ABSTRACT
Jonson enjoyed to the full his twin roles as courtier and royal masque-maker. Yet the drama still exerted its old fascination over him. As 1609 progressed he was once more drawn away from court circles to return to the stage. As his Epicane had been given by the Children of the Queen's Revels at Whitefriars, this was Jonson's first return to the public stage since his Volpone of four years earlier in 1606. Other court ladies who noticed Jonson and were honoured by him in return were the daughter of Sir Edmund Carey; Susan Herbert, Countess of Montgomery and married to the brother of Jonson's patron; and the Countess of Rutland and Lady Wroth as before. Jonson was not to attempt the stage again for another three years and from then on till his death he had only one more well-regarded play, Bartholomew Fair. In wider circles came an even more serious falling off.
