Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

and the other to the other; to these two tables were appointed ten messes, consisting of five-hundred dishes.

These two tables being likewise furnished, care was taken for the rest of the train, that were thought fit to be entertained within the hall, who were all served so plentifully, that not a man was heard to go discontented away.

And, because it was conceived beforehand, by the committees, that there might come more company with their Majesties, than could be conveniently provided for within the hall, large provision was made abroad for the guards, footmen, coachmen, and the like; where there dined about an hundred and fifty persons of all sorts.

His Majesty received such content, as well in the freedom of the entertainment, as in the well-ordering thereof, that he was pleased by words to express his royal thoughts, as well at dinner as afterwards (so did the Queen, Princes, and nobility) how great content and satisfaction he received from the city by it.

His Majesty also, after dinner, sent for Mr. John Pettus, a gentleman of an ancient family in the county of Suffolk (who had married the Lord Mayor's daughter) and bestowed the honour of knighthood upon him, knowing, that whatsoever in this kind he should do to his Lordship, or his, must necessarily result to the honour of the city, and be an expression of his grace and favour to it.

Their Majesties having reposed themselves a while after dinner, the days being short, the word was given for their departure; and, by this time, the three companies of the twelve, and the rest of the inferior companies, that had not waited in the morning, had taken their standings from St. Laurence's lane end, westward, towards Temple-Bar. The two captains also, with the three marshals, had ordered the horsemen in this manner: they first drew up the sheriff's men in the front, by two and two; then they caused the rear of the horsemen, that had made the first stand at Bishopsgate in the morning, to pass through the rest of the companies after the sheriffs men; and so the rest, according to their former order, till the whole number of five-hundred were ranked again by two and two, as in the morning, and so passed through Cheapside, till the rear of the first company, which was the Lord Mayor's, came even with St. Laurence's lane end; and in this order they staid, till their Majesties were ready to come out of Guildhall; which was about four of the clock in the afternoon.

The Lord Mayor carrying the sword before his Majesty, as in the morning, and the rest that conducted him from Cheapside to Guildhall, led his Majesty thither again, where the word was given, for the horse to advance, which they did, and every one fell into the same order, which they had in the morning: the greatest difference being, that whereas, in the forenoon, the footmen carried truncheons in their hands, they now went with lighted torches, which gave so great a light, as that the night seemed to be turned to day.

As their Majesties passed along, the trumpets and city musick were placed in several parts, sounding and playing, which, together with the several, continual, and joyful acclamations of the people, gave great content to both their Majesties; the little conduit in Cheapside,

and the conduit in Fleet-street, running with wine, as the other two conduits had done in the morning. And in their passage by the south door of St. Paul's church, the choir, with sackbuts and cornets joining with them, sung an anthem of praise to God, and prayers for their Majesties long lives, which pleased his Majesty so well, that he gave them an extraordinary respect; and in their passage to Temple Bar, he made such expressions of his gracious acceptance of the city's love, that the people could not sufficiently make manifest the joy they conceived at it. So that, by this time, the whole day seemed to be spent in a kind of emulation, with reverence be it spoken, between their Majesties and the city: the citizens blessing and praying for their Majesties and their princely issue, and their Majesties returning the same blessings upon the heads of the citizens, with innumerable thanks added thereunto. Insomuch that it is hard to resolve, whether the citizens were more joyed, with the gracious acceptance of their weak, though hearty and loyal endeavours, or their Majesties, with the performance of the day's seasonable service; both their Majesties, and the citizens, seeming, as it were, not well satisfied, to whom the thanks of this day's work were properly due.

But to proceed, when the sheriffs' men, who were in the front, were come as far as the May-pole in the Strand, they began to make a stand, and singled themselves, by falling off at the right-hand of the street, their company extending in length as far as Exeter house; and after them, the horsemen did the like, in the same order and posture, as they had done in the morning, and so continued to the Tiltyard, over against his Majesty's palace of Whitehall, to which place the Lord Mayor, knights, and aldermen, conducted their Majesties.

After the Entertainment.

