'On shrovetewesday at nyght, the said Cardinall to the kinge and ambassadors made another supper, and after supper thei came into a great chamber hanged with Arras, and there was a cloth of estate, and manye braunches, and on every braunche torchettes of waxe, and in the nether ende of the same chamber was a castle, in which was a principal Tower, in which was a Cresset burning : and two other lesse Towers stode on every side, warded and embattayled, and on every Tower was a banner, one banner was of thre rent hartes, the other was a ladyes hand gripinge a mans harte, the third banner was a ladies hand turning a mannes hert : thys castle was kept with ladies of straung names, the first Beautie, the second Honor, the third Perseveraunce, the fourthe Kyndnes, the fyfth Constance, the sixte Bouniie, the seventh Mercie, and the eyghte Pitie, these eyght ladies had Millian gounes of white sattyn, everye Ladye had her name embraudered wyth golde, on their heades calles, and Millein bonettes of golde, with Jwelles. Undernethe the basse fortresse of the castle were other eyght ladyes, whose names were Dangler, Disdain, Gelousie, Unkyndenes, Scome, Malebouche, Straungenes, these ladyes were tired lyke to women of Inde. Then enterd eyght Lordes in clothe of golde cappes and all, and great mantell clokes of blewe Sattin, these lordes were named, Amorus, Noblenes, Touth, Attendaunce, Loyaltie, Pleasure, Gentlenes, and Libertie, the kyng was chyefe of thys compaignie, thys compaygnye was led by one all in Crymosyn Sattin wyth burninge flames of golde, called Ardent Desire, whyche so moved the ladies to geve over the Castle, but Scome and Disdain sayed that they woulde holde the place, then Desire sayd the ladies shoulde be wonne, and came and encoraged the knyghtes, then the lordes ranne to the castle (at whych tyme wythoute was shot a greate peale of gunnes) and the ladies defended the Castle wyth Rose water and Comfyttes, and the lordes threwe in Dates and Orenges, and other fruites made for pleasure, but at the last the place was wonne, but Ladye Scome and her com- paygnye stubbernely defended theim wyth bowes and balles, tyl they were driven out of the place and fled. Then the lordes toke the ladies of honor as prysoners by the handes, and brought them doune, and daunced together verye pleasauntlye, whiche much pleased the straungers, and thei had daunced their fyll, then all these dysvisered themselfes and were knowen : and then was there a costly banket, and when al was done, the straungiers toke their leave of the king and the Cardinall, and so departed into Flaunders, geving to the king muche commendacion.'
Edward Hall, King Henry the VIII, the XIII Yere (1521-1522).
