John Marston's Entertainment at Ashby and the 1606 Fleet Conduit Eclogue.(essay)(Critical essay)

ON 31 July 1606, a short "eclogue" was performed at the Fleet Conduit in London, as one of a number of events staged by the City of London to celebrate the visit that day of King James and of his brother-in-law King Christian VI of Denmark. In early August 1607, another "eclogue" was performed at Ashby Castle, Leicestershire, as an element within John Marston's Entertainment at Ashby, staged to celebrate the visit of Alice, Dowager Countess of Derby, to her daughter's house there. It has not hitherto been observed that the Ashby eclogue reproduces the Fleet Conduit eclogue, and this chapter documents their similarity and explores the implications for the two entertainments involved.

The Fleet Conduit Eclogue

The visit of James's brother-in-law to Britain in summer 1606 was celebrated in a series of organized events, among them Jonson's Entertainment of the Two Kings at Theobalds, performed on 24 July. The two kings visited London together on 31 July 1606, and were provided with entertainments at the expense of the City of London. (1) These entertainments included a procession, a tableau, a Latin speech by the recorder, and an allegorical Latin entertainment, but we are concerned here with the final theatrical event of the day, as reported in an anonymous pamphlet printed in 1606, The King of Denmarkes welcome. When the two kings were approaching Fleet Street Conduit, a consort of music struck up, and as they came closer

 
  they might beholde a verie fine artificall sommer bower of greene 
  bowes diuided with curtaines of crimson taffatie, the top of the 
  Arbor made canapie wise and hung round about with this inscription, 
  Deus nobis haec otia fecit; and after, a moste excellent song sung 
  dialogue wise, containing these wordes. 
 
  Shepheard:     Sweet Ioe vouchsafe once to impart, 
                 did euer liue so coy a lasse, 
                 that vnto loue was neuer moued? 
  Shephardesse:  Yes Shephard She that has the hart, 
                 and is resolud her life to passe: 
                 neither to loue or be beloued. 
  He:            She sencelesse liues, without affection. 
  She:           Yet happie liues, without subiection. 
  He:            To be pluckt are Roses blowne, 
                 To be mowed are meddowes growne: 
                 Iemmes are made but to be showne, 
                 And woman's best-- 
  She:           To holde her owne. 

The…