ABSTRACT
In 1617, soon after the marriage of her daughter Elizabeth, Anne of Denmark lent her royal patronage to the performance of a masque-Cupid’s Banishment-given by ‘younge Gentlewomen of the Ladies’ Hall in Deptford at Greenwich’,1 an institution situated conveniently near the palace. According to the conventions of the day, the principal parts were played by boys, but the goddess Diana’s nymphs were schoolgirls, clad in lacetrimmed, tight-bodiced green dresses, with garlands on their flowing hair. In an arrangement composed by their dancing-master for the occasion the nymphs formed themselves into the outlines of letters which spelt ‘Anna Regina’, ‘Jacobus Rex’, and ‘Carolus P.’. After the performance, which was much admired, Diana (played by Master Richard Browne, future father-in-law of John Evelyn) presented to the Queen two of her small god-daughters, who knelt and offered her samples of their embroidery.
