''The Entertainment at Britain's Burse'' is a

masque The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masq ...

(kind of play) written by

Ben Jonson Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...

in 1609 and rediscovered in 1997. It was commissioned by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, in celebration of the opening of the "New Exchange" (essentially a shopping mall), on 11 April 1609. The text of the masque was discovered by James Knowles and published in 1997. It is an unusual Jonson text because it seems to be in celebration of consumer culture while so many of his other plays and poems condemn it—though there might be some satire intended. There are essentially only three characters. Each character performs a rather lengthy monologue including two songs by the final actor. The masque begins with "The Key Keeper" who welcomes a "Maiestie" and "roiall lady", King James and the queen,

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

, to the New Exchange. The Key Keeper describes the exchange like a "newe region", a place still foreign to himself containing many unexplored wonders. Then a "Shop Boy" describes all the many things for sell beginning and ending his speech asking "what doe you lacke?" Then "The Master", the owner of the shop, picks up where the shop-boy left off. He describes the many "mysterious" commodities and his adventures acquiring them. The play concludes with the master desiring wealth, saying, "And god make me Rich, which is the sellers prayer." The Earl of Salisbury provided gifts for the royal family. Anne of Denmark was presented with a silver plaque, James had a cabinet,

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

received a

caparison A caparison is a cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration. In modern times, they are used mainly in parades and for historical reenactments. A similar term is horse-trapper. The word is derived from the Lat ...

for a horse, and courtiers were given rings.Martin Butler, ''The Stuart Court Masque and Political Culture'' (Cambridge, 2008), p. 80.

References

Masques by Ben Jonson 1609 plays James VI and I Anne of Denmark Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales {{17thC-play-stub