The Masque of Flowers,

By the Gentlemen of Graie's Inne,

At the Court of Whitehall, in the Banquetting House,

Being the Last of the Solemnities and Magnificences which
Were Performed at the Marriage of

The Right Honourable the Earle of Somerset and the Lady Frances,
Daughter of the Earle of Suffolke, Lord Chamberlaine.

Honourable Sir; This last Maske, presented by Gentlemen of Graie's Inne, before his Majestie, in honor of the Marriage and happy alliance betweene two such principall persons of the Kingdome, as are the Earle of Suffolke and the Earle of Sommerset, hath received such grace from his Majestie, the Queene, and Prince, and such approbation from the generall, as it may well deserve to bee repeated to those that were present, and represented to those that were absent, by committing the same to the presse as others have been.     The dedication of it could not be doubtfull, you having beene the principall, and in effect the only person that did both encourage and warrant the Gentlemen to shew their good affection towards so noble a Conjunction in a time of such magnificence, wherein we conceive without giving you false attributes, which little need where so many are true, that you have graced in generall all the Societies of the Innes of Court, in continuing them still as third persons with the Nobilitie and Court, in doing the King honor. And particularly Graie's Inne, which as you have formerly brought to flourish both in the auncienter and younger sort, by countenancing vertue in every qualitie; so now you have made a notable demonstration thereof in the later and lesse serious kind, by this, that one Inne of Court by itselfe in time of a vacation, and in the space of three weeks could performe that which hath beene performed, which could not have been done, but that every man's exceeding love and respect to you gave him wings to overtake Time, which is the swiftest of things. This which we alledge for our honor, we may alledge indifferently for our excuse, if any thing were amisse or wanting, for your times did scarce afford moments and our experience went not beyond the compass of some former imployment of that nature, which our graver studies ought have made us by this time to have forgotten. And so, wishing you all encrease of honour, we rest, humbly to doe you service,   J. G.  W. D.  T. B. [@ Nichols 735-6]

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