Banquet

If I am in the least right in my presentation of this obscure matter no one need be surprised to hear that the land is full of war and rumours of war.

Scarce a year goes by but what some province is in arms or sits sulky and menacing holding parliaments disregarding the king's proclamations and planting food in the bush—the first step of military preparation The religious sentiment of the people is indeed for peace at any price No pastor can bear arms And even the layman who does so is denied the sacraments In the last war the College of Malua where picked youth are prepared for the ministry lost but a single student: the rest 'in the bosom of a bleeding country,' and deaf to the voices of vanity and honour peacefully pursued their studies But if the Church looks askance on war the warrior in no extremity of need or passion forgets his consideration of the church The houses and gardens of her ministers are safe in the midst of armies A way is reserved for themselves along the beach Where they may be seen in their white kilts and jackets openly passing the lines While not a hundred yards behind the skirmishers will be exchanging the useless volleys of barbaric warfare Women are also respected They are not fired upon And they are suffered to pass between the hostile camps Exchanging gossip Spreading rumors And divulging to either army the secret counsels of the other This is plainly no savage war It has all the punctilio of the barbarian and all his parade Feasts precede battles Fine dresses and songs decorate and enliven the field And the young soldier comes to camp burning On the one hand To distinguish himself by acts of valour And on the other To display his acquaintance with field etiquette Thus after Mataafa became involved in the hostilities against the Germans and had another code to observe beside his own he was always asking his white advisers if things were done correctly Let us try to be as wise as Mataafa and to conceive that etiquette and morals differ in one country and another We shall be the less surprised to find Samoan war defaced with some unpalatable customs The childish destruction of fruit trees in an enemy’s country cripples the resources of Samoa And the habit of head-hunting Not only revolts foreigners But has begun to exercise the minds of the natives themselves Soon after the German heads were taken Mr Khan Wesleyan missionary Had occasion to visit Mataafa's camp and spoke of the practice with abhorrence Missy Khane Said one chief we have just been puzzling ourselves as to guess where that custom came from But missy Is it not so That when David killed Goliath He cut off his head and carried it before the King With the civil life of the inhabitants we have far less to do and yet even here a word of preparation is inevitable They are easy merry and pleasure loving Though by far from either the most capable Or the most beautiful Of the Polynesians Find dress is a passion And makes Samoan festival a thing of beauty Song is almost ceaseless The boatman sings at the oar The family At evening worship The girls At night in the guest house Sometimes The workman at his toil No occasion is too small For the poets and musicians A death A visit The day's news The day's pleasantry Will be Set to rhyme and harmony Even half grown girls [The occasion arising] Fashion words and train choruses of children for its celebration Song As with all Pacific islanders Goes hand in hand With dance And both Shade into the drama Some of the performances Are indecent and ugly Some Only dull Others are Pretty Funny and attractive Games are popular Cricket matches Were a hundred played Upon a side Endured at times For weeks And ate up the country Like the presence of an army Fishing The daily bath Flirtation Courtship Which is gone upon By proxy Conversation which is largely political and the delights of public oratory fill in the long hours But the special delight of the Samoan is the malaga When people form a party and go from village to village junketing and gossiping They are said to go on a malanga Their songs Have announced their approach Ere they arrive The guesthouse is Prepared for their reception The virgins of the village attend to prepare the kava bowl and entertain them with the dance Time flies in the enjoyment of every pleasure which an Islander conceives and when the malunga sets forth the same welcome and the same joys expect them beyond the next cape where the nearest Village nestles in its grove of palms To the visitors it is All golden For the hosts it Has another side In one or two Words of the language The fact peeps Slyly out The same word Afemoina Expresses ‘a long call,’ and “to come as a calamity.” The same word Lesolosulu signifies "To have no intermission of pain” and ”To have no cessation,” as in the arrival of visitors." And Sua used of epidemics bears the sense of being overcome with fire flood or Visitors But the gem of the dictionary is the verb alavoa which illustrates its pages like a humorous woodcut It is used in the sense of ’to avoid visitors’, but means literally hide in the wood So by the shorthand of popular speech we have the picture of the house deserted, the malunga disappointed and the host that should have been quaking in the bush.

We are thus brought to the beginning of a series of traits of manners highly curious in themselves and essential to an understanding of the war.

In Samoa authority sits on the one hand entranced; on the other property stands bound in the midst of chartered marauders.

