ON the tvventith day of sep­tember being Munday, my Lord of Hertford ioyfully expecting her Maiesties comming to Eluetham to supper, as her Highnes had promised: after dinner, vvhen euery other needful place or point of seruice vvas esta­blished and set in order, for so great an en­tertainment, about three of the clocke his Honor seing all his Retinevv vvell moun­ted and ready to attend his pleasure, hee drevv them secretly into a chief thicket of the Parke, vvhere in fevv vvords, but vvell couched to the purpose, hee put them in mind, vvhat quietnes, and vvhat diligence, or other duetie they vvere to vse at that present: that their seruice might first vvork her Maiesties content, & thereby his Ho­nor, and lastlie their ovvn credite, vvith in­crese of his loue & fauour tovvards them. This done, my Lord vvith his traine (a­mounting to the number of 3. hundred, and most of them vvearing chains of gold about their necks, and in their hats Yel­lovv and Black feathers) met vvith her Ma­iestie tvvo miles off, then comming to El­uetham [Page]from her ovvne house of Odiham four miles from thence. As my Lorde in this first action shevved himselfe dutiful, so her Maiesty vvas to him and his most gra­cious, as also in the sequel betvveen fiue & sixe of the clock, vvhen her Highnes be­ing most honorably atteded, entred into Eluetham Parke, and vvas more then halfe vvay betvveen the Park gate & the house, a Poet saluted her vvith a Latine Oration in Heroicall verse, I mean veridicus vates, a sooth saying Poet, nothing inferior for truth, and little for deliuery of his mind, to an ordinarie Orator. This Poet vvas clad in greene, to signify the ioy of his thoughts, at her entrance a laurel garland on his head, to expresse that Apollo vvas patrone of his studies: an oliue branch in his hand, to declare vvhat continual peace and plentie he did both vvish and aboade her Maiestie: and lastly booted, to beto­ken that hee vvas vates cothurnatus, and not a loose or lovve creeping Prophet, as Poets are interpreted by some idle or en­uious ignorants.

This Poets boy offered him a cushion at his first kneeling to her Maiestie, but he refused it, saying as follovveth.

Because all our Countrey-men are not Latinists, I thinke it not amisse to set this dovvne in English, that all may bee indif­ferently partakers of the Poets meaning.

While the Poet was pronouncing this orati­on, six Virgins were behind him, busily remoo­uing blockes out of her maiesties way; which blocks were supposed to bee layde there by the person of Enuie, whose condition is, to enuie at euery good thing, but especially to malice the proceedings of Vertue, and the glory of true Ma­iestie. Three of these Virgins represented the [Page]three Graces, and the other three, the Howres, which by the Poets are fained to be the guardi­ans of heauen gates. They were all attired in gowns of taffata sarcenet of diuers colours, with flowrie garlands on their heads, and baskets full of sweet hearbs and flowers vppon their armes. When the Poets speach was happily ended, and in a scroule deliuered to her maiestie (for such was her gratious acceptance, that she deined to receiue it with her owne hande) then these sixe Virgins, after performance of their humble re­uerence to her highnesse, walked on before her towards the house, strewing the way with flow­ers, and singing a sweete song of six parts to this dittie, which followeth.

This song ended with her Maiesties entrance into the house: where shee had not rested her a quarter of an houre: but from the Snail-mount, and the Ship-Ile in the Pond (both being neare vnder the prospect of her Gallerie windowe) there was a long volley of Chambers dischar­ged. After this, supper was serued in, first to her Maiestie, and then to the Nobles and others. Were it not that I would not seem to flatter the honorable minded Earle: or, but that I feare to displease him, who rather desired to expresse his loyall dutie in his liberall bountie, then to heare of it againe, I could heere willingly particulate the store of his cheare and prouision, as likewise the carefull and kind diligence of his seruantes, expressed in their quiet seruice to her Maiestie, and the Nobility, and by their louing entertain­ment to all other, frends, or strangers. But I leaue the bountie of the one, and the industrie of the others, to the iust report of such as beheld, or ta­sted the plentifull abundance of that time and place.

