Spencer's family invited Milton to write a masque for a celebration to honour her on her 75th birthday, 4 May 1634.
This arrangement was made possible through the intervention of Henry Lawes, the Earl's music tutor for his children,[1] and friend to Milton's father.
[2] Milton wrote Arcades and the piece was performed at the Harefield estate.
[7] Genius is not a unique figure in Miltonic poetry and he is similar to a demon or Thyrsis in Comus because he relies on divine music for an earthly purpose.
[5] The masque portrays a powerful female character at the centre of the plot.