Sir John Finett had received a mandate to be near the king during the acts, that he might be instructed in their several uses and designs, Buckingham having signified his wish to sport a mask on the occasion; Sir John, therefore, much to his regret, was completely debarred from approaching his mistress.

The king’s coming was announced by a flourish of trumpets, and a loud bray from the delighted multitude, who sent up a shout that shook the very foundations.

Under a pavilion of crimson cloth, decked with fringes and valences of gold, walked forth the monarch.  He leaned familiarly on the arm of his host, who, together with Sir John Finett, was in immediate attendance.  After the king’s train had passed, came a troop of morris-dancers, and the hobby-horse, who frolicked in a most ungainly fashion round the Bower of Beautie, kissing hands, and making many salutations towards their enthralled queen.  Next came out a bear and a lion, accompanied by a thing intended to represent an ape, whose office it was to torment these grave animals with his tricks.  But so encumbered were they in their disguise,—­a heavy covering of bucks’ skins and long wool,—­that they had much ado to keep on their clothes, while attempting to resent the indignities they endured.

“Hang thee, Will—­keep thy paws off my tail,” said lion:  “Dost not see I shall be uncovered before the king?”

“I’ll baste thine hide,” said bear, “if thou meddlest any more with mine.”

The ape had settled himself on the back of this august-looking animal, from whence he was suddenly dislodged, much to the delight and entertainment of the king, who laughed heartily at his disaster.  The ravenous animals were on their way to the bower, there to watch for the captives, making great demonstrations all the while of their bloodthirsty intent.

Bear and lion accordingly squatted down before it, making as though they would gladly have been at supper on the fair carcases of those within.  Anon comes a mighty magician, with a long beard, and a wand of some ells in extent, purposing to effect the deliverance of the captives; but the beasts rushed upon him, and in a trice brought him to the ground.  At this juncture the Silver Knight—­showing thereby the superiority of true valour over false gramarye—­should have issued from the bower, rescued the magician, and slain the beasts, opening a way for the escape of these imprisoned damsels, who were to come forth dancing, and representing a fair masque before the king;—­but the magician remained unrescued, while bear and lion lay growling for a long space, not knowing what else to do.  They looked about wistfully, not choosing to feast on their prostrate victim.  At last, finding no change in the posture of affairs, they fairly stood erect, much to the marvel and amusement of the spectators, running off on their hind legs amid the shouts and derision of the assembly.