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 As early as 14 Nov. Donne wrote to Sir Henry Goodyere (Letters, i. 199), 'The King hath left with the Queen a commandment to meditate upon a masque for Christmas, so that they grow serious about that already'. The performance was originally intended for 6 Jan. (V. P. xi. 219), but on 10 Jan. Chamberlain wrote to Carleton (Birch, i. 87), 'The mask at court is put off till Candlemas, as it is thought the Spaniard may be gone, for the French ambassador hath been so long and so much neglected, that it is doubted more would not be well endured'. The intrigues which determined this delay are described in the diplomatic correspondence of the French and Venetian ambassadors (La Boderie, iv. 104, 123, 136, 145, 175, 228; V. P. xi. 212, 219, 222, 231, 234; cf. Sullivan, 47, 212). Hints of a rapprochement between France and Spain had made James anxious to conciliate Henri IV. Even Anne had learnt discretion, and desired that La Boderie should be present at the mask. He was advised by Salisbury to ask for an invitation, which he did, through his wife and Lady Bedford. He had instructions from Henri to retire from Court and leave a secretary in charge if his master's dignity was compromised. Unfortunately the Spanish ambassador leiger was reinforced by an ambassador extraordinary, Don Fernandez de Girone, and took advantage of this to press on his side for an invitation. Etiquette gave a precedence to ambassadors extraordinary, and all that could be done was to wait until Don Fernandez was gone. This was not until 1 Feb. La Boderie was at the mask, and treated with much courtesy. He excused himself from dancing, but the Duke of York took out his daughter, and he supped with the King and the princes. He found the mask 'fort riche, et s'il m'est loisible de le dire, plus superbe qu'ingenieux'. He also thought that of the 'intermédes' there were 'trop et d'assez tristes'. The Spanish influence, however, was sufficiently strong, when exercised on behalf of Flanders, to disappoint the Venetian ambassador of a promised invitation, and La Boderie was the only diplomatic representative present. Anne asked Correr to come privately, but this he would not do, and she said she should trouble herself no more about masks.

It was at first intended to limit the cost of the mask to £1,000, but on 27 Nov. Sir Thomas Lake wrote to Salisbury that the King would allow a 'reasonable encrease' upon this, and had agreed that certain lords should sign and allow bills for the charges (S. P. D. Jac. I, xxxvii. 96, printed and misdated 1607 in Sullivan, 201). This duty was apparently assigned to Lord Suffolk as Lord Chamberlain and Lord Worcester as Master of the Horse, in whose names a warrant was issued on 1 Dec. (S. P. D. Jac. I, xxxviii. 1). The financial documents cited by Reyher, 520, suggest that the actual payments passed through the hands of Inigo Jones and Henry Reynolds. Reyher, 72, reckons the total cost at near £5,000. This seems very high. A contemporary writer, W. Ffarrington (Chetham Soc. xxxix. 151), gives the estimate of 'them that had a hand in the business as "at the leaste two thousand pounde"'.