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Essay XXXVII: Of Masques And Triumphs
Essay XXXVII: Of Masques And Triumphs
These things are but toys, to come amongst such serious observations. But
yet, since princes will have such things, it is better they should be graced
with elegancy than daubed with cost. Dancing to song is a thing of great state
and pleasure. I understand it, that the song be in quire, placed aloft, and
accompanied with some broken music; ^1 and the ditty fitted to the device.
Acting in song, especially in dialogues, hath an extreme good grace; I say
acting, not dancing (for that is a mean and vulgar thing); and the voices of
the dialogue would be strong and manly (a base and a tenor; no treble); and
the ditty high and tragical; not nice or dainty. Several quires, placed one
over against another, and taking the voice by catches, anthem-wise, give great
pleasure. Turning dances into figure is a childish curiosity. And generally
let it be noted, that those things which I here set down are such as do
naturally take the sense, and not respect petty wonderments. It is true, the
alterations of scenes, so it be quietly and without noise, are things of great
beauty and pleasure; for they feed and relieve the eye, before it be full of
the same object. Let the scenes abound with light, specially colored and
varied; and let the masquers, or any other, that are to come down from the
scene, have some motions upon the scene itself before their coming down; for
it draws the eye strangely, and makes it with great pleasure to desire to see
that it cannot perfectly discern. Let the songs be loud and cheerful, and not
chirpings or pulings. Let the music likewise be sharp and loud, and well
placed. The colors that show best by candle-light are white, carnation, and a
kind of sea-water-green; and oes, ^2 or spangs, as they are of no great cost,
so they are of most glory. As for rich embroidery, it is lost and not
discerned. Let the suits of the masquers be graceful, and such as become the
person when the vizors are off; not after examples of known attires; Turks,
soldiers, mariners, and the like. Let anti-masques not be long; they have been
commonly of fools, satyrs, baboons, wild-men, antics, ^3 beasts, sprites,
witches, Ethiops, pigmies, turquets, ^4 nymphs, rustics, Cupids, statuas
moving, and the like. As for angels, it is not comical enough to put them in
antimasques; and anything that is hideous, as devils, giants, is on the other
side as unfit. But chiefly, let the music of them be recreative, and with
some strange changes. Some sweet odors suddenly coming forth, without any
drops falling, are, in such a company as there is steam and heat, things of
great pleasure and refreshment. Double masques, one of men, another of
ladies, addeth state and variety. But all is nothing except the room be kept
clear and neat.
[Footnote 1: Part music, for different instruments.]
[Footnote 2: Round spangles.]
[Footnote 3: Clowns.]
[Footnote 4: Turkish dwarfs.]
For justs, and tourneys, and barriers; the glories of them are chiefly
in the chariots, wherein the challengers make their entry; especially if they
be drawn with strange beasts: as lions, bears, camels, and the like; or in
the devices of their entrance; or in the bravery of their liveries; or in the
goodly furniture of their horses and armor. But enough of these toys.
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