fêtes and dancing parties which were smaller, more select and
informal. These parties were really with the consent and encouragement
of the king, to avoid the responsibility of not inviting everybody.
The larger affairs were very dull and smaller ones might give offense
to those who were left out. The latter, therefore, were turned over to
Mary, who cared very little who was offended or who was not, and
invitations to them were highly valued.

One afternoon, a day or two after Brandon's presentation, a message
arrived from Mary, notifying me that she would have a little fête that
evening in one of the smaller halls and directing me to be there as
Master of the Dance. Accompanying the message was a note from no less
a person than the princess herself, inviting Brandon.

This was an honor indeed--an autograph invitation from the hand of
Mary! But the masterful rascal did not seem to consider it anything
unusual, and when I handed him the note upon his return from the hunt,
he simply read it carelessly over once, tore it in pieces and tossed
it away. I believe the Duke of Buckingham would have given ten
thousand crowns to receive such a note, and would doubtless have shown
it to half the court in triumphant confidence before the middle of the
night. To this great Captain of the guard it was but a scrap of paper.
He was glad to have it nevertheless, and, with all his self-restraint
and stoicism, could not conceal his pleasure.

Brandon at once accepted the invitation in a personal note to the
princess. The boldness of this actually took my breath, and it seems
at first to have startled Mary a little, also. As you must know by
this time, her "dignity royal" was subject to alarms, and quite her
most troublesome attribute--very apt to receive damage in her