he used every sunday to repair to the court being then for the most part at greenwich in the term with all his former order taking his barge at his privy stairs furnished with tall yeomen standing upon the bales and all the gentlemen being within with him and landed again at the crane in the vintry and from thence he rode upon his mule with his crosses his pillars his hat and the great seal through thames street until he came to billingsgate or thereabout and there took his barge again and rode to greenwich where he was nobly received of the lords and chief officers of the king's house as the treasurer and controller with others and so conveyed unto the king's chamber his crosses commonly standing for the time of his abode in the court on the one side of the king's cloth of estate he being thus in the court it was wondrously furnished with noblemen and gentlemen much otherwise than it was before his coming and after dinner among the lords having some consultation with the king or with the council he would depart homeward with like state and this order he used continually as opportunity did serve thus in great honor triumph and glory he reigned a long season ruling all things within this realm appertaining unto the king by his wisdom and also all other weighty matters of foreign regions with which the king of this realm had any occasion to intermeddle all ambassadors of foreign potentates were always dispatched by his discretion to whom they had always access for their dispatch his house was also always resorted and furnished with noblemen gentlemen and other persons with going and coming in and out feasting and banqueting all ambassadors divers times and other strangers right nobly end of section three Section four of The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Read by John Greenman Part IV And when it pleased the King's Majesty for his recreation to repair unto the Cardinal's House, as he did divers times in the year At which time there wanted no preparations or goodly furniture with viands of the finest sort that might be provided for money or friendship such pleasures were then devised for the king's comfort and consolation as might be invented, or by man's wit imagined The banquets were set forth with masks and mummeries in so gorgeous a sort and costly manner that it was an heaven to behold There wanted no dames or damsels meet or apt to dance with the maskers or to garnish the place for a time with other goodly disports Then was there all kind of music and harmony set forth with excellent voices both of men and children I have seen the King suddenly come in thither in a masque.

With a dozen other masquers All in garments like shepherds Made of fine cloth of gold And fine crimson satin paned And caps of the same With visors of good proportion of physnomy Their hairs and beards either of Fine gold wire Or else of silver And some being of black silk Having sixteen torchbearers besides their drums And other persons attending upon them With visors and clothed all In satin of the same colours And at his coming And before he came into the hall Ye shall understand That he came by water To the water gate Without any noise Where against his coming Were laid charged many chambers At whose landing they were all shot off Which made such a rumble in the air That it was like thunder It made all the noblemen Ladies and gentlewomen To muse what it should mean Coming so suddenly They sitting quietly at a solemn banquet Under this sort First ye shall perceive that the tables were set in the chamber of presence Banquet-wise covered My lord cardinal Sitting under the cloth of estate And there having his service all alone And then was there sat a lady and a nobleman Or a gentleman and a gentlewoman Throughout all the tables in the chamber on the one side Which were made and joined As it were but one table All which order and device Was done and devised By the Lord Sands Lord Chamberlain to the King And also by Sir Harry Guilford Controller to the King Then immediately after This great shot of guns The Cardinal desired The said Lord Chamberlain and Comptroller To look what this sudden shot Should mean As though he knew nothing Of the matter They thereupon Looking out of the window Into Thames Returned again And showed him That it seemed to them There should be some noblemen And strangers arrived at his bridge As ambassadors from Some foreign prince With that quoth the cardinal "I shall desire you Because ye can speak French To take the pains To go down into the hall To encounter And to receive them According to their estates And to conduct them To this chamber Where they shall see us And all these Noble personages Sitting merrily at our banquet Desiring them To sit down with us And to take part Of our fare and pastime." Then they went incontinent Down into the hall Where they received them With twenty new torches And conveyed them Up into the chamber With such a number Of drums and fifes As I have seldom Seen together at one time In any masque At their arrival Into the chamber Two and two together They went directly Before the cardinal where he sat Saluting him very reverently To whom the lord chamberlain For them said "Sir, forasmuch as they be Strangers and can Speak no English They have desired me To declare unto your grace Thus: they, having Understanding of this Your triumphant banquet Where was assembled Such a number Of excellent fair Dames Could do no less Under the supertation Of your good Grace But to repair hither To view as well Their incomparable beauty As for to accompany Them at mumm chance And thereafter to Dance with them And so to Have of them acquaintance And sir they furthermore Require of your grace license To accomplish the cause Of their repair" To whom the cardinal answered That he was Very well contented They should so do Then the maskers Went first and saluted All the dames as they sat And then returned To the most worthiest And there opened A cup full of Gold With crowns And other pieces Of coin To whom they Set divers Pieces To cast at Thus in this manner Perusing all the ladies And gentle women And to some they lost And of some they won And thus done they returned Unto the cardinal With great reverence Pouring down all the Crowns in the cup Which was about Two hundred crowns At all Quoth the cardinal And so cast the dice And won them all At a cast Whereat was Great joy made Then quoth the cardinal To my lord chamberlain I pray you Quoth he Show them that it seemeth Me how there should Be among them Some nobleman Whom I suppose To be much more Worthy of honour To sit and occupy This room and place Than I To whom I would Most gladly If I knew him Surrender my place according to my duty Then spake my Lord Chamberlain unto them in French, declaring my lord cardinal's mind and they rounding him again in the ear.

