On 6 January 1614 a 'garden of a glorious and strange beauty' appeared in The Masque of Flowers, a wedding masque presented by Sir Francis Bacon for the Earl and Countess of Somerset. It is the single most compelling reflection of a real garden to appear in the Jacobean court masques, and succeeds as an illuminating example of garden design and symbolism, and of the delight inspired by flowers in the early seventeenth century. Also this garden is at the heart of a mystery, as the identity of the masque's creator remains unknown. However, research has uncovered a trail of clues leading to Sir Francis Bacon. This paper presents evidence to attribute the stagecraft, verse and 'the garden of a strange and glorious beauty' of The Masque of Flowers to Bacon.
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