The work was initially devised as a masque in 1740 and was first performed at Cliveden, country home of Frederick, Prince of Wales, on 1 August 1740 to commemorate the accession of his grandfather George I and the birthday of the Princess Augusta.

Frederick, Prince of Wales made considerable efforts to demonstrate his British nationality and identity, to distinguish himself from his German father George II, with whom he was on very poor terms.

[2] The masque Alfred, to a text by David Mallet and James Thomson, was first performed at Frederick's country home at Cliveden on 1 August 1740.

[2] In its original form, Alfred contained only eight vocal sections and the overture, including the famous patriotic song "Rule, Britannia!".

Alfred exhorts his people: "Britons, proceed, the subject deep command, awe with your navies ev'ry hostile land".