(Ital. Mascherata, Fr. Masquerade), a species of amusement, common to most civilized countries, in which persons of both sexes mask or disguise themselves, and engage in dancing, festivities, and miscellaneous conversation. Masquerades are said to have been invented by Granacci, an Italian, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. At all events they were fashionable in Italy as early as 1512, when they were introduced into England in the reign of Henry VIII., as old Hall informs us in his Chronicle (4to, London, 1809, p. 526). He says, "On the daie of the Epiphanie at night (1512-13,) the king (Henry VIII.) with axi. other were disguised, after the maner of Italie, called a maske, a thying not seen afore in Englannde, thei were appareled in garments long and brode, wrought all with gold, with visers and cappes of gold & after the banquet done, these maskers came in, with sixe gentlemen disguised in silk" (which some take for the modern domino) "bearing staffe torches, and desired the ladies to dance, some were content, and some that knew the fashion of it refused, because it was not a thying commonly seen." And after they danced and commended together, as the fashion of the maske is, they tooke their leave and departed, and so did the queene, and all the ladies."