The King's Entertainment at Welbeck

The King's Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire, alternatively titled Love's Welcome at Welbeck, was a masque or entertainment written by Ben Jonson, and performed on 21 May 1633 at the Welbeck estate of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle. It has been argued that the philosopher Thomas Hobbes may have participated in the entertainment as a performer.

When King Charles I conducted a royal progress through northern England to Scotland in the spring and summer of 1633, he stayed and was entertained at the country houses of important aristocrats. The most lavish, and in retrospect the most famous of those 1633 shows, was Jonson's at Welbeck. Charles was so pleased with it that he requested another from the same source on his 1634 progress, which resulted in the "more spectacular" show, Love's Welcome at Bolsover. Newcastle spent between £4000 and £5000 on the masque, which was considered a phenomenal sum for such an occasion — until the following year, when the bill for the Bolsover show exceeded that by £10,000.

The commission for the masque came at a welcome time in Jonson's career. After Chloridia in February 1631, Jonson no longer received commissions for masques from the Stuart Court; in his long battle of egos with Inigo Jones, Jones had finally won and Jonson had lost. In September of the same year, Jonson had also lost his post as the chronologer of the city of London. The Duke of Newcastle, who had an established relationship with Jonson, stepped in to support the poet laureate in his time of need.

The show opened with a scene portraying the Passions, Love and Doubt, and the Affections, "Joy, Delight, &c.," who sing with a chorus in support. After dinner, the show resumed with a dialogue between Accidence, a schoolmaster, and Fitz-Ale, a herald. The dialogue was followed by six hooded figures who give a display at the quintain, comparable to a display of jousting or "barriers." (Regarding the latter, see: The Speeches at Prince Henry's Barriers.) The quintain display was brought to a conclusion by a "Gentleman" who reproved the rustics and their sport, and hailed the King for his love, goodness, and other virtues.

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