The cardinall knew not that the king was in the number.With that (quoth the cardinall) I desire you, bi|cause you can speake French, to take the paines to go into the hall, there to receiue them according to their estates, and to conduct them into this chamber, where they shall sée vs, and all these noble personages being merie at our banket, desiring them to sit downe with vs, and to take part of our fare. Then went he incontinent downe into the hall, whereas they receiued them with twentie new torches, and conueied them vp into the chamber, with such a noise of drums and flutes, as seldome had béene heard the like. At their entring into the chamber two and two togither, they went directlie before the cardinall, where he sate and saluted him reuerentlie.

The cardinall reuerentlie sa|luted of the maskers.To whom the lord chamberleine for them said: Sir, for as much as they be strangers, and can not speake English, they haue desired me to declare vnto you, that they hauing vnderstanding of this your trium|phant banket, where was assembled such a number of excellent dames, they could doo no lesse vnder sup|port of your grace, but to repaire hither, to view as well their incomparable beautie, as for to accompa|nie them at mum-chance, and then to danse with them: and sir, they require of your grace licence to accomplish the said cause of their cõming. To whom the cardinall said he was verie well content they should so doo. Then went the maskers, and first salu|ted all the dames, and returned to the most worthie, and there opened their great cup of gold filled with crownes and other péeces of gold, to whome they set certeine péeces of gold to cast at.

Thus perusing all the ladies and gentlewomen, to some they lost, and of some they woone: and marking after this maner all the ladies, they returned to the cardinall with great reuerence,The cardinall plaieth at dice. powring downe all their gold so left in their cup, which was aboue two hundred crownes: At all (quoth the cardinall) and so cast the dice and wan them, whereat was made a great noise and ioy. Then quoth the cardinall to the lord chamberleine,He suspecteth that the king is present and abateth his estate. I praie you (quoth he) that you would shew them, that me séemeth there should be a nobleman amongst them, who is more meet to occu|pie this seat and place than I am, to whome I would most gladlie surrender the same according to my dutie, if I knew him.