inconclusive that it is not worth while to disturb his chronology. Mercury Vindicated is not dated in the Folio, but it is printed next before The Golden Age Restored, which is dated '1615'. Now it is true that the order of the Folio, as Brotanek points out, appears to be chronological; but it is also true that, at any rate for the masks, the year-dates, by a practice characteristic of Jonson, follow Circumcision and not Annunciation style. One or other principle seems to have been disregarded at the end of the Folio, and who shall say which? Brotanek attempts to support his arrangement by tracing topical allusions (a) in Mercury Vindicated to Court 'brabbles' of 1614-15, (b) in The Golden Age Restored to the Somerset esclandre. But there are always 'brabbles' in courts, and I can find no references to Somerset at all. Nor is it in the least likely that there would be any. Per contra, I may note that Chamberlain's description of the 'device' in 1615 as not 'extra-*ordinary' applies better to The Golden Age Restored than to Mercury Vindicated.
The Golden Age Restored. 1 Jan. 1616
1616. The Golden Age Restor'd. In a Maske at Court, 1615. by the Lords, and Gentlemen, the Kings Seruants. W. Stansby, sold by Richard Meighen. [Part of F_{1}.]
The maskers were Sons of Phoebus, Chaucer, Gower, Lydgate, Spenser, and presumably others; the antimaskers twelve Evils; the presenters Pallas, Astraea, the Iron Age, and the Golden Age, with a chorus of musicians.
The locality was doubtless Whitehall. Pallas descended, and the Evils came from a cave, danced to 'two drums, trumpets, and a confusion of martial music', and were turned to statues. The scene changed, and later the scene of light was discovered. After 'the first dance' and 'the main dance', the maskers danced with the ladies, and then danced 'the galliards and corantos'.
Finett, 31 (cf. Sullivan, 237), tells us that 'The King being desirous that the French, Venetian, and Savoyard ambassadors should all be invited to a maske at court prepared for New-years night, an exception comming from the French, was a cause of deferring their invitation till Twelfe night, when the Maske was to be re-acted,. . . [They] were received at eight of the clock, the houre assigned (no supper being prepared for them, as at other times, to avoid the trouble incident) and were conducted to the privy gallery by the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord Danvers appointed (an honour more than had been formerly done to Ambassadors Ordinary) to accompany them, the Master of the Ceremonies being also present. They were all there placed at the maske on the Kings right hand (not right out, but byas forward) first and next to the King the French, next him the Venetian, and next him the Savoyard. At his Majesties left hand sate the Queen, and next her the Prince. The maske being ended, they followed his Majesty to a banquet in the presence, and returned by the way they entered: the followers of the French were placed in a seate reserved for them above over the Kings right hand; the others in one on the
