapt up in parchment, and bound 
 with a whipcord. And as for Almanacs of 
 antiquity, (a point for Ephemerides) I ween he 
 can show from Jasper Laet of Antwerp unto Nos- 
 tradamus of France, and thence unto our John 
 Securiz of Salisbury. To stay ye no longer 
 herein, 1 dare say he hath as fair a library of 
 these sciences, and as many goodly monuments 
 both in prose and poetry, and at afternoons can 
 talk as much without book, as any inn-holder 
 between Brentford and Bagshot, what degree 
 soever he be. 
 
KENILWORTH. 39 
 
 Beside this, in the field a good marshal at 
 musters; of very great credit and trust in the 
 town here; for he has been chosen ale-conner 
 many a year, when his betters have stood by ; 
 and hath ever acquitted himself with such esti- 
 mation, as to taste of a cup of Nippitate, his 
 judgement will be taken above the best in the 
 parish, be his nose ne'er so red. 
 
 Captain Cox came marching on valiantly 
 before, clean trussed and gartered above the knee, 
 all fresh in a velvet cap ( Master Golding lent it 
 him,) flourishing with his ton-sword ; and another 
 fence-master with him : Thus in the forward 
 making room for the rest. After them, proudly 
 pricked on foremost, the Danish lance-knights on 
 horseback, and then the English : Each with their 
 alder pole martially in their hand. Even at the 
 first entry, the meeting waxed somewhat warm ; 
 that by and by, kindled with courage on 
 both sides, grew from a hot skirmish unto a 
 blazing battle : first by spear and shield, outra- 
 geous in their races as rams at their rut ; with 
 furious encounters, that together they tumbled to 
 the dust, sometimes horse and man, and after 
 
40 KENILWORTtf. 
 
 fall to it with sword and target, good bangs 
 on both sides. The fight so ceasing, but the 
 battle not so ended : then followed the footmen ; 
 both the hosts, one after the other : — first 
 marching in ranks ; then warlike turning ; then 
 from ranks into squadrons ; then into triangles ; 
 from that into rings, and so winding out again, 
 A valiant Captain of great prowess, as fierce as a 
 fox assaulting a goose, was so hardy to give the 
 first stroke : then got they so grisly together, that 
 great was the activity that day to be seen there on 
 both sides : the one very eager for purchase of 
 prey, the other utterly stout for redemption of 
 liberty : thus, quarrel enflamed the fury on both 
 sides : twice the Danes had the better, but at 
 the last conflict, beaten down, overcome, and 
 many led captive for triumph by our English 
 women. 
 
 This was the effect of this show ; that as it 
 was handled, made much matter of good pastime, 
 brought all, indeed, into the great court, even 
 under her Highness's window, to have seen : 
 but as unhappy it was for the bride, that came 
 thither too soon, ( and yet it was four 
 
KENIL WORTH. 41 
 
 c/clock,) for her Highness beholding in the cham- 
 ber delectable dancing indeed, and therewith the 
 great throng and unruliness of the people, was 
 cause that this solemnity of bridal and dancing 
 had not the full muster that was hoped for. 
 Her Highness also saw but little of the Coven- 
 try play, and commanded it therefore on the 
 Tuesday following to have it full out : as accord- 
 ingly it was presented; whereat her Majesty 
 laughed well : They were the merrier, and so 
 much the more, because her Highness had given 
 them two bucks and five marks in money, to make 
 merry together : They prayed for her Majesty, 
 long happily to reign, and oft to come thither, 
 that oft they might see her : And what re- 
 joicing upon their ample reward, and what tri- 
 umphing upon the good acceptance, they vaunt- 
 ed their play was never so dignified, nor ever any 
 players before so beatified. 
 
 Thus, tho' the day took an end, yet slipped 
 not the night all sleeping away : for as neither 
 office nor obsequy ceased at any time to the full, 
 to perform the plot his Honor had appointed, 
 so after supper was there a play of a very good 
 
42 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 theme presented : but so set forth, by the actors 
 well handling, that pleasure and mirth made it 
 seem very short, tho' it lasted two good hours 
 and more. But stay, Master Martin, all is not 
 done yet. 
 
 After the play, out of hand followed a most 
 delicious and (if I may so term it) an ambrosial 
 banquet : whereof, whether I might more muse 
 at the daintiness, shapes, and the cost ; or else, at 
 the variety and number of the dishes (that were 
 three hundred), for my part, I could little tell 
 then; and now less, I assure you. Her 
 Majesty eat smally or nothing; which under- 
 stood, the courses were not so orderly served and 
 sizely set down, but were, by and by, as disor- 
 derly wasted and coarsely consumed; more 
 courtly, methought, than courteously : But that 
 was no part of the matter : it might please and 
 be liked, and do that it came for, then was all 
 well enough. 
 
 Unto this banquet there was appointed a 
 masque : for riches of array of an incredible 
 cost : but the time being so far spent, and very 
 late in the night now, was cause that it came not 
 
KEN IL WORTH. 43 
 
 forth to the show : And thus for Sunday's sea- 
 son, having staid you the longer, according to the 
 matter, here make I an end : Ye may breathe ye 
 awhile. 
 
 Monday the eighteenth of this July, the 
 weather being hot, her Highness kept the Castle 
 for coolness, 'till about five o'clock, her Majesty 
 in the chase hunted the hart (as afore) of force : 
 that whether were it by the cunning of the hunts- 
 men, or by the natural desire of the deer, or else 
 by both ; anon he got him to soil again, which 
 raised the accustomed delight : a pastime in- 
 deed so entirely pleasant, as whereof at times 
 who may have the full and free fruition, can 
 find no more satiety (I ween) for the recrea- 
 tion, than of their good viands at times for their 
 sustenance. 
 
 Well, the game was gotten : and her High- 
 ness returning, came there upon a swim- 
 ming mermaid, (that from top to tail was 
 eighteen feet long,) Triton, Neptune's blaster : 
 who with his trumpet formed of a wrinkled 
 welk, as her Majesty was in sight, gave sound 
 very shrill and sonorous, in sign he had an em- 
 
44 KENIl.WOUTII. 
 
 bassy to pronounce. Anon her Highness was 
 coming upon the bridge, whereunto he made his 
 
 fish to swim the swifter ; he then declared 
 
 " How the supreme salsipotent monarch Nep- 
 " tune, the great God of the swelling seas, Prince 
 " of profundities, and Sovereign Signor of all 
 " lakes, fresh waters, rivers, creeks, and gulphs; 
 " understanding how a cruel Knight, one Sir 
 " Bruce sans pitie, a mortal enemy unto ladies 
 " of estate, had long lain about the banks of this 
 " pool, in wait with his bands here, to distress 
 " the Lady of the Lake, whereby she had been 
 " restrained not only from having any use of 
 " her ancient liberty and territories in these 
 " parts ; but also of making repair and giving 
 " attendance unto you, Noble Queen, (quo"' he) 
 " as she would ; she promised, and also should; 
 " doth therefore signify, and hereto, of you, as of 
 " her good liege and dear friend, make this re- 
 " quest, that you will deign but to shew your per^ 
 " son toward this pool ; whereby your only pre- 
 " sence shall be matter sufficient of abandoning 
 " this uncourteous Knight, and putting all his 
 
KEXILWORTHv 45 
 
 " bands to flight, and also deliver the Lady out 
 u of this thraldom. " 
 
 Moving herewith from the bridge, and fleeting 
 more into the pool, charged he in Neptune's name 
 Molus with all his winds, the waters with his 
 springs, his fish and fowl, and all his clients in 
 the same, that they ne be so hardy in any force 
 to stir, but keep them calm and quiet while 
 this Queen be present. At which petition her 
 Highness staying, it appeared strait how Sir 
 Bruce became unseen, his bands scaled, and the 
 Lady*, by and by, with her two Nymphs floating 
 upon her moveable Islands, Triton, on his mer- 
 maid skimming by, approached towards her 
 Highness on the bridge, — as well to declare 
 that her Majesty's presence had so graciously 
 thus wrought her deliverance, as also to excuse 
 her not coming to court as she promised, and 
 chiefly to present her Majesty, as a token of 
 her duty and good heart, for her Highness 1 re- 
 creation, with this gift : which was, Arion, that 
 excellent and famous musician ; in tire and 
 appointment strange, well seeming to his per- 
 
46 KENILWORTH. 
 
 son, riding aloft upon his old friend the dolphin, 
 that from head to tail was four and twenty feet 
 long, and swam hard by these Islands. Here- 
 with, Avion, for these great benefits, after a few 
 welUcouched words unto her Majesty of thanks- 
 giving, in supplement of the same ; began a de- 
 lectable ditty of a song well apted to a melodious 
 noise; compounded of six several instruments, 
 all covert, casting sound from the dolphin's 
 belly within: Avion, the seventh, sitting thus 
 singing (as I say) without. 
 
 Now, Sir, the ditty in metre so aptly endited 
 to the matter, and after by voice deliciously deli- 
 vered. The song, by a skilful artist into his parts 
 so sweetly sorted,- each part in his instrument 
 so clean and sharply touched ; every instrument 
 again in his kind so excellently tunable ; and 
 this in the evening of the day, resounding from 
 the calm waters, where the presence of her 
 Majesty, and longing to listen, had utterly 
 damped all noise and din ; the whole harmony 
 conyeyed in time, tune, and temper thus incom- 
 parably melodious ; with what pleasure, (Master 
 Martin), with what sharpness of conceit, with 
 
KENILWORTH. 47 
 
 what lively delight, this might pierce into the 
 hearer's hearts, I pray ye imagine yourself, as 
 ye may ; for, so God judge me, by all the wit 
 and cunning I have, I cannot express, I promise 
 you. " Mais j'ai bien vu cela, Monsieur, que fort 
 " grande est la pouvoir qu'avoit la tres noble 
 " science de Musique sur Tesprit humain." Per- 
 ceive ye me? I have told you a great matter 
 now : As for me, surely I was lulled in such 
 liking, and so loath to leave off, that much ado 
 a good while after had I, to find me where I 
 was. And take ye this by the way, that for the 
 small skill in music that God hath sent me (you 
 know it is somewhat), I'll set the more by 
 myself while my name is Laneham ; and, grace 
 of God, music is a noble art ! 
 
 But stay a while, see a short wit: by troth 
 I had almost forgot. This day was a day of 
 grace beside, wherein were advanced five gentle- 
 men of worship unto the degree of Knighthood ;- 
 Sir Thomas Cecil ; son and heir unto the right 
 honourable the Lord Treasurer, Sir Henry Cob- 
 ham, brother unto the Lord Cobham ; Sir Tho* 
 mas Stanhope ; Sir Arthur Basset ; and Sir 
 
48 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 Thomas Tresham. And also by her Highness 1 
 accustomed mercy and charity, nine were cured 
 of the painful and dangerous disease called the 
 King's Evil ; for that Kings and Queens of this 
 Realm, without other medicine, save only by 
 handling and prayers, do cure it : Bear with 
 me, though perchance I place not those gentle- 
 men in my recital here, after their estates ; for 
 I am neither a good herald of arms, nor yet 
 know how they are set in the subsidy books : 
 men of great worship I understand they are all. 
 
 Tuesday, according to commandment, came 
 our Coventry men. What their matter was, of 
 her Highness 1 mirth and good acceptance, and 
 reward unto them, and of their rejoicing thereat, 
 I have informed you before, and so say the 
 less now. 
 
 Wednesday, in the forenoon, preparation was 
 in hand for her Majesty to have supped in 
 Wedgenall, three miles west from the Castle, a 
 goodly Park of the Queen's Majesty.* For 
 
 * The Duchess of Portland's copy reads " a goodly 
 park of the right honourable my very good Lord the 
 
KENILW011TH. 49 
 
 that cause a fair pavilion, and other provision 
 was accordingly thither sent and prepared : but 
 by means of the weather not so clearly disposed, 
 the matter was countermanded again. Had 
 her Highness happened this day to have come 
 abroad, there was made ready a device of God- 
 desses and Nymphs, which, as well for the inge- 
 nious argument, as for the well handling of it in 
 rhyme and enditing, would undoubtedly have 
 gained great liking, and moved no less delight. 
 Of the particularities whereof, however, I cease 
 to entreat, lest like the bungling carpenter, by 
 mis-sorting the pieces, I mar a good frame in the 
 bad setting up ; or by my bad tempering before- 
 hand, blemish the beauty, when it should be 
 reared up indeed. This day also was there such 
 earnest talk and appointment of removing, that 
 I gave over my noting, and hearkened after my 
 horse. 
 
 Marry, Sir, I must tell you : As all endeavour 
 
 Earl of Warwick." It still belongs to that noble family, 
 and is now called Wedgnock Park. — Nichols's Progresses, 
 1788, Vol. 1. 
 
