'The Kyng this yere kept the feast of Christmas at Grenewiche, wher was
suche abundance of viands served to all comers of any honest behaviour,
as hath been few times seen; and against New Yeres night was made, in
the Hall, a castle, gates, towers, and dungion, garnished with
artilerie, and weapon after the most warlike fashion: and on the frount
of the castle was written, Le Fortresse Dangerus, and within the castle
were six ladies clothed in russet satin laide all over with leves of
golde, and every owde knit with laces of blewe silke and golde; on ther
heddes, coyfes and cappes all of golde. After this castle had been
carried about the hal, and the Quene had behelde it, in came the Kyng
with five other appareled in coates, the one half of russet satyn,
spangled with spangles of fine golde, the other halfe riche cloth of
gold; on their heddes cappes of russet satin embroudered with workes of
fine gold bullion. These six assaulted the castle: the ladies seyng them
so lustie and coragious were content to solace with them, and upon
farther communication to yeld the castle, and so thei came down and
daunced a long space. And after the ladies led the knightes into the
castle, and then the castle sodainly vanished out of their sight.
'On the daie of the Epiphanie at night, the Kyng with XI other were
disguised after the manner of Italie, called a maske, a thing not seen
afore in Englande; they were apparelled in garments long and brode,
wrought all with gold, with visers and cappes of gold; and after the
banket doen, these maskers came in with six gentlemen disguised in
silke, bearing staffe torches, and desired the ladies to daunce; some
were content, and some that knew the fashion of it refused, because it
was not a thing commonly seen. And after they daunced and commoned
together as the fashion of the maske is, thei tooke their leave and
departed. And so did the Quene and all the ladies.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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