page_title: The Princely Pleasures, at the Court at Kenilworth
section_title: Synopsis
hierarchical_section_title: The Princely Pleasures, at the Court at Kenilworth / Synopsis
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Porträt des Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Tondo
context_page_description: The Princely Pleasures, at the Court at Kenilworth by George Gascoigne, is an account of courtly entertainments held by Robert Dudley, the first Earl of Leicester upon Queen Elizabeth I’s three weeks visit to his Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire in 1575. Based on European festival book models, Gascoigne's pamphlet is an idealized version of the courtly revels occasioned to entertain the Queen during her stay at the castle from 9 July to 27 July.
context_section_description: The preface to Gascoigne's The Princely Pleasures describes what follows as “sundry pleasaunt and Poeticall inuentions… as well in verse as in prose.” The text includes notes on the dates of the events and their creators, explanations of the nature of the performance, and the poetry and prose. The ten reported stations are:
  Station of Sibilla: Near the castle gate a Sybil prophecies “a prosperous raigne, that she [the Queen] should continue, according to the happy beginning of the same." This device is credited to William Hunnis, Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal.
  Station of the Knights of King Arthur: A dumbshow of trumpeters in the guise of King Arthur's knights welcome the Queen.
  Station of Hercules: Hercules, here a porter, extols the magnificence of the queen and presents to her the keys to the castle. This section is credited to John Badger.
  Station of the Lady of the Lake: Attended with two nymphs, the Lady comes out of the pool on the base court, “being so conueyed that it seemed shee had gonne vpon the water.” She speaks about the antiquity of the castle and the Arthurian ancestry of the residents. This section is credited to George Ferrers.
  Station of the Latin Poet: An actor in guise of a poet speaks Latin verse. This section is credited to Richard Mulcaster, the first headmaster of Merchant Taylor's School.
  Station of the Savage Man and Eccho: Gascoigne himself, dressed as a "sauage man," meets Elizabeth on her way back from hunting. Together with an actor in the guise of Eccho, he engages in a versified dialogue praising the beauty and grandeur of the Queen. This event is credited to Gascoigne.
  Station of the delivery of the Lady of the Lake: Upon her return from hunting, Tryton comes towards Elizabeth as she passes over the bridge and informs her of the distressful situation of the Lady of the Lake who has to live eternally in the lake unless she is delivered by the presence of a “better meide then hir selfe.” Neptune sends Tryton to beseech the queen's help, explaining that her mere presence will set the Lady free.
  Station of the song of Protheus: After the queen frees the Lady of the Lake, a water pageant begins with Protheus appearing on a dolphin float with a musical consort inside: "the Dolphyn was conueied vpon the boate, so that the Owners seen to bee his Fynnes. With in the which Dolphyn a Consort of Musicke was secretly placed, the which sounded, and Protheus clearing his voyce, sang his song of congratulation.” This section is credited to William Hunnis.
  Station of Zabeta masque: Gascoigne explains that this masque commissioned “at incredible cost," designed for a pavilion outside the castle, was cancelled apparently due to the bad weather. It is included in Gascoigne's printed text nevertheless, and it tells the story of Zabeta, originally a nymph of Diana. The masque's commentary on virginity and marriage renders it a loaded allusion to Elizabeth I, to whom Robert Dudley may wish to propose.
  Station of Syluanus’ farewell: On Elizabeth’s departure, Gascoigne in the guise of Syluanus, the god of woods, appears from behind a holly bush, walks beside the Queen’s horse, and tells her that all things are saddened by the Queen’s departure.
caption: Nicolas Hilliard, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1576
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