50 KENILWORTRV 
 
 was to move mirth and pastime (as I told you), 
 even so, a ridiculous device of an ancient min- 
 strel and his song, was prepared to have been 
 proffered, if meet time and place had been found 
 for it. Once in a worshipful company, where I 
 chanced to be> full appointed, he recounted his 
 matter in sort as it should have been uttered. 
 What I noted, here thus, I tell you. — 
 
 A person very meet seemed he for the pur- 
 pose, of forty-five years old, appareled partly as 
 he would himself. His cap of his head, seemly 
 rounded tonsor-wise ; fair combed, that with a 
 sponge daintily dipped in a little capon's grease 
 was finely smoothed, to make it shine like a 
 mallard's wing. His beard smugly shaven ; and 
 yet his shirt after the new trick, with ruffs fair 
 starched, sleeked and glistering like a pair of 
 new shoes; marshaled in good order with a 
 setting-stick, and stout that every ruff stood 
 up like a wafer. A side gown of Kendal green, 
 after the freshness of the year now ; gathered at 
 the neck with a narrow gorget, fastened afore 
 with a white clasp, and a keeper, close up to the 
 chin ; but easily for heat to undo when he list, 
 
KENILWORTH. 51 
 
 seemly begirt in a red Cadiz girdle ; from that 
 a pair of capped Sheffield knives hanging to 
 a side : Out of his bosom drawn forth a lap- 
 pet of his napkin, edged with blue lace, and 
 marked with a truelove [knot], a heart, and a D. 
 for Damian, for he was but a batchelor yet. 
 
 His gown had side [i. e. long] sleeves down 
 to mid-leg, slit from the shoulder to the hand, 
 and lined with white cotton. His doublet-sleeves 
 of black worsted ; upon them a pair of poignets 
 [i.e. wristbands] of tawny camblet, laced along the 
 wrist with blue threaden points ; a welt toward 
 the hand of fustian-a-napes : a pair of red 
 nether-stocks ; a pair of pumps on his feet, 
 with a cross cut at the toes for corns; not new 
 indeed, yet cleanly blacked with soot, and shin- 
 ing as a shoe-ing horn. About his neck, a red 
 ribband suitable to his girdle. His harp in good 
 grace dependent before him ; his wrest tied to a 
 green lace and hanging by. Under the gorget 
 of his gown, a fair flaggon chain of pewter 
 (for silver), as a Squire Minstrel of Middlesex; 
 that travelled the country this summer sea- 
 son unto fairs, and worshipful men's houses. 
 e 2 
 
52 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 From his chain hung an escutcheon, with metal 
 and colour, resplendent upon his breast, of the an- 
 cient arms of Islington : Upon a question whereof, 
 he, as one that was well schooled, and conned his 
 lesson perfect without book to answer at full, if 
 question were asked him, declared : " How the 
 " worshipful village of Islington in Middlesex, 
 " well known to be one of the most ancient and 
 " best towns in England next London at this 
 " day, for the faithful friendship of long time 
 " shown, as well at Cook's feast in Aldersgate- 
 " street yearly upon Holy-rood day, as also at 
 " all solemn bridals in the city of London all 
 " the year after ; in well serving them of fur- 
 " mety for porridge, not oversodden till it be 
 " too weak: of milk for their flawnes, not 
 " pild nor chalked ; of cream for their custards, 
 a not frothed nor thickened with flour ; and of 
 " butter for their pasties and pie-paste, not made 
 " of well curds, nor gathered of whey in sum- 
 " mer, nor mingled in winter with salt-butter 
 u watered or washed ; did obtain long ago, these 
 " worshipful arms in colour and form as you see : 
 " which are — The arms: a field Argent, as the 
 
KENIL WORTH. 53 
 
 " field and ground indeed wherein the milk-wives 
 " of this worthy town, and every man else in his 
 " faculty doth trade for his living. On a fess 
 " tennS, three plates between three milk-tan - 
 " kards proper. The three milk-tankards, as 
 " the proper vessels wherein the substance and 
 " matter of their trade is to and fro transported. 
 " The fess tenne, which is a colour betokening 
 u doubt and suspicion ; so as suspicion and good 
 " heed-taking, as well to their markets and ser- 
 " vants, as to their customers that they trust 
 " not too far, may bring unto them plates, that 
 " is coined silver ; three, that is sufficient and 
 " plenty ; for so that number in armory may 
 " well signify. 
 
 " For crest, upon a wad of oat-straw for a 
 " wreath, a bowl of furmety. Wheat (as you 
 " know) is the most precious gift of Ceres ; and 
 " in the midst of it, sticking, a dozen of horn 
 " spoons in a bunch, as the instrument meetest 
 " to eat furmety porridge withal : a dozen, as a 
 " number complete for full cheer or a banquet ; 
 " and of horn, as of a substance more estimable 
 " than is made for a great deal ; being neither 
 
54 KENILW0RTH. 
 
 " so churlish in weight, as metal ; nor so fro- 
 " ward and brittle to manure, as stone ; nor yet 
 " so soily in use, nor rough to the lips, as wood ; 
 " but light, pliant, and smooth; that with a 
 " little licking, will always be kept as clean as 
 " a die. With your patience, Gentlemen, 1 ' 
 (quoth the Minstrel) " be it said ; were it not 
 " indeed that horns be so plenty, horn ware, 1 
 " believe, would be more set by than it is; and 
 " yet there are in our parts, those that will not 
 " stick to avow, that many an honest man, both 
 " in city and country, hath had his house by 
 " homing well upholden, and a daily friend 
 u also at need : And this with your favour may 
 " I further affirm ; a very ingenious person was 
 " he, that for dignity of the stuff, could thus by 
 " spooning devise to advance the horn so near 
 " to the head. With great congruity also were 
 ** these horn-spoons put to the wheat ; as a 
 u token and portion of Cornucopice, the horn of 
 " Achelous; which the Maiades did fill with all 
 " good fruits, corn, and grain ; and afterwards 
 " did consecrate unto abundance and plenty. 
 " This scutcheon with beasts, very aptly 
 
KENILWORTH. 5% 
 
 " agreeing both to the arms and to the trade of 
 " the bearers ; gloriously supported. Between 
 " a grey mare, (a beast meetest for carrying of 
 " milk-tankards) her pannel on her back, as al- 
 " ways ready for service at every feast and 
 " brid-ale at need ; her tail displayed at most 
 " ease; and her filly foal, with a fallow and 
 " flaxen mane after the sire. 
 
 " In the scroll undergraven (quoth he) is 
 " there a proper word, an hemistich, well squar- 
 " ing with all the rest, taken out of Salerne's 
 " chapter of things that most nourish man's 
 " body : Lac, Caseus irifans. That is : 6 good 
 " milk, and young cheese.' And thus much, 
 " Gentlemen, an please you (quoth he) for the 
 " arms of our worshipful town :" And there- 
 withal made a mannerly leg, and so held his 
 peace. 
 
 As the company paused, and the minstrel 
 seemed to gape after praise for his beau parle : 
 and because he had rendered his lesson so well, 
 says a good fellow of the company, " I am sorry 
 " to see how much the poor Minstrel mistakes 
 " the matter ; for indeed the arms are thus :— 
 
56 
 
 KE NIL WORTH. 
 
 " Three milk-tankards proper, in a field of 
 " clouted cream, three green cheeses upon a 
 " shelf of cake-bread. The furmety bowl and 
 " horn-spoons ; cause their profit comes all by 
 " horned beasts. Supported by a mare with a 
 " galled back, and therefore still covered with 
 " a pannel, fisking with her tail for flies, 
 " and her filly foal neighing after the dam for 
 " suck. The words Lac, Caseus infans, that 
 " is, a fresh cheese and cream, the common cry 
 " that these milk-wives make in London streets 
 " yearly betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide: and 
 u this is the very matter, I know it well enough :" 
 and so ended his tale and sat him down again. 
 
 Hereat every man laughed much, save the 
 Minstrel; that though the fool was made privy 
 all was but for sport, yet to see himself thus 
 crossed with a contrary cue that he looked not 
 for, would strait have given over all, and waxed 
 very wayward, eager, and sour : howbeit at last, 
 by some entreaty and many fair words, with 
 sack and sugar, we sweetened him again ; and 
 afterward he became as merry as a pye. Ap- 
 pearing then afresh, in his full formality, with a 
 
KENILWOKTH. 57 
 
 lovely look ; after three lowly courtesies, cleared 
 his voice with a hem and reach, and spat out 
 withal ; wiped his lips with the hollow of his 
 hand, for filing his napkin ; tempered a string 
 or two with his wrest, and after a little warb- 
 ling on his harp for a prelude, came forth with 
 a solemn song, warranted for story out of King 
 Arthur's acts, the 1st book and 26th chapter, 
 whereof I got a copy ; and that is this, viz. 
 
 THE MINSTREL^ SONNET. 
 
 So it befell upon a Pentecost day, 
 
 When King Arthur at Camelot kept court royal, 
 
 With his comely Queen, dame Guenever the gay, 
 
 And many bold Barons sitting in hall ; 
 
 Ladies apparelled in purple and pall, 
 
 When Heralds in hukes herried full by, 
 
 Largess, Largess, Chevaliers tres hardy! 
 
 A doughty dwarf unto the uppermost deas 
 Right pertly 'gan prick, and kneeling on knee, 
 With Steven full stout amidst all the press, 
 Said, Hail, Sir King, God thee save, and see 
 King Ryence of North-Wales greeteth well thee, 
 
58 KENILWORTH. 
 
 And bids that thy beard anon thou him send, 
 Or else from thy jaws he will it off rend. 
 
 For his robe of state, a rich scarlet mantle, 
 With eleven kings' beards bordered about, 
 He hath made late, and yet in a cantle 
 Is left a place the twelfth to make out, 
 Where thine must stand, be thou never so stout ; 
 This must be done, I tell thee no fable, 
 Maugre the pow'r of all thy Round Table. 
 
 When this mortal message from his mouth was 
 
 past, 
 Great was the bruit in hall and in bow'r ; 
 The King fumed, the Queen shrieked, Ladies were 
 
 aghast, 
 Princes puff'd, Barons blustered, Lords began to 
 
 lour, 
 Knights stamped, 'Squires startled as steeds in a 
 
 stour, 
 Yeomen and Pages yell'd out in the hall, 
 When herewith came in Sir Kay, Seneschal. 
 
 " Silence, my sufferaunce, "quoth the courteousKnight, 
 And in that stound the charm became still ; 
 
KENIL WORTH. 59 
 
 The Dwarf's dinner full dearly was dight, 
 For wine and wassail he had at his will ; 
 And when he had eaten and fed his fill, 
 One hundred pieces of coined gold 
 Were given the Dwarf for his message bold. 
 
 " Say to Sir Ryence, thou Dwarf," quoth the King, 
 " That for this proud message I him defy, 
 And shortly with basons and pans will him ring 
 Out of North Wales ; whereas he and I 
 With swords, and no razors, shall utterly try 
 Which of us both is the better barber :" 
 And therewith he shook his sword Excaliber ! 
 
 At this the Minstrel made a pause and a 
 courtesy for primus passus. More of the song 
 there is, but I got it not. As for the matter, 
 had it come to the shew, I think the fellow 
 would have handled it well enough. 
 
 Her Highness tarried at Kenil worth till the 
 Wednesday after, being the 27th of this July, 
 and the nineteenth inclusive of her Majesty's- 
 coming thither ; for which seven days, perceiv- 
 ing my notes so slenderly answering, I took it 
 less blame to cease, and thereof to write you 
 
60 KENILWORTil. 
 
 nothing at all, than in such matters to write 
 nothing likely ; and so much the rather, (as I 
 have well bethought me) that if I did but ru- 
 minate the days I have spoken of, I shall bring 
 out yet somewhat more meet for your appetite, 
 (though a dainty tooth have ye) which I believe 
 your tender stomach will brook well enough. 
 
 Whereof part is, first, how according to her 
 Highness"' name Elizabeth, which I hear say, 
 out of the Hebrew signifieth, among other, the 
 seventh of my God; divers things here did so 
 justly in number square with the same. As 
 first, her Highness hither coming in this seventh 
 month ; then presented with the seven pre- 
 sents of the seven Gods ; and after, with the 
 melody of the seven sorted music in the dol- 
 phin, the Lake-Lady's gift. Then, too, consider 
 how fully the Gods, as it seemed, had conspired 
 most magnificently in abundance to bestow their 
 influences and gifts upon her Court, there to make 
 her Majesty merry. 
 