And now by this time it might be conceived, that a period might be set to this relation, and that his Majesty had given testimony, ample and sufficient, of his gracious acceptation of the city's love, and loyal affection, towards him. But manet alta mente repostum, in a better sense than the poet spoke it; his Majesty had taken so deep impression of his poor subjects love, that he thought he had not sufficiently expressed himself, by all that he had already so graciously been pleased to demonstrate: and therefore, when the Lord Mayor had brought their Majesties into Whitehall, and was taking his leave in humble manner, his Majesty most graciously embraced and thanked him, and withal gave him in charge, that in his name, the whole city might be thanked.

Whereupon, against Tuesday morning following, being St. Andrew's day, the Lord Mayor caused a common council to be warned, where Mr. Recorder, in an eloquent and pithy speech, related the charge and command, that his Majesty, by the Lord Mayor, had imposed upon him; and withal, as was thought fit, he read his speech to his Majesty, and his Majesty's most gracious answer, both which are formerly set

down; which so much revived, and increased the joy of all the commons, that an act was there made, and the Lord Mayor was intreated, to appoint Mr. Recorder, and so many aldermen and commoners, as his Lordship should think fit, to attend his Majesty, and to return their humble thanks, for all his great and princely favours to the city; and to prefer to his Majesty such other desires of the city, as should be thought necessary and convenient.

In the mean time, his Majesty, studying, as it were, how to add more honour to the Lord Mayor, and in him to the whole city, had sent to his Lordship his gracious letters patents, whereby he created him a baronet.

The Lord Mayor, according to the power given unto him, by the act of common council, called a committee to his house, where he appointed how many aldermen, besides those of the committee for the entertainment, should attend his Majesty, with Mr. Recorder, in the pursuance of the said act, where it was concluded, what desires they should humbly represent to his Majesty, on the city's behalf.

Upon Friday the third of December, Mr. Recorder, with these aldermen, viz. Sir George Whitmore, Alderman Cardall, Alderman Soam, Alderman Gayer, Alderman Garrad, Alderman Willaston, and the two sheriffs, being Aldermen likewise, with eight of the commoners of the said committee, went, by his Lordship's appointment, to Hampton Court, where they were received by the Right Honourable the Earl of Dorset, Lord Chamberlain to her Majesty, Sir Peter Wiche, Comptroller of his Majesty's Houshold, and other officers, and gentlemen of quality, till they should be admitted into his Majesty's presence; and after some small stay, his Majesty, with his royal consort the Queen, attended by the Duke of Richmond, Marquis Hamilton, and the Earl of Dorset, came into her Majesty's presence-chamber, and soon after Mr. Recorder, the Aldermen, and commoners were called in; where, after their humble duties tendered, Mr. Recorder, in an elegant speech, presented the loyal affections, and humble thanks of the city to their Majesties, together with two humble petitions, formerly agreed on, to be preferred to his Majesty, in words to this effect:

That according to his Majesty's commandment given to the Lord Mayor, and himself, they had published that, which his Majesty had graciously expressed at his entry into the city, not only to particular men thereof, but at a common council, which is the representative body of the city, and there made known the most gracious acceptance, by both their Majesties, of the endeavours of the citizens, for their welcome and entertainment that day.

That after the publishing of it, they all forthwith with one heart, and one voice, earnestly intreated, and pressed the Lord Mayor, that by his means, and in such way as he should think fit, their most humble and hearty thanks might be rendered, and presented to both their Majesties, for that singular honour they had done the city, in vouchsafing their presence among them, and for those real testimonies his Majesty had given, of his princely favour and affection towards them, tending so much to their profit and advantage, and especially,

for both their Majesties gracious acceptance of their poor, though hearty endeavours, with these, and the like expressions, which came from among them: that if they had done a thousand times more, it had been but their duty; that the memory of this honour, and these favours, should ever live among them; that it should be preserved to posterity; that their desires and studies should be, as much as in them lay, that they might be thought worthy of these honours and favours, and of so good and gracious a King and Queen.

Thus the Lord Mayor had required us that were present, to attend their Majesties with this message from the city, and to make this thankful acknowledgment to them: beseeching their Majesties, as an addition to their former favours, to take it in good part from them. And this was the first part of our errand,

That we had two humble petitions to present to both their Majesties, and we had the rise and encouragement to both, from that which his Majesty was pleased to deliver to us.