After supper was ended, her Maiestie graci­ously [Page]admitted vnto her presence a notable con­sort of six Musitions, which my Lord of Hert­ford had prouided to entertaine her Maiestie withall, at her will and pleasure, and when it should seeme good to her highnesse. Their Mu­sicke so highly pleased her, that in grace and fa­uour thereof, she gaue a newe name vnto one of their Pauans, made long since by Master Thomas Morley, then Organist of Paules Church.

These are the chiefe pointes, which I noted in the first daies entertainment. Now therefore it followeth, that I proceed to the second.

ON the next day following, being Tuesday, and Saint Mathewes festiuall, the forenoone was so wet and stormie, that nothing of pleasure could bee presented her Maiestie. Yet it helde vp a little before dinner time, and all the day after: where otherwise faire sports would haue beene buried in foule weather.

This day her maiestie dined, with her No­bles about her in the roome of estate, new buil­ded on the hil side, aboue the Ponds head. Ther sate below her, many Lords, Ladies, & Knights. The manner of seruice, and abundance of dain­ties, I omit vpon iust consideration, as also the Ordinance discharged in the beginning of din­ner.

Presently after dinner, my Lord of Hertford caused a large Canapie of estate to bee set at the ponds head, for her maiestie to sit vnder, and to view some sportes prepared in the water. The Canapie was of greene satten, lined with greene taffeta sarcenet; euerie seame couered with a broad siluer lace; valenced about, and fringed with greene silke and siluer, more then a hand­bredth in depth; supported with four siluer pil­lers moueable; and deckt aboue head with four white plumes, spangled with siluer. This Cana­pie being vpheld by foure of my Lordes chiefe Gentlemen, and tapestry spread all about the pondes head, her maiestie about foure of the clocke came, and sate vnder it, to expect the issue of some deuise, being aduertised, that there was some such thing towards.

At the further end of the ponde, there was a Bower, close built to the brinke thereof; out of which ther went a pompous aray of seapersons, which waded bresthigh, or swam til they appro­ched neare the seat of her maiestie. Nereus, the [Page]prophet of the sea, attired in redde silke, and ha­uing a cornerd-cappe on his curlde heade, did swimme before the rest, as their pastor & guide. After him came fiue Tritons brest-high in the water, all with grislie heades, and beardes of di­uers colours and fashions, and all fiue cheere­fully sounding their Trumpets. After them went two other Gods of the sea, Neptune and O­ceanus, leading betweene them that Pinnace, whereof I spake in the beginning of this Trea­tise.

In the pinnace were three Virgins, which with their Cornets played Scottish Gigs, made three parts in one. There was also in the saide pinnace an other Nymph of the sea, named Ne­aera, the old supposed loue of Syluanus, a God of the woodes. Neare to her were placed three ex­cellent voices, to sing to one lute, and in two o­ther boats hard by, other lutes and voices to an­swer by manner of Eccho: after the pinnace, & two other boats, which were drawne after it by other Sea-gods, the rest of the traine followed brest-high in the water, all attired in ouglie ma­rine suites, and euerie one armed with a huge woodden squirt in his hand: to what end it shal appear hereafter. In their marching towards the pond, all along the middle of the current, the Tritons sounded one halfe of the way, and then they ceasing, the Cornets plaid their Scottish gigs. The melody was sweet, & the shew stately.

By the way it is [...]ll to touch here many thinges abruptly, for the better vnderstanding of that which followeth.

First, that in the Pinnace are two iewels to be presented her Maiestie: the one by Nereus, the other by Neaera.

Secondly, that the Fort in the Pond, is round enuironed with armed men.

Thirdly, that the Snayle-mount nowe resem­bleth a monster, hauing hornes full of wild-fire continually burning.

And lastly, that the God Siluanus, lieth with his traine not farre off in the woodes, and will shortly salute her Maiestie, and present her with a holly scutchion, wherein Apollo had long since written her praises.

All this remembred and considered, I nowe returne to the Sea-gods, who hauing vnder the conduct of Nereus brought the Pinnace neare before her Maiestie, Nereus made his Oration, as followeth; but before he began, hee made a priuie signe vnto one of his traine, which was gotten vp into the Shippe-Ile, directly before her Maiestie, and hee presently did cast himselfe downe, dooing a Summerset from the Ile into the water, and then swam to his companie.