 Sage Saturn himself in person (that because 
 of his lame leg could not so well stir) in chair, 
 therefore to take order with the grave officers of 
 
KEN1LW011TH. 61 
 
 the household, holpen indeed with the good ad- 
 vice of his prudent niece Pallas, that no unruly 
 body, or disquiet, disturb the noble assembly, or 
 else be once so bold to enter within the Castle 
 gates. Away with all rascals, captives, melan- 
 cholic, wayward, froward conjurers and usurers, 
 and to have labourers and under-workmen for 
 the beautifying of any place, always at hand as 
 they should be commanded. 
 
 Jupiter sent personages of high honour 
 and dignity ; Barons, Lords, Ladies, Judges, 
 Bishops, Lawyers, and Doctors; with them, 
 Virtue, Nobleness, Equity, Liberality, and Com- 
 passion ; due season, and fair weather ; saving 
 that, at the petition of his dear sister Ceres, he 
 granted a day or two of some sweet showers for 
 ripening of her corn that was so well set, and to 
 get forward harvest. Herewith bestowed he such 
 plenty of pleasant thunder, lightning, and thun- 
 derbolts, by his halting son and fire-master 
 Vulcan, still fresh and fresh framed, always so 
 frequent, so intellable, and of such continuance 
 in the spending (as I partly told ye) consumed, 
 that surely he seems to be as of power inestim- 
 
62 KENILWOItTH. 
 
 able ; so, in store of munition, unwasteable ; for 
 all OvicTs censure that says, 
 
 Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat 
 Jupiter, exiguo tempore inermis erit. 
 
 If Jove should shoot his thunderbolts, as oft as men 
 
 offend, 
 Assure you his artillery would soon be at an end ! 
 
 What a number of estates and of nobility had 
 Jupiter assembled there, guess you by this, 
 that of sort worshipful there were in the Court 
 daily above forty, whereof the meanest of a 
 thousand marks yearly revenue, and many of 
 much more. This great gift beside did his 
 Deity confer upon her Highness — to have fair and 
 seasonable weather at her own appointment ; ac- 
 cording whereunto her Majesty so had. For 
 her gracious presence, therefore, with this great 
 gift endowed, Lichfield, Worcester, and Mid- 
 dleton, with many places more, made humble 
 suit unto her Highness to come ; to such whereof 
 as her Majesty could, it came, and they season 
 acceptable. 
 
KENJLWOKTH. 63 
 
 Phoebus, beside his continual and most deli- 
 cious music, (as I have told you) appointed he 
 Princes to adorn her Highness' court, Counsel- 
 lors, Heralds, and sanguine Youth, pleasant 
 and merry, costly garments, learned physicians, 
 and no need of them. 
 
 Juno, Gold chains, ouches, jewels of great 
 price and rich attire worn in much grace and 
 good beseeming, without pride or emulation of 
 any. 
 
 Mars, Captains of good conduct, men skilful 
 in feats of arms, politic in stratagems, of good 
 courage in good quarrels, valiant and wise- 
 hardy ; abandoning pique- quarrels and ruffians : 
 appointing also pursuivants, couriers, and posts, 
 still feeding her Highness with news and intelli- 
 gences from all parts. 
 
 Venus, Unto the Ladies and Gentlewomen, 
 beauty, good favour, comeliness, gallant attire, 
 dancing with comely grace, sweet voice in 
 song and pleasant talk, with express command- 
 ment and charge unto her son, on her blessing, 
 that he shoot not a shaft in the Court all the 
 while her Highness remained at Kenil worth. 
 
64 KENILWORTH. 
 
 ■ Mercury ; Learned men in sciences ; Poets, 
 Merchants, Painters, Carvers, Players, En- 
 gineers, Devicers, and dexterity in handling of 
 all pleasant attempts. 
 
 Luna, Calm nights for quiet rest, and silver 
 moonshine, that nightly indeed shone for most 
 of her Majesty's being there. 
 
 Blind Plutus, Bags of Money, Customers, 
 Exchangers, and Bankers, with store of riches 
 in plate and in coin. 
 
 Bacchus, Full cups every where, every hour 
 of all kinds of wine. There was no dainty that 
 the sea could yield, but Neptune (though his 
 reign at the nearest lay well nigh a hundred 
 miles off) did daily send in great plenty, sweet 
 and fresh. As for fresh-water fish, the store of 
 all sorts was abundant. 
 
 And how bountiful Ceres in provision was, 
 guess ye by this, that in little more than three 
 days space, seventy-two tuns of ale and beer were 
 piped up quite; what that might, whilst with it, 
 of bread beside meat, I report me to you: and yet 
 the Master Comptroller, Master Cofferer, and 
 divers Officers of the court, some honourable and 
 
KENILWORTH. 65 
 
 sundry right worshipful were placed at Warwick, 
 for more room in the Castle. But here was no 
 ho ! Master Martin, in devout drinking alway ; 
 that brought lack unlooked for ; which being 
 known to the worshipful my lord's good neigh- 
 bours, came there in two day's space, from 
 sundry friends, a relief of forty tuns, till a new 
 supply was got again : and then to our drinking 
 afresh as fast as ever we did. 
 
 Flora, Abroad and within the house, minister- 
 ed of flowers so great a quantity, of such sweet 
 savour, so beautifully hued, so large and fair 
 proportion, and of such strange kinds and 
 shapes, that it was great pleasure to see : and so 
 much the more, as there was great store of 
 others that were counterfeit, and formed of 
 feathers by art ; alike glorious to the show, as 
 were the natural. 
 
 Proteus, His tumbler, that could by nim- 
 bleness cast himself into so many forms and 
 fashions. 
 
 Pan, His merry morrice-dance, with their 
 pipe and tabor. 
 
 p 
 
66 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 Bellona, Her Quintain Knights, and proper 
 bickerings of the Coventry men. 
 
 Polyphemus, Neptune's son and heir : (let 
 him I pray, an it be but for his father's sake 
 and for his good will, be allowed for a God,) 
 with his bears, his bear-whelps, and ban-dogs. 
 
 jEolus, Holding up his winds, while her 
 Highness at any time took pleasure on the 
 water, and staying of tempests during her 
 abode here. 
 
 Sylvanus, Besides his plentiful provision of 
 fowl for dainty viands, his pleasant and sweet 
 singing birds : whereof I will show you more 
 anon. 
 
 Echo, Her well endited dialogue. 
 
 Faunus, His jolly savage. 
 
 Genius loci, His tempering of all things 
 within and without, with apt time and place to 
 pleasure and delight. 
 
 Then the three Charites : [or Graces] Aglaia, 
 with her lightsome gladness; Thalia, her flourish- 
 ing freshness ; Euphrosyne, her cheerfulness of 
 spirit: and with these three in one assent, Concor- 
 dia, with her amity and good agreement. That to 
 
KEXILWORTH. 67 
 
 how great effect their powers were poured out 
 here among us, let it be judged by this, that by 
 a multitude thus met of three or four thousand 
 every day ; and divers days more, of so sun- 
 dry degrees, professions, ages, appetites, dis- 
 positions and affections; such a drift of time 
 was there passed, with such amity, love, pastime, 
 agreement, and obedience where it should ; and 
 without quarrel, jarring, grudging, or (that I 
 could hear) of ill words between any. A thing, 
 Master Martin, very rare~and strange, and yet 
 no more strange than true. 
 
 The Parcce, [or Fates] as erst I should have 
 said, the first night of her Majesty's coming, they 
 hearing and seeing so precious ado here at a 
 place unlooked for, in an uplandish country so 
 far within the realm : pressing into every stead 
 where her Highness went, whereby so duddled 
 with such variety of delights, did set aside their 
 huswifery, and could not for their hearts tend 
 their work a whit. But after they had seen 
 her Majesty a-bed, got them a prying into every 
 place • Old hags ! as fond of novelties as young 
 girls that had never seen Court before : but 
 f 2 
 
G8 KENIL WORTH. 
 
 neither full with gazing, nor weary with gadding; 
 left off yet for that time, and at high midnight 
 gat them giggling, (but not aloud) in the Presence 
 Chamber: minding indeed, with their present 
 diligence, to recompense their former slackness. 
 
 So, setting themselves thus down to their work, 
 " Alas ! " says Atropos, "I have lost my sheers :" 
 Lachesis laughed apace and would not draw a 
 thread : i( And think ye, dames, that I'll hold the 
 distaff, while both ye sit idle? Why, no, by 
 my mother's soul," quoth Cloiho. Therewith, 
 carefully lapped in fine lawn, the spindle and 
 rock, that was dizened with pure purple silk, laid 
 they safely up together ; that of her Majesty's 
 distaff, for eighteen days, there was not a thread 
 spun, I assure you. The two sisters after that 
 (I heard say) began their work again, that long 
 may they continue : but Atropos heard no tiding 
 of her sheers, and not a man that moaned her loss. 
 She is not beloved surely ; for this can I tell you, 
 that whether it be for hate to the hag, or love to 
 her Highness, or else for both, every man prays 
 God she may never find them for that work ; and 
 so pray I daily and duly with the devoutest. 
 
KENIL WORTH. 69 
 
 Thus partly you perceive now, how greatly 
 the Gods can do for mortals, and how 
 much always they love where they like : that 
 what a gentle Jove was this, thus courteously 
 to contrive here such a train of Gods? Nay 
 then rather, Master Martin, to come out of 
 our poeticalities, and to talk on more serious 
 terms, what a magnificent Lord may we justly 
 account him, that could so highly cast order 
 for such a Jupiter and all his Gods beside : 
 that none with his influence, good property, or 
 present, were wanting ; but always ready at 
 hand, in such order and abundance for the 
 honouring and delight of so high a Prince, our 
 most gracious Queen and Sovereign. A Prince 
 (I say) so singular in pre-eminence, and worthi- 
 ness above all other Princes and Dignities of our 
 time : though I make no comparison to years 
 past, to him that in this point, either of ig- 
 norance — (if any such can be), or else of ma- 
 levolence, would make any doubt : sit liber Judex 
 (as they say) ; let him look on the matter, and 
 answer himself, he has not far to travel. 
 
70 KENILWORTH. 
 
 As for the amplitude of his Lordship's mind, 
 albeit that I, poor soul, can in conceit no more 
 attain unto, than judge of a gem whereof I have 
 no skill : yea, though daily worn and resplendent 
 in mine eye ; yet some of the virtues and pro- 
 perties thereof, in quantity, or quality, so appa- 
 rent as cannot be hidden, but seen- of all men, 
 might I be the bolder to report here unto you ; 
 but as for the value, your jewellers by their 
 carats let them cast, an they can. 
 
 And first, who that considers unto the stately 
 seat of Kenil worth Castle, the rare beauty of build- 
 ing that his Honor hath advanced, all of the 
 hard quarry-stone: every room so spacious, so 
 well belighted, and so high roofed within : so 
 seemly to sight by due proportion without ; In 
 day-time on every side so glittering by glass ; 
 at nights, by continual brightness of candle, fire, 
 and torch-light, transparent thro'' the lightsome 
 windows, as it were the Egyptian Pharos relu- 
 cent unto all the Alexandrian coast: or else, 
 (to talk merrily with my merry friend,) thus ra- 
 diant, as though Phoebus for his ease would rest 
 him in the Castle, and not every night so to travel 
 
KENILWORTH. 71 
 
 down unto the Antipodes. Here, too, so fully 
 furnished of rich apparel and utensils apted in all 
 points to the best. 
 
 Unto this, his Honor's exquisite appoint- 
 ment of a beautiful garden, an acre or more in 
 quantity, that lieth on the north there : Wherein 
 hard all along by the Castle wall, is reared a 
 pleasant terrace, ten feet high, and twelve feet 
 broad, even under foot, and fresh of fine grass ; 
 as is also the side thereof towards the garden : In 
 which, by sundry equal distances, with obelisks, 
 and spheres, and white bears, all of stone upon 
 their curious bases, by goodly shew were set ; To 
 these, two fine arbours redolent by sweet trees 
 and flowers, at each end one, the garden plot 
 under that, with fair alleys, green by grass, even 
 voided from the borders on both sides, and some 
 (for change) with sand, not light, or too soft, or 
 soily by dust, but smooth and firm, pleasant to 
 walk on, as a sea-shore when the water is avail- 
 ed. Then, much gracified by due proportion of 
 four even quarters : in the midst of each, upon a 
 base of two feet square, and high, seemly bor- 
 dered of itself, a square pilaster rising pyramidi- 
 
72 KEN1LW0KTH. 
 
 tally fifteen feet high. Symmetrically pierced 
 through from a foot beneath to two feet of the 
 top : whereupon, for a capital, an orb of ten 
 inches thick ; every of these, with its base, 
 from the ground to the top, of one whole piece ; 
 hewn out of hard porphyry, and with great art 
 and heed (think me) thither conveyed and there 
 erected. Where, further also, by great cast 
 and cost, the sweetness of savour on all sides, 
 made so respirant from the redolent plants and 
 fragrant herbs and flowers, in form, colour, 
 and quantity so deliciously variant ; and fruit- 
 trees bedecked with apples, pears, and ripe 
 cherries. 
 
