" Worthy
Sir John seems to have been greatly scandalized, as he well might be, at
these shameless proceedings, and he exclaims pathetically, "The Danes
have again conquered the Britons; for I see no man, or woman either,
that can command himself or herself." Nor does he fail to contrast these
"strange pageantries" with what occurred of the same sort, in the same
place, in Queen Elizabeth's time, observing, "I never did see such lack
of good order, discretion, and sobriety as I have now done."
Having set his heart upon Theobalds, James offered the Earl of
Salisbury, in exchange for it, the palace and domains of Hatfield; and
the proposal being accepted (it could not very well be refused), the
delivery of the much-coveted place was made on the 22nd May, 1607; the
Prince Joinville, brother to the Duke de Guise, being present on the
occasion, where fresh festivities were held, accompanied by an
indifferent Masque from Ben Jonson. Whether the King or the Earl had the
best of the bargain, we are not prepared to decide.
Enchanted with his acquisition, James commenced the work of improvement
and embellishment by enlarging the park, appropriating a good slice of
Enfield Chace, with parts of Northaw and Cheshunt Commons, and
surrounding the whole with a high brick wall ten miles in circumference.
Within this ring he found ample scope for the indulgence of his hunting
propensities, since it contained an almost inexhaustible stock of the
finest deer in the kingdom; and within it might be heard the sound of
his merry horn, and the baying of his favourite stag-hounds, whenever he
could escape from the cares of state, or the toils of the
council-chamber.
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