This Oration being deliuered, and withall the present wherof he spake, which was hidden in a purse of greene rushes, cunningly woauen together: immediatly the three voices in the Pinnace sung a song to the Lute with excellent diuisions, and the end of euery verse was repli­ed by Lutes and voices in the other boate som­what a farre off, as if they had beene Ecchoes.

This song being ended, Nereus commanded the fiue Tritons to sound. Then came Syluanus with his attendants from the wood: himselfe at­tired from the midle downewards to the knee, in Kiddes skinnes, with the haire on, his legges, bodie and face naked, but died ouer with saf­fron, and his head hooded with a goates skin, and two little hornes ouer his forehead, bearing in his right hand an Oliue tree, and in his left a scutchion, whereof I spake somewhat before. his followers were all couered with Iuy leaues, and bare in their handes bowes made like darts. At their reproche neare her Maiesty, Syluanus spake as followeth, and deliuered vp his scut­chion, ingrauen with goulden characters, Nere­us and his traine still continuing near her High­nesse.

Nereus in pronouncing this last line, did plucke Syluanus ouer head and eares into the water, where all the sea Gods laughing, did in­sult ouer him. In the meane while her Maie­sty perused the verses written in the scutchion, which were these.

Ouer these verses was this poesy written. De­tur dignissimae.

After that the sea Gods had sufficiently duckt Syluanus, they suffered him to creepe to the land, where he no sooner set footing, but crying Reuenge, Reuenge, he and his, begunne a [Page]skirmish with those of the water, the one side throwing their dartes, and the other vsing their squirtes, and the Tritons sounding a pointe of warre. At the last Nereus parted the fray with a line or two, grounded on the excellence of her Maiestyes presence, as being alwaies friend to peace, and ennemy to warre. Then Syluanus with his followers retired to the woods, and Neaera his faire loue in the Pinnace, presenting her Maiestie a Sea Iewell, bearing the forme of a fanne, spake vnto her as followeth.

Here her Maiesty named the Pinnace the Bonaduenture, and Neaera vvent on vvith her speech as followeth.

Then did Nereus retire backe to his bovver vvith all his traine follovving him, in selfe same order as they came forth be­fore, the Tritons sounding their Trum­pets one halfe of the vvay, and the Cor­nets playing the other halfe. And here en­ded the second daies pastime, to the so great liking of her Maiestie, that her gra­cious approbation thereof, vvas to the A­ctors more then a double revvard, and yet vvithall, her Highnes bestovved a largesse vppon them the next daie after before shee departed.

ON Wednesday morning, a­bout nine of the clock, as her Maiestie opened a casement of her gallerie vvindovv, ther vvere three excellent Musi­tians, vvho being disguised in auncient countrey attire, did greet her vvith a plea­sant song of Coridon and Phyllida, made in three parts of purpose. The song, as vvell for the vvorth of the Dittie, as for the aptnes of the note thereto applied, it plea­sed her Highnesse, after it had beene once sung, to command it againe, and highly to grace it vvith her chearefull acceptance and commendation.

The same day after dinne, about three of the clocke, ten of my L. of Hertfords seruants, al So­mersetshire men, in a square greene Court, be­fore her maiesties windowe, did hang vp lines, squaring out the forme of a Tennis-court, and making a crosse line in the midle. In this square they (beeing stript out of their dublets) played fiue to fiue with the hand-ball, at bord and cord (as they tearme it) to so great liking of her high­nes, that she graciously deyned to beholde their pastime more then an houre and a halfe.

After supper there were two delights presen­ted vnto her maiestie: curious fire-workes, and a sumptuous banket: the first from the three I­lands in the pond, the second in a lowe Gallerie in her maiesties priuie garden. But I will first briefly speake of the fire-works.