 And unto these, in the midst, against the 
 terrace : a square cage, sumptuous and beautiful, 
 joined hard to the north wall, (that on that side 
 guards the garden, as the garden the Castle) of 
 a rare form and excellency was raised : in height 
 twenty feet, thirty long, and fourteen broad. 
 From the ground strong and close, reared breast- 
 high, whereat a framing of a fair moulding was 
 couched all about : from that upward, four great 
 windows, in front, and two at each end, every 
 
KEN1LWORTH. 73 
 
 one five feet wide, as many more even above 
 them, divided on all parts by a transom and 
 architrave, so likewise ranging about the cage. 
 Each window arched at the top, and parted from 
 the other at even distances by flat fair bolteld 
 columns, all in form and beauty alike, these 
 supported a comely cornice couched all along 
 upon the bole square. Which with a wire net, 
 finely knit, of meshes six square, an inch wide (as 
 it were for a flat roof) and likewise the space of 
 every window with great cunning and comeliness, 
 even and tight was all over-strained. Under the 
 cornice again, every part beautified with great 
 diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and saphires: point- 
 ed, tabled, rock and round, and garnish'd with 
 gold ; by skilful head and hand, and by toil and 
 pencil so lively expressed, as it might be great mar- 
 vel and pleasure to consider how near excellency 
 of Art could approach unto perfection of Nature. 
 Bear with me, good countryman, though 
 things be not showed here as well as I would, or 
 as well as they should. For indeed I can better 
 imagine and conceive that which I see, than well 
 utter, or duly declare it. Holes were there also 
 
74 KENILWOHTH. 
 
 and caverns in orderly distances and fashion, 
 voided into the wall, as well for heat, for coolness, 
 for roost at nights and refuge in weather, as also 
 for breeding when time is. More ; fair, even, and 
 fresh holly trees for perching and pruning, set 
 within, toward each end one. 
 
 Here, too, their diversity of meats, their fine 
 several vessels for their water and sundry grains ; 
 and a man skilful and diligent to look to them 
 and tend them. 
 
 But, shall I tell you, of the silver sounded lute, 
 without the sweet touch of hand ; the glorious 
 golden cup, without the fresh fragrant wine ; or 
 the rich ring with gem, without the fair featured 
 finger ; is nothing, indeed, in his proper grace and 
 use: even so his Honor accounted of this mansion 
 ''till he had placed there tenants according. 
 Had it, therefore, replenished with lively Birds, 
 English, French, Spanish, Canarian, and I am 
 deceived if I saw not some African. Whereby, 
 whether it became more delightsome in change of 
 tunes, and harmony to the ear; or else in difference 
 of colours, kinds, and properties to the eye, 111 
 tell you, if I can, when I have better bethought me. 
 
KENILWORTH. 75 
 
 One day, Master Martin, as the garden door 
 was open, and her Highness hunting, by licence 
 of my good friend Adrian, I came in at a beckon, 
 but would scant out with a thrust : for sure I 
 was loath so soon to depart. Well may this, 
 Master Martin, be somewhat to magnitude of 
 mind, but more thereof as ye shall know, more 
 cause ye shall have so to think : hear out what 
 I tell you, and tell me when we meet. 
 
 In the centre, as it were, of this goodly gar- 
 den, was there placed a very fair fountain, cast 
 into an eight-square, reared four feet high; 
 from the midst whereof, a column upright, 
 in shape of two Athlants, joined together a 
 back half; the one looking east, the other 
 west, with their hands upholding a fair-formed 
 bowl of three feet over; from whence sun- 
 dry fine pipes did lively distil continual streams 
 into the reservoir of the fountain, maintained 
 still two feet deep by the same fresh falling 
 water: wherein pleasantly playing to and fro, 
 and round about, carp, tench, bream, and for 
 variety, pearch and eel, fish fair-liking all, and 
 large : In the top, the ragged staff; which, with 
 
76 KE NIL WORTH. 
 
 the bowl, the pillar, and eight sides beneath, were 
 all hewn out of rich and hard white marble. 
 On one side, Neptune with his tridental fuskin 
 triumphing in his throne, trailed into the deep 
 by his marine horses. On another, Thetis in 
 her chariot drawn by her dolphins. Then 
 Triton by his fishes. Here Proteus herding his 
 sea-bulls. There Doris and her daughters so- 
 lacing on sea and sands. The waves surging 
 with froth and foam, intermingled in place, with 
 whales, whirlpools, sturgeons, tunneys, conches, 
 and wealks, all engraven by exquisite device and 
 skill, so as I may think this not much inferior 
 unto Plwebus'' gates, which Ovid says, and per- 
 adventure a pattern to this, that Vulcan himself 
 did cut : whereof such was the excellency of art, 
 that the work in value surmounted the stuff, 
 and yet were the gates all of clean massy silver. 
 Here were things, ye see, might inflame any 
 mind to long after looking: but whoso was* 
 found so hot in desire, with the wrest of a cock 
 was sure of a cooler : water spirting upward with 
 such vehemency, as they should, by and by, be 
 moistened from top to toe ; the he's to some 
 
KENILWORTH. 77 
 
 laughing, but the she's to more sport : this 
 sometime was occupied to very good pastime. 
 
 A garden then so appointed, as wherein 
 aloft upon sweet shadowed walk of terrace, in 
 heat of summer, to feel the pleasant whisking 
 wind above, or delectable coolness of the foun- 
 tain-spring beneath ; to taste of delicious straw- 
 berries, cherries, and other fruits, even from 
 their stalks ; to smell such fragrancy of sweet 
 odours, breathing from the plants, herbs, and 
 flowers ; to hear such natural melodious music 
 and tunes of birds ; to have in eye for mirth 
 sometime these underspringing streams ; then, 
 the woods, the waters (for both pool and chase 
 were hard at hand in sight), the deer, the people 
 (that out of the east arbour in the base Court, 
 also at hand in view), the fruit-trees, the plants, 
 the herbs, the flowers, the change in colours, the 
 birds flittering, the fountain streaming, the fish 
 swimming, all in such delectable variety, order, 
 and dignity ; whereby, at one moment, in one 
 place, at hand, without travel, to have so full 
 fruition of so many God's blessings, by entire 
 delight unto all senses (if all can take) at once : 
 
78 KENfLWORTH. 
 
 for etymon of the word worthy to be called Pa- 
 radise : and though not so goodly as Paradise, 
 for want of the fair rivers, yet better a great deal 
 by the lack of so unhappy a tree. Argument 
 most certain of a right noble mind, that in this 
 sort could have thus all contrived. 
 
 But, Master Martin, yet one windlass must I 
 fetch, to make you one more fair course, an I 
 can : and cause I speak of One, let me tell you 
 a little of the dignity of One-hood ; wherein al- 
 ways all high Deity, all Sovereignty, Pre-emin- 
 ence, Principality, and Concord, without possi- 
 bility of disagreement, is contained : As, One 
 God, One Saviour, One Faith, One Prince, One 
 Sun, One Phoenix ; and as One of great wisdom 
 saith, One heart, One way. Where One-hood 
 reigns, there Quiet bears rule, and Discord flies 
 apace. Three again may signify company, a 
 meeting, a multitude, plurality ; so as all tales 
 and numberings from two unto three, and so up- 
 ward, may well be counted numbers, 'till they 
 mount unto infinity, or else to confusion, which 
 thing the sum of two can never admit ; nor it- 
 self can well be counted a number, but rather a 
 
KENILWORTH. 79 
 
 friendly conjunction of two Ones ; that, keeping 
 in a sincerity of accord, may purport unto us 
 charity to each other; mutual love, agreement 
 and integrity of friendship without dissimula- 
 tion. As is in these: The two Testaments ; the 
 Two Tables of the Law ; the Two great Lights, 
 Duo luminaria magma, the Sun and Moon. 
 And, but mark a little, I pray, and see how of all 
 things in the world, our tongues in talk do al- 
 ways so readily trip upon two's, pairs, and 
 couples ; sometimes as of things in equality, 
 sometime of difference, sometime of contraries, 
 or for comparison, but chiefly, for the most part, 
 of things that between themselves do well agree, 
 and are fast linked in amity : As, first, for pas- 
 times, Hounds and Hawks ; Deer red and fal- 
 low ; Hare and Fox ; Partridge and Pheasant ; 
 Fish and Fowl ; Carp and Tench. For Wars, 
 Spear and Shield ; Horse and Harness ; Sword 
 and Buckler. For sustenance, Wheat and Bar- 
 ley ; Pease and Beans ; Meat and Drink ; Bread 
 and Meat ; Beer and Ale ; Apples and Pears. 
 
 But lest by such dualities I draw you too 
 far; let us here stay, and come nearer home. 
 
80 KENILWOItTH. 
 
 See what a sort of friendly binites we ourselves 
 do consist and stand upon : First, our Two feet, 
 Two legs, Two knees, so upward ; and above, 
 Two shoulders, Two arms, and Two hands. 
 But chiefly our principal Two ; that is, body 
 and soul : Then in the head, where all our 
 senses meet, and almost all in Two's : Two 
 Nostrils, Two ears, and Two eyes : So are 
 we of friendly Two's from top to toe. Well, to 
 this number of binites, take ye one more for 
 an upshot, and here an end. 
 
 Two dials nigh unto the battlements, are set 
 aloft upon two of the sides of Caesar's Tower ; 
 one east, the other south ; for so stand they best 
 to show the hours to the town and country: 
 both fair, large, and rich, blue bice for ground, 
 and gold for letters, whereby they glitter con- 
 spicuous a great way off. The clock-bell, that 
 is good and shrill, was commanded to silence at 
 first, and indeed, sung not a note all the while 
 her Highness was there ; the clock stood also still 
 withal. But mark now, whether were it by 
 chance, by constellation of stars, or by fatal 
 appointment (if fates and stars do deal with 
 
KE NIL WORTH. 81 
 
 dials) thus was it indeed. The hands of botli 
 the tables stood firm and fast, always pointing 
 at two o'clock. Which thing beholding by hap 
 at first, but after seriously marking in deed, en- 
 printed into me a deep sign and argument cer- 
 tain: that this thing, among the rest, was for full 
 significance of his Lordship's honourable, frank, 
 friendly, and noble heart towards all estates: 
 which, whether they come to stay and take 
 cheer, or strait to return ; to see, or to be seen ; 
 come they for duty to her Majesty, or love to 
 his Lordship, or for both : come they early or 
 late: for his Lordship's part, they come always 
 all at two o'clock, e'en jump at two o'clock : that 
 is to say, in good heart, good acceptance, in 
 amity, and friendly welcome : who saw else that 
 I saw, in right must say as I say. For so many 
 things beside, Master Humphrey ,were herein so 
 consonant unto my construction, that this point- 
 ing of the clock (to myself) I took in amity, as 
 an oracle certain. And here is my windlass like 
 your course, as please you. 
 
 But now, Sir, to come to an end. For 
 receiving of her Highness, and entertainment of 
 
 G 
 
82 KENILWORTH. 
 
 all the other estates. Since of delicates, that 
 any way might serve or delight ; as of wine, 
 spice, dainty viands, plate, music, ornaments of 
 house, rich arras and silk (to say nothing of the 
 meaner things), the mass by provision was heaped 
 so huge, which the bounty in spending did after 
 bewray. The conceit so deep in casting the 
 plat at first : such a wisdom and cunning in 
 acquiring things so rich, so rare, and in such 
 abundance : by so immense and profuse a charge 
 of expence, which, by so honourable service, and 
 exquisite order, courtesy of officers, and huma- 
 nity of all, were after so bountifully bestowed and 
 spent; what may this express, what may this 
 set out unto us, but only a magnific mind, a sin- 
 gular wisdom, a princely purse, and an heroical 
 heart ? If it were my theme, Master Martin, to 
 speak of his Lordship's great honour and mag- 
 nificence, though it be not in me to say suffi- 
 ciently, as bad a pen-clerk as I am, yet could I 
 say a great deal more. 
 
 But being here now in magnificence, and mat- 
 ters of greatness, it falls well to mind the great- 
 ness of his Honor's tent, that for her Majesty's 
 
KENILWORTH. 83 
 
 dining was pight at Long Ichington, the day her 
 Highness came to Kenilworth Castle. A taber- 
 nacle indeed for number and shift of large 
 and goodly rooms, for fair and easy offices both 
 inward and outward, all so likesome in order and 
 eye-sight : that justly for dignity may be com- 
 parable with a beautiful palace ; and for great- 
 ness and quantity, with a proper town, or rather 
 a citadel. But to be short, lest I keep you too 
 long from the Royal Exchange now, and to 
 cause you conceive much matter in fewest 
 words. The iron bedstead of Og, the king of 
 Basan (you know) was four yards and a half 
 long, and two yards wide, whereby ye consider 
 a giant of a great proportion was he : This tent 
 had seven cart-load of pins pertaining to it : 
 Now for the greatness, guess as you can. 
 
