Imprinted at London by Richard Jhones, 1576. Reprinted in Nichols’
_Progresses of Queen Elizabeth_, vol. i. These revels were also
described, more vividly, but at greater length, in West Country
dialect, by Laneham in his _Letter_, reprinted by Nichols and also
by the Early English Text Society.
A brief Rehearsal, or rather, a true Copy of as much as was presented
before her Majesty at Kenilworth during her last abode there, as
followeth:
Her Majesty came thither, as I remember, on Saturday, being the ninth of
June last past: On which day there met her on the way, somewhat near the
Castle, Sibylla, who prophesied unto Her Highness the prosperous reign
that she should continue, according to the happy beginning of the same.
The order thereof was this: Sibylla being placed in an arbour in the
park, near the highway where the Queen’s Majesty came, did step out, and
pronounced as followeth:
“All hail, all hail, thrice happy Prince, I am Sibylla she,
Of future chance and after hap foreshewing what shall be.
* * * * *
And so pass forth in peace, O Prince of high and worthy praise:
The God that governs all in all increase your happy days!”
This device was invented, and the verses also written, by Mr. Hunnis,
Master of her Majesty’s Chapel.
Her Majesty passing on to the first gate, there stood in the leads and
battlements thereof six trumpeters hugely advanced[66] much exceeding
the common stature of men in this age, who had likewise huge and
monstrous trumpets counterfeited, wherein they seemed to sound: and
behind them were placed certain trumpeters, who sounded indeed at Her
Majesty’s entry. And by this dumb show it was meant that in the days and
reign of King Arthur men were of that stature; so that the Castle of
Kenilworth should seem still to be kept by Arthur’s heirs and their
servants. And when her Majesty entered the gate, there stood Hercules
for Porter who, seeming[67] to be amazed at such a presence upon such a
sudden, proffered to stay them. And yet at last, being overcome by view
of the rare beauty and princely countenance of Her Majesty, yielded
himself and his charge, presenting the keys unto her Highness, with
these words: [Verses.]
These verses were devised and pronounced by Master Badger of Oxenford,
Master of Art and Bedell in the same University.
When Her Majesty was entered the gate, and come into the base court,
there came unto her a Lady attended with two Nymphs, who came all over
the pool, being so conveyed that it seemed she had gone upon the water.
This Lady named herself the Lady of the Lake, who spake to her Highness
as followeth: [Verses, ending:]
“Passe on Madam, you need no longer stand:
The Lake, the Lodge, the Lord, are yours for to command.”
These verses were devised and penned by M. Ferrers, sometime Lord of
Misrule in the Court.
Her Majesty, proceeding towards the inward court, passed on a bridge,
the which was railed in on both sides. And in the tops of the posts
thereof were set sundry presents and gifts of provision, as wine, corn,
fruits, fishes, fowls, instruments of music and weapons for martial
defence. All which were expounded by an Actor, clad like a Poet, who
pronounced these verses in Latin: [Hexameters.]
These verses were devised by Master Muncaster.[68] ... This speech being
ended, she was received into the inner court with sweet music. And so
alighting from her horse, the drums, fifes and trumpets sounded:
wherewith she mounted the stairs and went to her lodging.
On the next day, being Sunday, there was nothing done until the evening,
at which time there were fireworks shewed upon the water, the which were
both strange and well executed: as sometimes, passing under the water a
long space, when all men had thought they had been quenched, they would
rise and mount out of the water again, and burn very furiously until
they were utterly consumed.
And to make some plainer declaration and rehearsal of all these things
before Her Majesty, on the 10 of July there met her in the Forest, as
she came from hunting, one clad like a Savage man, all in ivy, who,
seeming to wonder at such a presence, fell to quarrelling with Jupiter,
as followeth: [Dialogue in verse with Echo. The wild man inquires what
the reason for all the strange shews he sees may be, and being informed,
answers, that he will “make glee with sundry gladsome games” on
Thursday.]
These verses were devised, penned and pronounced by Master
Gascoigne,[69] and that (as I have heard credibly reported), upon a very
great sudden.
