The Hue and Cry, &c.] This Masque, which I have called the Hue and Cry after Cupid, bears the following title in the folio, 1616. The Description of the Masque with the Nuptial Songs, at the Lord Viscount Haddington's Marriage at Court, on the Shrove-Tuesday at Night, 1608. The 4to. 1608, adds after Nuptial Songs—"celebrating the happy marriage of John Lord Ramsey, Viscount Hadington, with the Lady Elizabeth Ratcliffe, daughter to the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Sussex." With this motto:
"Acceleret partu decimum bona Cynthia mensem."
This Masque was celebrated with the utmost magnificence. Rowland White, a courtier, and a very intelligent correspondent of the earl of Shrewsbury, thus writes from Whitehall. "The K. is newlie gon to Tibballes for 6 daies. The Spanish Embassador hath invited the 15 ladies that were of the Q's. maske, (the Masque of Beauty, see p. 41.) to dinner upon Thursday next, and they are to bring wth them whom they please, wthout limitacon. The great Maske intended for my L. Haddington's marriage is now the only thing thought upon at Court, by 5 English; L. Arundel, L. Pemb. L. Montgomery, L. Theoph. Howard, and Sir Robt. Rich; and by 7 Scottes; D. Lenox, D'Aubigny, Hay, Mr. of Mar, young Erskine, Sankier, and Kenedie: Yt will cost them about 300l. a man." Lodge's Illustrations, vol. iii. p. 343.
John lord Ramsey the bridegroom, was one of the person present at the assault upon James, Aug. 3, 1600, at Perth, when he killed the earl of Gowrie with his own hand, and was rewarded with a pension and the title of viscount Haddington. He was greatly beloved by the king, of which he continued to receive many substantial proofs, till having, in March, 1612, struck another favourite, Philip, earl of Montgomery, on the race-course at Croydon, he was forbid the court. James recalled him some time afterwards, and in 1620, created him baron of Kingston-upon-Thames, and earl of Holderness.
The bride, whom Arthur Wilson calls "one of the prime beauties of the kingdom," did not live to enjoy this last honour. She died of the small pox, and Bishop Corbett wrote an "Elegia" on the occasion, strangely compounded, as the fashion then was, of wit and woe. She was "girl'd and boy'd," he says; but none of her offspring seem to have long survived her.