 And great as it was (to marshal our matters 
 of greatness together,) not forgetting a wether at 
 Grafton, brought to the Court, that for body and. 
 wool was exceeding great; the measure I took 
 not: let me show you with what great marvel 
 a great child of Leicestershire, at this Long 
 Ichington, by the parents was presented : great, 
 g2 
 
84 KENILWORTH. 
 
 I say, of limbs and proportion, of four feet and 
 four inches high, and else lanuginous as a lad of 
 eighteen years ; being indeed avowed to be but 
 six years old, nothing more bewraying his age 
 than his wit, that was, as for those years, simple 
 and childish. 
 
 As for unto his Lordship, having with such 
 greatness of honourable modesty and benignity 
 so passed forth, as laudem sine invidia et ami- 
 cos par it. By greatness of well-doing, won with 
 all sorts to be in such reverence as de quo mentiri 
 fama veretur. In sincerity of friendship so great, 
 as no man more devoutly worships illud ami- 
 citlce sanctum et venerabile nomen. So great in 
 liberality, as hath no way to heap up the mass of 
 his treasure, but only by liberal giving and 
 bounteous bestowing his treasure ; following (as 
 it seems) that saw of Martial, that saith, 
 
 Extra fortimam est, quicqiiid donatur araicis ; 
 Quas dederis, solas semper habebis opss. 
 
 Out of all hazard dost thou set that to thy friends 
 
 thou givest : 
 A surer treasure canst thou not have ever while 
 
 thou livest. 
 
KENILWORTH. 85 
 
 What may these greatnesses bode, but only as 
 great honour, fame, and renown for these parts 
 here away, as ever was unto these two noble 
 greats, the Macedonian Alexander in Emathia 
 or Greece, or to Roman Charles in Germany or 
 Italy ? Which, were it in me any way to set 
 out, no man of all men by God, Master Mar- 
 tin, had ever more cause, and that hereby con- 
 sider you- 
 
 It pleased his Honor to bear me good will at 
 first, and so to continue. To have given me 
 apparel even from his back, to get me allowance 
 in the stable, to advance me unto this worshipful 
 office so near the most honourable Council, to 
 help me in my licence of beans (though indeed 
 I do not so much use it, for, I thank God, I 
 need not) to permit my good father to serve the 
 stable. Whereby I go now in my silks, that 
 else might ruffle in my cut canvas : I ride now 
 on horseback, that else many times might ma- 
 nege it on foot : am known to their Honors, 
 and taken forth with the best, that else might be 
 bidden to stand back myself. My good father a 
 good relief, that he fares much the better by, 
 and none of these for my desert, either at first or 
 
86 KENILWOKTH. 
 
 since, God knows. What say you, my good 
 friend Humphrey, should I not for ever honour 
 and extol him all the ways I can ? Yes, by 
 your leave, while God lends me power to utter 
 my mind. And, having as good cause of his 
 Honor, as Virgil had of Augustus Caesar •, will I 
 poet it a little with Virgil, and say, 
 
 Namque erit Hie mihi semper Deus, illius aram 
 Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus. 
 
 For he shall be a God to me, 'till death my life 
 
 consumes, 
 His altars will I sacrifice with incense and perfumes. 
 
 A singular patron of humanity may he be 
 well unto us toward all degrees: of honour 
 toward high estates, and chiefly whereby we 
 may learn in what dignity, worship, and rever- 
 ence her Highness is to be esteemed, honoured, 
 and received, that was never indeed more con- 
 dignly done than here ; so as neither by the 
 builders at first, nor by the edict of pacification 
 after, was ever Kenilworth more ennobled, than 
 by this his Lordship's receiving her Highness 
 here now. 
 
KENIL WORTH. 87 
 
 But, Jesu, Jesu, whither am I drawn now ? 
 But talk I of my Lord once, even thus it fares 
 with me : I forget all my friends, and myself 
 too. And yet you, being a mercer, a merchant, 
 as I am, my countryman born, and my good 
 friend withal, whereby I know you are com- 
 passioned with me ; methought it my part some- 
 what to impart unto you how it is here with me, 
 and how I lead my life, which indeed is this : 
 
 A mornings I rise ordinarily at seven o'clock : 
 then ready, I go into the chapel ; soon after 
 eight, I get me commonly into my Lord's 
 chamber, or into my Lord's presidents. There 
 at the cupboard, after I have eaten the manchet 
 served over night for livery, (for I dare be as 
 bold, I promise you, as any of my friends the 
 servants there ; and indeed I could have fresh, if 
 I would tarry; but I am of wont jolly and dry 
 a mornings) : I drink me up a good bowl of ale : 
 when in a sweet pot it is defecated by all night's 
 standing, the drink is the better, take that of 
 me : and a morsel in a morning, with a sound 
 draught, is very wholesome and good for the 
 eyesight : Then I am as fresh all the forenoon 
 
88 KEN1LW0RTH. 
 
 alter, as had I eaten a whole piece of beef. Now, 
 Sir, if the Council sit, I am at hand ; wait at an 
 inch, I warrant you : If any make babbling, 
 " Peace,'' 1 say I, " wot ye where ye are F" If I 
 take a listener, or a pryer in at the chinks or at 
 the lock-hole, I am by and by in the bones of 
 .him : but now they keep good order, they know 
 me well enough : If he be a friend, or such a 
 one as 1 like. I make him sit down by me on a 
 form or a chest ; let the rest walk, in God's name. 
 And here doth my languages now and then 
 stand me in good stead, my French, my Spanish, 
 my Dutch, and my Latin : sometime among 
 Ambassadors' men, if their masters be within 
 the Council : sometime with the Ambassador 
 himself, if he bid call his lacquey, or ask me 
 what's o'clock ; and I warrant you I answer him 
 roundly, that they marvel to see such a fellow 
 there : then laugh I, and say nothing. Dinner 
 and supper I have twenty places to go to, and 
 heartily prayed to : Sometimes I get to Master 
 Pinner ; by my faith a worshipful Gentleman, 
 and as careful for his charge as any her High- 
 ness hath. There find 1 always good store of 
 
KKxNIL WORTH. 89 
 
 very good viands ; we eat, and be merry, thank 
 God and the Queen. Himself in feeding very 
 temperate and moderate as you shall see any ; 
 and yet, by your leave, of a dish, as a cold 
 pigeon or so, that hath come to him at meat 
 more than he looked for, I have seen him even 
 so by and by surfeit, as he hath plucked off his 
 napkin, wiped his knife, and eat not a morsel 
 more ; like enough to stick in his stomach 
 two days after: (some hard message from the 
 higher officers ; perceive ye me ?) Upon search, 
 his faithful dealing and diligence had found him 
 faultless. 
 
 In afternoons and at nights, sometime am I 
 with the right worshipful Sir George Howard, 
 as good a Gentleman as any that lives. And 
 sometime, at my good Lady Sidney's chamber, 
 a Noble-woman that I am as much bound unto, 
 as any poor man may be unto so gracious a 
 Lady ; and sometime in some other place. But 
 always among the Gentlewomen by my good will ; 
 (O, you know that comes always of a gentle 
 spirit) : And when I see company according, 
 then can I be as lively too : Sometimes I foot it 
 
90 KENILWORTH. 
 
 with dancing: now with my gittern, or else 
 with my cittern, then at the virginals: You 
 know nothing comes amiss to me : Then carol I 
 up a song withal ; that by and by they come 
 flocking about me like bees to honey ; And ever 
 they cry, " Another, good Laneham, another !" 
 
 Shall I tell you ? when I see Mistress 
 
 (Ah ! see a mad knave ; I had almost told all !) 
 that she gives once but an eye, or an ear ; 
 why then, man, am I blest ; my grace, my cou- 
 rage, my cunning is doubled : She says, some- 
 time, " She likes it ;" and then I like it much 
 the better : it doth me good to hear how well I 
 can do. And to say truth ; what with mine eye, 
 as I can amorously gloit it, with my Spanish 
 sospires, my French heighes, mine Italian dul- 
 cets, my Dutch hoves, my double releas, my 
 high reaches, my tine feigning, my deep diapason, 
 my wanton warbles, my running, my timing, 
 my tuning, and my twinkling, I can gracify the 
 matters as well as the proudest of them, and 
 was yet never stained, I thank God: By my 
 troth, countryman, it is sometimes high midnight, 
 ere I can get from them. And thus have I 
 
KEN1LWQRTH. 91 
 
 told you most of my trade, all the live long day : 
 what will you more, God save the Queen and my 
 Lord. I am well, I thank you. 
 
 Herewith meaned I fully to bid ye farewell, 
 had not this doubt come to my mind, that here 
 remains a doubt in you, which I ought (rae- 
 thought) in any wise to clear. Which is, ye 
 marvel perchance to see me so bookish. Let me 
 tell you in few words: I went to school, for- 
 sooth, both at Paul's and also at St. Anthony's : 
 In the fifth form, passed M sop's Fables, I wis, 
 read Terence vos istcec intro aziferte, and began 
 with my Virgil Tityre tupatulce. I conned my rules, 
 could construe and parse with the best of them : 
 since that, as partly you know, have I traded 
 the feat of merchandize in sundry countries, and 
 so got me languages ; which do so little hinder 
 my Latin, as I, thank God, have much en- 
 creased it. I have leisure sometimes, when I 
 tend not upon the Council ; whereby, now look 
 I on one book, now on another. Stories I de^ 
 light in: the more ancient and rare, the more 
 likesome to me. If I told you, I liked William 
 of Malmesbury so well, because of his diligence 
 
92 KENILWORTH. 
 
 and antiquity, perchance you would construe it 
 because I love malmsey so well: But i 1 faith it 
 is not so: for sipt I no more sack and sugar, 
 (and yet never but with company,) than I do 
 malmsey, I should not blush so much adays as 
 I do: you know my mind. 
 
 Well now, thus fare ye heartily well i' faith : 
 If with wishing it could have been, ye had had a 
 buck or two this summer; but we shall come 
 nearer shortly, and then shall we merrily meet, 
 an grace o 1 God. In the mean time commend 
 me, I beseech you, unto my good friends, almost 
 most of them your neighbours: Master Alder- 
 man Pullison, * a special friend of mine : And 
 in any wise to my good old friend Master Smith, 
 
 Customer, by that same token, " Set my 
 
 horse up to the rack, and then let's have a cup 
 of Sack."" He knows the token well enough, 
 and will laugh, I hold you a groat. To Master 
 Thorogood : and to my merry companion (a 
 
 * Afterwards Sir Thomas Pullison, and Lord Mayor 
 in 1584. 
 
KENILWORTH. 93 
 
 Mercer, you know, as we be) Master De?ima?i, 
 Miofratello in Christo : He is wont to summon 
 me by the name of " Ro. La. of the County of 
 Nosingham Gentleman :" A good companion, 
 i 'faith. Well, once again, fare ye heartily well. 
 From the Court. At the City of Worcester, 
 the twentieth of August, 1 575. 
 
 Your Countryman, companion, and friend 
 assuredly: Mercer, Merchant-adventurer, and 
 Clerk of the Council chamber-door, and also 
 Keeper of the same : 
 El Prencipe Negro. Par me R. L. Gent. Mercer 
 
 DE MAJESTATE REGIA 
 
 Bcnigno. 
 Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea linguae, 
 
 Jactanter Cicero, at justius illud habe : 
 Cedant arma togae, vigil et toga cedit honori, 
 
 Omnia concedant imperioque suo. 
 
 Deo Opt. Max. Grat'wc. 
 
GLOSSARIAL 
 
 AND 
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
 
 Page 4. — A flight-shoot bread. 
 This passage may have two significations : One 
 derived from the same expression which Laneham uses 
 when speaking of the fire-works, in which place it is un- 
 derstood to mean a flying shot, or one discharged from a 
 mortar. — The other method of understanding the words 
 is, supposing that a flight signified a small arrow ; in 
 contradistinction to shafts, quarrels, bolts, and piles. 
 The latter of these is, however, the most probable, as the 
 pool itself was not more than three hundred feet in 
 breadth. 
 
 Ibid. — by the brays, &c. 
 The Park at Kenilworth was separated from the Castle 
 on the south side by a part of the pool, but was, as the 
 text states, connected as it were with the building; by the 
 sloping banks next the water. The word Bra, Brae, or 
 Bray, in the northern counties and Scotland is used for 
 the acclivity of a hill, and the brink or bank of a river. — 
 Vide Grose and Jamieson. 
 