The next thing that was presented before Her Majesty was the delivery of
the Lady of the Lake; whereof the Sum was this. Triton, in likeness of a
mermaid, came towards the Queen’s Majesty as she passed over the
bridge, returning from hunting, and to her declared that Neptune had
sent him to her Highness, to declare the woful distress wherein the poor
Lady of the Lake did remain; the cause whereof was this. Sir Bruse sauns
pitie, in revenge of his cousin Merlin the prophet, whom for his
inordinate lust she had enclosed in a rock, did continually pursue the
Lady of the Lake, and had long sithens surprised her, but that Neptune,
pitying her distress, had environed her with waves. Whereupon she was
enforced to live always in that pool, and was thereby called the Lady of
the Lake. Furthermore affirming that by Merlin’s prophecy it seemed she
could never be delivered but by the presence of a better maid than
herself. Wherefore Neptune had sent him right humbly to beseech Her
Majesty, that she would no more but shew herself, and it should be
sufficient to make Sir Bruse withdraw his forces. Furthermore commanding
both the waves to be calm and the Fishes to give their attendance. And
this he expressed in verse as followeth: [Verses by Triton and the Lady
of the Lake.]
From thence Her Majesty passing yet further on the bridge, Proteus
appeared, sitting on a dolphin’s back. And the dolphin was conveyed upon
a boat, so that the oars seemed to be his fins. Within the which dolphin
a concert of music was secretly placed, the which sounded: and Proteus,
clearing his voice, sang this song of congratulation.... [Verses.]
This song being ended, Proteus told the Queen’s Majesty a pleasant tale
of his delivery, and the fishes which he had in charge. The device of
the Lady of the Lake was also Master Hunnis’....
And now you have as much as I could recover hitherto of the devices
executed there; the country shews excepted and the merry marriage, the
which were so plain as needeth no further explication. To proceed then:
there was prepared a show to have been presented before Her Majesty in
the Forest; the argument whereof was this:
Diana, passing in chase with her nymphs, taketh knowledge of the
country, and thereby calleth to mind how, near seventeen years past,
she lost in those coasts one of the best beloved nymphs, named
Zabeta.[70] She describeth the rare virtues of Zabeta. One of her nymphs
confirmeth the remembrance therof, and seemeth to doubt that dame Juno
hath won Zabeta to be a follower of hers. Diana confirmeth the
suspicion; but yet, affirming herself much in Zabeta’s constancy, giveth
charge to her Nymphs that they diligently hearken and espy in all places
to find or hear news of Zabeta: and so passeth on.
To entertain intervallum temporis, a man clad all in moss cometh in
lamenting, and declaring that he is the wild man’s son, which not long
before had presented himself before Her Majesty; and that his father
(upon such words as her Highness did then use to him) lay languishing
like a blind man, until it might please her Highness to take the film
from his eyes.
The Nymphs return one after another in quest of Zabeta; at last Diana
herself, returning and hearing no news of her, invoketh the help of her
father Jupiter. Mercury cometh down in a cloud, sent by Jupiter, to
recomfort Diana, and bringeth her unto Zabeta. Diana rejoiceth, and
after much friendly discourse departeth: affying herself in Zabeta’s
prudence and policy. She and Mercury being departed, Iris cometh down
from the rainbow, sent by Juno; persuading the Queen’s Majesty that she
be not carried away by Mercury’s filed[71] speech nor Diana’s fair
words; but that she consider all things by proof, and then she shall
find much greater cause to follow Juno than Diana. [The text of the
Shew, in two Acts.]
This Shew was devised and penned by M. Gascoigne; and being prepared and
ready (every Actor in his garment) two or three days together, yet never
came to execution. The cause whereof I cannot attribute to any other
thing than to lack of opportunity and seasonable weather.[72]
The Queen’s Majesty hasting her departure from thence, the Earl
commanded Master Gascoigne to devise some farewell worth the presenting;
whereupon he himself, clad like unto Silvanus, God of the Woods, and
meeting her as she went on hunting, spake ex tempore as followeth:
[Prose Allegory, with songs, ending:]
“Whereat your Highness may rest assured, that heaven will smile, the
earth will quake, men will clap their hands, and I will always continue
an humble beseecher for the flourishing estate of your royal person,
whom God now and ever preserve, to his good pleasure and our great
comfort. Amen.”