First there was a peale of a hundred Cham­bers discharged from the Snail-mount: in coun­ter wherof, a like peale was discharged from the Ship-Ile, & some great ordinance withall. Then was ther a Castle of fire-works of al sorts, which played in the Fort. Answerable to that ther was in the Snail-mount, a Globe of all maner of fire­works, as big as a barrel. When these were spent [Page]on either side, there were many running rockets vppon lines, which past betweene the Snayle­mount, and the Castle in the Fort. On either side were many fire wheeles, pikes of pleasure, & balles of wilde fire, which burned in the water.

During the time of these fire-workes in the water, there was a banket serued all in glasse and siluer, into the low Gallerie in the Garden, from a hill side foureteene score off, by two hundred of my Lord of Hertfordes Gentlemen, euerie one carrying so many dishes, that the whole number amounted to a thousand: and there were to light them in their way, a hundred torch-bearers. To satissie the curious, I will here set downe some particulars in the banket.

• Her Maiesties Armes in sugar-worke.
• The seuerall Armes of all our Nobilitie in sugar­worke.
• Many men and women in sugar-worke, and some in­forst by hand.
• Castles, Forts, Ordinance, Drummers, Trumpeters, and soldiors of all sorts in sugar-worke.
• Lions, Vnicorns, Beares, Horses, Camels, Buls, Rams, Dogges, Tygers, Elephants, Antelops, Dromeda­ries, Apes, and all other beasts in sugar-worke.
• Egles, Falcons, Cranes, Bustardes, Heronshawes, Bytters, Pheasants, Partridges, Quailes, Larkes, Sparrowes, Pigeons, Cockes, Oules, and all that flie, in sugar-worke.
• [Page]Snakes, adders, vipers, frogs, toades, and all kind of wormes in sugar-worke.
• Mermaides, whales, dolphins, cungars, sturgions, pikes, carps, breams, and all sortes of fishes, in sugar­worke.

All these were standing dishes of sugar-work. The selfe same deuises were also there all in flat­worke. Moreouer these particulars following, and many such like, were in flat sugar-worke, and sinamond.

• March-panes, grapes, oisters, muscles, cockles, pe­riwinckles, crabs, lobsters.
• Apples, peares, and plums, of all sorts.
• Preserues, suckats, iellies, leaches, marmelats, pasts comfits, of all sorts.

ON Thursday morning, her Maie­stie was no sooner readie, and at her Gallery window, looking in­to the Garden, but there began three Cornets to play certaine fantastike dances, at the measure [Page]whereof the Fayery Queene came into the gar­den, dauncing with her maides about her. Shee­brought with her a garland made in fourme of an imperiall Crowne, within the sight of her Maiestie, shee fixed vpon a siluer staffe, and stic­king the staffe into the ground, spake as follo­weth.

After this speech, the Fairy Queene and her maides daunced about the garland, singing a [Page]song of sixe partes, with the musicke of an ex­quisite consort, wherein was the Lute, Bandora, Base-violl, Citterne, Treble-violl, and Flute, and this was the Fairies song.

This spectacle and Musicke, so delighted her Maiesty, that shee desired to see and hear it twise ouer: and then dismist the actors with thankes, and with a gracious larges which of her excee­ding goodnesse shee bestowed vppon them.

Within an howre after, her Maiesty departed with her Nobles, from Eluetham. On the one fide of her way as shee past through the Parke, there was placed sitting on the Pond side, Nereus and all the Sea-gods in their former attire: on her left hand, Syluanus and his company: in the way before her the three Graces, and the three Howres: all of them on euerie side wringing [Page]their hands, and shewing signe of sorow for her departure. While she beheld this dum shew, the Poet made her a short Oration, as followeth.

After this, as her Maiestie passed through the Parke gate, there was a consort of Musitions hid­den in a bower, to whose playing this Dittie of Come againe was sung, with excellent diuision, by two, that were cunning.

Her Maiestie was so highly pleased with this and the rest, that shee openly protested to my Lord of Hertford, that the beginning, processe, and end of this his entertainment was so hono­rable, as hereafter hee should finde the rewarde thereof in her especiall fauour. And manie and most happie yeares may her gratious Ma­iestie continue, to fauour and foster him, and all others which do truly loue and honor her.