She had barely finished the perusal, when there came tripping in the page of Sir John Finett, carrying a sealed billet redolent with the most costly perfume.  The superscription was precisely similar, and nearly in the same hand:—­“To the Fairest, These.”

She hastily broke open the packet.

“Beauteous and most matchless queen! jealous of thy coming, the orb of day hasteneth to hide himself in Thetis’s lap.  He leaveth thee our luminary in his stead, whose twin stars shall so outmimic day that his brightness shall not be remembered.  Truly am I in great heaviness and sorrow, seeing that I cannot be with you in the opening of the pageant, by reason of mine office, and my duty to the king.  Yet will I not leave you without a protector.  My trusty friend Weldon will enact your faithful knighte.  He weareth a black visard and mantle of spotted silver, and will accompany you to the bower, from whence he delivereth the queene and her distressed damsels out of durance.  When the dancing begins, expect me.

     “THINE.”

Little space was left for deliberation.  The bell rang out its signal for the actors to arrange themselves; hearing which, she thrust the billets behind her stomacher, and hastened to the great court, where, on a platform supported by four wheels, was builded a sort of hut, decorated in a tawdry and fanciful style, and yeleped “The Bower of Beautie.”

Into this bower the queen was to be conducted, but the uproar and confusion was indescribable; strange and antic figures hurrying to and fro, seeking their companions, and crying lustily for their places.  Sir John Finett and Sir George Goring fulfilled the office of whippers-in, attempting to establish order out of these undisciplined elements.  Grace drew back; but suddenly there came forth an armed knight from the bower towards her, wearing a black visor and a mantle of spotted silver, courteously beseeching her that she would accompany him to her station.  A great curtain of figured arras hung in front, concealing the interior, where the queen and her maidens were supposed to be held captive.  Grace stepped into this temporary confinement, in which were four other ladies masked, who graciously saluted their queen.  The black-faced visor having seated himself, the arras was again let down; when several men, bedizened with ribands and nosegays, wheeled off the vehicle to its destination on the green.

The bower was garnished with roses, gilliflowers, pinks, and odoriferous herbs.  Garlands of artificial flowers were interspersed; likewise imitations in satin, silk, and gold, of various trees, herbs, and fruits, not to be found in those parts.  All this had been accomplished with great pains by the ladies of the queen’s mimic court, Sir John Finett superintending “The Bower of Beautie,” as his peculiar province.  To Sir George Goring were allotted the bears, satyrs, imps, angels, gods, and other like rabble, who were taught with much labour and difficulty, in so short a space, their several parts.