'they would have pestered the roome, which the season would not well permit'.
The locality was probably the Banqueting Room at Whitehall. The scene was supplemented by a Tree of Victory on a mount to the right of 'the state'. A 'travers' representing a cloud served for a curtain, and was drawn to discover, within a framework borne on pilasters, in front of which stood Neptune and Nereus on pedestals, a haven, whence the 'Ante-maske' issued. They presented on behalf of Tethys a trident to the King, and a sword and scarf to Henry, and the Naiads danced round Zephyrus. The scene was then changed, under cover of three circles of moving lights and glasses, to show five niches, of which the central one represented a throne for Tethys, with Thames at her feet, and the others four caverns, each containing three Nymphs.
The maskers marched to the Tree of Victory, at which they offered their flowers, and under which Tethys reposed between the dances. Of these they gave two; then took out the Lords for 'measures, corantos, and galliardes'; and then gave their 'retyring daunce'. Apparently as an innovation, 'to avoid the confusion which usually attendeth the desolve of these shewes', the presenters stayed the dissolve, and Mercury sent the Duke of York and six young noblemen to conduct the Queen and ladies back 'in their owne forme'.
This was a Queen's mask, and Daniel notes 'that there were none of inferior sort mixed among these great personages of state and honour (as usually there have been); but all was performed by themselves with a due reservation of their dignity. The maskers were the Queen (Tethys), the Lady Elizabeth (Thames), Lady Arabella Stuart (Trent), the Countesses of Arundel (Arun), Derby (Darwent), Essex (Lee), Dorset (Air), and Montgomery (Severn), Viscountess Haddington (Rother), and the Ladies Elizabeth Gray (Medway), Elizabeth Guilford (Dulesse), Katherine Petre (Olwy), Winter (Wye), and Windsor (Usk). The antimaskers were 'eight little Ladies'. The Duke of York played Zephyrus, and two gentlemen 'of good worth and respect' the Tritons. 'The artificiall part', says Daniel, 'only speakes Master Inago Jones.'
On 13 Jan. 1610 Chamberlain wrote to Winwood (iii. 117, misdated 'February') that 'the Queen would likewise have a mask against Candlemas or Shrovetide'. Doubtless it was deferred to the Creation, for which on 24 May the same writer (Winwood, iii. 175) mentions Anne as preparing and practising a mask. Winwood's papers (iii. 179) also contain a description, unsigned, but believed by their editor to be written by John Finett, as follows:
'The next day was graced with a most glorious Maske, which was
double. In the first, came first in the little Duke of Yorke between two
great Sea Slaves, the cheefest of Neptune's servants, attended upon by
twelve [eight] little Ladies, all of them the daughters of Earls or Barons.
By one of these men a speech was made unto the King and Prince, expressing
the conceipt of the maske; by the other a sword worth 20,000 crowns
at the least was put into the Duke of York's hands, who presented the same
unto the Prince his brother from the first of those ladies which were to
follow in the next maske. This done, the Duke returned into his former
