ABSTRACT
In a letter written to her uncle in December 1603, Arabella Stuart concludes her description of the court’s New Year’s preparations with an account of the games she played with Queen Anna and her companions:
Whilest I was at Winchester theare weare certein childeplayes remembred by the fayre ladies. Viz. I pray my Lord give me a Course in your park. Rise pig and go. One peny follow me. etc. and when I camm to Court they weare <as> highly in request as ever cracking of nuts was. so I was by the mistresse of the Revelles not onely compelled to play at I knew not what for till that day I never heard of a play called Fier. but even perswaded by the princely example I saw to play the childe againe.1
