Introduction

The gentlemen of Gray's Inn, in the sixteenth century, delighted in theatrical presentations. It is not surprising then to find reference to masques in a missive sent, possibly in 1587, from the Reader of Gray's Inn, Francis Bacon, to William Cecil, Lord Burghley. Bacon writes, "There are a dozen gentlemen of Gray's Inn that, out of the honour which they bear your Lordship and my Lord Chamberlain, to whom at their last masque they were so much bounden, are ready to furnish a masque: wishing it were in their power to perform it to their minds." ¹ Bacon had been made a Bencher of Gray's Inn in 1586, but by 1587 was already well on his way to establishing himself both in the legal profession and in Court One of the "masques" to which he alludes could be The Misfortunes of Arthur. According to both the play's title page and an entry in the Revels Office account book, The Misfortunes of Arthur was presented before Queen Elizabeth I at Greenwich Palace. The title page lists 28 February 1587/88 as the performance date. If The Misfortunes of Arthur is one of the masques referred to by Bacon, then the "dozen gentlemen of Gray's Inn" is an overestimate. Eight gentlemen from Gray's Inn are listed as having been involved in the production at Greenwich, and we have no reason to believe that anyone went unmentioned.