Page:Hutton, William Holden - Hampton Court (1897).djvu/80

36 he describes how the King himself would of a sudden, as well as when expected, visit his great subject. As he came to More's house at Chelsea, and would walk with him in the garden by the space of an hour, holding his arm about his neck, so he would come to Wolsey, to whom only, as Roper says, he would use similar familiarity. It may well have been at Hampton Court that the scene occurred which Cavendish so prettily describes, and that Shakespeare (or Fletcher) used so happily.

"And when it pleased the King's Majesty, for his recreation, to repair unto the Cardinal's house, as he did divers times in the year, there wanted no preparations or goodly furniture, with viands of the finest sort that could be gotten for money or friendship. Such pleasures were then devised for the King's consolation or comfort as might be invented or imagined. Banquets were set forth, masks and mummeries, in so gorgeous a sort and costly manner, that it was a heaven to behold. There wanted no dames, nor damsels, meet or apt to dance with the maskers, or to garnish the place for that time, with other goodly disports. Then was there all kind of music and harmony set forth, with excellent fine voices both of men and children.

"I have seen the King come suddenly thither in a mask, with a dozen maskers, all in garments like shepherds, made of fine cloth of gold and fine crimson