LONDON IN THE PLAGUE (ABOUT 1593).
=Source.=--Lansdowne MSS., Malone Society, _Collections_. I. ii., p. 206.
LONDON. Orders to be sett downe by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London
for taking awaie such enormities as be meanes not only to continue but
increase the plague and disorders of the Citie; being taken out of the
proclamations set out by the Citie and the articles sett downe for
providing for the poor and setting them to work.
ALDERMEN OR THEIR DEPUTIES.
1. To give charge to Churchwardens, Constables, Parish Clerks and
Bedells to enquire what houses be infected.
2. To visit the ward often to see orders observed, especially touching
cleanness in the streets.
3. The Aldermen or their deputies in their own persons to appoint
Surveyors monthly in every parishe.
4. To appoint that certificate may be made to them what houses be
infected.
5. To give charge to all teachers of children that (as nere as they can)
they permit no children to come to their scoles from infected houses,
especiallie till such houses have bene clere by the space of 28 daies,
and that none kepe a greater number than their Roomes shall be thought
fit by the Aldermen or their deputies to conteyne.
SURVEYOURS.
1. To see the orders for the sick executed daylie and diligentlie, upon
knowledge from the Aldermen what houses be infected.
2. To appoint purveyours of necessaries for infected houses (being of
the same houses), and deliver them reed rods to carry, and see that none
other resort to their houses.
CONSTABLES.
1. To bring every daie notice in writing to the Aldermen or their
deputies what houses be infected.
CONSTABLE AND CHURCHWARDEN.
1. To provyde to have in readiness women to be providers and deliverers
of necessaries to infected houses, and to attend the infected persons,
and they to bear reed wandes, so that the sicke maie be kept from the
whole, as nere as maie be, nedefull attendance weighed.
CONSTABLE AND BEDELL.
1. To inquire what houses be infected.
2. To view dailie that papers remaine upon doors xxviii daies or to
place newe.
CLARKES AND SEXTONS.
1. To understand what houses be infected.
2. To see bills set upon the doors of houses infected.
3. To suffer no corpses infected to be buried or remain in the churche
during prayer or sermon, and to keep children from coming nere them.
SCAVENGERS AND RAKERS.
1. To see the streets made cleane every daie saving Sunday and the soile
to be carried away.
2. To warn all inhabitants, against their houses to keep channels clere
from fylth (by only turning it aside) that the water maie have passage.
COMMON HUNT.
1. To kyll dogs, etc., or to lose his place.
HOUSEHOLDERS AND HOUSES.
1. Houses having some sicke though none die, or from whence some sicke
have bene removed, are infected houses, and such are to be shut up for a
month.
2. The whole familie to tarry in xxviii days.
3. To keep shut the lower rooms for the like space.
4. One licensed to go for provision, etc.
5. No clothes hanged into the streets.
6. Such as have wells or pumpes, every morning by six and every evening
after eight a clocke, shall cause ten bucketts full to run into the
streets.
7. Every evening at that hour the streets and channells to be made
cleane, the water not swept out of the channell, nor the streets
overwett but sprinkled, etc.
8. The houses infected and things in them to be aired in the xxviii days
and no clothes or things about the infected persons to be given awaie or
sold but either destroyed or sufficientlie purified.
9. Owners of houses infected with their familie, may within the month
depart to any their houses in the countrye, or to any other house in the
Cyttye without being shut up, so that they abstain from returning to the
Cyttye, or from going abroad out of house in the Cyttye, for a month.
10. None shall keep dogg or bitche abroad unled nor within howling or
disturbing of their neighbours.
11. To have no assembly at funeral dynners or usual meeting in houses
infected.
12. None shall for a month come into infected houses but such as be of
the house and licensed to do service abroad.
13. No donghills out of stables, Bearhouses or other places to be made
in the strete.
14. To have double time of Restraint for consenting to pull down bills,
and the taker awaie to suffer imprisonement for viii. days.
TWO VIEWERS OF DEAD BODIES,
TWO VIEWERS OF SICK SUSPECTED,
Shall be appointed and sworne.
These viewers to report to the Constable, he to the Clarke, and he to
the chief of Clarkes, all upon pain of imprisonment. A pain of standing
on the pillorye for false reports by the viewers. A loss of pension to
such as shall refuse.