 Page 6. — Petida's presumption. 
 In the year 642. Penda, King of Mercia, invaded the 
 dominions of Oswald, King of Northumberland ; who 
 was slain after a fierce battle at Maserfield. Burthred 
 or Buthred, who is mentioned in the context, was the 
 last King of Mercia ; whose kingdom was invaded in 
 8/4, by the West-Saxons, under Alfred. Thus overpow- 
 ered, he fled to Rome, where he died. 
 
95 
 
 Page 6. — Buthred's Hascardy. 
 The latter of these words, signifies a dispersion or scat- 
 tering, the cause of which, has been related in the pre- 
 ceding note. Hascardy is derived from the Saxon "Ky- 
 cabian, which is of the same interpretation. — Vide 
 Somner. 
 
 Page 7- — Althamerus writes. 
 
 Andrew Althamer, a Lutheran minister of Nurem- 
 berg, who lived about 1560 j he wrote several controver- 
 sial works, and some valuable notes on Tacitus, from 
 which the passage in the text is taken. — Vide Diction- 
 naire Universe! . 
 
 The termination Worth, which is mentioned in the 
 text to signify land situate by water, is more properly 
 derived from the Saxon pojift, a court or farm ; and hence 
 the place was originally denominated Kenelm's Worth, 
 or the Court of Kenelm. 
 
 Ibid.— Sybred. 
 
 A word signifying kindred, from the Saxon Sib-neben 
 — Consanguinity. — Vide Lye. 
 
 Page 8. — Long Ichington. 
 Another copy erroneously states this town to be only 
 three miles distant from Kenilworth. In Dr. Thomas's 
 edition of Dugdale's Warwickshire, Lond. 1730, Vol. 1. 
 p. 345, it is related that at the period mentioned in 
 the text, " the Earl of Leicester gave the Queen a glo- 
 rious entertainment here, in her passage to Kenilworth 
 Castle, erecting a tent of extraordinary largeness for that 
 purpose, the pins belonging whereto amounted to seven 
 cart-loads ; by which the magnificence thereof may be 
 guessed at." Laneham also subsequently notices this 
 circumstance, when speaking of the preparations for the 
 Queen's reception at Kenilworth. Vide p. 83, ante. 
 
 Ibid. — in a pall of while silk. 
 A long and large upper mantle was denominated a 
 pall, from the Latin pallium, or palla, a cloak. The great 
 mantle worn by the Knights of the Garter, is by ancient 
 writers called pallium. 
 
96 
 
 Ibid. — into every stead. 
 That is to say, every where, or into every place ; the 
 word stead is from the Saxon 8te^e, a room or place. — 
 Vide Somner. 
 
 Page 10 — The Ludy of the Lake. 
 The Lady of the Lake was a distinguished character in 
 the celebrated romance called " La Movte d'Arthur," 
 and in the xxvth chapter of the 1st book of that Work 
 she is thus introduced. " Soo they rode tyl they came to 
 a lake the whiche was a fayr water, and brood. And in 
 the niyddes of the lake, Arthur was ware of an arme 
 clothed in white samyte, [i. e. satin] that held a fayr 
 swerd in that hand, loo said Merlin, yonder is that swerd 
 thatl spak of, with that they sawe adamoisel going upon 
 the lake, what damoisel is that ? said Arthur; that is the 
 lady of the lake, said Merlin." From this lady it was 
 that King Arthur received his sword Excalibor, which 
 some have explained to signify cut steel, and others have 
 supposed to be a Hebrew term, meaning more precious 
 than iron or steel. At the conclusion of the romance 
 this famous sword is again cast into the lake, when the 
 same hand receives it ; the dying Arthur is also taken 
 into a barge wherein were many " fayr ladyes, and 
 amonge hem al was a quene, and al they had blacke 
 hoodes, and al they wepte and shryked when they sawe 
 Kyng Arthur." Such was that Sovereign's departure 
 from this world, but yet he is not supposed to be dead, 
 but only sleeping on the magic lap of the Lady of the 
 Lake, " by the wylle of our Lord Jhesu in another place, 
 and men say that he shal come ageyn and he shalwynne 
 the holy crosse." — Fide " La Morte d'Arthur," Caxton's 
 Edit. J485. 
 
 Page 1 1 . — Shalms, Cornets, &c. 
 The word shalm or shawm is derived from the German 
 00ljalme, a musical instrument; it however strictly sig- 
 nifies a psaltery or species of harp. The cornet is a horn, 
 as its name signifies in several languages. — Vide Bailev, 
 Buy, &c. 
 
97 
 
 Page 14. — Pight. 
 This word is the ancient preterite and participle past 
 of the verb to pitch. It signifies, generally, any thing 
 placed, fixed, pitched, or determined. Vide Bailey. 
 
 Ibid. — Recorders. 
 These were wind-instruments somewhat resembling 
 flutes, or rather clarionets ; for by the description which 
 is given of one by Lord Bacon, in the Second Century 
 of his " Sylva Sylvarum," at the 159th and lGlst experi- 
 ments, it may be ascertained that the instrument was 
 blown into at one end. It appears from the same 
 authority, that it consisted of a tube with stops or wind- 
 holes, and a fipple, or mouth-piece ; the lower end was 
 open, like the flageolets of the present time. The word 
 fipple, used by Bacon for mouth-piece, literally signifies 
 a stopper, from the Latin jibuli, whence it may be 
 argued that the upper end of the Recorder terminated in 
 a cap, from which issued the pipe that conveyed the 
 breath throughout the whole instrument. Vide Mallet's 
 Bacon, vol. 1, and Bailey. 
 
 Page 15. — Ceruleous. 
 Azure-blue, or sky-colour, from the Latin ceruleus. 
 Anciently, blue dresses were worn by all servants. Vide 
 Strutt. 
 
 Page 18. — Takes soil. 
 A term used in hunting, when a deer runs into the 
 water. Vide Phillips. 
 
 Ibid. — To the spoil of a Karvell. 
 A Carvel, or Caravel, was a species of light round ves- 
 sel, with a square stern, rigged and fitted out like a 
 galley, and of about 140 tons burthen. Such ships were 
 formerly much used by the Portuguese, and were es- 
 teemed the best sailers on the seas. Vide Phillips. 
 
 Ibid. — The yearning of the Hounds. 
 A hunting expression, used to signify the barking of 
 beagles at their prey. Vide Bailey. 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 Page 23. — A great sort of Ban- dogs. 
 Bewick describes the Ban-clog as being a variety of 
 the mastiff, but lighter, smaller, and more vigilant; 
 although at the same time not so powerful. The nose 
 is also less, and possesses somewhat of the hound's 
 scent ; the hair is rough, and of a yellowish grey colour, 
 marked with shades of black. The bite of a Ban-dog is 
 keen, and considered dangerous ; and its attack is usually 
 made upon the flank. Dogs of this kind are now rarely 
 to be met with. 
 
 Page 25. — The Bear with his pink eyes. 
 
 There is a singular coincidence between Laneham's 
 description of a bear-fight, and that given in the Romance 
 of" Kenilworth," where the Earl of Sussex presents a peti- 
 tion from Orson Pinnit, Keeper of the Royal Bears, 
 against Shakspeare and the players. It is evident that 
 the author of "Kenilworth" had the passage in his mind ; 
 and as the reader may also like to compare the two 
 passages, an extract from the Romance is here inserted : 
 " There you may see the bear lying at guard with his 
 red pinky eyes, watching the onset of the mastiff like a 
 wily captain, who maintains his defence, that an assail- 
 ant may be tempted to venture within his danger." Vide 
 Kenilworth, vol. ii. p. 129- 
 Page 26. — Gyrings. 
 
 An old English noun formed of the Latin gyrus, a 
 eircuit or compass ; a career or circle. 
 
 Page 27. — Diodorus Siculus, an ancient Greek writer. 
 The reference made in the text to the third book of 
 this author is erroneous ; the passage alluded to, being 
 in the fourth chapter of the second book, the which, as 
 it tends more perfectly to illustrate Laneham's remarks, 
 is here extracted from Booth's translation of Diodorus 
 Siculus, page 82. *' The inhabitants are much unlike to 
 us in these parts of the world, both as to their bodies 
 and their way of living ; but among themselves, they 
 are for form and shape like one to another, and in stature 
 
99 
 
 above four cubits high (six feet). They can bend and 
 turn their bodies like unto nerves ; and as the nervous 
 parts, after motion ended, return to their former state 
 and position, so do their bones. Their bodies are very 
 tender, but their nerves far stronger than ours, for what- 
 ever they grasp in their hands, none are able to wrest out 
 of their fingers. They have not the least hair in any 
 part of their bodies, but upon their heads, eyebrows, 
 eyelids, and chins ; all other parts are so smooth, that 
 not the least down appears any where. They are very 
 comely and well-shaped, but the holes of their ears are 
 much wider than ours, and have something like little 
 tongues growing out of them. Their tongues have some- 
 thing in them singular and remarkable, the effect both of 
 nature and art ; for they have partly a double tongue, 
 naturally a little divided, but cut farther inwards by art, 
 so that it forms two, as far as to the very root, and there- 
 fore there's great variety of speech among them, and 
 they not only imitate man's voice in articulate speaking, 
 but the various chatterings of birds, and even all sorts of 
 notes, as they please ; and that w T hich is more wonder- 
 ful than all, is, that they can speak perfectly to two men 
 at once, both in answering to what is said, and aptly 
 carrying on a continued discourse relating to subject- 
 matter in hand ; so that with one part of their tongue 
 they speak to one, and with the other part to the other." 
 Diodorus, surnamed Siculus, because he was born at 
 Argyra in Sicily, flourished about 44 years before the 
 Christian era. 
 
 Page 27. — Conradus Gesnerus. 
 An eminent physician, naturalist, and scholar of the 
 l6th century, who was born at Zurich in 15l6. He was 
 made Professor of Greek at Lausanne, and at Basil he 
 took the degree of Doctor of Medicine. After having 
 published many valuable works in Botany, Medicine, 
 Natural History, and Philology, he died of the plague in 
 the year 1565, aged forty-nine. His " Mithridates," 
 mentioned in the text, is a work on the difference of 
 tongues throughout the world. 
 
 l_.Cs 0. 
 
100 
 
 Page 28. — A comely Quintain. 
 In the Glossary to Bishop Kennels Parochial Anti- 
 quities, it is stated that the Quintain was a customary 
 sport at weddings. It consisted of an upright piece with, 
 a cross piece, one end of which is broad, and pierced 
 full of holes, and to the other is appended a bag of sand, 
 which swings round upon the slightest blow. — " The 
 pastime was," says Hasted," for the youth on horseback 
 to run at it as fast as possible, and hit the broad part in 
 his career with much force. He that by chance hit it 
 not at all was treated with loud peals of derision ; and 
 he who did hit it, made the best use of his swiftness, lest 
 he should have a sound blow on his neck from the bag 
 of sand, which instantly swang round from the other end 
 of the quintain. The great design of this sport was to 
 try the agility of the horse and man, and to break the 
 board, which whoever did, he was accounted chief of 
 the day'ssport." 
 
 Ibid. — Blue buckram bride-lace. 
 Laces of this description were anciently presented 
 to all the guests at weddings, and scarfs at funerals. — 
 Vide Ellis's edit, of Brand. 
 
 Page 29. — Girths were Geazon. 
 Or Geason, an ancient word, signifying rare or scarce. 
 — Vide Phillips. 
 
 Page 30. — Pucelles. 
 A French word for maids or virgins. 
 
 Ibid. — Loober Worts. 
 A dull, heavy, and useless fellow. The word is pro- 
 bably derived from the Danish lubben, gross or fat, and 
 vorte, a wart or wen. — Vide Wolff. — Shakspeare uses 
 the latter word somewhat in this sense, when he makes 
 Prince Henry say of Falstaff, " I do allow this wen to be 
 
 Ibid. — A sweet Sucket Barrel. 
 A vessel used for containing sweetmeats, for which 
 sucket is the ancient word. 
 
101 
 
 Page 30. — ParcelL 
 Partially, or partly. 
 
 Page 33. — His Jumenl. 
 A French word for a marc. 
 
 Page 34. — Certain good-hearted men of Coventry. 
 Previous to the suppression of the English Monaste- 
 ries, the City of Coventry was particularly famed for the 
 Pageants which were performed in it on the 14th of 
 June, or Corpus-Christi day. This appears to have been 
 one of the ancient fairs ; and the Gray Friars, or Friars 
 Minors of the above City, had, as Dugdale relates, " The- 
 atres for the several scenes very large and high, placed 
 upon wheels, and drawn to all the eminent parts of the 
 City, for the better advantage of the spectators : and con- 
 tained the story of the Old and New Testament, com- 
 posed in the old English rhyme." Coventry appears to 
 nave derived great benefit from the numbers of persoris 
 who came to visit these pageants. 
 
