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1587

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And on a time the king in person, accompanied with the earles of Essex, [...]. Hall in [...] vj. The king [...] other [...] disguised [...] Robin [...]ods men [...] disport. Wilshire and other noble men, to the number of twelue, came suddenlie in a morning into the queenes chamber, all apparelled in short coates of Kentish Kendall, with hoodes on their heads & hosen of the same, euerie one of them his bow and arrowes, and a sword and a buckler, like outlawes, or Robin Hoods men. Whereat the queene, the ladies, and all other there were abashed, as well for the strange sight, as also for their sudden comming, and after certeine danses and pastime made, they departed. On Shrouesundaie the same yeare, [...] banket. the king prepared a goodlie banket in the par|lement chamber at Westminster, for all the ambas|sadors, which then were here out of diuerse realmes and countries. The banket being readie, the king leading the quéene, entered into the chamber, then the ladies, ambassadours, and other noble men follo|wed in order.

The king caused the queene to keepe the estate, and then sate the ambassadours and ladies, as they were marshalled by the K. who would not sit, but walked from place to place, making cheare to the quéene and the strangers: suddenlie the king was gone. And shorlie after, his grace, with the earle of Essex, came in apparelled after the Turkie fashion,The king and others disguised after the Turkish [...]hion. in long robes of baudekin, powdered with gold, hats on their heds of crimsin veluet, with great rolles of gold, girded with two swords called cimiteries, hanging by great bauderiks of gold. Then next came the lord Henrie earle of Wilshire, and the lord Fitzwater, in two long gownes of yellow sattin, trauersed with white sattin, and in euerie band of white was a band of crimsin sattin after the fashion of Russia or Rus|land, with furred hats of graie on their heads, either of them hauing an hatchet in their hands, and boots with pikes turned vp.

And after them came sir Edward Howard then admerall, and with him sir Thomas Parre, in dub|lets of crimsin veluet, voided low on the backe, and before to the chanell bone, lased on the breasts with chaines of siluer, and ouer that short cloakes of crimsin sattin, and on their heads hats after dan|sers fashion, with feasants feathers in them: they were apareled after the fashion of Prusia or Spruce. The torchbearers were apparelled in crimsin sattin and gréene, like Moreskoes, their faces blacke: and the king brought in a mummerie. After that the quéene, the lords, & ladies (such as would) had plaied, the said mummers departed, and put off the same ap|parell, and soone after entered into the chamber in their vsuall apparell. And so the king made great cheere to the quéene, ladies and ambassadours. The supper or banket ended, and the tables voided, the king in communication with the ambassadours, the queene with the ladies tooke their places in their degrées.

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