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<\/a>From the burgh\u2019s treasurer accounts a month later, we see that this dinner cost the astonishing sum of \u00a3221 6s 4d. The city councillors had clearly wanted to make a good impression of their civility and prosperity, and for Jonson to report back favourably to his royal master. Jonson was to keep a memento of this occasion in the form of a \u2018burgess ticket\u2019, a certificate showing his enrollment in the burgh community \u2013 the equivalent of a guild member of an English town. In January 1619, the treasurer\u2019s accounts record the thirteen pounds paid to Alexander Paterson \u2018for writing and gilding of Benjamin Jonson\u2019s burgess ticket being thrice written\u2019.<\/p>\nHonorary burgess-ship had been given to both Jonson and his fellow traveller in Dunfermline, but in the grander civic community of Edinburgh, the companion did not make the grade. Edinburgh\u2019s council was showing a restraint here that had been lacking in the liberal granting of such honours the previous year, to the assorted bunch accompanying the king on his return to Edinburgh. At two consecutive dinners, over scores of honorary burgesses were created from the highest noble to the more lowly court attendants.<\/p>\n
Determinedly grabbing this fleeting opportunity to curry favour with James VI and I, the richness of the council\u2019s entertainment reflected the sad sense of loss that many Scotsmen had felt on his departure south in 1603. As John Hay, the clerk deputy\u2019s speech to James on his entry to Edinburgh had extolled: the<\/p>\n
\u2018happy day of our new birth, wherein our eyes behold the greatest human felicity our hearts could wish which is to feed upon the Royal countenance of our true Phoenix, the bright Star of our Northern Firmament, the ornament of our age, wherein we are revived with the best and bright beams of our sun… by whose removing from us we were darkened, deep sorrow and fear possessing our hearts.’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The extravagance of the royal dinners caused much comment. Erected on the Royal Mile, close to the parliament hall and St Giles\u2019s cathedral<\/p>\n
\u2018There was a house built of timber and glass, made of purpose for it, hung with tapestry. There were above four score young men of Edinburgh, all in gold chains, that served. They had such varieties of meats, fish, and provision, that an Englishman who was a master of household himself said: I have been all over Europe and now come to Scotland, and whereas I thought there should have been nothing here, I have seen the best both for variety of meats, and also for service. The second day of the banquet, the courtiers, with many others, were invited, and after dinner were made burgesses. I speak nothing of those pleasant sorts of melodies, music, wines.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Presbyterian historian and minister David Calderwood was later to write deeply disapprovingly of the wines running in the fountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 26 September 1618, one of Edinburgh\u2019s officials hastened to where Jonson was staying in Leith. Earlier that Friday, the city\u2019s council had decided to make Jonson an honorary burgess and guild brother. With abject apologies for the delayed nature … Continue reading