 Page 36. — Too sour in preaching aicay their pastime. 
 While the Catholic religion was the established faith 
 of England, there were, in connexion with it, many pub- 
 lic amusements and festivals, by which all the orders of 
 society were entertained ; such as the performance of 
 Moralities or sacred plays, popular customs to be ob- 
 served on certain vigils and saints' days, and the keeping 
 of the many holidays enjoined by the Romish Calendar, 
 in the pastimes common to the lower classes. In the 
 commencement of most reformations in society, it is 
 common to find the reverse of wrong assumed for right; 
 and hence the Puritans, who increased rapidly after the 
 English Reformation, not only banished all those festi- 
 vals and customs peculiar to the Catholic religion, but 
 also violently declaimed against popular pastimes, inno- 
 cent in themselves, but condemned by them because 
 they had existed in former times. This illiberal spirit 
 of denouncing public amusements, was, however, not 
 'thout some opposition; Randolph severely attacked 
 the sanctified fraternity of Blackfriars," in his " Muses 
 
 wi 
 
102 
 
 Looking Glass," and Ben Jonson scarcely ever let them 
 pass without some satirical remark. In the Monologue, 
 or " Masque of Owls," the latter of which, as it was 
 performed at Kenil worth, in the reign of Charles 1., is 
 most to the present purpose ; the third owl is intended to 
 represent a Puritan of Coventry, one of those who con- 
 tributed to put down the Coventry plays, and is thus 
 described : 
 
 HEY OWL THIRD ! 
 
 " A pure native bird 
 
 This, and though his hue 
 
 Be Coventry blue, 
 
 Yet is he undone 
 
 By the thread he has spun ; 
 
 For since the wise town 
 
 Has let the sports down 
 
 Of May-games and Morris, 
 
 For which he right sorry is ; 
 
 "Where their maids and their makes, * 
 
 At dancings and wakes, 
 
 Had their napkins and posies, 
 
 And the wipers for their noses, 
 
 And their smocks all-be-wrought 
 
 With his thread which they bought : 
 
 It now lies on his hands, 
 
 And having neither wit nor lands, 
 
 Is ready to hang or choke him, 
 
 In a skein of that that broke him." 
 
 From the above keen satire may be gathered, that in 
 abolishing of the Coventry pageants, the trade of that 
 City suffered considerably. The chief staple of the place 
 was the manufactory of blue thread, of which a great 
 consumption was formerly made in the embroidering of 
 scarfs and napkins. But beside the decay of trade in 
 Coventry, occasioned by the loss of the Pageants, the un- 
 patriotic taste for articles of foreign production, was also 
 of considerable detriment to that, as well as to the other 
 manufacturing towns of England. In a very rare tract, 
 entitled " A Briefe Conceipte of English Pollicye," 
 Lond. 1581, with the initials W. S. and ascribed to 
 
 * Mates. 
 
103 
 
 Shakspeare, but in reality written by W. Stafford, there 
 are the following passages concerning the effect of this 
 destructive fashion upon the staple of -Coventry : and as 
 they tend so particularly to illustrate the period of the 
 Kenilworth pageants, and Laneham's own manners, 
 which were so strongly tinctured with foreign fopperies, it 
 is presumed that their insertion will not be unacceptable 
 to the reader : — " I will tell you; while men were con- 
 tented with such as were made in the market-towns next 
 unto them, then they of our towns and cities were well 
 set a work, as I knew the time when men were con- 
 tented with caps, hats, girdles and points, and all man- 
 ner of garments made in the towns next adjoining, 
 whereby the towns were then well occupied and set a 
 work, and yet the money paid for the stuff remained in 
 the country. Now, the poorest young man in a coun- 
 try cannot be content with a leather girdle, or leather 
 points, knives or daggers, made nigh home. And spe- 
 cially no gentleman can be content to have either cap, 
 coat, doublet, hose, or shirt in his country, but they must 
 have this gear come from London, and yet many things 
 hereof are not there made, but beyond the sea : whereby 
 the artificers of our good towns are idle, and the occupa- 
 tions in London, and specially of the towns beyond the 
 seas, are well seta work even upon our costs.— I have heard 
 say that the chief trade of Coventry was heretofore in 
 making of blue thread, and then the town was rich even 
 upon that trade in manner only, and now our thread 
 comes all from beyond sea. Wherefore that trade of 
 Coventry is decayed, and thereby the town likewise." — 
 In consequence, therefore, of the desire for foreign arti- 
 cles of dress and ornament, England, which had been 
 hitherto in a great measure supplied from her own re- 
 sources, became about the close of the sixteenth century 
 filled with manufactures which were imported from the 
 Continent ; while at the same time the most important 
 British productions were exchanged for what, in a com- 
 mercial sense, might be considered only as superfluities. 
 This, also, is very forcibly hinted at in the pamphlet be- 
 fore quoted, in the following manner: — " And I marvel 
 no man takes heed to it, what number first of trifles 
 
104 
 
 comes hither from beyond the sea, that we might eithe? 
 clean spare, or else make them within our realm, for the 
 which we either pay inestimable treasure every year, or 
 else exchange substantial wares and necessary, for them, 
 for the which we might receive great treasure. Of the 
 which sort I mean as well looking-glasses as drinking, 
 and also to glaze windows, dials, tables, cards, balls, pup- 
 pets, penners (pen-cases), ink-horns, toothpicks, gloves, 
 knives, daggers, ouches (collars or necklaces), brooches, 
 aglets (the metal ends of tags or laces), buttons of silk 
 and silver, earthen pots, pins and points, hawks' bells, 
 paper both white and brown, and a thousand like 
 things that might either be clean spared, or else made 
 within the realm sufficient for us : and as for some things 
 they make it of our own commodities, and send it us again, 
 whereby they set their people a work, and do exhaust 
 much treasure out of this realm : as of our wool they 
 make cloths, caps, and kerseys ; of our fells (hides) they 
 make Spanish skins, gloves and girdles ; of our tin salt- 
 sellers, spoons and dishes ; of our broken linen cloths 
 and rags, paper both white and brown : what treasure 
 think ye goes out of the realm for every of these things ; 
 and then for altogether it exceeds mine estimation. There 
 is no man can be contented now with any other gloves 
 than is made in Fiance or in Spain ; nor kersey, but it 
 must be of Flanders dye ; nor cloth, but French or 
 Friseadowe; nor ouch, brooch, or agglet, but of Venice 
 making, or Milan ; nor dagger, sword, knife, or girdle, 
 but of Spanish making, or some outward country ; no 
 not as much as a spur, but that is fetched at the mil- 
 liner. I have heard within these forty years, when 
 there was not of these haberdashers that sells French or 
 Milan caps, glasses, knives, daggers, swords, girdles, and 
 such things, not a dozen in all London : and now, from 
 the town' to Westminster along, every street is full of 
 them, and their shops glitters and shines of glasses as 
 well drinking as looking, yea all manner of vessel of the 
 same stuff: painted cruises, gay daggers, knives, swords, 
 and girdles, that it is able to make any temperate man to 
 aaze on them, and to buy somewhat though it serve to 
 no purpose necessary." 
 
105 
 
 Page 36. — Captain Cox. 
 There is something extremely characteristic in Lane- 
 ham's manner of introducing this humorous personage ; 
 as he does it in the ordinary style of his office, it being- 
 customary for Heralds, Gentlemen ushers, and waiters of 
 the Presence-chamber, to call out* for room to be made 
 for the passage of any Prince, Ambassador, or Minister of 
 state, attending the Court. In Gifford's admirable edition 
 of Ben Jonson's Works, in the notes to the " Masque of 
 Owls/' Captain Cox is supposed " to have been some 
 well-known humourist ;" but at any rate, as the ju- 
 dicious editor very properly observes, though Laneham, 
 in his description of Cox, '* evidently meant to raise a 
 laugh at the Captain's expense, there is no occasion for it. 
 ' The list of his books and songs' shews him to have 
 been a diligent and successful collector of the domestic 
 literature of his country, and so far he is entitled to 
 praise." By some antiquaries, the existence of Captain 
 Cox has been considered as doubtful, and by others it 
 has been supposed that Laneham shadowed out his own 
 portrait under that name ; yet with respect to his library, 
 every bibliographer, from Bodley and Selden down to 
 those of the present times, has been as anxious to pos- 
 sess it as Sir Launcelot du Lake was to win the holy 
 vessel. In 1626, a year after Charles I. became King, the 
 Kenilworth pageants were again revived ; and for this 
 occasion was written the Monologue, or " Masque of 
 Owls," which commenced with the ghost of Captain Cox 
 appearing on his Hobby-horse. This, according to the 
 custom of the morris-dancers, was formed with the 
 resemblance of a horse's head and tail, having a light 
 wooden frame to be attached to the body of the person 
 who performed the hobby-horse. The trappings and 
 foot-cloth reached to the ground, and so concealed the 
 feet of the actor, who was to prance, curvet, and imitate 
 all the motions of a living horse. Such, it may be sup- 
 posed, were the horses of those who performed in the 
 Coventry play. Almost the whole of the first part of 
 Captain Cox's speech alludes to the entertainments ex- 
 hibited to Queen Elizabeth, as may be seen by the 
 following extract : speaking of his horse, he says, 
 
106 
 
 " For to tell you true, and in rhyme, 
 He was foaled in Queen Elizabeth's time, 
 When the great Earl of Lester 
 In this Castle did feast her. 
 Now, I am not so stupid 
 To think, you think me a Cupid, 
 Or a Mercury, that sit him ; 
 Though these cocks here would fit him : 
 But a spirit very civil, 
 Neither poet's god, nor devil, 
 An old Kenilworth fox, 
 The ghost of Captain Cox, 
 For which I am the bolder 
 To wear a cock on each shoulder. 
 This Captain Cox, by Saint Mary, 
 Was at Boulogne with King Ha-iy ; 
 And (if some do not vary) 
 Had a goodly library, 
 By which he was discerned 
 To be one of the learned, 
 To entertain the Queen here, 
 When she last was seen here: 
 And for the town of Coventry 
 To act to her Sovereignty. 
 But so his lot fell out, 
 That serving then a-foot, 
 And being a little man ; 
 When the skirmish began 
 'Twixt the Saxon and the Dane, 
 (From thence the story was ta'en) 
 He was not so well seen 
 As he would have been o' the Queen. 
 Though his sword was twice as long 
 As any man's else in the throng ; 
 And for his sake, the play 
 Was call'd for the second day." 
 
 In the above lines may also be found an explanation of 
 a part of Laneham's text, namely, the word " ton-sword,'" 
 which most probably signifies a large and long two- 
 handed sword. The epithet is very likely a corruption of 
 espadon, a French word which has the above meaning. 
 
107 
 
 Page 44. — Sulsipotent. 
 An epithet derived from the Latin salsipotens, which 
 signifies one who has power over the salt seas ; in which 
 sense it is used by Plautus. Ainsworth. 
 
 Page 45. — His bands scaled. 
 Came away. 
 
 Page 50. — Tonsor wise. 
 More properly written tonsure-wise ; that is to say, 
 shaven in a circle after the manner of the monks. Fide 
 Percy. 
 
 Page 50. — Kendal green. 
 This description of the minstrel's dress is particularly 
 valuable, as it gives a highly-finished portrait of a class of 
 men long since entirely extinct ; and therefore, as many 
 parts of the costume alluded to in the text are now un- 
 known, it will form an interesting note to consider over 
 and to explain them. The person mentioned is stated to 
 have resembled " a Squire Minstrel of Middlesex ;" and 
 from this Dr. Percy supposes, that " there were other 
 inferior orders, as yeomen minstrels, or the like." Philip 
 Stubbes, in his "Anatomy of Abuses," 1595, gives a par- 
 ticular detail of the Ruff, which is the first part of the 
 minstrel's dress mentioned in the text. From this it may 
 be learned, that a selling slick, also alluded to, was an 
 instrument made either of wood or bone for laying the 
 plaits of the ruff in proper form. " A side gown of Ken- 
 dal green," was a long hanging robe of coarse green wool- 
 len cloth or baize, for the manufacture of which the town 
 of Kendal inWestmoreland was very anciently celebrated. 
 From Stafford's tract already cited, it would appear that 
 this cloth was appropriated to servants ; as he there says, 
 " For I know when a serving-man was content to go in 
 a Kendal coat in summer, and a frise coat in winter ; and 
 with a plain white hose made meet for his body; and 
 with a piece of beef, or some other dish of sodden meat, 
 all the week long : now will he look to have at the least 
 for summer, a coat of the finest cloth that may be gotten 
 for money, and his hosen of the finest kersey, and that of 
 
108 
 
 some strange dye, as Flanders-dye or French-puke, that 
 a Prince or great lord can wear no finer if he wear cloth." 
 The mantle of Kendal-green, Laneham proceeds to state, 
 was gathered at the neck with a narrow gorget, or collar. 
 The gorget, which literally signifies a throat-piece, was 
 originally a part of the female dress, and consisted of a 
 long piece of cloth, or other stuff, wrapped several times 
 about the neck, raised on either side the face, and secured 
 in the front by long pins driven into the folds. The white 
 clasp and keeper were probably formed of pewter, as the 
 words " white metal" are often used in this sense in the 
 writers of Laneham's period. A red Caddis girdle was 
 one of those Spanish manufactures of which Stafford so 
 much complains ; they derived their name from being 
 made at the city of Cadiz in Spain, out of the fells or un- 
 tanned hides, which were sent from England to be formed 
 into skins of Spanish leather. To this girdle hung, as. 
 usual, a pair of Sheffield knives, capped, or placed within a 
 case ; for as the use of forks was not known in England 
 till about the year l6l0, knives, for common purposes, 
 were usually made in pairs. The word napkin is placed 
 for handkerchief. The description of the minstrel's gown 
 will easily be understood ; and it is only requisite to re- 
 mark upon it, that fustain-a-napes signifies Naples fustain, 
 or what was sometimes called fustain bustain. Nether 
 stocks were under stockings. The scutcheon about the 
 minstrel's neck, alludes to an ancient custom for persons 
 of that profession to wear the badge of that family by 
 which they were retained 5 as the three belonging to the 
 House of Percy wore each of them a silver crescent. 
 