MENDINGE OF PAVEMENTS.
That diligent care be had, that pavements be amended where nede is, and
that principall paviers be appointed to survey the wants of paving,
especiallie in Channels, and that the dwellers against such may be
forced to amend them.
INTERLUDES AND PLAIES.
If the increase of the sicknes be feared, that Interludes and plaies be
restrained within the libertyes of the Cyttye.
PHISICIONS AND SURGEONS.
That skilful and learned physicions and surgeons may be provided to
minister to the sicke.
VAGRANT, MASTERLESS, AND POORE PEOPLE.
1. That all such as be diseased be sent to St. Thomas or St. Bartylmewes
hospitall, there to be first cured and made cleane, and afterwards those
which be not of the Cyttye to be sent awaie according to the statute in
that case provided, and the other to be sett to worke, in such trades as
are least used by the Inhabitants of the Cyttye, for the avoyding[73] of
all such vagrant persons, as well children male and female, soldiers
lame and maymed, as other idle and loytering persons that swarme in the
streets and wander up and downe begging, to the great daunger and
infecting of the Cyttye for th’increase of the plague and annoyance to
the same.
2. That all maisterlesse men who live idlie in the Cyttye without any
lawfull calling, frequenting places of common assemblies, as Interludes,
gaming houses, cockpitts, bowling allies, and such other places, may be
banished the Cyttye according to the laws in that case provyded.
* * * * *
All which orders aforesaid the Aldermen and their deputies are every one
in their place to see performed, both in themselves and others, and in
cases of doubt to yield their opinions and gyve directions.
(Endorsed) Orders to be set down of the Lord Mayor.
For repressing of disorders and relief of the poor.
A PESSIMIST ON THE AGE.
=Source.=--Roger Ascham: _The Scholemaster_, 1570. Ed. Mayor.
ITALIANATE ENGLISHMEN.
But I am affraide, that over many of our travelers into _Italie_, do not
eschewe the way to _Circes_ Court: but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie
thether, they make great hast to cum to her: they make great sute to
serve her: yea, I could point out some with my finger, that never had
gone out of England, but onelie to serve _Circes_ in _Italie_. Vanitie
and vice, and any licence to ill living in England was counted stale and
rude unto them. And so, beying Mules and Horses before they went,
returned verie Swyne and Asses home agayne: yet every where verie Foxes
with subtle and busie heades: and where they may, verie wolves, with
cruell malicious hartes. A mervelous monster, which, for filthines of
livyng, for dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in dealing with
others, for malice in hurting without cause, should carie at once in one
bodie, the belie of a Swyne, the head of an Asse, the brayne of a Foxe,
the wombe of a wolfe. If you thinke, we judge amisse, and write too sore
against you, heare, what the _Italian_ sayth of the English man, what
the master reporteth of the scholer: who uttereth playnlie, what is
taught by him, and what is learned by you, saying, _Englese Italianato,
e un diabolo incarnato_, that is to say, you remaine men in shape and
facion, but becum devils in life and condition....
I was once in Italie my selfe: but I thanke God, my abode there, was but
ix. dayes: And yet I sawe in that litle tyme, in one Citie, more
libertie to sinne, than ever I hard tell of in our noble Citie of London
in ix. yeare. I sawe, it was there as free to sinne, not onelie without
all punishment, but also without any mans marking, as it is free in the
Citie of London, to chose, without all blame, whether a man lust to
weare Shoo or pantocle.[74]
* * * * *
NOVELS AND ROMANCES.
These be the inchantementes of Circes, brought out of Italie, to marre
mens maners in England: much, by example of ill life, but more by
preceptes of fonde bookes, of late translated out of _Italian_ into
English, sold in every shop in London, commended by honest titles the
soner to corrupt honest maners: dedicated over boldlie to vertuous and
honorable personages, the easielier to beguile simple and innocent
wittes. It is pitie, that those which have authoritie and charge to
allow and disalow bookes to be printed, be no more circumspect herein
than they are. Ten Sermons at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for
movying men to trewe doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme with
inticing men to ill living. Yea, I say farder, those bookes tend not so
much to corrupt honest livyng, as they do to subvert trewe Religion. Mo
Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of _Italie_, than by your earnest
bookes of _Lovain_....
