Sir Lewes Lewkenor

Soldier, translator, parliamentarian and Master of the Ceremonies to James I.

Soldier and translator

Lewkenor entered the Middle Temple in 1579 and served in the Low Countries. His military experience informed The Estate of English Fugitives (1595). He translated The Resolved Gentleman (1594), The Commonwealth and Government of Venice (1599) and The Spanish Mandeville of Miracles (1600).

Parliament and court

He represented Midhurst in 1597 and Bridgnorth in 1604. Appointed Master of the Ceremonies in 1603, he received and attended foreign ambassadors and visiting dignitaries in the theatrical culture of James I’s court.

Shakespeare’s world

Lewkenor’s documented career crosses the world of Shakespeare’s plays: military service, Venetian government, court diplomacy, Mediterranean visitors and performances. The play-by-play articles explore these intersections in detail.