 Towards the end of the sixteenth century, this class of 
 men had lost all their former credit, and were sunk so 
 low in public estimation, that in 1597, 39th of Eliz. a 
 statute was passed, by which minstrels, wandering abroad, 
 were included with tf rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beg- 
 gars," and were directed to be punished as such. This 
 act seems to have put an end to the profession. 
 
 Page 52. — Flawnes. 
 Phillips describes a flawn to be " a kind of dainty 
 made of fine flower, eggs, and butter." 
 
109 
 
 Page 57- — Out of King Arthur's acts. 
 In Caxton's edition, " La Morte d' Arthur," the chap- 
 ter whence this story is taken is entitled, " How the 
 tydings came to Arthur that Kyng Ryons had overcome 
 xi kynges; and how he desyred Arthur's berde to 
 purfyl his mantel." With respect to the poetical tale 
 given in the text, Dr. Percy, by whom it was printed in 
 his " Reliques," supposes the thought to have been 
 originally taken from Jeffery of Monmouth's History. 
 It has also been printed in " Percy Enderbie's Cambria 
 Triumphans," with some variations in the text, which is 
 probably much more pure than that used by Laneham, 
 since it is stated to have been procured from "a manu- 
 script in the library of the Right Honourable/rhomas 
 Lord Windesore." 
 
 Ibid. — Camelot. 
 The city of Winchester. 
 
 Ibid. — Heralds in cloaks. 
 The original word in this ballad is hewkes, which is de- 
 rived from the French huque, a cloak. The tabards, or 
 surcoats, of the ancient heralds, were often denominated 
 houces, or housings ; and this expression was applied, in- 
 discriminately, to their coats of arms, as well as to a dark- 
 coloured robe without sleeves, edged with fur, which they 
 formerly wore. 
 
 Ibid. — Largess. 
 A cry used by the heralds whenever they were rewarded 
 by knights or sovereigns. It is still in use at a Coronation. 
 It is a French expression, signifying a present or gift. 
 
 Ibid. — Deas. 
 The highest or principal table in a hall, which usually 
 stood upon a platform. The word comes from the French 
 dais, a canopy, as such a covering was usually erected 
 over the chief seats. 
 
 Ibid. — 'Gan prick. 
 Pressed hastily forwards. 
 
Voice, sounds. 
 
 110 
 
 Page 57. — Steven. 
 
 Pao-e 58. — Qantle. 
 A piece, or part. Shakspeare uses the word in King 
 Henry IV. part I. act 3, scene 1. 
 
 "And cuts me, from the best of all my land, 
 A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle out. 
 
 Ibid. — Stour. 
 A battle. 
 
 Page 68. — The Spindle and Rock. 
 A distaff held in the hand, from which the wool was 
 spun by a ball fixed below on a spindle, upon which every 
 thread was wound up as it was done. It was the ancient 
 way of spinning, and is still in use in many northern 
 counties. Vide Bailey. 
 
 Page 7 1 • — A beautiful garden. 
 It would appear from the " Secret Memoirs of the Earl 
 of Leicester," that the magnificent gardens and spacious 
 parks at Kenilworth were not completed without some 
 oppression on the part of their possessor, as the unknown 
 author of the above work thus speaks concerning them : 
 — " The like proceedings he used with the tenants about 
 Killingworth, where he received the said Lordship and 
 Castle from the Prince, in gift, of 24/. yearly rent, or 
 thereabouts, hath made it better than 500/. .by year, by 
 an old record also found, by great good fortune, in a hole 
 of the wall, as it is given out (for he hath singular good 
 luck always in finding out records for his purpose ;) by 
 virtue whereof he hath taken from his tenants round 
 about, their lands, woods, pastures, and commons, to 
 make himself parks, chases, and other commodities there- 
 with, to the subversion of many a good family which was 
 maintained there before this devourer set foot in that 
 country." At a subsequent part of the same volume is 
 mentioned Lord Leicester's " intolerable tyranny" upon 
 the lands of one Lane, " who offered to take Killing- 
 
Ill 
 
 worth Castle." A royal favourite, however, and a suc- 
 cessful minister, was never yet without enemies, and it is 
 certain that Lord Leicester was not ; the whole of the 
 volume out of which these extracts have been made, is 
 filled with charges of the most dreadful crimes with 
 which human nature can be stained ; yet even these are 
 related with such levity, such seeming familiarity with 
 vice, that the reader is tempted to believe that a great 
 proportion of it was fabricated by malice, and that the 
 author was even worse than the character he describes. 
 But to return : — The garden mentioned in the text will 
 doubtless remind some readers of those splendid pleasure- 
 grounds which belonged to Lord Burleigh, at Theo- 
 balds in Hertfordshire, and Sir Walter Raleigh's at Shir- 
 burne Castle in Dorsetshire. Of the former, Peck, in 
 his " Desiderata Curiosa," says, U He also greatly de- 
 lighted in making gardens, fountains, and walks, which 
 at Theobalds were perfected most costly, beautifully, 
 and pleasantly. Where one might walk two miles in the 
 walks before he came to their ends." Sir Paul Hentzner, 
 in his " Journey into England," when speaking of the 
 same place, describes it more particularly. " From this 
 place " [i. e. the gallery,] " one goes into the garden, 
 encompassed with a ditch full of water, large enough for 
 one to have the pleasure of going in a boat, and rowing 
 between the shrubs ; here are great variety of trees and 
 plants; labyrinths made with a great deal of labour; a 
 jet d'eau, with its bason of white marble ; and columns 
 and pyramids of wood and other materials up and down 
 the garden : After seeing these, we were led by the 
 gardener into the summer-house, in the lower part of 
 which, built semicircularly, are the twelve Roman Em- 
 perors, in white marble, and a table of touchstone; the 
 upper part of it is set round with cisterns of lead, into 
 which water is conveyed through pipes, so that fish may 
 be kept in them, and in summer time they are very con- 
 venient for bathing ; in another room for entertainment, 
 very near this, and joined to it by a little bridge, is an oval 
 table of red marble." Concerning the pleasure-grounds 
 at Shirburne, in Peck's work before cited, there is only 
 a notice that Sir W T alter Raleigh had drawn the river 
 
112 
 
 through the rocks into his garden ; butCoker states, that 
 he built in the park adjoining to the Castle, " from the 
 ground, a most fine house, which he beautified with 
 orchards, gardens, and groves, of such variety and delight, 
 that whether you consider the goodness of the soil, the 
 pleasantness of the seat, and other delicacies belonging 
 to it, it is unparalleled by any in these parts." The above 
 extracts will be an amusing counterpart to Laneham's 
 elaborate description of Lord Leicester's gardens. 
 
 Page 71. — White Bears. 
 These effigies were allusive to the ancient badge of 
 the Earls of Warwick, which was, a bear erect Argent, 
 muzzled Gules, supporting a ragged staff of the first ; the 
 ragged staffs were introduced in another part of the gar- 
 den, vide ante, page 75. Lord Leicester's connexion 
 with the Earls of Warwick was through the houses of 
 Lisle andBeauchamp, brought into the family of Dudley 
 by his mother, Elizabeth Talbot. In 156l, Ambrose 
 Dudley, Robert's elder brother, was made Earl of War- 
 wick, and consequently the badge was thus introduced. 
 
 Ibid. — Redolent. 
 From the Latin redolens, yielding a sweet smell or 
 scent. 
 
 Page 73. — Transom and architrave. 
 The word architrave signifies the lowest member of 
 the cornice, and an architrave window is one with an 
 ogee, or wreathed moulding. A transom is a beam or 
 lintel crossing over a window. 
 
 Ibid. — Bolteld columns. 
 Boltel is a term used in building, to signify any pro- 
 minence or jutting-out beyond the flat face of the wall. 
 
 Ibid. — Pointed, tabled, rock and round. 
 
 It is evident that these precious stones were imitated 
 
 in painting ; and that they were meant to represent the 
 
 gems in their various appearances. Pointed, or rose, as 
 
 it is termed by the lapidaries, is when a stone is cut with 
 
us 
 
 many angles rising from an octagon, and terminating in 
 a point. Tabled is when a diamond is formed with one 
 flat upper surface ; and the word table also signifies the 
 principal face. Rough is understood to mean the gem in 
 its primary state, when its radiance is seen to sparkle 
 through the dross of the mine. Round denotes the jewel 
 when it is cut and polished with a convex surface. The 
 expression, "Garnished with their gold," which follows 
 in the text, signifies ornamented with their settings. 
 
 Page 76. — Tridental fuskin. 
 A term derived from the Latin fuscina, an eel-spear, 
 trident, or three-forked mace. — Vide Ains worth. 
 
 Page 77. — For etymon of the word worthy to be called 
 Paradise. 
 
 Laneham, in making use of this expression, gave to 
 Lord Leicester's gardens a name which it was custo- 
 mary to apply to pleasure-grounds and houses in the six- 
 teenth and seventeenth centuries, as in the instances of 
 Wressell and Lekinfield, in the East Riding of York- 
 shire. 
 
 Page 80. — Binites. 
 A word probably coined by Laneham to express duality, 
 or the quality of being two. Its principal derivation is 
 evidently from the Latin binus, two. 
 
 Page 80. — Bice for ground, and gold for letters. 
 Bice is a pale blue colour prepared from the Armenian 
 stone, formerly brought from Armenia, but now from 
 the silver mines of Germany ; in consequence of which 
 smalt is sometimes finely levigated, and called bice. The 
 dials alluded to in the text were enamelled, and with the 
 sun's reflection on the gold figures, heightened by the 
 azure ground, must have had a most splendid appear- 
 ance. 
 
 Page 83. — The iron bedstead of Og, King ofBasan. 
 Vide Deuteronomy, chap. iii. verse 11. 
 
114 
 
 
 Page 84. — Lanuginons. 
 An adjective derived from the Latin lanuginoms, 
 downy, covered with soft hair. 
 
 Page 87- — Defecated. 
 A participle formed of the Latin verb dejceco, to purify 
 liquors from their lees and foulness. 
 
 Ibid. 1 — Gittern — cittern — virginals. 
 The first two of these instruments, if not the same, 
 were at least closely resembling each other. The words 
 are a corruption from the Spanish citara, a guitar ; or 
 Citron, a guitar-maker. Citterns were a species of that 
 extensive class of musical instruments of the guitar 
 form, known in the best era of music in England, which 
 went under ihe names of the Lute Ompharion, Bam- 
 bora, &c. some of which had notes to 9. — Fide " A Path- 
 way to Musick," obi. 8vo. The virginals was a keyed 
 instrument of one string to each note like a spinet, but 
 in shape resembling a small piano-forte. 
 
 Page 90. — Spanish Sospires, &c. 
 Laneham gives in this passage a specimen of making 
 love in the various languages in which he was skilled. 
 Suspiro, in the Spanish tongue, signifies a very deep sigh ; 
 He, in the French, expresses the emotions of the soul in 
 love ; Dolce, in Italian, means dear or beloved ; and in 
 Dutch, Boo/skied is the word for courtship. 
 
 London : 
 Printed by S. and It. BENTLEY, Dorset-street, Salisbury-square. 
 
 <A< 
 


 rSv^h 
 
 
 I ■ H^^H 
 
 ". S.r, 
 
 ■ 
 
 021 398 397