Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

INTRODUCTION. xliii
to their proper forms, took out the ladies to dance, after the fashion
of the court at Whitehall, " galliards, corantoes, and brawls," to the
combined music and song of the other characters of the masque. The
revel was graced by the presence of many ladies, and the crowd was
so great that not only were the hall and its approaches filled, but,
as we learn, the anxious spectators climbed the outer sills of the
windows to obtain a view of the show going on within. The names
of the performers are not given, but they were members of the inn,
several of whom had by this time probably gained considerable
experience in this kind of entertainment.' Browne is described as a
man of quiet, unassuming manners and of an amiable disposition.
It appears from the notes and verses published in the first editions of
his various productions that he was the intimate friend of numerous
members of the society, benchers and others.' His companions
appear to have been John Selden, Michael Drayton, the author of
" Polyolbion," and Christopher Brooke. He was also friendly with
Milton, and a copy of the first edition of " Britannia's Pastorals " with
1 " The Masque of the Inner Temple " was published in 1772 from the MS. at
Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Another copy is among the Hopton Hall MSS., and
from this Mr. Bullen has published it in " The Poems of Wm. Browne of Tavistock,"
London, 1894, vol. ii., p. 165. Browne's dedication is as follows (p. 137) :
" To the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.
" GENTLEMEN,
give you but your owne. If you refuse to foster it, I knowe not who will.
By your meanes it may live. If it degenerate in kinde from those other the Society
hath produced, blame yourselves for not seeking a happier muse. I knowe it is not
without faultes, yet such as your loves, or at least Poetica licenlia (the common salve)
will make tollerable. What is good in it, that is yours ; what bad, myne ; what indifferent,
both ; and that will suffice, since it was done to please ourselves in private, by him
that is
" All yours,
" NV. BROWNE."
" I
2 The following signed as members of the Inner Temple : John Selden, Juris-C. :
Edward Heyward e Soc. Int. Templi : Fr. Dynne. e So. Int. Templ. : Tho : Gardiner.
e So. I. T. (Sir Thomas Gardiner, Recorder of London) : Fr : Oulde. e Soc. I. T : Tho.
Wenman e Soc I. T. (Sir Thomas Wenman, fellow of Baliol Coll : Oxon. afterwards
Viscount Wenman) : Carolus Croke : Unton Croke e Societate Inter : Templi (sons
of Sir John Croke): John Morgan e Soc. I. T. : Thos Heygate e Soc. I. T. : Augustus
Csar. e Soc. Int. Templi (son and heir of Sir Thos. Cxsar) : Ed. Johnson Int. Temp.
(a bencher) : John Ouley Int. Temp. : All these gentlemen wrote verses. In addition
there are very affectionate lines by Ben Jonson, Serjeant Glanvil, Michael
Drayton, and others.