My Lord Chamberlain said to my lord cardinal sir They confess quoth he that among them there is such a noble personage Among whom if your grace can appoint him from the other He is contented to disclose himself And to accept your place most worthily With that the Cardinal taking a good advisement among them at the last Quoth he me seemeth The gentleman with the black beard should be even he And with that he arose out of his chair And offered the same To the gentleman in the black beard with his cap In his hand the person to whom he Offered then his chair was Sir Edward Neville A comely knight of a goodly Personage that much more resembled The king's person in that mask than any Other the King hearing and perceiving The cardinal so deceived in His estimation and choice could Not forbear laughing but Plucked down his visor and Master Nevilles and dashed Out with such a pleasant countenance and Cheer that all noble estates There assembled seeing the King to Be there amongst them rejoiced Very much the cardinal eftsoons Desired his highness to take the Place of estate to whom the King answered that he would go First and shift his apparel And so departed and went Straight into my lord's bedchamber Where was a great fire made and Prepared for him and there new Appareled him with rich and Princely garments and in the time Of the king's absence the dishes Of the banquet were clean taken Up and the tables spread again With new and sweet perfumed cloths Every man sitting still until the King and his masquers came in Among them again every man being Newly appareled then the King took his seat under the cloth Of estate commanding no Man to remove but sit Still as they did before Then in came a new Banquet Before the king's majesty and To all the rest through the Tables wherein I suppose Was served two hundred Dishes or above of wondrous Costly meats and dullaces Subtilly devised thus passed They forth the whole night With banqueting dancing and Other triumphant devices to The great comfort of the King and Pleasant regard of the nobility There assembled all this matter I have declared at large because Ye shall understand what joy And delight the cardinal had To see his prince and sovereign Lord in his house so Nobly entertained and pleased Which was always his only Study to devise things to His comfort not passing of The charges or expenses it Delighted him so much to Have the king's pleasant princely Presence that no thing was To him more delectable Than to cheer his Sovereign lord to Whom he owed So much obedience and loyalty As reason required No less All Things well considered End of section four Section five of The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Read by John Greenman Part Five Thus Passed the cardinal his life and Time From day to Day and year to Year in Such Great wealth Joy and triumph and Glory having Always on his side the king's Especial favor Until fortune of whose Favor no man Is longer assured than she is Disposed began to wax Something wroth with his Prosperous Estate thought She would Devise a mean to Abate his High port wherefore She procured Venus the Insatiate goddess to be her Instrument to work Her purpose she brought the King in love with a gentlewoman That after she perceived and Felt the king's goodwill towards Her and how diligent he Was both to please her and To grant all her requests She wrought the cardinal Much displeasure as hereafter Shall be more At Large Declared this Gentlewoman the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn Being at that time But Only a bachelor Knight though which After For the Love of his Daughter was Promoted to higher Dignities he bare And divers Several times for The Most part all the rooms of Estimation in the king's House as Comptroller Treasurer Vice-Chamberlain and Lord Chamberlin then Was he Made Viscount Rockford and at The Last created Earl of Wiltshire and Night of the Noble order of the Garter and For his More increase of gain and Honor he was made Lord Privy Seal and most Chiefest of the king's privy Council continuing therein until His son and daughter Did incur the king's Indignation and displeasure the King fantasized so Much his daughter Anne that Almost everything Began to grow out of frame and Good Order to tell you How the king's love began to Take place and What followed thereof i Will Even as much as in Me lieth declare You this gentlewoman Mistress anne boleyn being very Young was sent Into the realm of France and There made one of the french Queen's women Continuing there until the French queen died And then was she sent for home again.

And being again with her father, he made such means that she was admitted to be one of Queen Catherine's maids; among whom for her excellent gesture and behavior did excel all other.

Insomuch as the king began to kindle the brand of amours, which was not known to any person, nor scantly to her own person.

And that done he went to Mass and said his other divine Service with his Chaplain as he was accustomed to do and then went straight into a garden ; and after he had walked the space of an hour or more and there said his Evensong he went to dinner and supper all at once ; and making a small repast he went to his bed to take his rest for that night.

The next night following he caused a great Supper to be provided for Madame Reagent and the Queen of Navarre and other great estates of Ladies and Noble Women .

There was also Madame Rene one of the daughters of King Lewis whose sister King Francis had married lately dead These sisters were By their Mother Inheritresses Of the Duchy Of Britanny And forasmuch As the King Had Married One of the Sisters By Whom he Had the Moity Of the Said Duchy And to Attain The Other Moity And So to Be Lord of the Whole He kept the said Lady Renee Without Marriage Intending that She Having None Issue The whole duchy Might descend To him Or to his Succession After her death For Want of issue Of her body But Now let us Return Again to the Supper Or rather A solemn Banquet Whereall these noble persons Were highly feasted And in the midst Of their triumph The French King With the King of Navarre Came suddenly in Upon them unknown Who Took Their places At the nether End of the table There was Not only plenty Of fine meats But also much Mirth and solace As well In Communication As in Instruments Of musick Set forth with My lords minstrels Who played there So Cunningly And dulcet All that Night That the King Took therein Great pleasure Insomuch that He desired my lord To lend Them unto him The next night And after supper And banquet finished The ladies And Gentlewomen Went to dancing Among whom One madame Fontaine A maid Had the prize And thus passed they The night In pleasant mirth And joy The Next day the King Took my Lords Minstrels And rodeunto An nobleman’s house Wherewas some Goodly image Thathehad avowed A pilgrimageUnto Toperformhis devotion When he came there, he danced and others with him the most part of that night.