In our forefathers tyme, when Papistrie, as a standyng poole, covered
and overflowed all England, fewe bookes were read in our tong, savyng
certaine bookes of Chevalrie, as they sayd, for pastime and pleasure,
which, as some say, were made in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton
Canons: as one for example, _Morte Arthure_: the whole pleasure of which
booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, in open mans slaughter, and
bold bawdrye: In which booke those be counted the noblest Knightes, that
do kill most men without any quarell, and commit fowlest advoulteres[75]
by sutlest shiftes.... This is good stuffe for wise men to laughe at or
honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I know, when Gods Bible was banished
the Court, and _Morte Arthure_ received into the Princes chamber. What
toyes, the dayly readyng of such a booke may worke in the will of a yong
gentleman, or a yong mayde, that liveth welthelie and idlelie, wise men
can judge, and honest men do pitie. And yet ten _Morte Arthures_ do not
the tenth part of so much harme, as one of these bookes made in
_Italie_, and translated in England....
* * * * *
NEW-FANGLED DRESS.
If some Smithfeild ruffian take up some strange going, some new mowing
with the mouth: some wrenchyng with the shoulder, some brave proverbe:
some fresh new othe, that is not stale but will run round in the mouth:
some new disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond in facion, or garish
in colour, what soever it cost, how small soever his living be, by what
shift soever it be gotten, gotten must it be, and used with the first,
or els the grace of it is stale and gone.
* * * * *
CONTEMPT FOR LEARNING.
If a father have foure sonnes, three faire and well formed both mynde
and bodie, the fourth, wretched, lame, and deformed, his choice shalbe,
to put the worst to learning, as one good enoughe to becum a scholer. I
have spent the most parte of my life in the Universitie, and therfore I
can beare good witnes that many fathers commonlie do thus: wherof, I
have heard many wise, learned, and as good men as ever I knew, make
great, and oft complainte: a good horseman will choose no soch colte,
neither for his own, nor yet for his master’s sadle.
* * * * *
HOW TO ATTRACT THE SCHOLAR.
Young men, by any meanes, losing the love of learning, when by tyme they
cum to their owne rule, they carie commonlie from the schole with them a
perpetuall hatred of their master, and a continuall contempt of
learning. If ten gentlemen be asked why they forget so sone in court
that which they were learning so long in schole, eight of them (or let
me be blamed) will laie the fault on their ill handling by their
scholemasters....
Yet, some will say, that children of nature love pastime and mislike
learning: bicause, in their kinde, the one is easie and pleasant, the
other hard and werisom: which is an opinion not so trewe, as some men
weene: For, the matter lieth not so much in the disposition of them that
be yong, as in the order and maner of bringing up by them that be old,
nor yet in the difference of learnyng and pastime. For, beate a child if
he daunce not well, and cherish him though he learne not well, ye shall
have him unwilling to go to daunce and glad to go to his booke. Knocke
him alwaies, when he draweth his shaft ill, and favor him againe, though
he faut[76] at his booke, ye shall have hym verie loth to be in the
field, and verie willing to be in the schole.[77]
PURITANISM ON DRESS.
=Source.=--Philip Stubbes: _Anatomy of Abuses_, 1583 (Ed. New Shakspere
Society). Part i., pp. 51-52, 71-73.
But wot you what? The devil, as he is in the fulness of his malice,
first invented these great ruffes, so hath he now found out also two
great stayes to beare up and maintaine that his kingdome of great ruffes
(for the devil is king and prince over all the children of pride): the
one arch or piller whereby his kingdome of great ruffes is underpropped,
is a certain kind of liquide matter which they call Starch, wherein the
devil hath willed them to wash and dive[78] his ruffes wel, which, when
they be dry, wil then stand stiffe and inflexible about their necks. The
other piller is a certain device made of wires, crested for the purpose,
whipped over either with gold, thread, silver or silk, and this he
calleth a supportasse, or underpropper. This is to be applyed round
about their necks under the ruffe, upon the outside of the band, to
beare up the whole frame and body of the ruffe from falling and hanging
down.
* * * * *