Our first petition was, that their Majesties would vouchsafe this honour to the city, if it might stand with their good pleasures, to make their residence, at this season of the year, at the palace of Whitehall. Their presence was very joyful to us, and his Majesty was pleased to tell us, that he would study our prosperity, and restore the trade of the city, which of late had been in some disorder. Their residence there would give a good quickening to the retailing trade, and, by consequence, to the merchant.

Our second was, whereas, since his happy return hither, there had been some late disorders about Westminster, among some people that met there: that their Majesties would not impute this, to the body of the city, or to the better sort of citizens. We held it a misfortune, and a scandal upon us, that when those disorders were mentioned, the city was named with it; and that our desire was, to vindicate and redeem it, by some publick disavowing of it. And we could not begin better, than in the presence of their Majesties; and besought their Majesties to take it into their consideration, that the skirts of the city, where the Lord Mayor, and Magistrates of London, have neither power nor liberty, are more populous, than the city itself, fuller of the meaner sort of people; and, if any dwellers in the city should be actors in it, as who can deny, but, among millions of people, some there may be, yet their purpose was unknown to us. And, to give their Majesties some assurance herein, there were some present there among us, men, that had lived in the city above forty years together, that knew the city, and the better sort of citizens, and were at Westminster, attending other occasions, when those people met there, and took a beedful view of them; and they have affirmed, that they knew not the face of one man among them.

Mr. Recorder having ended, his Majesty presently and graciously gave answer, thus in effect;

That he was very well pleased with the hearty and loyal affections of

VOL. V,

the citizens, for which he gave them great thanks: and, for the first petition, though he and her Majesty had before proposed to winter at Hampton Court, yet, being now fully persuaded, that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and the most considerable part of the citizens of London, had not any hand in the disorders mentioned by Mr. Recorder, in his second petition, he intended, and so he knew her Majesty would, to alter his resolution, and with all convenient speed repair to Whitehall, there to keep their Christmas, and be ready to do any thing else, that might promote the trade of the city, desiring Mr. Recorder to join with him, in taking some course, for prevention of the like disorders for the future.

After his Majesty had ended his answer, and that Mr. Recorder, and Sir George Whitmore, had kissed his royal hand, the next Alderman in seniority kneeled down, to receive the like princely favour, when suddenly, and unexpectedly, his Majesty drew a sword, and, instead of giving him his hand to kiss, he laid his sword upon his shoulder, and knighted him; the like he did to the other Aldermen and two Sheriffs, being in number seven.

This done, their Majesties gave them their hands to kiss; the like princely favour vouchsafed they to the commoners of the committee; and, after many gracious demonstrations of love to them, and the whole city, his Majesty commanded, that they should dine before they left the court.

His Majesty's command was fully and effectually performed: for, as soon as they had in most humble manner taken their leaves of their Majesties, they were brought (by the Right Honourable the Earl of Dorset, and by Mr. Comptroller, and other officers of the court) into a room, where a table was prepared for them, and no others, to dine at, where they were bountifully feasted, being honoured with the presence of the Earl of Dorset, who vouchsafed to dine with them, and, in their Majesties names, gave them exceeding great welcome, expressing to them that love, which he ever hath abundantly manifested to the city. Mr. Comptroller likewise dined with them, using them with very great respect.

While they were at dinner, there came two gentlemen to them, one from his Majesty, the other from the Queen, to let them know, that their Majesties had remembered the health of the Lord Mayor, and the whole city; which they all entertained with all due respect, re.turning their humble thanks, for that their Majesties extraordinary favour.

Dinner being done, they took their leaves of the honourable Earl, and other officers of quality and eminency of the court, and departed, returning to the Lord Mayor, with great joy and comfort, to whom they made relation of their Majesties grace and favour to his Lordship, the whole city, and themselves.

Thus have you seen, as briefly as we could, the work of this day, and in it, as well the demonstration of the city's love, and dutiful affection to his Majesty, and his royal consort, as their Majesties gracious and lovingeptation of it: the former being but the bounden service

« ПредишнаНапред »