Performance of The Golden Age Restored Masque
- When
- 1616
- Where
- Whitehall Palace
- Episodes
- 2
Ben Jonson's masque The Golden Age Restored, designed by Inigo Jones, was performed at Whitehall Palace on 1 and 6 January 1616. The production featured the 'Sons of Phoebus' and was presented while Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, awaited trial. Jonson's text was included in the 1616 folio of his works.
Episodes
- First Performance
The masque was first performed on 1 January 1616 at Whitehall Palace.
- Second Performance
A second performance took place on 6 January 1616, attended by Lady Anne Clifford.
Background and detail
Performance Details. The masque was performed twice in January 1616, almost certainly at Whitehall Palace. The twelve gentleman masquers were styled 'Sons of Phoebus' and were awakened by Astraea, the goddess of Justice. A quartet of past English poets, including Chaucer, Gower, and Spenser, also featured in the production.
Political Context. The performance occurred while Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, was awaiting trial for his role in a murder. His successor as royal favorite, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, was moving into prominence. The masque's timing coincided with this political transition at the court.
People involved
- Ben Jonson · Playwright and Poet
- Inigo Jones · Designer
- King James I · Monarch
- Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset · Royal Favorite
Sources
- The Golden Age Restored Wikipedia, revision of 2025-10-21
- Ben Jonson Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-15
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.